“Art in Barnard” by Robin Whitfield Robin Whitfield is a Mississippi artist dedicated to connecting with nature and helping others do the same. Her creative process begins with observing natural environments such as rivers, swamps, and forests. Her paintings are poetic explorations of visual and ecological relationships. Whitfield works on paper using traditional watercolors or foraged plant and …

Film Screening of “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power” + Q&A with Director in Meek Hall Auditorium Sam Pollard, Spring 2025 Visiting Documentarian The Center for the Study of Southern Culture and instructors affiliated with the MFA in Documentary Expression host a visiting documentarian once per semester. The invited documentarian spends two days …

“Rootswell & SOIL: Reimagining Community through Food, Art, and Stories of the Mississippi Delta” Tyler Yarbrough and Justin Hardiman Rootswell is a growing movement in the Mississippi Delta, uniting farmers, chefs, corner stores, farmers’ markets, and creatives to transform the region’s food landscape. In this SouthTalk, we will hear from the organizers revitalizing a Clarksdale …

“Making the Appalachian South in Black and White” by Matt O’Neal What is “Appalachia”? Where is it? Who lives there? This talk will outline the creation of the Appalachian region in late-nineteenth century America and explain how it came prepackaged with assumptions about its racial and ethnic makeup. If we look beyond the myths surrounding …

Gullah/Geechee Muslims: Identity, Memory and the Making of American History by Muhammad Fraser-Rahim In this SouthTalk, Dr. Muhammad Fraser-Rahim will discuss his work associated with his book Gullah Geechee Muslims in America: Exploring Islamic Identity in the African Diaspora. Through meticulous research, interviews, and documentation the book presents a unique and significant contribution to religious …

Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Food, Place, and the Ancestors Crystal Wilkinson In this SouthTalk, Crystal Wilkinson will discuss the role food plays in her writing. Drawing from material from her memoir Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, she explores how food functions as inspiration, as a tie to one’s past, and as an important marker …