NEH Summer Institute brings educators from across the nation to the Mississippi Delta

Cleveland, MS (07/28/2026) — CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University welcomed 72 educators from more than 25 states for the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute, "The Most Southern Place on Earth: The Music, History, and Culture of the Mississippi Delta."

The institute was offered in two sessions, June 21-27 and July 12-18. Now in its 20th year, the program was led by Director of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning Dr. Mandy Truman and Program Director Lee Aylward.

Named for historian James C. Cobb's landmark book about the region, the institute combined guest lectures, site visits and hands-on engagement with local culture bearers. Participants examined topics including the civil rights movement, the murder of Emmett Till, the history of education in the Delta, religion's role in community life and the origins of the blues.

"You can read a thousand books and watch every documentary, but you won't fully understand a place until you immerse yourself in the landscape," Truman said. "This workshop provides a place-based learning experience to 72 educators from across the country. They will return home and teach this history through a new lens and a profound understanding of the Mississippi Delta."

The institute took educators across the Delta and into Memphis. Stops included the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Dockery Farms and civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer's gravesite. Participants also visited the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, Black Power Park, Mound Bayou and the Delta Center's Mississippi Freedom Trail marker commemorating the 1969 Delta State sit-in.

The Memphis portion of the institute included visits to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the National Civil Rights Museum.

Each day featured live blues performances and presentations from musicians, scholars and others with firsthand connections to the region's history. Presenters included Keith Johnson, Reggie Barnes, Kwan Kash and Dr. Wheeler Parker Jr., the last surviving witness to Till's abduction.

"It introduces teachers to a region that's been almost forgotten and misunderstood," Aylward said.

Participants left the institute with firsthand knowledge and new curriculum materials they could use to share the Mississippi Delta's history and culture with students in classrooms across the country.

The workshop was funded through the NEH Summer Institutes and Seminars for K-12 Educators program.

Cutline: Educators from more than 25 states attended the NEH Summer Institute, "The Most Southern Place on Earth: The Music, History, and Culture of the Mississippi Delta," hosted by Delta State University. Attendees visited Dockery Farms and other sites of historical and cultural significance.

About the Delta Center for Culture and Learning

The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University is dedicated to preserving, studying and sharing the history and culture of the Mississippi Delta. Through public programs, research and educational initiatives, the Center connects scholars, students and communities to the region's rich and complex heritage.

About Delta State University: Delta State University is a four-year public institution whose nearly 2,800 students come from most U.S. states and more than 45 countries. Acknowledging its beginning as a teacher's college, the University sustains excellence in teacher education while continuing to expand offerings in traditional as well as unique fields of study. Programs such as those available through the Delta Music Institute, the Commercial Aviation Department, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information highlight the University's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the students it serves with world-leading, industry-acclaimed programs. Situated in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Delta State offers top-notch academic programs in business, arts, sciences, nursing, education, and more. DSU Athletics has won 15 national championships, 70 conference championships, and 37 regional titles.

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