Southern Miss to Host 2026 Clyde Kennard Lecture Oct. 19-20
Mon, 09/28/2026 - 09:27am | By: David Tisdale
果冻传媒麻豆社 will host its annual Oct. 19-20, featuring discussions about a new book that examines Kennard鈥檚 efforts
to desegregate Mississippi Southern College and the lasting impact of his story.
Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard, published by University
Press of Mississippi, is co-authored by Dr. Rebecca A. Tuuri, associate dean of the
Southern Miss Honors College and professor of History. The book uses archival research and interdisciplinary analysis to examine Kennard鈥檚
attempts to enroll at the then-all-white Mississippi Southern College in the context
of the systemic racism of the Jim Crow era.
The 2026 Kennard Lecture program, presented by the Southern Miss Center for Black
Studies, will begin with an opening reception and discussion Monday, Oct. 19, at 6
p.m. at the historic Eureka School in downtown Hattiesburg. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, a
reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Kennard Lecture at 6:30 p.m. in
the Thad Cochran Center鈥檚 Joe Paul Theater. All events are free and open to the public.
Tuuri and co-authors Dr. Sherita L. Johnson and Dr. Cheryl D. Jenkins will discuss
Mixing during the programs.
鈥淲hen surveying the scholarship that had already been written about Kennard, my co-authors
and I noticed that so much of what other scholars had rightfully focused on was the
unjust treatment of Kennard, the fabricated charges against and conviction of him,
and later efforts at his exoneration,鈥� Tuuri said. 鈥淲hile such a focus is certainly
understandable, it seemed as if there was still room to discuss more about Kennard
as an intellectual, activist and inspirational figure to later Southern Miss students.
Our research team sought to flesh out Kennard鈥檚 story through studies touching upon
our own disciplinary expertise areas. I hope that readers of our book will come to
understand not only what happened to Kennard, but also what he did in his lifetime
and how Southern Miss students and the larger Hattiesburg Black community have kept
his memory alive.鈥�
A decorated U.S. military veteran of the Korean War, Kennard attended the University
of Chicago before returning to his native Mississippi to help his mother and stepfather
run their family farm just outside Hattiesburg. His attempts to enroll at nearby Mississippi
Southern College were rebuffed in 1955, 1956 and 1959. He was later falsely accused
of multiple crimes and sentenced to seven years at Parchman Farm, now the Mississippi
State Penitentiary. While there, he was diagnosed with cancer but was denied proper
medical treatment until he became critically ill. Kennard was released on parole in
January 1963 and died July 4, 1963, at age 36.
The university was desegregated in 1965 when Gwendolyn Armstrong and Raylawni Branch
enrolled as its first Black students. In 1993, Southern Miss renamed its student services
building Kennard-Washington Hall in honor of Kennard and Dr. Walter Washington, the
first African American to receive a doctoral degree from the institution. In 2006,
Kennard was exonerated in Forrest County Circuit Court after subsequent investigations
revealed he was framed in an effort to undermine his attempts to enroll at the university.
In February 2018, a marker recognizing Kennard鈥檚 sacrifices was placed in front of
Kennard-Washington Hall as part of the Mississippi Freedom Trail. That same year,
Southern Miss posthumously awarded Kennard a doctorate.
鈥淭his book and our upcoming lecture events serve as an important reminder of Clyde
Kennard鈥檚 legacy as a champion of higher education and a civil rights activist,鈥� said
Dr. Vickie Reed, director of the Center for Black Studies. 鈥淭he authors draw expertise
from various disciplines, including English, journalism, history and mass communications.
As a result, their work offers a unique opportunity for all of us to learn more about
Mr. Kennard鈥檚 story. Although his story began decades ago, it still serves as a blueprint
for continued conversations about our ongoing quest for racial, educational and social
justice.鈥�
Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard is available from University
Press of Mississippi and other booksellers.
For more information on the Clyde Kennard Lecture, visit the university鈥檚 .
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences at 果冻传媒麻豆社 is home to 13 schools, two ROTC units,
and more than 100 academic programs. Guided by the University鈥檚 mission, we educate
students, lead the state and nation in research and the creative arts, and advance
knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Through innovative research
and nationally recognized student success, we provide pathways to understanding the
past, solving today's challenges, and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow.