The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to announce a new program in partnership with Mass Humanities to help Mississippians and Massachusettsans examine, explore, and discuss important topics together. “MS + MA: Crossing Borders/Connecting Stories” is a six-part series of free, virtual programs to facilitate conversation between our two states. The series will examine intersecting points in Mississippi and Massachusetts’ histories, explore their rich literary histories, and engage participants in cross-state dialogue.
“We are thrilled to see this partnership come to fruition,” said MHC executive director Dr. Stuart Rockoff. “Mississippi and Massachusetts may seem to be vastly different places culturally and politically, but we want to challenge those differences by exploring our connections and confronting the stereotypes that we have of each other.”
“At a time when the pandemic has created a greater sense of isolation and our political divides seem insurmountable, we are especially excited to forge new connections through this series,” Rockoff added.
The first program in the MS + MA series will take place December 3 from 6-7:30 pm CST and will explore images of both states as reflected in literature. Guest scholars will include W. Ralph Eubanks, visiting professor at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, and author of the forthcoming book, A Place Like Mississippi: A Journey Through a Real and Imagined Literary Landscape; and Michael Gorra, professor of English Language & Literature at Smith College and author of The Saddest Words: William Faulkner’s Civil War.
Eubanks and Gorra will draw on both states’ literary heritage to offer reflections on how writers have informed and complicated views of Mississippi and Massachusetts. Participants in the December 3 program will also engage in conversations with residents from both states in small breakout groups, sharing and examining their own impressions of the two states and discussing what they learned from the program’s guest speakers.
Following the December 3 program, five additional programs will take place throughout Winter and Spring 2021.
Participation in the program series is free, but space is limited. Registration and more information on the December 3 program can be found here. For questions, contact Carol Andersen.
