VOX Press Wins Mississippi Humanities Award for Prison Writes Initiative

The Mississippi Humanities recently announced the recipients for its 2016 Public Humanities Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions by Mississippians to the study and understanding of the humanities.

For its Prison Writes effort, Louis Bourgeois and Vox Press won the Mississippi Educator Award and will be honored at a public ceremony on Friday, February 12, at the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson, Mississippi.

“I’ve been highly involved in the arts and education my whole adult life and this award validates the important work we are doing at Parchman. The Mississippi Humanities Council are the most caring and intelligent people I have worked with to date,” Bourgeois said.

Other humanitarians to be honored at the ceremony are:
• Cora Norman Award — Willis Lott, past board chair, Mississippi Humanities Council
• Preserver of Mississippi Culture — Oxford resident, Alysia Burton Steele, Author, Delta Jewels: In Search of My Grandmother’s Wisdom
• Humanities Partner Award — New Stage Theatre
• Humanities Scholar Award — Max Grivno, Associate Professor of History, University of Southern Mississippi

The 31 recipients of the 2015 Humanities Teacher Awards, which pay tribute to outstanding faculty in traditional humanities fields, will also be honored at the event.

“This year’s winners embody our philosophy that the humanities are for everyone,” said Dr. Stuart Rockoff, executive director of the Council. “Their outstanding work shows the impact the humanities can have on individuals and our communities. We are pleased to honor their commitment to reaching the diverse population of our state.”

The Council invites all Mississippians to join them at their 2016 Public Humanities Awards ceremony and reception Feb. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson. A silent auction featuring Mississippi Miscellany will once again be featured.
Tickets for the Mississippi Humanities Council Public Humanities Awards ceremony and reception are $50 each and may be purchased by sending a check to the Mississippi Humanities Council, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Room 317, Jackson, MS 39211 or online at http://www.mshumanities.org. Information about the awards and the reception is available at http://www.mshumanities.org or 601-432-6752.

The Mississippi Humanities Council is funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi.

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Jeff McVay is a staff writer and graphic designer for Hottytoddy.com. He can be reached at jeff.mcvay@hottytoddy.com.

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