Smithsonian's Mississippi Program Culminates at National Folk Festival, Highlighting Community Cultural Preservation
The Smithsonian’s Mississippi Community Cultural Conservation Program is concluding its year-long initiative with a recognition event at the 83rd National Folk Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, from November 12–14. This program, launched in February 2026, involved 30 participants from 15 museums, historic sites, and cultural organizations across Mississippi. Through a series of virtual and in-person workshops, participants received training in critical areas such as collections care, digitization, preservation, disaster preparedness, and community-centered storytelling. Experts from various Smithsonian institutions, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, collaborated with Mississippi experts to provide this specialized training. Monique Chism, the Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Education, and Barry White, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, will recognize the participants. The Smithson...
