Melody GoldingThe Smithsonian Institute in Washingon, D.C., has selected Vicksburg photographer Melody Golding's photo collection "Katrina: Mississippi Women Remember," to add to the Smithsonian Archives Center this month. Golding's work is the institute's only acquisition documenting the effects of Hurricane Katrina …
This Weekend in JacksonTake advantage of the cool weather and head to the Jackson Zoological Park this evening for "Feast with the Beasts" at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy food and beverages while zookeepers talk about the animals. You may even get to see some …
Dr. Cora NormanCora Norman took on the role of executive director for the Mississippi Humanities Council at the organization's 1972 inception, staying with the group for 24 years. Her new book, "Mississippi In Transition: The Role of the Humanities Council," documents her …
Kicking It UpI have a confession; lately I haven't been living in the moment. Here at the JFP we have a million ideas and staff members who work insanely hard because of their commitment to doing good work. I think all of …
The Oldest StoryTwo men awkwardly circle each other in the dimly lit fellowship hall of Broadmeadow Baptist Church in Fondren. The two men glare at each other angrily, the tension palpable. Suddenly, Phillip, the more physically intimidating of the two, steps up …
Are You Ready for the Weekend, Jackson?Kick off the first weekend in autumn tonight with a couple of movies for only $5. At 6:30 p.m., Crossroads Film Society presents "My Time Will Come," from Ecuador, and "The Photograph," from Indonesia at the Mississippi Museum of Art …
Less Traveled RoadsAt first glance, David Magee's "The Education of Mr. Mayfield" (John F. Blair, 2009, $21.95) gives the impression of a "Good Will Hunting" knock-off set in the rural South. Race replaces class, Ole Miss replaces Harvard, "Dixie" replaces Elliot Smith, …
A History of DefianceTo determine whether or not to read a new book of history, examine the footnotes. If the notes reference previous books and journal articles, you've got a rehash. If, on the other hand, the notes cite correspondence among the principals, …
'Mobile' ArtJamie Weems first saw Alexander Calder's mobiles suspended in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Weems had heard of Calder while studying classical guitar at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. He was struggling with an interpretive piece …
Don't Box Us In"Boxmen" allows its audience to see that the homeless are just like anyone else. One of the actors in the play has been living on the streets for two years.
The Laughs Keep ComingImagine a musical in Germany, and you might envision a singing, lederhosen-clad family and their nanny, gallivanting around the hillsides, dodging Nazi persecution. Doug and Bud, the central characters of New Stage Theatre's production of "Gutenberg! The Musical," would say …
When Kansas Bled Over SlaveryThe war between North and South began in the West. In the 1850s, the fight over whether Kansas would allow slavery became so violent that it ignited the Civil War. As the guerilla war between southern "ruffians" and northern "jayhawkers" …
Marcy NesselFischer Galleries on North State Street in Fondren has a steady, knowledgeable hand at the helm in art enthusiast Marcy Fischer Nessel. The gallery opened last November, after Nessel's former partner, James Patterson, returned to photography full time, but she's …
Serendipity Art Show and Auction TodayTwenty years ago patients at the Mississippi State Hospital held their first art exhibit, displaying their paintings, ceramics, drawings and mixed-media work. Continuing that tradition, the 20th annual Serendipity art exhibit takes place today.
Art is the Best RevengeThis past Saturday I gave a seminar on freelance writing, and a whole lot of creative people showed up.