Voices from the Mississippi Hill Country is a collection of interviews with residents of Benton County, Mississippi—an area with a long and fascinating civil rights history. The product of more than twenty-five years of work by the Hill Country Project, the book examines a revolutionary period in American history through the voices of farmers, teachers, sharecroppers, and students. No other rural farming county in the American South has yet been afforded such a deep dive into its civil rights experiences and their legacies. These accumulated stories truly capture life before, during, and after the movement.

In this SouthTalk, coauthor of Voices from the Mississippi Hill Country Roy DeBerry will discuss the region’s history and the everyday struggles of African American residents of Benton County, who had been organizing since the 1930s.

Roy DeBerry is executive director of the Hill Country Project. He recently retired as vice president for economic development and local governmental affairs at Jackson State University, where he also served as executive vice president and vice president of external relations.

SouthTalks is a series of events (including lectures, performances, film screenings, and panel discussions) that explores the interdisciplinary nature of Southern Studies. This series is free and open to the public, and typically takes place in the Tupelo Room of Barnard Observatory unless otherwise noted. However, as a result of the ongoing health crisis, many events will be virtual, free, and made accessible on the Center’s YouTube channel after each live event. Visit the Center’s website for information about all Center events. Register to receive the Zoom link at https://olemiss.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMlcOivrjMuH9JR7pPlDJSu-xLHjkgaHkur