Mississippi
Hattiesburg to celebrate Freedom Summer through film and photo
Hattiesburg was once the largest Freedom Summer site in MS with over 3,000 volunteers.
Hattiesburg is getting ready to celebrate Freedom Summer (again). Once a cradle of the civil rights movement with figures like Clyde Kennard and sisters Joyce and Dorie Ladner, Hattiesburg will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer this year, commemorating the summer of 1964 when college students came to Mississippi for mass registration of Black voters.
The Hattiesburg Public Library will be hosting a film screening of two Mississippi civil rights-era documentaries on Aug. 8 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. thanks to Scott Varnado, a Hattiesburg local and PhD student in film studies at UCLA. The library will also open a special photography exhibition, “Freedom Summer at 60: Mississippi as a Catalyst for Change,” curated in association with Special Collections at the University of Southern Mississippi and the Harvey Richards Media Archive on the same day as the film screening.
Varnado said the films are a “chronicle of the early part of organizing Freedom Summer, and just really essential viewing for anyone that has an interest in Freedom Summer, Mississippi history and civil rights history.”
The two films, “We’ll Never Turn Back” from 1963 and “Dream Deferred” from 1964, are around 30 minutes each and tell the story of voter registration in Mississippi. The filmmaker, Harvey Richards, a social activist and union organizer from rural Oregan, traveled to the Mississippi Delta in 1963 to seek out voting rights activist Amzie Moore. Together, the two men filmed the documentaries in secret and at great risk, working against local segregationists who would have tried to stop or even kill them.
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Varnado said Richards was remarkable for his work depicting “the lower rungs of society in an attempt to show images and communities and social issues that were absent from mainstream media.”
Richards’ son and curator of the Harvey Richards Media Archive will give a brief video introduction before the screening.
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The photo exhibit will display a collection of black and white photographs of voter registration efforts in and around Hattiesburg by New York photographer Herbert Randall, who, like Richards, traveled to Mississippi to document Freedom Summer in 1964. Randall’s photographs will be presented alongside color photographs from Richards of Black southerners across Mississippi taken in the same time period.
“Hattiesburg was an important center for that civil rights activity,” Casey Varnado, Hattiesburg attorney and father of Scott Varnado, said. “We had more Freedom Summer volunteer workers in Hattiesburg than any other location in the state.”
The largest Freedom Summer site in Mississippi, Hattiesburg was once home to more than 90 out-of-state volunteers and more than 3,000 local volunteers.
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Adam Singletary, director of The Hattiesburg Public Library, said the photography exhibit and film screening complement one another by offering a full portrait of Freedom Summer with both specific Hattiesburg content and coverage of the state at large.
“The films are also unique in that they are not widely known,” Singletary said, adding, “The fact that we can get the license to show them is exciting for the city and for our patrons because they may not otherwise have a chance to watch them.”
Mississippi
MDOC searches for escaped prisoner from South Mississippi Correctional Institution
The Mississippi Department of Corrections, with the help of other authorities, is searching for a prisoner who escaped Tuesday afternoon from the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville.
Drew Johnson, 33, has blond hair and blue eyes. He weighs 200 pounds and is 6 feet tall.
Johnson was sentenced in 2022 to life in prison for a homicide/murder in Rankin County.
Anyone who believes they may have seen Johnson should contact the nearest law enforcement agency.
Mississippi
MDOC searching for escaped inmate out of South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville
LEAKESVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) – The Mississippi Department of Corrections, with the help of other authorities, is searching for an inmate who escaped the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville Tuesday afternoon.
According to an alert sent out by the Greene County Emergency Management office, 33-year-old Drew Johnson escaped from the facility around 3:30 p.m. He’s currently serving a life sentence for murder.
He was sentenced on February 14, 2022.
Johnson is described as a 6′0″ male with blue eyes, blond hair, and 200 pounds. He was last seen near Old Highway 24 in Leakesville.
Crews are still out searching for him as of 8:03 p.m. If you have any details regarding the incident or see Johnson, officials say to call 911.
We will update this story as new details become available.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2024 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Mississippi
What MS Coast casino restaurants are open Christmas Day? Here’s our list
Christmas on the Coast is a tradition for many families throughout the Southeast. Mississippi Coast casinos are ready to welcome them with open arms and open restaurants.
Below are the casinos open for dining on Christmas Day, some with limited holiday fare. Reservations may be required for some restaurants.
875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111.
BR Prime
Reservations required.
- Holiday Bouillabaisse, Icy Blue Mussels, Little Neck Clams, Gulf Shrimp, Seabass $15
- Prime Rib with Demi Glace, Thyme Horseradish Cream, Hasselback Potatoes, Heirloom Carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts $72
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cheesecake $15
Salt and Ivy
Reservations encouraged.
- Christmas Feature $38: Crab, Shrimp and Spinach-stuffed Flounder with Dill Bearnaise, Wild Mushroom Farro and White Wine-Garlic Broccolini
The Buffet
Holiday Brunch: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Adults, $32.99; Children, $19.99; Under 4, free.
Holiday Lunch/Dinner: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Adults, $49.99; Children $25.99; Under 4, free.Free Under 4
- Features include herb-crusted prime rib, spicy shrimp boil, NOLA BBQ shrimp and grilled sirloin
151 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-435-5400.
Morton’s The Steakhouse
Reservations recommended. Restaurant hours: noon to 9 p.m.
- The Chateaubriand three-course menu for two includes Chateaubriand with Roasted Shallots, Red Wine Demi Reduction, Sauce Bearnaise and Au Jus; Winter Salad to share; choice of two sides; and choice of desserts for $179. Lobster tails or mini crab cakes are available at an extra cost.
Lillie’s Asian Cuisine
Restaurant hours: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saltgrass Steak House
Restaurant hours: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Restaurant hours: noon to 8 p.m.
Michael Patrick’s
Restaurant hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625.
Christmas Day Buffet, $39.99 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Menu includes starters, a carving station, Satisfaction favorites such as Southern Fried Chicken and Stuffed Crabs, Asian Cuisine, sides and desserts.
711 Hollywood Blvd., Bay St. Louis, 228-469-2100.
Epic Buffet
Restaurant hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Epic Buffet features more than 80 dishes including Crab Legs, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Southern barbecue, Asian cuisine, Creole, Italian and fresh seafood.
3300 West Beach Blvd., Gulfport, 228-314-2100.
The Buffet
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Low Country Crawfish Bisque; Creole Seafood Gumbo; Carrot Soufflé Casserole; Praline-Crusted Sweet Potatoes; Orange Chicken with Vegetables; Crispy Fried Shrimp; Carved Roast Turkey; Carved Strip Loin of Beef; Cornbread Dressing; Sliced Roast Turkey in Giblet Gravy; Carved Round of Beef, Smoked Ham and Cajun Fried Turkey; Cranberry Compote; Roasted Salmon Loin; Boiled Gulf Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce; Happy Family Shrimp and Vegetables; Smoked Pork with all the Trimmings; and more, $29.99.
C and G Grille
Christmas Day hours: 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., $26.
- Choice of Starter: Seafood Gumbo or House Salad
- Choice of Entrée: Roast Turkey and Dressing or Glazed Bone-In Ham Steak. Each served with Green Bean Casserole, Candied Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Compote
- Dessert: Cookie Butter Banana Pie
The Diner
Christmas Day hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., $20.
- Choice of Starter: House Salad or Seafood Gumbo
- Entrée: Roast Turkey with Dressing, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce and Green Beans
- Dessert: Sweet Potato Pie with Whipped Cream
Dockside Deli
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., $21.
- Starter: Crab and Corn Bisque or Seafood Gumbo
- Choice of Entrée: Debris-Style Turkey Dressing, Green Beans, Cranberry Compote and Carrot Soufflé Casserole or Sausage Sampler with pineapple jalapeno, knockwurst and green onion sausages. Served with red kraut and warm potato salad.
- Dessert: Spiced Applesauce Cake
Prime Cut Restaurant
Christmas Day hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., $45.
- Starter: Crab and Artichoke-Stuffed Mushrooms Drizzled with Hollandaise
- Choice of Entrée: Beef Tenderloin au Poivre or Pan-Seared Sea Bass with lemon beurre blanc. Each served with a side of choice
- Dessert: Pumpkin Swiss Cake Roll
158 Howard Ave., Biloxi, 228-432-8888
Restaurant hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., $40.
- Traditional Christmas menu plus Prime Rib, Smoked Baked Ham, Sliced Turkey Breast, Boiled Shrimp and dishes from the Grill, Comfort, Wok and Coastal stations.
9380 Central Ave., D’Iberville, 888-752-9772.
Under the Oak Cafe
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Herb Dijon Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes Puree, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries and an Herb Dijon Reduction, $25.
- Creamy Eggnog Bread Pudding, $14.
Scarlet’s Steaks and Seafood
Reservations recommended. Christmas Day hours: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Lobster Thermidor, Broiled Coldwater Stuffed Lobster topped with Mushroom Cognac Cream Sauce, Parmigiana Reggiano, Garlic Butter Breadcrumbs and Wilted Arugula Salad, $80.
- Beef Wellington, 8-ounce filet mignon, with Mushroom Duxelles, Prosciutto and baked in Puff Pastry, served with Bordelaise Sauce, $78.
- Creme de Mint Cheesecake, $13
5000 South Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis, 228-469-2777.
Jubilee Buffet
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Traditional holiday menu plus, all-you-can-eat Dungeness Crab and Jumbo Shrimp, $49.95.
Blue Bayou Bar and Grill
$58 per person.
- Salad: Baby Spinach with Candied Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Mandarin Orange, Goat Cheese, Roasted Cacao Nibs and a Citrus Vinaigrette.
- Entrée: Choice of Crispy Roasted Half Duck, Braised Red Cabbage, Port Wine Demi Glaze and Whipped Roasted Garlic Mash or Blackened Pork Loin, Pomegranate Glaze, Bacon Braised Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Gratin
1980 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-385-6000.
Infinity Buffet
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Carved ham, roasted turkey, roast brisket and more, $47.99 with crab, $25.49 without crab.
The Den
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to midnight.
- Bacon-wrapped stuffed pork loin, $38; or prime rib, $45.
The following casinos will be open Christmas Day but restaurant options were not available:
280 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-436-2946.
850 Bayview Ave, Biloxi, 228-436-3000.
Lici Beveridge is a reporter for the Hattiesburg American and Clarion Ledger. Contact her at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.
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