Greene Gives Lecture on Blues Legend Broonzy at Mississippi Museums

Dr. Kevin Greene, assistant professor of history and director of the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) recently made a presentation based on his first book, "The Invention and Reinvention of Big Bill Broonzy" in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium at the Two Mississippi Museums (Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum) as part of the “History is Lunch” series Feb. 13.

Dr. Greene's presentation illuminated the role Broonzy (1893-1958), a Mississippi native and blues legend, played in the way Europeans navigated African-American jazz and blues culture in the early 20^th century, and how he managed to adapt to and meet the evolving musical tastes of his audiences In his book, Dr. Greene posits that Broonzy paid a personal and professional price for reinventing himself and his work; he also assesses major themes and events in African American history occurring during Broonzy's lifetime, including the Great Migration, urbanization, and black expatriate encounters with European culture consumers.

A recipient of USM's Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Professorship, Dr. Greene is an expert on African American history, music history and blues history. He is working on two other projects, including an investigation into legendary Mississippi investigative journalist Jerry Mitchell and his work on unsolved Civil Rights-era cold case murders across the South. His second project examines Peggy Jean Connor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and her role in the local and national black freedom movement.  

For information on Dr. Greene and his work at USM, as well as about the USM History Program, visit https://www.usm.edu/history/faculty/kevin-greene.