The W

Three Years in the Life of Fannie Lou Hamer: An American Catalyst for Change
2026-03-18 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Gail P. Gunter Room, Fant Library
Dr. J. Janice Coleman, a quilter, storyteller, and professor of English at Alcorn State University, will be speaking about and displaying her collection of quilts, cotton sacks, and pillows inspired by the life of Fannie Lou Hamer. One quilt she will be displaying features a life-sized image of Mrs. Hamer.
To view some of Dr. Coleman’s works, visit her online museum, the Mississippi Delta Shotgun Sewn Arts Museum at https://mdssam.omeka.net.
This event is part of the Women’s College Colloquium Speaker Series. The theme for the Spring 2026 colloquium series is “Women and the Arts” and honors the Women’s College’s inaugural study away trip to New York City with The W’s Art Department.

Martha Swain Lecture: Reclaiming Women's Power in the American Revolution
2026-03-19 18:00 - 19:15 | Nissan Auditorium – Parkinson Hall
Join the Women’s Center for Research & Public Policy and the Ina E. Gordy Honors College for the 2026 Martha Swain Lecture. Dr. Jacqueline Beatty, Associate Professor of History at York College of Pennsylvania, will present “Reclaiming Women’s Power in the American Revolution,” based on research for her book, In Dependence, which explores women’s petitions for reprieve, economic support, divorce, and manumission over 70 years stretching before and after the Revolution. In cases from Boston, Charleston, and Philadelphia, she argues that women increasingly asserted rights claims, though they did so largely within the framework of an apolitical and dependent femininity.
The Martha Swain Speaker Series brings a distinguished person to campus each March to address issues important to women’s interests, lives, and experiences. This year’s lecture is also part of the America 250 calendar of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The series is funded with a gift made in honor of Dr. Martha Swain, a scholar of Southern women’s history.

Guest Artist Recital - Ellen Elder, piano
2026-03-20 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Please join us for an evening of lovely piano music with our special guest artist, Ellen Elder! This event is free and open to the public.

NACUSA Concert
2026-03-21 14:00 - 15:00 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
The W Department of Music and the Mid-South Chapter of NACUSA (National Association of Composers/USA) hosts a concert featuring new compositions. Please join us for a fun afternoon of music! This event is free and open to the public.

Film Screening: "An Asylum for Mankind"
2026-03-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium (Inside Parkinson Hall)
Mississippi University for Women presents “An Asylum for Mankind,” the second episode from the new Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution.
This episode covers the period from May 1775 to July 1776. New Englanders rush to surround the British Army in Boston, but as war begins Americans find themselves sharply divided. After the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, George Washington of Virginia arrives to command the newly created Continental Army. In July 1776, the Continental Congress issues the Declaration of Independence, insisting on the people’s right to resist tyranny and govern themselves. Learn more about the episode, the key players, and critical documents at PBS.
​The entire documentary is 6 episodes total with each episode running approximately 2 hours in length. The W will show all episodes throughout 2026.
​Admission is free and open to the public.​
​For more information, call the MUW Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at (662) 329-7390.

Women’s History Trivia Night
2026-03-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Munson Brothers Trading Post, 301 2nd Ave North, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States
Celebrate Women’s History Month with a fun, fast-paced Trivia Night hosted by the Women’s College in collaboration with Munson Brothers Trading Post! Test your knowledge of trailblazing women, landmark movements, pop culture icons, and lesser-known stories that shaped history. Grab a delicious slice of Munson Bro. pizza while you’re at it!

Spring 2026 Recital
2026-03-24 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
The W Department of Music is proud to showcase our students’ hard work – please join us for a wonderful evening of music featuring an array of different genres. This event is free and open to the public.

1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey's Feminist Book Club: Session 2
2026-03-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Friendly City Books, 118 N 5th Street, Columbus, 39701, United States
Octavia Butler’s dystopian Parable of the Sower is the feminist book club’s next spring read. Whether you are new to speculative fiction or a long-standing fan, join this discussion of Butler’s prescient novel.
1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey began this book club as part of her Nancy Yates Community Engagement internship.

Senior Composition Recital - Charles Weathersby
2026-03-26 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music as we celebrate senior composition major, Charles Weathersby and his academic journey! This event is free and open to the public.

Music in the Library
2026-03-27 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Fant Memorial Library, 1100 College St, Columbus, MS, United States
Join the W Department of Music for a musical afternoon as our talented music faculty and majors perform in Fant Memorial Library. You can take a study break, grab a book and a coffee at the library’s cafe, and enjoy some wonderful tunes with us!

Becoming the US: Colonial America to Reconstruction Exhibit Opening
2026-03-30 09:00 - 14:00 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS 39701, Columbus, MS, 39201, United States
The Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System is hosting the traveling exhibit Becoming the US: Colonial America to Reconstruction, organized by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, from March 30-May 1, 2026.
Becoming the US is designed to introduce viewers to the beginnings of American history and the skills involved in primary source analysis. Using items from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, it explores individuals, groups, and documents that have contributed to who we are as a country and encourages patrons to think critically about the first-hand accounts of this era.
​The exhibit is open to the public and available for viewing during regular operating hours Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm, Fridays 9am to 2pm, and Saturdays 9am to 2pm.​
​To learn more about the exhibit, visit www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-and-events/traveling-exhibitions/becoming-united-states-colonial-america-reconstruction.
​For more information on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, visit www.gilderlehrman.org.
​For more information, call the CLPLS at 662-329-5300.

Fashioning a Revolution: How Americans Bought, Fought, and Taught Their New Nation into Being
2026-03-31 17:30 - 18:30 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS 39701, Columbus, MS, 39201, United States
Dr. Peter Messer will open the traveling exhibit Becoming the US: Colonial America to Reconstruction with his talk Fashioning a Revolution: How Americans Bought, Fought, and Taught Their New Nation into Being on Tuesday, March 31 at 5:30pm at the downtown branch of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System.​
​Dr. Messer is a historian of Early American politics and culture at Mississippi State University. His interest lies in the theory and practice of politics in eighteenth-century America, particularly the intersection of natural historical thought and nation building in the era of the Early American Republic. In 2005, he published Stories of Independence: Identity, Ideology, and History in Eighteenth-Century America.​
​He is currently working on a book manuscript: Adultery, Church Pews, Oysters, and Tea: The Very Local Origins of the American Revolution in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.
​This program is sponsored by a Mississippi Humanities Council America250 Grant.
For more information, call the CLPLS at 662-329-5300.

MUW Chamber Singers Spring Concert
2026-04-07 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
You are invited to join the W Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. William Reber and Prof. Zane Lynn for their spring performance! This event is free and open to the public.

Nell Peel Wolfe Lecture: Dr. Doris Taylor
2026-04-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Nissan Auditorium, Parkinson Hall
Dr. Doris A. Taylor is a pioneer in regenerative medicine credited with scientific breakthroughs related to cell and gene therapy, stem cell biology, and tissue engineering. Her stem cell research was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Research Advances” by the American Heart Association, and TIME Magazine nominated her as one of the “100 most influential people in the world.” She serves as the Founder and CEO of RegenMedix Consulting. She holds a bachelor’s degree from MUW and a Ph.D. from UT Southwestern Medical Center.
This event is part of the Spring 2026 Homecoming festivities and the Gordy Honors Forum Series.

W Music Student Showcase
2026-04-14 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music as we host a musical evening featuring an array of musical genres from our talented music majors! This event is free and open to the public.

Piano Students’ Spring 2026 Recital
2026-04-17 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
You are warmly invited to join us this evening for our Piano Students Recital featuring talented performers from The W’s Department of Music. This is a wonderful opportunity to support our students and enjoy great music right here on campus. This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

Senior Piano Recital - Gabrielle Foster, piano
2026-04-18 15:00 - 16:00 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music as we celebrate senior music major, Gabrielle Foster and her academic journey! This event is free and open to the public.

Junior Voice Recital - Marcus Hill, tenor
2026-04-19 15:00 - 16:00 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music as we celebrate junior music major, Marcus Hill and his academic journey! This event is free and open to the public.

1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey's Feminist Book Club: Session 3
2026-04-22 16:00 - 17:00 | Friendly City Books, 118 N 5th Street, Columbus, 39701, United States
The feminist book club’s final book pick of the spring is an introduction to contemporary feminism for the Instagram age. Florence Given’s Women Don’t Owe You Pretty points out the narratives that keep women from embracing their own power.
1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey started this book club as part of her Nancy Yates Community Engagement internship.

She Loves Me - Musical
2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music for its first full musical production of She Loves Me. We are excited to share more details soon!

Film Screening: "The Times that Try Men's Souls"
2026-04-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium (Inside Parkinson Hall)
Mississippi University for Women presents “The Times that Try Men’s Souls,” the third episode from the new Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution.
This episode covers the period from July 1776 to January 1777. The Revolution, now a war for American independence, faces its toughest challenge yet as General Washington tries to defend New York City from invasion by sea. The resulting Battle of Long Island is a huge defeat for the Americans, who narrowly escape and spend the next several months on the run. In late December, Washington’s army regroups and prepares to attack an outpost in Trenton, New Jersey. Learn more about the episode, the key players, and critical documents at PBS.
​The entire documentary is 6 episodes total with each episode running approximately 2 hours in length. The W will show all episodes throughout 2026.
​Admission is free and open to the public.​
​For more information, call the MUW Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at (662) 329-7390.

The W Wind Ensemble & The Ody Brass Collective Spring Concert
2026-04-27 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
You are invited to join the W Department of Music for our spring semester’s instrumental ensemble featuring our community W Wind Ensemble conducted by Melissa Reeves and our brass chamber ensemble, The Ody Brass Collective, conducted by Dr. Douglas Mark. This event is free and open to the public.

W Jazz Ensemble Spring 2026 Concert
2026-04-28 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
You are invited to join the W Department of Music as we host our W Jazz Ensemble for their spring concert!This talented group is directed by our Instructor of Music Education & Director of Bands, Prof. Melissa Reeves. This event is free and open to the public.

Film Screening: "Conquer by a Drawn Game"
2026-08-31 18:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium (Inside Parkinson Hall)
Mississippi University for Women presents “Conquer by a Drawn Game,” the fourth episode from the new Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution.
This episode covers the period from January 1777 to February 1778. As America braces for a third year of devastating war, British commanders launch campaigns to take Albany and Philadelphia. General Howe beats General Washington at Brandywine and Germantown, while the Continental Congress flees Philadelphia. But the Americans’ surprising victory over General Burgoyne at Saratoga opens the door for France to officially support the United States.
​The entire documentary is 6 episodes total with each episode running approximately 2 hours in length. The W will show all episodes throughout 2026.
​​Admission is free and open to the public.​
​For more information, call the MUW Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at (662) 329-7390.

Film Screening & Costume Contest: "The Soul of All America"
2026-10-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium (Inside Parkinson Hall)
Mississippi University for Women presents “The Soul of All America,” the fifth episode from the new Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution, but this time, we’re dressing up for Halloween! Come in your most authentic Revolutionary garb; the best-dressed patriot will win a prize!
The fifth episode covers the period from December 1777 through May 1780. George Washington and the Continental Army spend the winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Conditions are horrible. Many soldiers are sick, clothing is scarce, and men go for days with barely any food. People die, and as morale plummets, other men simply go home. There is talk of mutiny. Slowly, Washington turns things around, but the French-American alliance changes the war and moves it to other theaters: the sea, in Indian Country, and in the South. Navies battle off England and in the Caribbean, while armies advance in Indian Country and the South; the British take Charleston. Learn more about the episode, the key players, and critical documents at PBS.
​The entire documentary is 6 episodes total with each episode running approximately 2 hours in length. The W is showing all episodes throughout 2026.
​Admission is free and open to the public.​
​For more information, call the MUW Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at (662) 329-7390.

Film Screening: "The Most Sacred Thing"
2026-12-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium (Inside Parkinson Hall)
Mississippi University for Women presents “The Soul of All America,” the sixth and final episode from the new Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution, but this time, we’re dressing up for Halloween! Come in your most authentic Revolutionary garb; the best-dressed patriot will win a prize!
The final episode covers the period from May 1780 through the drafting of the Constitution in the summer of 1787 and George Washington’s selection as the first president of the United States of America. Learn more about the episode, the key players, and critical documents at PBS.
​The entire documentary is 6 episodes total with each episode running approximately 2 hours in length.
​Admission is free and open to the public.​
​For more information, call the MUW Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at (662) 329-7390.
