[VISITING LECTURE SERIES 2017] Touring Violence: History and Memory in Mississippi

Touring Violence: History and Memory in Mississippi

Dr. Jodi Skipper
University of Mississippi

Tourism has a $6 billion impact on the Mississippi economy and ranks 6th in total statewide employment. Heritage tourism, through Native American mound, Civil War Era, blues, and Civil Rights Era sites, is one focus in the state’s attempt to frame and rebrand its history. One example is the “Mississippi: Birthplace of America’s Music” slogan that greets motorists at the state line. This lecture will investigate the politics of dealing with difficult heritages while managing African American heritage tourism initiatives at local levels. These politics intersect the state’s current battles with endemic poverty, reputation for racial intolerance, stark social inequalities, and inadequate education programs.