Tue, 12.45-2.05, Cherry 211 (CRN: 31757)
- Dr. Clay Motley will give a talk on A Piece of the True Cross(roads) in Clarksdale, Mississippi this Thu, Nov 21, 7pm at Barnes & Noble in Bowling Green
The Mississippi Delta, which has been described as “the most Southern place on Earth,” has a near-mythological place in the American imagination. The economically poorest region of America, the Delta is a land rich in musical, visual, and literary culture. In this course we will examine the mythology and reality of the Delta, historically and today, in order to better understand this region that is unique yet has also dramatically influenced America. Through class discussion, select readings, music, photography, and film, we will analyze such intertwined topics as the Delta’s geography, economy, blues music, racism, religion, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, today’s “cultural tourism” industry, and casinos. Perhaps William Faulkner’s statement, “The past is never dead. It’s not even the past,” rings most true in the Mississippi Delta, and we will discover why.
