The 2024 Martha Swain Speaker’s Series Lecture will be held at 6 pm on Thursday, March 7 in Parkinson Hall’s Nissan Auditorium. This year, we will welcome Dr. Cassie Turnipseed to campus for a lively and engaging discussion of the life and legacy of Mississippi’s fearless daughter, Ida B. Wells-Barnett. The event is free and open to the public. Those unable to attend in person may register for Zoom access here.
The Martha Swain Speaker Series brings distinguished guests to campus to speak in March as part of the W’s Women’s History Month celebration.  The series features issues important to women’s interests, lives, and experiences as a way to honor Dr. Martha Swain, a preeminent historian of Mississippi women and politics.Dr. Cassie Turnipseed is an Assistant Professor of History at Jackson State University and has spent much of her career highlighting Black history in the Delta, from her work with the Cultural Arts program and the B.B. King Museum to research uncovering the contributions of the Gullah Geechee people and collaborations to memorialize the history of cotton pickers and sharecroppers. As a member of the Mississippi Humanities Council Speakers Bureau, Dr. Turnipseed frequently speaks about the legacy of Ida B. Wells-Barnett to audiences across the state.Ida Wells Barnett was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi and single-handedly launched an international campaign to stop lynching.  A woman who helped found both the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women, she campaigned for suffrage and race and gender equality throughout her life.