Newsletter: 60th Anniversary of Jubilee, Farish Street Request for Proposals, Student and Professional Opportunities, Mississippi Book Festival, and more

Join us at5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, for an exciting evening celebrating the publication of Margaret Walker's groundbreaking novel tracing her great-grandmother's journey from enslavement to freedom.Jubilee, the forerunner for such works asBelovedby Toni Morrison andRootsby Alex Haley, has never once been out of print. The program will take place in theF.D. Hall Music Centerat Jackson State University. Student performances of selections fromJubilee: A Folk Opera will accompany a panel of fantastic authors and scholars: Maryemma Graham, Seretha Williams, and Randal Jelks. A reception will follow. This is an official Mississippi Book Festival event. The Jackson Redevelopment Authority ('JRA') is soliciting proposals from interested and qualified parties for the acquisition and redevelopment of certainJRA-owned properties located within the 200 and 300 blocks of North Farish Streetin the Farish Street Historic District in Downtown Jackson, Mississippi. Respondents may submit proposals for an individual property or multiple properties identified in the RFP. JRA welcomes redevelopment concepts that advance the revitalization of Farish Street through uses consistent with applicable zoning, historic-preservation requirements, the Farish Street Historic District Design Guidelines, JRA's redevelopment objectives, and the requirements of this solicitation. A virtual pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom onTuesday, September 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.andTuesday, September 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.Completethis formto register for the meeting. Registration is required to attend. The full Request for Proposals will be available untilOctober 30, 2026, on theJRA website. Onlinevolunteer registrationis open for the 83rd National Folk Festival, a free, three-day event, returning to Downtown Jackson,November 13-15, 2026. This year marks the second year of the festival's three-year residency in Jackson. Over 800 volunteers needed to fill a variety of positions. Each volunteer will get a National Folk Festival volunteer t-shirt, receive service hours, and contribute to a wonderful sense of community pride and achievement. To learn more and to register, prospective volunteers can visit theNational Folk Festival website, or email Festival Volunteer Coordinators Jason McCarty and Macy Russell atvolunteers@nationalfolkfestival.comwith any questions. Join the League of Women Voters of Mississippi and their partners for the first annualMaking Democracy Work Conferenceat the Two Mississippi Museums from10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on September 11, 2026. The target audience is college students, but all are welcome to register. The day will begin with the documentary "Killed by the Klan" and a panel discussion sponsored by Mississippi Today. Visit their websiteto register. Attention Jackson State faculty in the College of Liberal Arts! TheAfricana Digital Humanities Labis looking for aDigital Humanities Fellowto develop a new project over the 2027 Fall/Spring academic year. The fellowship includes a $2,000 stipend and the expectation of a public presentation in the spring semester. Project possibilities include a StoryMap, interactive digital resource, digital exhibit, narrative project, and more, and can be aligned with the applicant's particular expertise. The deadline to apply isSeptember 15, 2026. To apply, complete thisGoogle Form. Are you an undergraduate or MA student interested in pursuing graduate studies in African American literature, language, and culture? Consider applying to theCooper-Du Bois Mentoring Program, a workshop series taking placeNovember 6-9, 2026, at Penn State University. The program will cover topics such as opportunities for scholarship and research, advice from faculty, application and writing sample tips, and more. The program covers travel and lodging expenses, and students receive a stipend upon completion of the program. To learn more and submit your application, visit theprogram website.Applications are due on September 21, 2026.For more information emailCDMentoringProgram@gmail.com. OnSeptember 23, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., Yale University will have an info session for Jackson State faculty about theYale ASCEND Initiative, including a program overview, the submission process, and a Q&A session. The ASCEND Initiative (Alliance for Scholarship, Collaboration, Engagement, Networking and Development) involves opportunities forcollaboration grants, research fellowships, and teaching fellowships. To register, complete thisform on the Yale website. A confirmation email with a Zoom link will be sent to registrants once they submit the form. Mississippi's famous 'literary lawn party' returns this year onSeptember 26, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Mississippi State Capitol and grounds. Don't miss an exciting day of panels, book signings, vendors, entertainers, and more! For more information and the current festival lineup, visit theMS Book Festival website! We're also excited to officially sponsor the2:45 p.m. panel with Rick Ross, award-winning musician andNew York Timesbestselling author as he discusses his book,Renaissance of a Boss: Notes From a Creative Reawakening. The panel will take place in the Galloway Sanctuary. Due to ongoing construction on J. R. Lynch Street, the COFO Civil Rights Education Center will be closed for the fall semester. If there are any changes to that timeline, we will send updates as soon as possible.We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding. Please send any questions or concerns tomwa@jsums.edu. Gallery 1 is open until further notice. Want to get in touch? Send us an email at mwa@jsums.edu, reply to this newsletter, or find us on social media! We're onInstagram,Facebook,YouTube, andLinkedIn. You can find plenty of pictures related to our events and programs. To learn even more about us, visit ourwebsite. If you'd like to book a tour, you can use thisform to schedule your visit. Thanks for reading! Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter, info about our programs, virtual events, and more.