Why Mississippi? Episode 1: Race Relations
I am Alex Stradinger, the creator/director of Why Mississippi, a project aimed at spreading awareness and appreciation for Mississippi’s rich culture and the people behind it. A standard set of questions were asked of Mississippians from diverse backgrounds, including local business owners, activists, and thought leaders, such as Jim Barksdale (Fedex, ATT Wireless, Netscape), Mr. James Meredith (civil rights leader), and Dr. Bill Ferris (former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities). I have interviewed 18 Mississippians to date with the same questions, focused on highlighting Mississippi’s creative people and colorful culture. Hopefully, the interviews will encourage our youth to consider the problems facing our state and that, wherever they choose to pursue their careers, they will speak to what is good about Mississippi.
Episode 1, the first of 4 episodes, focuses on race relations. The Mississippians in this interview reflect on the history of race in Mississippi through stories and experiences. Subsequent episodes will address the topics of family, religion, and challenges we face.
