Mississippi Humanities Council Newsletter - July 2020
Executive Director's Message
The Humanity Behind Changing the Flag

Stuart Rockoff
Executive Director
For those outside Mississippi, it's easy to look at us and think that removing the Confederate insignia from our state flag in 2020 deserves no praise. While symbolic changes don't address the deeper issues of injustice and inequality, I believe the Legislature's decision to remove the current state flag was truly historic.
 
While Mississippi has the largest percentage of African Americans of any state, they have too often been invisible in our state's accepted narratives. This is how the all-White Legislature in 1894 was able to adopt a state flag that celebrated the Confederacy at a time when Mississippi was 58% Black. Phrases like "our heritage" purposefully elided the fact that most Mississippians did not have a say and did not celebrate this history. "Mississippian" meant a White Mississippian. You even see this same idea among progressive critics of our state. When the New York Times or Washington Post publishes an article about us, the online comments always make reference to the stereotype of how backward and racist Mississippi is. But these comments overlook the 38% of Black Mississippians who have a long history of struggle and resistance, of what Mississippi-native Kiese Laymon calls "Black abundance." When I moved to Mississippi in 2002, I had the realization that I didn't have to associate with Ross Barnett because I was White, but I could claim the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer and Medgar Evers. They represent the best of Mississippi we all should be proud of.
 
Since our founding in 1972, the Mississippi Humanities Council has supported programs that presented an honest and accurate account of our past. In the last few years, we have supported three different public discussions about our state flag. The goal wasn't to debate the issue, but rather to try to get people to understand the meaning of the flag from the perspective of others, to foster empathy and understanding. During the House debate, Representative Ed Blackmon talked about the state flag that sits in the chamber; that his White colleagues pass by it every day and likely never even notice it. When he passes it, he always notices it, and understands that it meant, to some degree, he was not welcome there.
 
The explanation for why the Legislature voted for change is now being analyzed and debated. Certainly, the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests created the climate for change. Pressure from Black activists and elected officials, which has a decades-long history in Mississippi, can't be overlooked, while we must recognize the courage of White Republican leaders who helped achieve the required 2/3rds vote in both houses. Also, outside pressure from the NCAA and SEC along with internal pressure from the Mississippi Economic Council and Baptist Convention, certainly played a role. But I believe a key turning point was that many White legislators finally began to see the state flag through the eyes of their Black colleagues. Empathy drove this change.

Voting to take down our state flag was a statement that Black Mississippians matter, that they are part of our history and our heritage.

And that empathy was born from the moment. Through much of our state's history, Black lives didn't matter to most White people. How else could our state support a flag that signified enslavement and oppression to our Black citizens. Over the last several weeks, White people around the country have begun to understand racism in a deeper way. This has been true in Mississippi as well. Voting to take down our state flag was a statement that Black Mississippians matter, that they are part of our history and our heritage.
 
But in the end, a flag is just a symbol. There is much more work to be done to overcome our state's legacy of racism. But what I learned a few weeks ago is that human empathy and a deep, truthful understanding of our history can really change hearts and minds and can move us forward. The humanities matter.

MHC Hosts Virtual Program for Grantwriting

Learn How to Access MHC Grants for Public Programs and Events
Includes Tips for Planning Virtual Programs

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
10 AM TO 11 AM
VIA ZOOM
 
Join the Mississippi Humanities Council program staff Thursday, August 6, for a Zoom webinar exploring grant opportunities with the Council. The webinar will include basic guidelines for planning public humanities programs and events, grant application procedures, and a special session on planning virtual programs  in this time of social-distancing.
 
The workshop is free and open to all. Community organizations such as nonprofits, libraries, museums, tribal entities, community colleges, universities, and professors are encouraged to attend.
 
At the conclusion of the webinar, participants may request one-on-one consultation about specific programs or events they may be planning.
 
To register for this webinar, email Molly McMillan at mmcmillan@mhc.state.ms.us
MHC Addresses Systemic Racism in New Ideas on Tap Series  

On July 14, the MHC hosted the first in a multi-part virtual Ideas on Tap series on systemic racism in America. The program, conducted on Zoom and streamed via Facebook Live, explored how systemic racism has  a ffected the policing and criminal justice systems in America.

Program panelists included Scott Colom, district attorney for Mississippi's 16 th  Circuit Court, and Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law. MHC board member Dr. Temika Simmons, director of the Local Government Leadership Institute at Delta State University, moderated the program. Their conversation focused on the difference between racism and systemic racism, how racism affected the formation of the country's criminal justice system, its lasting legacy today, and what steps society must take in order to reverse these effects.

The July 14 program was the first Ideas on Tap the MHC has hosted since the COVID-19 pandemic  began, and  was the first all-virtual Ideas on Tap the MHC has ever hosted. Recordings of the program can be found on our  Facebook  and  YouTube  pages.  
A follow-up program will take place August 11  from 5:30 to 7 p.m.  and will focus on
systemic racism in housing and education. For more information, contact  Caroline Gillespie .  
How a Grant is Decided

The Mississippi Humanities Council's mission is to support public programs that inspire meaningful community dialogue, engage diverse audiences and apply the humanities to our everyday lives. We do this primarily by awarding program grants for grassroots events planned and implemented by nonprofit cultural organizations across the state. If you have ever wondered how the Council determines which grant applications are funded, what portion of the requested amounts are approved and why some applications are not considered eligible, here is an overview of the MHC grant review process:
 
The Council offers two types of grants: "minigrants" for requests up to $2,000.00 and "regular grants" for requests between $2,000.00 and $7,500.00. Minigrant applications are accepted on a rolling deadline and are reviewed in-house by the executive director and the assistant director, with decisions typically announced within two weeks of submission. If approved, grant funds are released six weeks after the application was submitted. Regular grant applications are accepted May 1 and September 15 each year and are reviewed by a panel consisting of three MHC board members and two outside reviewers who are engaged in the cultural life of our state. Their recommendations to fund, partially fund or not fund are forwarded to the full MHC board for a final vote. If approved, regular grant funds are released 10 weeks after the deadline for which the application was submitted.
 
The first step of any applicant for an MHC grant should be a consultation with MHC staff, who will offer constructive feedback and suggestions on how to strengthen an application. Once submitted, MHC staff will again check an application for basic eligibility requirements: Is the application form properly completed? Is the proposed project inclusive of diverse audiences, does it use humanities studies effectively to examine the proposed topic of the grant? Is the evaluation plan adequate? Is the budget appropriate for the planned program and does it include adequate cost-share (all MHC grants require 1:1 cost-share, including at least 10% in cash for requests over $2,000.00)? Are humanities scholars used in both the planning and implementation of the project and is their expertise appropriate for the project?
 
Depending on the strength of all these elements in an application and also on available funds, the MHC grant review panel may recommend full funding, partial funding if the overall project is strong but does not fully meet all funding guidelines or zero funding if the proposed project does not fulfill the goals of the MHC to use humanities scholarship to increase understanding of the human experience.
 
The MHC strives to fund as many grant applications as possible. We prefer to work with applicants on their projects in advance, identifying strengths and weaknesses and connecting them with appropriate humanities scholars, to build strong programs to be funded.

Learn More
MHC Launches Newest Virtual Program,  HumBox  

The MHC's newest virtual program,  HumBox , is now officially live and available for sites to host. Meridian's Arts and Entertainment Experience (MAX) will host the first  HumBox  program July  31  from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The program, which will be conducted virtually, is free and open to the public but registration is  recommended . 

The MAX's program will examine the history and cultural legacy of pandemics and other public health emergencies. The  HumBox , "A Useable Past: Pandemic History in the United States" was created by Dr. Amy Forbes, associate professor of History at Millsaps College. The MAX's  HumBox  program will be facilitated by Julian Rankin, executive director at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs. 

The MHC created  HumBox  to keep communities engaged in the humanities despite being socially distant.  HumBox  is a digital resource curated and compiled by the MHC and scholars that combines educational information, documents, and discussion questions on a variety of topics. Host organizations share the digital boxes with their community members and convene an online gathering, where a humanities facilitator guides the audience through the topic and fosters a discussion using the provided questions.

For more information on how to register for the MAX's  HumBox  program on July  31 , visit their   website . More information about  HumBox  topics and how to host a program in your community can be found on our  website .  

Learn More
Upcoming Virtual Speakers Bureau Programs

The Mississippi Humanities Council believes the safety and well-being of Mississippians should be top priority in this unprecedented time. While public gatherings are currently limited, we've been working closely with organizations to provide virtual programming through our Speakers Bureau program.  The lectures will take place over Zoom, so be sure to visit the website calendar for information on how to join each meeting. Upcoming lectures include:

Felder Rushing
Over and Under the Fence: Historic Passalong Plants as Social Glue
Hosted by Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Wednesday, July 22, 12:00 p.m.
For centuries, flowers, vegetables, and herbs that survive on little care and are easily propagated have been shared across social lines--both in the open and underground. This presentation will explore plants and garden habits that mark otherwise diverse Mississippians as part of a unique cultural whole.

Ellen Meacham 
Delta Epiphany: RFK in the Mississippi Delta
Hosted by First Regional Library System
Friday, July 24, 12:00 p.m.
Drawing upon archival research and interviews, Meacham's presentation outlines Robert Kennedy's 1967 journey through Mississippi and what he saw and heard, concluding with how Kennedy's visit affected food aid policy, what has changed there and what has not changed since his visit.

Brinda Willis
From the Fields to the Factories: The Great Migration of African Americans from the Fields of Mississippi to the Cities and Factories of the North
Hosted by The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County
Friday, July 31, 12:00 p.m.
This presentation will explore the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North in the 20th century.

Robert Luckett
This Is My Century: Margaret Walker and the Black Arts Movement
Hosted by Eudora Welty House & Garden
Tuesday, August 11, 12:00 p.m.
Dr. Robert Luckett, scholar and director of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, provides an overview of how  Margaret Walker stood at the center of a vibrant community of black artists, activists and intellectuals in the United States and abroad.

#HumanitiesAtHome
 
In lieu of our typical "Upcoming Events" section, the MHC staff is providing recommendations for books, series, movies, podcasts and other modes of entertainment that can help you explore the humanities from your h ome.

STUART
I have just started Eddie Glaude Jr.'s book Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own. A native of Moss Point and a professor of African American Studies at Princeton, Glaude argues that Baldwin's writings remain relevant today.

I've been enjoying some wonderful virtual programs. My favorite was an insightful discussion between David Blight, the author of the recent award-winning biography of Frederick Douglas, and Annette Gordon-Reed, a Thomas Jefferson scholar, about historical monuments. In a time of much public debate about monuments and historical memory, I found their wisdom to be very useful. The hour-long program can be found here.



CAROL
My husband bought me a paperback copy of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles a couple of years ago, and now, thanks to a strange COVID-19 work schedule, I have more evenings free to read, so I am finally cracking this one open. A Gentleman in Moscow tells the story of a Russian aristocrat living under house arrest in a luxury hotel for more than thirty years. Towles also wrote Rules of Civility, a big hit in 2011 on the New York Times best-seller list.

I'm watching Season 2 of Dead to Me, a Netflix dark comedy starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as two grieving women who bond during therapy. It's a nutty tale of murder and friendship all wrapped up together, with multiple plot twists. Its two female leads, especially Christina Applegate, are outstanding.



CAROLINE
This one deserves a lot of time, so quarantine has allowed me to really commit to reading  The Warmth of Other Suns. Isabel Wilkerson not only writes beautifully, but she weaves together a much broader understanding of the Great Migration so that we can see the extent of its impact on politics, economics, and social structures in our country. An important read always, but particularly now that many Americans are having more honest and open conversations on race and racism in our country.
 
MOLLY
I tried several times over the course of the last few years to enjoy the Hamilton soundtrack as my friends do. Some of them had been fortunate enough to see the musical, some of them assured me, "You get the story with the music. Just listen to it," but it was not in the cards for me. All of that changed on July 3rd. I'm officially one of them. I have watched it 3 times so far, and keep catching myself singing "You ain't neva gonna be president now!" So, Hamilton on Disney+ is what I'm both watching and listening to.

In between Hamilton showings, I'm reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, because my favorite books tend to be the ones that rip you apart at the seams and shatter your heart and soul in the best ways. The story follows the lives of four friends in New York City from college through to middle-age. It focuses particularly on Jude, a lawyer with a mysterious past, ambiguous ethnicity, and unexplained health issues. 
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