Southern Miss School of Humanities to Host Community Events Celebrating America’s 250th

Thu, 10/29/2026 - 09:48am | By: Morgan Smith

The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Humanities invites the Hattiesburg community to celebrate America's 250th anniversary through a series of events exploring local history and the stories that connect us.

In collaboration with Visit Hattiesburg and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), the school will host three events Nov. 7-10, offering opportunities to share personal histories, participate in historic preservation and learn about the region's role in the American Revolution. All events are free and open to the public.

“These exciting, interactive and informative events showcase the passion, talent and hard work of our historians at USM and the enduring value that history brings to the campus and to the larger community,” said Dr. Brian LaPierre, director of the School of Humanities. “Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate our country and celebrate the power of the humanities to remind us of who we are, how we got here and why that matters.”

The events include:

Hattiesburg History Harvest | Nov. 7 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Participants are invited to bring photographs, letters, family heirlooms and other meaningful keepsakes to OLLI, located at 321 Dr. Eddie Holloway Drive (Peck House).

Through short, five-minute audio recordings, participants can share the stories behind their items, which will be digitized and added to a free, publicly accessible archive for future generations.

For more information, visit historyharvest.usmcdh.org.

Gillis-Burkett Cemetery Cleanup | Nov. 7 | 10 a.m.
Community members, organizations and local leaders are invited to participate in a cleanup of the historic Gillis-Burkett Cemetery, which dates back to the late 1800s and serves as the final resting place for veterans and notable community figures.

Participants should search "Gillis Cemetery" in their GPS for accurate directions rather than using the street address.

American Revolution in the Gulf South | Nov. 10 | 6 p.m.
Dr. Max Grivno will present a public lecture examining the American Revolution from the perspective of the Gulf South, including how the Choctaws and Chickasaws struggled to maintain their homelands amid conflicts involving the British, Spanish and American colonists.

The lecture will take place in Room 108 of the Liberal Arts Building on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus.

Learn more about the School of Humanities at Southern Miss.

About the College of Arts and Sciences 
The College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi is home to 13 schools, two ROTC units, and more than 100 academic programs. Guided by the University’s mission, we educate students, lead the state and nation in research and the creative arts, and advance knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Through innovative research and nationally recognized student success, we provide pathways to understanding the past, solving today's challenges, and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow.