SUMNER — The Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner invites the community to help tell the story of Tallahatchie County and the Mississippi Delta.
Through funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services the center has received support to develop a photo and documentary project to tell the stories of the community.
“We encourage anyone interested, young or old, to come out March 31 at 6 p.m. to the Emmett Till Interpretive Center,” said the center’s project coordinator, Patrick Weems, who noted that food will be provided for the hourlong event.
The Interpretive Center will be working with Barefoot Workshops, an internationally acclaimed organization “that teaches individuals and organizations how to use digital video, new media and the arts to transform their communities and themselves,” explained Weems.
Further, Barefoot has 10 years of community storytelling in Clarksdale and their partner organization, Blue Magnolia Films, just recently won the coveted Ron Tibbett Audience Award at the Oxford Film Festival among 144 other films — for a story that celebrates small-town revitalization.
Barefoot Workshops will work directly with Weems.
“We need arts and storytelling to help process past pain and as a way to tell the truth, and we also need arts and storytelling to direct us forward together,” said Weems. “We are excited to partner with Barefoot to tell the emerging stories of our community and region and we welcome all interested community members to come out on March 31 to learn more.”
The Emmett Till Memorial Commission will select 12 participants after the interest meeting to participate in the first photography workshop in late May.
The workshop is open to anyone from Tallahatchie County or the Mississippi Delta, and thanks to the grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, participants will receive a full scholarship of $1,500 to cover all costs, Weems said.
To learn more about the project, feel free to visit www.barefootworkshops.org or call the Emmett Till Interpretive Center at 662-483-0048. More information is available at the center’s Facebook page, online at www.facebook.com/tillcenter or by email to Weems at patrick@etmctallahatchie.com.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. The mission of the institute is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning and cultural and civic engagement. The institute’s grant-making, policy development and research help libraries and museums deliver services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.
