Mississippi Humanities Council Newsletter - March 2021 |
|
Executive Director's Message
Virtual Connection
Admittedly, it was not the best way to end Humanities on the Hill. After five great virtual meetings with our congressional delegations and their staffs, I received several emails from Congressman Steven Palazzo’s staff member that the Zoom link I sent her wasn’t working. Since we only had a 15-minute slot on her schedule, we didn’t have time to fix it. Usually, I am in Washington, D.C. for Humanities on the Hill, and the worst experience I’ve had previously was realizing a congressman had moved offices and having to run to the next office building over to make our appointment time. But with my Zoom snafu, there was not much I could do except reschedule the meeting.
Like everyone, over the past year, the Mississippi Humanities Council has had to adjust to our new reality of Zoom meetings and virtual programs. After cancelling last year’s Public Humanities Awards ceremony, scheduled for the end of March, we decided to hold this year’s event virtually. We are working with a local filmmaker to put together a pre-recorded program featuring speeches from all of our winners, a special tribute to our founding director Dr. Cora Norman, and a special presentation of our Cora Norman Award by Dr. Susan Glisson to the great Mississippi poet and writer Natasha Trethewey. I’ve seen Natasha’s acceptance speech, and it will bring goosebumps if not tears. The awards ceremony will begin streaming over Facebook Live and YouTube March 26 at 7:00 p.m. Do not miss it!
A year into the pandemic, we have become accustomed to virtual programs, but I still believe something is lost when we cannot gather in the same space to listen and learn from each other.
Of course, in a normal world, I would not have already seen Natasha’s beautiful speech. Instead, we would all be gathered in the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson, connecting with old friends and colleagues, meeting new ones, and celebrating together outstanding achievements in the public humanities. A year into the pandemic, we have become accustomed to virtual programs, but I still believe something is lost when we cannot gather in the same space to listen and learn from each other.
Of course, virtual programs have some advantages, most notably their transcendence of geographic barriers. Our innovative “MS+MA” series would simply not be possible without the power of technology to connect people in Mississippi and Massachusetts. Our fourth session is this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and will feature poets from both states exchanging thoughts and verses about how words can connect us. Please join us from the comfort of your home if you can. You can register here.
The Mississippi Humanities Council has learned a lot about the power and limitations of technology over the past year. We will never leave these technological advancements behind. You will be able to watch many of our programs as they stream online, even after we return to in-person events.
And we will return. As more and more Mississippians get vaccinated, we are already making plans to get out around the state, reconnecting with old partners and establishing new relationships. The Mississippi Humanities Council’s work is built on these partnerships.
It’s been a long year for all of us. But I can see the end as we begin the slow transition back to normal. Next year, we will gather in Jackson for our Public Humanities Awards. Next year, I won’t have to worry about sending the right Zoom link to staffers on Capitol Hill. I will be able to make our case for the importance of federal humanities funding in person. Most importantly, we will support opportunities for Mississippians to connect, in person, to explore our shared history and culture.
|
|
Tomorrow! Poet Laureates Unite: Join MS+MA 'Verses and Voices'
Our next cross-state event with our colleagues in Massachusetts brings together poet laureates from both states for a conversation about the role of poetry in public life. With the words still of presidential inauguration poet Amanda Gorman resounding across the nation, we’ll hear poems and thoughts from Mississippi poet laureate Beth Ann Fennelly (poet laureate of Mississippi) and her student, Michael Martella, plus Worcester Poet Laureate Juan Matos and Amina Mohammed, Worcester’s youth poet laureate.
The virtual program will take place via Zoom tomorrow evening, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. CST. Register and reserve your spot here!
|
|
MHC 2021 Public Humanities Awards: A Virtual Experience
The Mississippi Humanities Council is delighted to announce its 2021 Public Humanities Awards, which recognize outstanding work by Mississippians in bringing the insights of the humanities to public audiences. This year’s awards event will be presented virtually and will stream over the Humanities Council’s Facebook and YouTube channel on Friday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Former Mississippi and U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey will receive the Cora Norman Award in recognition of her distinguished career as a poet and writer. A native of Gulfport, Trethewey is the author of five collections of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Native Guard and the nonfiction book Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The awards ceremony will also include a special tribute to Cora Norman, who passed away earlier this year.
In addition to honoring Trethewey, the MHC will also recognize:
Humanities Scholar Award: Dr. James Giesen, associate professor of history at Mississippi State University, for his work as the official scholar for the Mississippi tour of the Smithsonian Institution exhibit Water/Ways.
Humanities Partner Award: The Mississippi Book Festival for becoming the state’s preeminent literary event, fostering a love of reading among Mississippians young and old, and enriching the cultural life of our state.
Humanities Educator: Marta Smally for her work leading a bilingual family reading program at the public library in Horn Lake. As the co-organizer and discussion leader for the Luciérnagas reading program, Smally engages families in meaningful discussions about their lives, inspiring them to take pride in their cultural heritage while helping them feel connected to their new community.
Preserver of Mississippi Culture: Hawkins vs. Town of Shaw Project, which produced a play and a series of historical markers telling the story of a local freedom movement in the Mississippi Delta that culminated in a groundbreaking federal civil rights case.
Also, the MHC will recognize recipients of the 2020 and 2021 Humanities Teacher Awards, which pay tribute to outstanding faculty in traditional humanities fields at each of our state’s institutions of higher learning.
“This year’s winners reflect Mississippians’ thirst for the humanities. The humanities can empower communities to preserve and share their important stories, help us understand the experiences of others, and enable us to put our own lives into a larger context,” said executive director Dr. Stuart Rockoff. “Each winner is a wonderful example of our belief that the humanities are for everyone.”
The Council invites everyone to tune into the 2021 Public Humanities Awards ceremony, which will be streaming on Facebook and YouTube, starting March 26, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Thanks to the support from major sponsors BancorpSouth, Sanderson Farms, Trustmark, and the Eudora Welty Foundation, the event is free to stream, though viewers are encouraged to make a donation to support the work of the Mississippi Humanities Council.
|
|
Next Major MHC Grant Deadline May 1
The Mississippi Humanities Council will accept grant applications for its normally scheduled May 1 grant deadline for programs and projects beginning in mid-July and later. While COVID-19 continues to limit in-person events, projects utilizing digital formats are welcome.
The MHC grants program supports projects that stimulate meaningful community dialogue, attract diverse audiences, are participatory and engaging, and apply the humanities to our everyday lives. Grants may be used to support public humanities programs, exhibits, the planning of larger projects, and the development of original productions in film, television, radio or online resources.
MHC grants also support oral history projects around the state.
Larger grants ($2,001-$7,500) deadlines are May 1 and September 15 each year. Funded events may not occur fewer than ten weeks from the deadline date, and pre-consultation with MHC staff is required before submitting an application. Grant application forms and other related documents may be found on the Grants page of the MHC website.
Applicants are encouraged to contact Carol Andersen (carol@mhc.state.ms.us) before submitting project drafts.
|
|
MHC Now Accepting Applications for Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition on Democracy in America
The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to announce a special Mississippi tour of Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, the newest traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution. Developed through the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street division, Voices and Votes is specifically designed for smaller and rural communities.
Voices and Votes will tour Mississippi March 2022 through January 2023. It will visit six sites during its tour, staying at each site for six weeks. Eligible sites include small museums, libraries, historical societies, cultural centers, and other community venues. Sites will be selected based on strength of proposal, geographic location, ideas for public programs, and meaningful community partnerships. Smaller communities are especially encouraged to apply.
Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street program, takes a broad look at American democracy—from the American Revolution and expanding suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots. It explores who can vote, whose voices are heard, the responsibilities of American citizens, how we can encourage more people to participate in our democracy, and more.
Voices and Votes will help foster community conversations about what democracy means in the United States and in each of our communities. With the support and guidance of the Mississippi Humanities Council, the selected sites will develop complementary exhibits and host public programs that explore local history and examine how their community is part of the story of democracy in America.
Applications to host Voices and Votes are due by April 23, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Applications to host can be found here or by visiting the MHC website.
|
|
Crossroads Heads to Columbia!
On March 27, the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition Crossroads: Change in Rural America will open at the Marion County Museum in Columbia. The exhibition will remain on display through May 8 and is free and open to the public to visit.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum has organized a series of public programs that focus on rural life and identity in Marion County. These programs include historical walking tours of Main Street and the Columbia cemetery on April 3, a program on the history of the Lampton Rural Center on April 17, and a presentation by Crossroads state scholar Dr. John Green on rural population studies on April 30. More information on Crossroads in Columbia can be found on the MHC calendar.
Through artifacts, images, text, and interactive elements, Crossroads explores rural identity, the importance of land, how rural communities manage change, and much more. Crossroads will also travel to Greenwood and Waveland before leaving Mississippi in August 2021. Crossroads’ Mississippi tour is supported by a generous grant from Entergy Mississippi. More information about the exhibition and its Mississippi tour can be found on the MHC website.
|
|
MHC-Funded Literary Events Go Virtual
This past month, two of our state’s showcase literary events went virtual, bringing nationally acclaimed writers to viewers across the state and country. While we missed attending the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration and the Oxford Conference for the Book in person this year, you can still view all of the programs online at the links below:
|
|
Natchez Hosts Acclaimed 'Slave Dwelling Project'
The widely acclaimed Slave Dwelling Project comes to Natchez April 17-18 as part of a weekend event designed to bring attention to the world of the enslaved in the Natchez District.
Educator and interpreter Joseph McGill (pictured) founded the Slave Dwelling Project as a living history lesson. His goal is to spend an evening in every one of the nation’s last remaining slave dwellings, helping raise awareness and preserve these structures for future study and understanding. To accommodate COVID-19 social distancing, Natchez events will be restricted to an online presentation by McGill.
McGill will broadcast on Facebook Live from Melrose Estate, one of 13 National Historic Landmarks in Natchez. Melrose is one of the best preserved and most significant historic sites in the South. The Greek Revival estate was constructed circa 1845 for Pennsylvania native and Natchez attorney John T. McMurran and is now operated by the Natchez National Park Service. As part of his broadcast, McGill will hold a Zoom campfire discussion in which viewers may participate. Information about how to register for the Zoom conversation will be shared in the coming weeks at https://www.natchez.org/.
McGill’s Natchez visit is supported with a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council. For more information about the Slave Dwelling Project in Natchez, visit https://slavedwellingproject.org/.
|
|
MHC Welcomes New Board Members |
|
Dr. Mary Graham
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston, MS
|
|
Holly Lange
Mississippi Book Festival
Jackson, MS
|
|
Brian Perry
Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce
Jackson, MS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
