Famous Mississippians Mississippi Art, Music, and Literature

Introduction Mississippi is known for it’s rich literary, music, and arts heritage. Mississippians have helped to create the blues, country music and rock and roll.

3Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Mississippi Culture Folk CultureCulture that is passed on informally by storytellers, musicians, artist, and craftsmen.Folk Culture = Culture that is passed on informally by storytellers, musicians, artist, and craftsmen. –Choctaw –European American –African American –Asian American

4Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Choctaw Culture Choctaw culture created: –Many uses of corn (Hominy, Grits, etc.) –Basketry Made of Swamp Cane or White Oak

5Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) European American Culture Largest group came from British Isles The French and Spanish –French Club –Mardi Gras –Poboy Slovenians Italians Jews Greek Lebanese

6Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) African American Culture African Americans have contributed to: –Language –Folklore –Jazz/Blues –The Banjo –Cuisine (Yams – Okra)

7Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Asian American Culture In the late 1970’s and 1980’s large Vietnamese populations settled the Gulf Coast. Asian Americans have contributed to: –Cuisine –Chinese New Year Celebration –Adding to fishing culture

8Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Mississippi and the Visual Arts Before the 20 th century Mississippi did not have much in this field. Since 1900 Mississippi has started to have more visual artists. The Gulf Coast led the way in this area. A Visionary Artist is an artist with little to no formal training but does not let this stop them.

9Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) George E. Ohr –Born in Biloxi, MS in –Known as the Mad Potter of Biloxi –Gained widespread fame for his style of pottery –He declared himself to be “The World’s Greatest Art Potter” –He gave it up in 1910 and died in 1918.

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11Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Walter Anderson = –His family opened Shear Water Pottery in Ocean Springs. –He kept a diary and created hundreds of flora and fauna paintings of Horn Island.

12Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Examples of Walter Anderson’s Work

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14Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Mississippi and the Visual Arts Theora Hamblett: –Born in Lafayette County in 1895 –Famous Mississippi Visionary Artist

15Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Examples of Theora Hamblett’s work

Music in Mississippi

17Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Spirituals and Gospel Spirituals = Sacred, Christian, folk songs of African Americans. Gospel Music = Church music with roots in the Christian, folk tradition.

18Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) The Blues The blues became popular around Blues musicians traveled from work camp or plantation to another playing music in juke joints (roadhouses) house parties, or where ever there was a crowd The blues was accompanied by piano, harmonica and especially guitar. Son House

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20Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) –Born in Hazlehurst in –Considered by many the King of the Delta Blues –Wrote such classics as Crossroads and Dead Shrimp Blues –He was invited to play at Carnegie Hall in 1938 but died before he could attend. Robert Johnson

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22Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) –He was born McKinley Morganfield –Muddy Waters is a nickname given him in childhood –Born Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on April 4, –Considered the first blues musician to use the electric guitar. Muddy Waters

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24Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Born in Itta Bena, MS on September 16, 1925 King is one of the most famous blues musicians on Earth. He has influenced many rock musicians of the 1960’s. BB King

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26Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Born Chester A Burnett in West point, MS (June 10 th 1910) Helped bridge gap between rock and blues. Died Jan 10, Howlin’ Wolf

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28Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Born 1928 in McComb, MS He had numerous hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Bo Diddley

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30Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Country Music Born on September 8, 1897 in Meridian, Mississippi He helped to create the ideal of the Country Music Star. He was only an entertainer 9 years until his death in Jimmie Rogers

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32Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Country Music Born Sludge, MS Started in the early 1960’s Was inducted in to the Country Music Hall of Fame in the year 2000

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34Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Other Country Musicians Faith Hill Lee Ann Rimes Conway Twitty

35Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Rock n’ Roll Appeared in the 1950’s. Born in Tupelo, MS Jan. 8 th –Known as the King of Rock n’ Roll –He is one of the most recognized people on the planet. Elvis Presley

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37Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Rock n’ Roll 3 doors down

38Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Entertainment Jim Henson –Born in Greenville, Mississippi on Sept. 24,1936 –Revolutionized puppeteering in the 60’s and 1970’s –Created: The Muppet Show Sesame Street Fraggle Rock

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40Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Born January 15 th, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi 15 th Richest Woman In America. $3 billion net worth Oprah Winfrey

Mississippi’s Literary Tradition Although there are many well-known people in Mississippi’s musical culture, Mississippi’s greatest claim to fame is it’s literature.

Storytelling Mississippi was a rural and simple community and had a legacy of oral storytelling, even beyond the oral traditions of the Choctaw. In her book, One Writer’s Beginnings, Eudora Welty discusses drives with her mother and saying “Now Talk.”

43Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Mississippi’s Literary Heritage Richard Wright –One of America’s great modern writers, known for works of Social Protest. –Born in Roxie, MS (1908) –While living in Chicago, he became involved in the Communist party. –He wrote Native Son (the first bestselling novel by an African American Writer). –His autobiography, Black Boy, was published in 1945.

44Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Eudora Welty –Born in Jackson MS (1909) –Her gift for listening and observation gave her work a distinctively real quality. –Her first book, A Curtain of Green, was published in Her most famous story is A Worn Path. –She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973.

45Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) William Faulkner: –Born near Oxford in –He is regarded as perhaps the most significant writer America has ever produced. –He wrote As I lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury. –He won the Nobel Prize in –His home in Oxford, MS was called Rowan Oak.

46Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Tennessee Williams: –Born in Columbus, MS (1911) –Perhaps the best known playwright in American literature, both on and off Broadway. –Wrote such classics as A Street Car Named Desire; The Glass Menagerie; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; and Night of the Iguana.

Ida Wells Ida Wells ( ) of Holly Springs, MS is an important figure in the history of civil rights and women’s suffrage. –Wells was a journalist, teacher, and social activist. –Her association with the Niagara Movement and her involvement in social work evolved into the NAACP and the Urban League.

William Alexander Percy William Alexander Percy ( ) wrote an autobiography called Lanterns on the Levee, published in –This book is an excellent source of MS culture in the early twentieth century.

49Chp 12 & 13 (Mississippi and the Arts) Shelby Foote = –Wrote the Civil War, A Narrative, for which he received a Pulitzer Prize nomination. –His work for the PBS Civil War series made him a celebrity.

Willie Morris Willie Morris ( ) grew up in Yazoo City and attended the University of Texas where he was a Rhodes Scholar. –When he moved to New York, he became the youngest-ever editor at Harper’s, America’s oldest magazine. –Books written by Morris include; Good Ole Boy (1971); My Dog Skip (1995); and The Ghosts of Medgar Evers (1998).

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John Grisham John Grisham (1955), was born in Arkansas before his family moved to South Haven, MS in –He received his law degree from the University of Mississippi. –He is known for writing legal thrillers. – first book A Time to Kill (1987) The Firm (1991); The Pelican Brief (1992); The Client (1993)

Local Courts Justice Courts - County Court that handles small misdemeanors and civil disputes County Courts - Created in the large counties to take burden off of the Circuit Court Municipal Court - City court that serves the same purpose as the Justice Court does in the county

Jury Service Jury is a group of citizens chosen from the list of registered voters that hear evidence on a case and make a decision based on the evidence presented. A person cannot serve on a jury if they have been convicted of a felony. 12 people serve on a jury (15 on a grand jury) A grand jury’s main duty is to determine if there is enough evidence to indict a person. writ of habeas corpus = A court order requiring a person being held to be brought before the court to determine if he/she is being held lawfully

School Systems Local Public Schools –More than 200,000 people in MS are employed in public sector jobs and nearly one-half of these jobs are in the public schools Compulsory age for school attendance in Mississippi is 17.

County & Municipal Schools Two Types of School Districts –County School Districts – County schools Superintendent is elected and a five member school board is elected –Municipal School Districts – City schools School Board is appointed by the Mayor and the School Board appoints the Superintendent 5 members serve on the school board School funding comes from local property taxes, state funding, and some federal funding

Elections A person must be at least 18 years old to vote A person must register to vote at least 30 days before the election. Primaries - held just before the General Elections. The people vote within a political party. General Election - the actual election process where the party primary winners run against one another for a public office.

MS Teenagers and the law A person is considered a minor until they are 21 but there are many exceptions for 18 years olds. 18 year olds can enter into contracts for personal property. Marriage License –Parents must be notified if the applicant is under 21. –Boys must be at least 17, girls 15 –Both must be tested for syphilis.

MS Teenagers and the law The Juvenile Justice System –A delinquent child is one between the ages of 10 and 18 who has committed a crime. –Children between the ages of can be tried as an adult if the crime is severe. –Youth court proceedings are not open to the public and do not have a jury. –Records are kept confidential.

MS Teenagers and the law The most common drug used by teenagers is alcohol. You must be 21 to consume or purchase alcohol. You must be 16 to obtain a drivers license. The Implied Consent Law states that by getting a license you give a police officer the right to check your blood alcohol level if pulled over legally. A DUI (Driving Under the Influence) can be charged if your blood alcohol level is at or above 0.08 percent. Refusal to take a blood alcohol test in MS is an admission of guilt. It is also illegal for a person under the age of 18 to possess or purchase tobacco products.

School rights and responsibilities. Rights –Students between the ages of 6 and 21 have the right to free education. –Have the right to express opinions, as long as it does not interrupt the instructional process. –Students have the right to expect their academic information be kept private. Responsibilities –Must conform to school policy. –Responsible for your own learning.