Arkansas State University's Department of English, Philosophy and World Languages Presents
Delta Symposium XXVII: Commemoration and Reunion in the South
Unless otherwise notated, all events will be held at A-State's Carl R. Reng Student Union’s Mockingbird Room – Virtual participation also is available with prior registration
Thursday, April 14
8:30 – 9:15 Celebrating Arkansas Folklife with AFTA
Panel Session by Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts
Virginia Siegel (AFTA Coordinator): “Mission, Programs, and Key Concepts of Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts
Lauren Adams Willette (Folk Arts Survey Coordinator): Outreach, Fieldwork, and Survey Results
AFTA Program Participants: Nastajae Alderson, Pat Johnson, and Allison Williams
Moderated by Adam Long
9:30 – 10:45 Exploring A-State Publications as Commemorative Discourse
Research Presentations
Tayyab Tahir, Syed Shahzoor, Nasser Alkhulayfi, and Aya Karouni (Arkansas State University): “How ASU Yearbooks Covered the Evolution of African American Students: Snapshots from 1972-1999”
Nathan Herbst, Cori Keller, Matthew Smothers, Jake Williamson (Arkansas State University): “Firsts in Sports and Mascots at Arkansas State University: A Survey of ASU Yearbooks”
Shahzad Ahmad, Yusra Alzahrani, Keuna Darton, and Sajad Khan (Arkansas State University): “How ASU Yearbooks Covered the Evolution of International Student Life at ASU: 1941-2012”
Lillie Fears (Arkansas State University): “A History of The Herald Newspaper in ASU Yearbooks: Snapshots from 1921-2012”
Moderated by Michael Spikes
11:00 – 12:15 Ghostly Commemorations
Research Presentations
Alan Brown (University of West Alabama): “Lest We Forget: The Commemorative Function of Southern Ghost Stories”
James Stannard (University of Essex): “The Past is Never Dead: Ghostly Reunions in William Faulkner and Toni Morrison”
Moderated by Catherine Calloway
12:30 – 1:45 Perspectives and Reflections on a History of Atrocity
Research Presentation and Panel
Guy Lancaster (Encyclopedia of Arkansas/Central Arkansas Library System): “On the Need for Epistemic Humility When Confronting the History of Lynching”
Panel Discussion: Cherisse Jones-Branch (Dean of the Graduate School/Vaughn Endowed Professorship, Arkansas State University) and Gary Edwards (Arkansas State University)
Evette Allen Moore, (Assistant Vice Chancellor & Director, Multicultural Affairs, Arkansas State University)
2:00 – 3:15 Community and Commemoration in Music
Research Presentations
Robert Bishop (Sawback Sounds, Fayetteville, AR): “Digital Troubadours: Tradition and Technology in the Arkansas Ozarks”
LaDawn Fuhr (Arkansas State University): “Six Degrees of Southern Accents: Tom Petty’s Reunion with His Southern Roots”
Moderated by Richard Burns
3:30 – 4:45 Celebrate Maya!
Janis F. Kearney (Writing Our World Press, Little Rock)
Special presentation on commemorating Maya Angelou’s contributions
Sponsored by A-State’s Heritage Studies Doctoral Program
Introduced by Lonnie R. Williams, (Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, Arkansas State University)
7:00 – 8:15 Creative Writing and Poetry
Readings by Mary Troy and Claude Wilkinson
Introduced by Kelly Damphousse (Chancellor, Arkansas State University)
Moderated by Khem Aryal
Bradbury Art Museum
Friday, April 15
9:00 – 10:45 Peeking into the Past in the Moment of Now – Three Locations in the Mississippi Delta
Research Presentations
Mamie Osborne (Mississippi Valley State University): “The 50th Anniversary of Stokely Carmichael’s Black Power Speech: A Celebration in Greenwood’s Broad Street Historical Park”
Olga Ponomareva (Mississippi Valley State University): “Leland, Mississippi: Home of the Blues”
John Zheng (Mississippi Valley State University): “Itta Bena: Home in the Woods without Woods”
Moderated by Faisal Mohammed
11:00 – 12:15 Book Talk
Launch of Sustaining Support for Intangible Cultural Heritage
A conversation with the publications’ editors: Shihan De Silva Jaysuriya, Mariana Pereira, and Gregory Hansen
Moderated by Ed Salo
12:30 – 1:45 Keynote Presentation
Andrew Scheiber (University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN): To Build a More Perfect [Re]union: Commemoration and Civic Identity
Introduced by Alan Utter (Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research)
2:00 – 3:15 Connecting Memory and Place
Research Presentation
David Rotenstein (Independent Researcher): “The ‘Pittsburgh Delegation’: Hot Springs and its Ties to Pittsburgh Organized Crime History”
Moderated by Gregory Hansen
3:30 – 4:30 Arkansas Cemeteries – Commemoration and Preservation
Research Presentations
Revis Edmonds (Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism): “Symbols of Power Beyond the Grave: Arkansas Leaders Buried in Mount Holly Cemetery”
Patty S. Camp (Paragould, Arkansas): “Preserving a Cemetery on Crowley’s Ridge: What If There Is No One Left?”
Moderated by Andrew Gadberry
5:00 – 6:00 Tributary Preview and Regional Writers
Creative Writing and Poetry Readings
Student writers and contributors to A-State’s literary magazine
Moderated by Kerri L. Bennett and LaDawn Fuhr
A-State Carl R. Reng Student Union, Mockingbird Room
7:00 – 9:30 Open-Mic
Presentations by Songwriters, Musicians, Poets, Creative Writers, and Visual Artists
Kerri L. Bennett, LaDawn Fuhr, and Lauren Willette, Emcees
A-State Carl R. Reng Student Union, Auditorium
Saturday, April 16
8:30 – 9:45 Creative Writing and Poetry
Readings and Book-Talks
Khem Aryal
Michael Spikes
Lauren Adams Willette
John Zheng
Moderated by Khem Aryal
A-State Carl R. Reng Student Union, Black River Room
10:00 – 11:00 Commemorating Community and Individual Accomplishments
Research Presentations
Shanita Sanders (Arkansas State University): “Commemorating Freedoms: An Historical Review of Black Southern Traditions”
Jeffrey Condran (University of Arkansas, Little Rock): “Creative non-fiction on Delta writer, Lewis ‘Buddy’ Nordan”
Moderated by Leslie Reed
A-State Carl R. Reng Student Union, Black River Room
Arkansas Roots Music Festival
Marty Scarbrough, Master of Ceremonies
LOCATION: City, Water, and Light Park,
1123 S. Culberhouse, Jonesboro: 35.8325° N, 90.7139° W
1:00
WELCOME
Proclamation from the City of Jonesboro, the Honorable Harold Copenhaver, Mayor
United Voices Gospel Choir
Gospel Music
2:00
Caleb Ryan Martin with Randal Morton
Folk and Roots Music
3:00
Grace Stormont
Folk and Americana
4:00
The Gravel Yard
Bluegrass and Americana
RAIN LOCATION: Arkansas State University Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive
The Delta Symposium’s Roots Music Festival is made possible with support from KASU 91.9 FM and the West End Neighborhood Association
