Sarah Dixon Pegues, the “Heart of the Center,” Retires

After being a constant in Barnard Observatory for thirty-five years, Sarah Dixon Pegues will retire from the Center for the Study of Southern Culture. As the Center’s administrative assistant since 1980, she handles all financial matters, including budgets, payroll, travel requests, procurement, and purchasing, as well as processing grant applications and helping with reports for externally funded projects.

Watch a New Film by Rex Jones about a Trek Along the United States – Mexican Border

Rex Jones of the Southern Documentary Project documented the 1,010 mile 2014 trek of Mark Hainds along the U.S. – Mexico border, from El Paso to Boca Chica beach on the Gulf of Mexico. You can read an interview with Hainds here. Hainds and Jones encountered border-crossers, drug smugglers, cowboys, the Border Patrol, and a range of opinions on immigration and law enforcement.

LIVING BLUES Magazine Hires New Publication Manager

Melanie Young feels as though she’s come home since she’s been hired as the new publication manager of Living Blues magazine. She first began working with the magazine in 2009 as the circulation manager, and also had an editorial internship with the publication. Since then, she’s been a contributing writer for Living Blues and even wrote her Southern Studies master’s thesis on the magazine in 2012.

John T. Edge on Why He Contributed to the Charles Wilson Fund

John T. Edge on Why He Contributed to the Charles Wilson Fund Our goal for the Charles Reagan Wilson Graduate Student Support Fund is within reach. To date, 151 donors have contributed $22,719. I am one of those donors. I gave last week because I value the many contributions Charles has made to the study

A Fond Farewell to Mark Camarigg of LIVING BLUES

A Fond Farewell to MARK CAMARIGG of LIving Blues The Center says goodbye this month to our friend Mark Camarigg, who has worked as Publications Manager for Living Blues since 2003. Mark worked with Living Blues editor Brett Bonner on innovative ways to market and distribute the magazine, dealt with subscribers, maintained the website, oversaw

Snapshots from the Semester – Grad Student Guest Post

Here, an end of the semester photo wrap-up with second year Southern Studies grad student Sophie Hay, who documents Center events and life as part of her assistantship. Follow the Center on Instagram for more photos by Sophie and others. Snapshots from the Semester Fall semester has been a busy one in Barnard Observatory; the

The Center Welcomes Three New Faces This Fall

Those who have attended the Center’s weekly Brown Bag Lecture Series and other events in Barnard Observatory over the years will now be greeted by a new receptionist—one who may, in fact, be recognizable. In early September, Margaret Gaffney joined the Center staff as its new staff assistant.

Work with us at the Center!

Would you like to join us in Barnard Observatory? The Center is now hiring for a part-time staff position who will handle general organizational and clerical tasks, serve as Building Mayor of Barnard, work with calendars and scheduling, and the like. For all the details and to apply, visit the University’s posting on the HR site.