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Mississippi native Eddie Glaude bears witness

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Mississippi native Eddie Glaude bears witness

Eddie Glaude, Jr., is a Mississippi native, renowned author, political commentator and educator. Glaude was in Jackson as the speaker for the Medgar Wiley Evers Lecture Series held at the Two Mississippi Museums, Thursday, Apr. 28, 2022.

Mississippi native Eddie Glaude, one of the world’s leading thinkers and teachers on race, keeps bearing witness about America’s ugly, unacknowledged history and how it will shape our future.

For years, Glaude, a faculty leader at Princeton University, has channeled his upbringing and his academic studies to inspire Americans to think deeply about where the nation has been and where it’s headed.

And this weekend, Glaude will come home to do more of it when he headlines the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson. His most recent book “Begin Again” analyzes the past, present and future of America through the writings and life of James Baldwin.

This will be Glaude’s third trip home this calendar year. In May, he gave a stirring commencement address at Rust College, the historically Black institution in Holly Springs. A couple weeks earlier, he was in Jackson to deliver a powerful Medgar Wiley Evers lecture at the Two Mississippi Museums that attendees said was more akin to a sermon than a speech. 

Touching on several Baldwin writings, a central theme of Glaude’s April lecture was that “the American idea is in trouble.” 

“History matters because we carry it within us. And Mississippi is soaked in history,” Glaude said. “And as James Baldwin wrote, ‘It is in great pain and terror one that one begins to assess that history, which is placed one where one is and formed one’s point of view, because one enters into battle with that historical creation oneself.’” 

Being largely unwilling to acknowledge our true past, Glaude says, is why so many Americans feel so uncertain about our future.

“We’re trapped in a history we refuse to know but carry within us,” Glaude said. “And Baldwin says this is the root of our unadmitted sorrow. The terrors and panic we experience have everything to do with the gap between who we imagine ourselves to be and who, deep down, we really are. The fact that we evade that question locks us into a kind of perpetual adolescence.”

Glaude continued: “I come from a tradition that offers a story of the country that forces it to confront its ugliness, to in fact urge the country to grow the hell up. We have to live close to the ground if we’re gonna change. We have to understand the power of everyday ordinary people, to imagine a better future. We have to tell ourselves the truth in order to release us into a different way of being in the world. We have to tell the truth to Gov. Tate Reeves, tell the truth to Joe Biden. As long as we view racial equality as a philanthropic enterprise, as long as we view racial justice as an act of charity, we’re in trouble still.”

Watch Glaude’s lecture at the Two Mississippi Museums on April 28:

https://www.facebook.com/MDAHOfficial/videos/1004866030463175

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: August 1-3

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-08-01 07:06:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (August 1-3) in Mississippi offers diverse activities across the state. In Central Mississippi, enjoy Latin music and salsa at Fondren Fiesta in Jackson, family fun at 042 Nights in Brandon, food trucks in Byram, art exhibitions in Natchez and Jackson, and farmers markets in Jackson, Natchez, and Vicksburg. Special events include hurricane remembrance, back-to-school drives, and community wellness fairs. In the Pine Belt, Hattiesburg hosts Denim & Diamonds Casino Night, live music, themed balls, 5K fundraisers, and movie screenings. Laurel offers karaoke, art workshops, and a family farmers market. Activities cater to all ages, promoting culture, health, and community engagement.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: July 25-27

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-07-25 06:41:00

SUMMARY: Mississippi is packed with events this weekend (July 25–27), including the JXN Film Festival, interactive exhibits, and art showcases in Jackson. Clinton screens *Train to Busan*, and Vicksburg features live events, a catfish tournament, and farmers markets. Natchez hosts its Food & Wine Festival and community celebrations, while Ridgeland offers art parks and dinner theater. In the Pine Belt, Hattiesburg offers comedy, musical theater, a Jane Austen tea, and a murder mystery dinner at Ross Mansion. Toy, gun, and farmers markets span multiple cities, while special events like the Little Miss Black Mississippi Pageant round out a diverse, festive weekend.

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Mississippi News

Bryan Kohberger sentenced for murdering four University of Idaho students

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www.wjtv.com – The Associated Press – 2025-07-23 12:37:00

SUMMARY: Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without parole for the brutal 2022 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students. He pleaded guilty in July 2025 to avoid the death penalty. During sentencing, families shared emotional testimonies of loss and anguish. Kohberger, a criminology graduate student, broke into the victims’ home and killed them without known motive, remaining silent at the hearing. Police used DNA and genetic genealogy to identify him. The case deeply affected the community, with misinformation spreading online. Kohberger waived his right to appeal. Some victims’ relatives offered forgiveness and sought answers.

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