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2011 Events

BBQ Joints: Stories and Secret Recipes from the Barbeque Belt     On Display:  16 September - 26 November 2010 Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives & Museum Building, main gallery
		How exactly do you spell BBQ?   Barbecue.  Its taste, textures and smells pull at a Southerner’s heart strings like nothing else.  Its various forms bring about as much debate as national elections - Dry vs. Wet, Pulled vs. Shaved, and on and on.   Throughout his research and subsequent published work, David Gelin set out to capture the essence of a time-honored and passed down tradition of creating southern barbecue. Barbecue is unpretentious, but at the same time held in high regard.  Family recipes are highly guarded secrets while the fare itself is openly offered.   It has been called the South’s ‘most democratic food’ being cooked, served and eaten by all classes of people.  From political stumps to church yard gatherings, barbecue has held a central role in many of the South’s grandest traditions.   Delta State University Archives & Museum will present the exhibit, BBQ Joints: Stories & Secret Recipes from the Barbeque Belt from 16 September through 26 November. Throughout the exhibit, the art of southern hospitality, of extending kindness with the passing of a plate of barbecue, is as entwined in this story as the smoke in the flavor of the barbecue.   The experts agree that Gelin’s work focuses on the essence of barbecue and its place in Southern culture.   “…a consensus of excellence is not this author’s intent.  He aims instead for a family portrait of Southern barbecue, and he delivers as much.” -John T. Edge, Author of Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover’s Companion to the South “With so many ways to spell it, inconsistency just comes with the territory,” states Gelin explaining that whether you start with smoky logs in a cast-iron cooker or a pit in the ground, whether it is doused with a sweet or savory sauce or dusted with a dry rub, the choice for determining ‘good barbecue’ is strictly subjective.  Through his book and in the exhibition of the same title, BBQ Joints: Stories and Secret Recipes from the Barbeque Belt, you are invited to take a look around the South at some of his chosen stops, evaluate for yourself and consider your history with the ‘cue.
_________________________________________ Opening Reception & Lecture by David Gelin: 16 September @ 5:30 pm - Lucy Somerville Howorth Seminar Room, Capps Archives & Museum building. A selection of BBQ will compliment the lecture presentation. This event is free and open to the public.    Lunch & Learn with Amy Evans Streeter 5 October - Lucy Somerville Howorth Seminar Room, Capps Archives & Museum building A selection of BBQ will compliment the lecture presentation.    Movie Night! Fried Green Tomatoes 6 October @ 7pm - Recital Hall, Bologna Performing Arts Center   The Politics of BBQ: Lecture presentation by Charles Westmoreland 13 October @ Noon - Lucy Somerville Howorth Seminar Room, Capps Archives & Museum building

 

2010 Events

 

 

 

Nature of the Delta: Photography of Patty Smith
On Display: 1 April – 31 May 2010
Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives & Museum Building, main gallery
Photo courtesy of the Tunica Times	Patty Smith, a native of Helena, Arkansas, brings her photography collection to the Capps Archives this spring. Smith, a retired educator and self-taught photographer, offers up her collection of 50 photos, which showcase the majesty of Delta wildlife. Smith began photography as a hobby after being forced into retirement due to an illness, and is now receiving recognition for her artwork. Her work was featured in the 2009 Mississippi Outdoors calendar published by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

 

 

 

 

A Compassionate Eye: Photography by William Anderson

7 February - 30 April 2010

  

For the past four decades, driven by nostalgia and humanitarian concerns, Atlanta photographer William Anderson has documented life among African Americans in the Southeast.  His subjects are sharecroppers, rural families, worshippers in ecstatic religious ceremonies and others of humble origin who remind of his childhood in Selma, Alabama.  Whether telling a story, attempting to reveal a hidden truth, or celebrating the beauty of human life, Anderson’s aesthetic sensibility and iconographical themes combine to make a contextualized tapestry of black life.  With an intensely, compassionate eye, his images reveal the history of the African American struggle for self-determination.

Widely exhibited, Anderson’s black-and white photographs have been acquired by numerous prestigious museums, including the National Gallery of Art, Yale University Art Gallery, Bodleian Library at Oxford University in England, the High Museum of Art, Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.  He recently retired as an associate professor at Morehouse College and is a sculptor, painters, printmaker, and musician as well as a photographer.

 

 

Lunch & Learn Lecture – Dr. John Green
Views from the Grassroots: Disaster & Community Building on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
19 January 2010 @ noon
Capps Archives & Museum Howorth Seminar Room

 

2009 Events

  

Backyards & Beyond: Mississippians & Their Stories The First Year After Katrina

4 November 2009 - 31 January 2010
Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives & Museum Building, main gallery  

 

Backyards & Beyond: Mississippians & Their Stories

Guided Tour by HC Porter and Karole Sessums
15 November 2009 at 2:30pm

The artists will give personal details and insights about selected painting, behind the scenes of creating the exhibition and being in the field doing the documentary work, the stories behind the subjects in the paintings and a personal understanding of the portraits. HC Porter and Karole Sessums will be available to sign copies of their book. 

 

A Treasured Past: An Exhibit Honoring LePoint Cassibry Smith

Lucy Somerville Howorth Award Recipient

11 - 30 October 2009
Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives & Museum Building, main gallery

 

 Student Voices: Civil Rights Demonstrations at Delta State 1969
18 - 30 October 2009
Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives & Museum Building, 2nd Floor lobby

Seen by Jane: Photography by Jane Kerr

Neglected Histories: The Importance of Preservation

Pictures from the Past: A Celebration of MS Delta Chinese History

"What It's Like Being Chinese Where Everyone Else is Black or White"

A Lecture by Dr. John Jung, author of Southern Fried Rice

Bring along your favorite tea cup and saucer as we enjoy a pleasant Sunday afternoon entertained and enlightened by Mrs. Princella Nowell

Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 2:30 pm - Capps Archives & Museum back patio

Co-hosted by The Division of Family & Consumer Sciences and The Delta Center for Culture and Learning

Collectors Collections on Display

Doe's Eat Place         27 March 2008, 5:30 pm

The Bourbon Mall    13 February 2008, 5:30 pm

Collectors Collections On Display: Opening Reception

Vintage Greetings from the Delta

"Vintage Greetings from the Delta:  A Display of Historic Greeting Cards & Postcards"              

This exhibit will display an older variety of special holiday cards, from Thanksgiving to Christmas to Valentine's Day and Easter.  Deltans enjoyed keeping up with each other and this exhibit will show some of the lighter sides of their correspondences.

15 November – 15 February 2008                                                                         

 Cleveland's Historic Neighborhoods Exhibit

In cooperation with the Cleveland Heritage Commission, this exhibit is a collection of memories, photographs, and other memorabilia of those who live or once lived on Pearman, Bolivar, and Leflore streets.   

The Political and Social Context of the Bungalow Home, 1890-1990 

 Turkish Delights:  A DSU Student Art Show

Exhibit features artwork created by Delta State students who participated in an academic class held in Turkey. Approximately 60 images and video media will be on display throughout the exhibit period. This exhibit will be located in the side galleries adjacent to the main gallery.

Everything New is Old Again

Come enjoy recent donations to the Archives and Museum.  
August 9, 2007 - October 31, 2007

History, Heritage & Culture: What Do They Mean to Us?

City Grille - 20 October 2007 (following tour historic homes and places of Como, MS)

Lillo's - 25 September 2007

Madidi - 18 September 2007

How Joy - 20 February 2007 (Chinese New Year)

Delta State's School of Nursing:  Past, Present & Future

In Their Own Words:  The Story of Delta Black Farmers
A Lunch & Learn Lecture

In Their Own Words:  A History of Delta Black Farmers

 Mississippi Delta Chinese

 Students, Soldiers & Veterans:  Delta State During the War Years

 Historic Delta Courthouses

15 September – 22 November2006

Blue Parrot - 10 October 2006, 5:30 pm (following tour of Greenwood Courthouse)
Doe’s Eat Place - 24 October 2006, 5:30 pm (following tour of Greenville Courthouse)

Bourbon Mall - 23 March 2006, 6:00 pm

Disaster Recovery Workshop
Sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Archives & History, this free workshop will provide information on best practices for recovering manuscript, photographic and other types of materials after a disaster. 

July 16, 2006 – Howarth Seminar Room

"From What We Can See..."
Images on display from the art students in the Documentary Photography class at Delta State. 

 Archives & Museum White Glove Tea

In celebration of "The Year of Cleveland" the DSU Archives & Museum is hosting the Archives White Glove Tea. This tea should have all the elements essential to southern teas of the past.  Who would not enjoy delicate sandwiches and other refreshments served by local hostesseses, welcomed by Mrs. Vicki Fioranelli and entertained and enlightened with a presentation presented by Dr. Edith McMillen? 

FREE workshop sponsored by Clarksdale Carnegie Public Library and DSU Archives & Museum brings us Professor Mike Brubaker of the Atlanta History Center's Kenan Research Center.  Professor Brubaker will offer guidance and assistance as he demonstrates the best techniques for genealogists.  Lunch on your own followed by internet instruction in the Robets-LaForge Library's Blibographic Room on the first floor. 

April 4, 2006 at 9:30 am – Capps Archives, 3^rd floor classroom

As Deltans, sometimes we do not recognize the subtle changes that come over time. Photographer Debra Ferguson has seen the Delta through her photo lens for several years. Now she has prepared an exciting exhibit of images she has collected of Delta landscapes that have changed slightly or dramatically over the years. Visit the exhibit that documents the gradual changes and groth of Bolivar County and the surrounding Delta. 

Greenville photographer Ralph Jones' photography exhibit of Delta bluesman, Boogaloo, captured through performances throughout the Delta. 

To coincide with "The Year of Cleveland," local citizens share their personal collections with the Archives & Museum. On display are collections of teapots, Boy Scout badges, cuff links, miniature porcelain figurines and more!  Viewer's Choice Awards were given to Mr. Hugh Gamble for his cuff links collection, Dr. Myrtis Tabb for her glass art collection and Mr. Robert Montesi for his Boo Ferriss collection. 

This exhibit explores the history of children's toys from around the Delta.  Displays of toys, photographs and stories are highlighted by loans from the Jim Henson Museum and Sharkey-Issaquena Public Library's "The Great Delta Bear Affair" memorabilia. 

Opening reception 11 November 2005 at 7:30 am, in conjunction with the Veteran’s Day presentation

Using newspapers, photographs and letters, the Emmett Till story is retold from the perspectives of the people who lived through it. 

Opening reception 27 August 2005, with a panel discussion led by Dr. David Beito

The Delta Photo Road Show: A Save Our History Project

The Mississippi Delta has a rich heritage composed of diverse stories.  Fortunately, there remains photographic evidence of many of these stories, but unfortunately, many of these photographs have never been made public.  In an attempt to preserve and publicize historic photos from the Delta, the "Delta Photo Roadshow" was held on April 2, 2005.  The event was organized by The DSU Delta Center for Culture and Learning, as part of the Lighthouse Arts & Heritage Program presented through the Cleveland D.M. Smith Middle School.  Modeled after the popular PBS program Antiques Roadshow, the project paired the students with professional documentary photographers and scholars who helped them discover stories related to the photographs.  The most compelling images were scanned into digital forma and matched with oral history interviews that the Lighthouse students conducted onsite with the owners of the original photographs.  In all, 12 participants submitted more than 1000 photographs, over 200 of which were preserved digitally.  They range in subjects from turn-of-the-century logging operations to 1930s fishing drives to sharecropping cotton.  A fraction of these photographs have been included in this exhibit, telling several heritage stories about the land and people of the Mississippi Delta.  These and others will be included in a pictorial history booklet to be published in June 2005. After these images were collected, the D.M. Smith students under the guidance of Lighthouse art instruction Catherine Koehler spent several weeks colorizing photocopies of them with colored pencils and watercolors.  The colorized images were then cut out and place in collages according to seven different themes: Education, Recreation, Portraits, the Delta as Frontier, Transportation, Industry and Agriculture, and Delta Life.  An exhibit of this artwork was presented at the Charles Capps, Jr. Archive and Museum in May of 2005. This project was funded by a grant of $10,000 from the History Channel to The Delta Center for Culture & Learning, in collaboration with the Capps Archives.  As an initiative of the Delta Center, the Lighthouse Program uses Mississippi Delta heritage and the arts to engage Bolivar County youth.  The Delta Center's mission is to promote the history and culture of the Delta and its significance to the rest of the world, and the after-school program is one way the Center accomplishes that mission.  The program is also designed to increase community involvement among Delta State students.  College students in service-learning courses at Delta State volunteer as tutors and art interns in the program and also participate in some of the heritage workshops.  The Lighthouse Program is funded through an ongoing grant from Learn & Serve America.  Arts instruction is provided by Communities in Schools of Greenwood-Leflore The Partners in this project would like to thank the photographers and scholars who served as jurors: Barbara Andrews, Director of Curatorial Services of the National Civil Rights Museum; David Darnell, Chief Photographer at the Memphis Commercial Appeal; Lynn Linnemeier, an Atlanta artist and graduate student at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture; Greenville photographer Ralph Jones; Brooke White a DSU art professor in digital photography; an Jaman Matthews, a graduate student in folklore at UNC-Chapel Hill.

When They Were Strangers at Our Gates: Tracy Sugerman Illustrations & Photographs of Freedom Summer 1964

Dr. Jerry Ward - 10 February 2005

African American Life Histories: The Oral & the Written
Capps Archives, Howorth Seminar Room

The speaker examines views of twentieth-century life in Mississippi as it is represented in oral history from the Delta and the life stories of Richard Wright, Ann Moody, Clifton Taulbert and Endesha Ida MaeHolland.

 

 

The food on the American table may not define exactly what we are as a nation, but the traditions surrounding out foods speak volumes about who we are. "Key Ingredients: America by Food," a new Smithsonian traveling exhibition, delves into the historical, regional and social traditions that merge in everyday meals and celebrations of the American table.

Come explore the Delta through our rich culinary histories. 

The Delta's local history slips away with each passing day. A Cabinet of Curiosities exhibits an array of local history pieces that are being collected and preserved by the Delta State University Archives and Museum. From early Delta State University faculty, staff and student memorabilia to scenes of early Cleveland and journals kept of Deltans as they traveled to Europe in the early 1900's, this exhibit focuses on the importance of collecting and preserving our local history through artifacts, manuscripts and images.

Delta Scenes Revisited: A Photographic Exhibit

On the left is the Rosedale home of Walter Sillers in 1907, and on the right, the home as it stood in 2004.

Delta State's Men: A Presidential Exhibit

Established by an act of the Legislature in 1924, Delta State Teachers College officially opened its doors on 15 September 1925. For over seventy-five years, Delta State has provided superior educational enrichment for thousands of students. Faculty, staff and students have created the rich history of Delta State under the guidance of each president. In honor of the inauguration of Dr. John M. Hilpert, the seventh president of Delta State, Delta State's Men: A Presidential Exhibit highlights each of the seven presidents who have served and continue to serve Delta State.

Please visit our virtual web exhibit located on the Archives Home Page.

The summer of 1964 represents a watershed year for Civil Rights progress in Mississippi and one that thrust the state into the national spotlight. Volunteers from throughout the country joined Mississippi residents in efforts to supplement the inadequacies of segregated black public schools with basic education, as well as with classes in subjects not normally taught in these schools. Freedom Summer volunteers also provided instruction in government and encouraged adult members of the black community to register to vote. Not all Mississippians welcomed outside volunteers to the State. Individuals were harassed and the Freedom Schools meeting sites were often targets of vandalism and threatening activities.

Exhibit Opening featuring Panel Discussion with Senator David Lee Jordan,
Mrs. Thelma Barnes, and Mr. Charles McLaurin, moderated by Dr. Luther Brown, Director of theDelta Center for Culture and Learning

Film Screening: Ghosts of Mississippi and lecture lead by Dr. Luther Brown of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning

Civil Rights Sights in the Delta: Bus Tour
Lead by Dr. Luther Brown and Dr. Henry Outlaw of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning

Points of Interest include such towns as Greenwood, Money, Ruleville and Cleveland. This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored in part by Student Services and Office of the Provost.

Brown Bag Lecture featuring Mark Schneider, Former Civil Rights Worker, with special introduction by Dr. Garry Jennings, Director of The Madison Center

Race Relations and Reconciliation in Mississippi

Brown Bag Lecture featuring Governor William Winter, with special introduction by Dr. Garry Jennings, Director of the Madison Center

19 February 2004, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Film Screening: Emmett Till Documentary
Lecture lead by Dr. Luther Brown, Director of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning

Film Screening: Eyes on the Prize
Lecture lead by Dr. Luther Brown, Director of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning

A lecture by Dr. Matthew Holden, Doherty Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia

Presentation and Panel Discussion with Local Civil Rights Activists

DSU hosts Dunlap Broadside: The Declaration of Independence

9:00 - Welcome and Introductions
9:05 - Girl Scout Troop 298 presents American Flag and Pledge of Allegiance
9:10 - National Anthem presented by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
9:15 - Dr. Garry Jennings, Director of The Madison Center, on the history of the Declaration of Independence

9:30 - Presenters read the Declaration of Independence
Presenters include:
Dr. John Hilpert, DSU President

Representative Charlie Capps
Father Tom Lalor, Our Lady of Victories
Dr. Mary Alice Cates
Dr. Bo Morgan, History Department Chair, DSU
Dr. Mark Bonta, Associate Professor of Geography
Mr. Henry Phillips, West Bolivar Schools Superintendent
Judge John L. Pearson
Judge Gwendolyn Thomas, Youth Court Judge, Cleveland
Principal Luckett, Principal, East Side High School, Cleveland

Undergraduate associates of The Madison Center will be on hand to assist in the voter registration process. Special thanks to the Boy Scout Troop 23 for their volunteer services.