The W

Art History in the Making: Three Southern Women Artists
2026-02-18 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Gail Gunter Multi-Purpose Room
Sheryl Jefferies, independent scholar and oral historian, will speak about three contemporary southern women artists, including MUW alum and Columbus native Elayne Goodman. Sheryl is a contributing author for Beyond Discards: Junk Appropriation in Global Art and editor and producer of a podcast.
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,” which honors the Women’s College’s inaugural study away trip to New York City with The W’s Art Department.

The Emmett Till Generation: Youth Activism, Radical Protest, and Social Change in Jim Crow Mississippi
2026-02-19 12:00 - 13:30 | Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 7th St N, Columbus, MS 39701, Columbus, MS, 39201, United States
Dr. Daphne Chamberlain will present The Emmett Till Generation: Youth Activism, Radical Protest, and Social Change in Jim Crow South on February 19 at 12 noon at the downtown branch of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System.
This presentation highlights the role of children, between the ages of 7 and 18, as leaders and participants in the Mississippi civil rights movement from 1946 to 1965. This presentation also offers a new perspective on the origins of the civil rights struggle and gives credence to how instrumental young people were to engaging in radical protest and grassroots activism in Mississippi.
​Dr. Daphne Chamberlain is a native of Columbus, Mississippi. She attended historic Tougaloo College where she completed her undergraduate studies in History, and she subsequently received her Master’s and Ph.D. in History from the University of Mississippi. Before returning to Tougaloo as a faculty member and administrator where she worked for ten years, Dr. Chamberlain taught History and African American Studies at the University of Mississippi and was also the founding Director of the COFO Civil Rights Education Center at Jackson State University. She now serves as Chief Program Officer at the Emmett Till Interpretive Center.
For more information, call the CLPLS at 662-329-5300.

Juried Student Exhibition Reception & Awards Ceremony
2026-02-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Summer Hall, 1102 5th Avenue South, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States

New Music at the W Concert
2026-02-24 19:30 - 20:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
The W Department of Music presents New Music at the W, a recital of modern and contemporary concert music in a mesmerizing fusion of genres. This event is free and open to the public.

1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey's Feminist Book Club: Session 1
2026-02-25 16:00 - 17:00 | GPG Multi-Purpose Room – MUW Library
But what about men? The spring sessions of 1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey’s Feminist Book Club begin with Caitlin Moran’s examination of masculinity in What About Men? Join the book club for a conversation about the ways contemporary culture influences masculinity.
1884 Fellow Lessa Harvey started this book club as part of her Nancy Yates Community Engagement internship.

Threads of Our Legacy
2026-02-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Nissan Auditorium
A fashion show to celebrate African-American culture and excellence.
Hosted by: Owlettes, Residence Hall Association, United Harmony Gospel Choir, Young Black Leadership Association
Additional Information can be found at: https://muw.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12030210

Books & Banter - Twilight Tandem Read
2026-03-02 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-06 16:00 - 17:00 | Gail P. Gunter Multi-Purpose Room
Join us as we sink our teeth into Twilight and Midnight Sun and experience the beloved story through both Bella’s and Edward’s perspective.

Special Performance by Julia Mortyakova
2026-03-04 16:00 - 17:00 | Fant Memorial Library, 1100 College St, Columbus, MS, United States
Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at The W, Julia Mortyakova will discuss how she founded the International Music by Women Festival. She will also perform songs by a female composer.
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,” which honors the Women’s College’s inaugural study away trip to New York City with The W’s Art Department.

Music by Women Festival Concerts
2026-03-05 - 2026-03-07 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Happy Women’s History Month! You can celebrate with the Department of Music as we host the 10th Annual International Music by Women Festival, March 5-7, 2026 in Poindexter Hall. We are celebrating 10 years this year! We are the largest international festival of its kind, and we feature over 200 incredible musicians who come from around the world to the W share music by women composers. All events are free and open to W faculty, staff, and students.All festival concerts (each day at 10am, noon, 3pm, 5pm and 8pm) are free and open to the public. If you are not able to join us in person, you can watch livestreams of our 15 concerts on the Music by Women Festival YouTube Channel. To learn more, check out our official press release on MUW News Page, and to see the full schedule, please visit the Music by Women Festival homepage.

Three Years in the Life of Fannie Lou Hamer: An American Catalyst for Change
2026-03-18 16:00 - 17:00 | 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, Dr. 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.

Meet the Author: Elise Smith
2026-03-24 12:30 - 14:00 | Gail P. Gunter Multi-Purpose Room
Meet Art Historian and Author Elise Smith, who will discuss her book Southern Women, Southern Landscapes: Cultural Reflections on the Garden, 1870-1970. All are welcome to attend, but lunch will be provided to the first 20 attendees.

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. Livestream for this concert can be found here on our Virtual Concert Series page. 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, 109 5th Street North, 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! Livestream for this concert can be found here on our Virtual Concert Series page. 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!

Senior Voice Recital - Zachariah Harden, tenor
2026-03-28 17:30 - 18:30 | Kossen Auditorium (Inside Poindexter Hall)
Join the W Department of Music as we celebrate senior voice major, Zachariah Harden and his academic journey! Livestream for this concert can be found here on our Virtual Concert Series page. This event takes place inside Poindexter Hall, is free and open to the public.

Making Money Moves: Women, Wealth, and Risk-Taking with Andrew Luccasen
2026-04-01 16:00 - 17:00 | Gail P. Gunter Room, Fant Memorial Library
Want to learn how to make your money go further? Join Andrew Luccasen, Professor of Economics and Finance and advisor of The W’s TVA Investment Club, for a discussion of Invest Like a Girl, a new book from Jessica Spangler. Dr. Spangler’s guide is designed to provide “the essential information and … the game plans that women need to begin investing right away and according to their unique financial profiles.”
This event is the second in a two-part series on financial literacy co-sponsored by the Women’s College and the Career Services and Professional Development Center.

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.

Juried Alumni Exhibition Reception
2026-04-09 16:30 - 18:00 | Summer Hall, 1102 5th Avenue South, Columbus, MS, 39701, United States

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 Organamet Bio. 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.

Eudora Welty's Birthday
2026-04-13 00:00 - 23:30 | The W Campus, 1100 College Street, Columbus, 39701, United States
The W celebrates the birthday of our most famous alumna, Eudora Welty, born this day in 1909.

Natchez Documentary Screening
2026-04-14 12:00 - 20:00 | Gail P. Gunter Multi-Purpose Room
After the screening, we will discuss the film with a panel featuring: Chuck Yarborough, MSMS Faculty (Moderator)Laverne Green-Leech, R.E. Hunt MuseumTracy “Rev” Collins, Rev’s Country ToursSuzannah Hebert, Natchez filmmakerDarcy McKinnon, Natchez filmmaker
See also the IDEA featuring The Deepest South of All, by Richard Grant4 . 2 2 . 2 6 | 1 2 : 0 0 P M | G P G R O O M
More details about the IDEA Book Talk (including how to attend virtually) here: https://libreserves.muw.edu/event/16250705

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)
Enjoy an evening of beautiful piano music performed by our music majors and the inaugural class of our W Community Music School. This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
