OXFORD, Miss. — Since the William Winter Institute for
Racial Reconciliation kicked off its “Welcome Table: A Year
of Dialogue on Race” program in June, it has held
successful events and gained new members.
Coming events for the institute include a concert in
Jackson and a series of workshops to be held throughout the
state.
The concert, titled “The Welcome Table: A Seasonal
Concert,” is scheduled Nov. 30 at Millsaps College. The
program celebrates the holiday season and features music
from Hebrew, Indian, Islamic, Kwanzaa and Christian
traditions.
Performances are set for 6 and 8 p.m. in the Academic
Complex Recital Hall, with a reception to follow. There is
no admission charge but donations are to be accepted at the
door. Proceeds go to support rehabilitation patients at the
University Rehab Center, which is co-sponsoring the
concerts. For more information or assistance related to a
disability, email cokertc@millsaps.edu or call
601-974-1422.
In the institute’s other efforts, Director Susan Glisson
recently met with West Point community members about
beginning discussions in their town.
“West Point is one of the newest members of the Welcome
Table and we are more than proud to be involved with such a
wonderful project,” said Robin Perry of West Point. “We
feel that togetherness and inclusiveness is the only way to
build the community. We must become the change we want to
see in our homes, communities, state, and nation.”
The group is in the planning stages of the project, which
involves talking about the racial problems within the
community, Perry said.
“The topic of race among different ethnicities in this
community has been much like the elephant in the room.
Everyone knows there is a problem, but no one wants to
acknowledge it,” Perry said.
Institute staff have not only been meeting with town
leaders across Mississippi, but they have also sponsored
other events, including “The OMazing Race,” held recently
on the Oxford campus. Based on the CBS television series
“The Amazing Race,” its purpose was to place students from
different ethnicities, religions, ages and other
descriptive attributes in an environment where they had the
opportunity to explore their perspectives and opinions
about people seemingly unlike themselves. They were placed
on ethnically diverse teams to participate in the
competition.
The institute also co-sponsored “Reconciliation: A Personal
Journey” with the Jackson Free Press at Millsaps College.
Panel members shared stories of racial reconciliation. The
forum featured Pastor Shirley Beach, Pastor Doris Norman
and Bishop Stanley B. Searcy from the New Hope Baptist
Church in Natchez.
Additionally, members of the institute, the Emmett Till
Memorial Commission and more than 400 other people gathered
at the Sumner Courthouse for a memorial ceremony. At the
event, the ETMC officially read a resolution, apologizing
to the family of Emmett Till and dedicated a marker
commemorating the murder case. Following the ceremony, bus
tours were offered to significant sites.
The institute and the ETMC are working to create a driving
tour with markers, a brochure on the events and directions
to the significant sites.
The institute is also collaborating with the Fetzer
Institute to host a series of workshops based on racial
reconciliation and social integration statewide.
“This partnering will serve to expand opportunities to
reach people throughout the state,” said April Grayson,
project coordinator for the institute.
For more information about “A Year of Dialogue on Race,”
visit
For more information about the William Winter Institute for
Racial Reconciliation, visit