Holden to present African American Studies Lecture at Mississippi College

Vanessa M. Holden will discuss her book, “Surviving Southampton: African American Women and Resistance in Nat Turner’s Community,” during MC's African American Studies Lecture.

Vanessa M. Holden, director of the African American and Africana Studies Program and director of the Central Kentucky Slavery Initiative at the University of Kentucky, will be the featured speaker at Mississippi College’s annual African American Studies Lecture at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Entergy Theater at the Gore Arts Complex in Clinton. Admission is free and the community is invited.

Holden will discuss her book, “Surviving Southampton: African American Women and Resistance in Nat Turner’s Community,” a 2022 James H. Broussard Best First Book Prize winner. The book explores the contributions that African American women and children made to the Southampton Rebellion, often called Nat Turner’s Rebellion.

Holden’s talk will be preceded by a performance from the Hinds-Utica Concert Choir.

The presentation is being funded by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council and the Office of the Provost at MC. It is sponsored by MC’s African American Studies Program.

Dr. Kristi Melancon, MC chair and professor of English and philosophy, said Holden’s presentation is part of the Christian University’s observance of February as Black History Month.

“Dr. Holden will broaden our understanding of Nat Turner’s Rebellion and who was affected,” Melancon said. “She will give us more context than the brief snippet of information we got from our history books.”

Following the presentation, Holden will entertain questions from the audience. She will be available after the event to sign copies of her book and take photos. The work will not be available for sale at the lecture, but can be obtained beforehand from retail and online booksellers.

Holden received her Ph.D. in African American and women’s and gender history from Rutgers University. Her research focuses on African American women and slavery in the antebellum South. She teaches courses in American history, African American history and African American studies at UK.

Melancon said the African American Studies’ spring lecture is a popular event on campus. It draws a significant audience that includes local community members and students from Clinton High School, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, Millsaps College and Hinds Community College, among other academic institutions.

“We should take advantage of the fact that we are an academic community and learn from people that we may not have access to on a daily basis,” Melancon said. “Our local community members are invited to learn something new and enjoy the academic resources that Mississippi College offers its students.

“Events like this spark students’ interest in our program. It’s a great opportunity to learn what we’re doing in African American Studies at Mississippi College.”

To reserve a seat for the lecture, visit https://go.mc.edu/register/aalecture. For more information about the African American Studies Program at Mississippi College, click here or email Melancon at kmelancon@mc.edu.