Spotlighting Mississippi’s 'Invisible' Stories Can Bring Us Together | |
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I spent much of the holiday break reading books, including a classic I had never read before: Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man. It’s a remarkable work bursting with ideas, but one in particular stuck with me. The unnamed narrator becomes symbolically invisible when those around him do not recognize his humanity. He is seen by the outside world as a Black man, which he certainly is, but Ellison’s book makes the point that he is a human first. The great power of the novel is seeing the world of the Jim Crow South and Great Migration-era New York City through the narrator’s eyes. Like all great literature, the book challenges the reader’s perspective and offers greater human understanding.
The book also got me thinking about the many invisible stories here in Mississippi. For many years our state’s narrative excluded the experiences and perspectives of a substantial part of the population. Since our founding in 1972, the Mississippi Humanities Council has worked to bring these invisible stories to light and present a more accurate and complete narrative about our state. This idea informs our “Reflecting Mississippi” 50th anniversary theme. Throughout 2022, we will be supporting a range of public humanities programs that aspire to honestly reflect our state’s history and culture in its full diversity.
This initiative is especially timely today when our society is so divided. Several commentators have even begun to write about the possibility of a civil war between Red State and Blue State America. Yet, we know there are no “red” or “blue” states; every state is a different shade of purple, and we must learn to live together in the communities we share. When I get overly frustrated by national events, I turn my focus to the local, to my street, neighborhood, and city. Addressing the challenges we face locally requires us to work together.
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As some politicians seek to ban the teaching of certain books or concepts, let us remain open to engaging with ideas and experiences of those who are different from ourselves | |
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I believe stories and the humanities have the potential to help us do just that. By listening to others who have different experiences and perspectives, we can better understand ourselves, our state, and our country. These perspectives might make us uncomfortable sometimes. We may disagree with them vehemently. But we need to engage with them rather than ignoring or censoring them. As some politicians seek to ban the teaching of certain books or concepts, let us remain open to engaging with the ideas and experiences of those who are different from ourselves.
Several years ago when we held public programs about our state flag, our goal wasn’t to convince anyone to change their mind, but rather we wanted each side to better understand the perspective of the other even if they intensely disagreed. Above all, we wanted both sides to recognize the humanity of each other. This vision continues to guide our Ideas on Tap program.
It also informs our Reflecting Mississippi theme. When we shine a spotlight on those parts of our history that have been invisible, it gives us an opportunity to write new narratives that have the potential to unify and inspire. As we enter our 50th anniversary year, the Mississippi Humanities Council remains committed to the idea at the heart of Ellison’s great work: despite all our differences, greater understanding of our common humanity can unite us.
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Longtime MHC Finance Director to Retire
In 1979, Jimmy Carter was President, Cliff Finch was Mississippi’s governor, and recent Jackson State University graduate Brenda Thigpen Gray started work at the Mississippi Committee for the Humanities. Now, after a 43-year career overseeing the financial management of the organization, Gray has announced her retirement as of February 4.
“Launching my professional career at the MHC in 1979 has been a very rewarding and exciting experience," Gray said. "I have had the opportunity to know and work with many talented colleagues and interesting people from different social, economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. I appreciate the opportunity given to me by former executive director, Dr. Cora Norman to be involved with an organization that promotes and encourages racially diverse public programs that help us to understand others through history, language and culture."
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“When I became just the third executive director of the Council in 2013, I had the good fortune to have Brenda Thigpen Gray there to train me in how to manage and spend federal funds," said MHC Executive Director Stuart Rockoff. "During my eight years at the Council, I never had to worry about misspending federal funds or going over our budget. Brenda always had it handled. In addition to her expertise, we will also miss her institutional knowledge about the Council’s long history of serving the state. Although she has promised that she won’t be changing her phone number!”
The MHC will recognize Gray for her many years of service to the Council at our March 25 Awards Gala. Please join us that evening to celebrate her 43-year career at the MHC.
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Scholars Select 'Mississippi Founders' to be Honored
The MHC is excited to announce that our More Perfect Union initiative is underway. Our scholars committee made up of Dr. Daphne Chamberlain (Tougaloo College), Dr. Robert Luckett (Jackson State University), Dr. Tiyi Morris (Ohio State University); Dr. Rebecca Tuuri (University of Southern Mississippi), and Dr. Anthony Neal (Mississippi State University) have selected 12 Mississippians who will be highlighted as “Mississippi Founders.” These 12 individuals are: Fannie Lou Hamer, Amzie Moore, Annie Devine, Medgar Evers, Lawrence Guyot, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Clarie Collins Harvey, Aaron Henry, John R. Lynch, Thomas W. Stringer, Vernon Dahmer, and Unita Blackwell. The effort and sacrifices made by these individuals helped ensure that all Mississippians enjoyed the liberty and democratic rights enshrined in America’s founding ideals. These individuals challenged the status-quo, urging that the phrase “We the People” should include all people.
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These “Mississippi Founders” will be depicted in a traveling exhibit, a 12-part podcast series, and televised interstitials through Mississippi Public Broadcasting. These initiatives will be launched in the spring of this year.
"These founders helped transform the social and political landscape of our country, moving us closer to 'a more perfect union.' Thus, all Mississippians should view then with pride," said project coordinator John Spann. To bring the free "Mississippi Founders" exhibit to your community, contact MHC Program & Outreach Officer John Spann.
The Mississippi Founders project is supported by a special grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of its “More Perfect Union” initiative.
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Humanities Lectures Around the State
Humanities Teacher Award lectures begin this month and continue through the end of March. One outstanding humanities educator at each of the state's institutions for higher learning is selected each year for this honor, which includes a cash award and special recognition at the Mississippi Humanities Council's annual awards gala in March. These lectures offer Mississippians a unique opportunity to hear scholarly presentations on a wide range of humanities subjects.
Upcoming Lectures:
January 28: Tammy Townsend, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, The Journey Home: Literary Narratives and PTSD
February 1: Heather Peerboom, Pearl River Community College, Health and Social Wellbeing: The Benefits of Bookreading
February 2: Dr. Eric Dogini, Alcorn State University, The Sound: Analog Vs Digital Audio and How Microphones Work for Broadcast Journalists
February 4: Lacy Johnson, Meridian Community College, From Handprints on Cave Walls to Posting on Social Media; Seeking Validation Through our Personal Narratives
February 11: Ron Wilson, Southwest Mississippi Community College, The Internet - Past, Present, and Future
February 17: Jenni Hargett, Mississippi Delta Community College, The Case for Code-Meshing in the Community College Classroom
February 22: Will Bowlin, Northeast Mississippi Community College, Controlling the Message: How Historical Narratives Affect Our Perceptions
For more information about the Humanities Teacher Award lectures, visit our events calendar, or e-mail Evan Jones.
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MHC Invites 'Reflecting Mississippi' Proposals
The Mississippi Humanities Council is marking 50 years of serving the people of our state with a year-long series of programs and projects organized around a “Reflecting Mississippi” theme. These projects will focus on the diverse stories of our state, exploring where we have been and who we are in 2022.
As part of its “Reflecting Mississippi” initiative, the Council invites grant proposals that examine and reflect on our state’s unique history and culture. Proposals may include but are not limited to local history; Mississippi literature; stories of underrepresented communities; parts of our history and culture that have often not been reflected in mainstream narratives; and how major national and global events have shaped Mississippi. Projects may also examine how our narratives have, or have not, reflected Mississippi.
Coinciding with the rollout of its “Reflecting Mississippi” grant initiative, the Council has streamlined its application form and shortened the turnaround time for successful applicants to access their grant funds. The new, streamlined application form is available on the Grants page of the MHC website. The processing time between the application date and the availability of grant funds for minigrants has been reduced to four weeks and for regular grants to eight weeks.
Minigrant proposals are accepted on a rolling basis using the application forms found on the MHC website. Minigrant applications must be submitted a minimum of four weeks before the proposed project begins. The Council offers larger grants (up to $7,500) twice a year, May 1 and Sept. 15. The upper limit for regular grants has been increased for the May 1, 2022, deadline to $10,000 for projects related to the “Reflecting Mississippi” theme.
For more information, please visit the Grants page on the MHC website.
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New Higher Education in Prison Consortium Aims to Change Lives
The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to announce Stephanie Gaskill is leading a year of planning to establish a consortium dedicated to expanding quality higher education in prison programs in the state.
In 2021 The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the MHC a two-year grant to work with three community colleges to offer for-credit humanities courses in prisons. As interest in this work continues to grow, MHC has partnered with the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB), Mississippi Public Universities/Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), and the Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) to seek ways to offer even more classes to Mississippians who are incarcerated.
The MHC received a second grant from the Laughing Gull Foundation to work with the four partners to establish a statewide alliance of Mississippi organizations dedicated to expanding and promoting quality postsecondary education opportunities for students in prison. The two-year grant funds both a year of planning and a year of implementation, including a consultant to guide the planning process.
Gaskill, based in New Orleans with several years of experience working with prison education programs, will lead a 14-member steering committee during the planning year.
“We are delighted to have someone with Stephanie’s experience and passion for this work to guide us in this coalition-building phase of our prison education work in Mississippi,” said Carol Andersen, assistant director of the MHC and lead HEP program manager for the Council. Gaskill recognizes the value of a consortium in dealing with the challenges of conducting college classes inside a prison. “No one does this work in a vacuum,” she commented. “It is crucial to develop and share knowledge and resources in collaborative contexts.”
According to Andersen, the planning year will involve traveling the state, both physically and virtually to hear from various stakeholders. Gaskill and the Mississippi Consortium for Higher Education in Prison Steering Committee will also study other state consortiums to develop a plan that will meet the unique needs of men and women incarcerated in Mississippi prisons.
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Save the Date: Community Forums to Discuss 'Brain Drain' in Mississippi | |
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GULF COAST
Wednesday, Feb. 16, 6:00 p.m.
The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (Gulfport)
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PINE BELT
Thursday, Feb. 17, 6:00 pm
McComb (venue TBA)
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These MHC-sponsored programs are part of the “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils, with funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. | |
Upcoming MHC-Sponsored Events | |
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Jackson Metro Area:
Speakers Bureau: Separate But Equal?: African American Schools in Mississippi
February 17, 12:00 p.m.
University Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson
In this presentation, Jennifer Baughn will describe how the Civil Rights movement forced the Mississippi Legislature to fund a massive “Equalization Program” that built sprawling consolidated campuses in every county in the state in an effort to create a segregated system that was truly “separate but equal.”
Learn More
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Northeast Mississippi:
O.N. Pruitt’s Possum Town: Photographing Trouble and Resilience in The American South
February 3 – April 23
Columbus Arts Council, Columbus
This event is a traveling multimedia exhibition that reveals life in northeast Mississippi as reflected in the photography of O.N. Pruitt. From 1915 to 1960, Pruitt, a white man in a racially segregated society, recorded community celebrations as well as troubling violence.
Learn More
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South Mississippi:
Honoring the Unsung Heroes and Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez
February 12, 12:00 p.m.
Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Natchez
This annual public event will honor civil rights activists who played a vital role in the movement but did not receive the recognition as other prominent participants.
Learn More
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Online:
Remembering Emmett Till in the Mississippi Delta: Documenting Till Commemoration through Oral Histories
January 27, 1:30 p.m.
Join the Emmett Till Interpretive Center to discuss the importance of documenting Civil Rights stories in the Mississippi Delta, specifically around Emmett Till and how his life and memory have been commemorated. The event will include clips from oral history interviews gathered as part of an MHC oral history project, an excerpt from a documentary on local leader Jerome Little, and a panel discussion with the filmmakers and Dr. Dave Tell, author of Remembering Emmett Till.
Register and Learn More
Black History Month Lecture Series
This lecture series is presented by the Mississippi University for Women and includes multiple discussion panels listed below. All events will be held through Zoom, and the Zoom details for each will be released soon.
February 3, 6:30 p.m: Toni Morrison and Resurrections of Blackness and the Literary Imagination (Dr. Ashley Burge)
February 7, 6:00 p.m: Octavia E. Butler’s Vision for Communal Healing (Dr. Briana Whiteside)
February 16, 6:30 p.m: Volunteer MUW Student Panel
February 24, 6:30 p.m: Outkast and the Hip-Hop South (Dr. Regina Bradley)
Learn More
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