14 Jennings’ June 2026 residency included partner programming with the Meridian Public School District’s Summer Arts Camp, Meridian Public Library, Millsaps College, Phil Hardin Foundation summer intern program, the Meridian Freedom Project, the Boys and Girls Club, Camp Destiny, and Casey Elementary and Henry J. Kirksey Middle School of Jackson Public Schools. The exhibition’s themes went beyond The MAX’s walls with a panel at Mississippi Comic Con, The Dirty Blerdy: Black Fandoms of the U.S. South, which traced how Southern Black fandoms shaped national conversations around representation, creativity and community. After meeting fans at the convention, OffBeat hosted a mixer with Jennings where old and new friends came to meet the artist. Other Opportunities to Meet the Artist Together, these partnerships lay the foundation for Jenning’s upcoming third residency, beginning September 26 during the Mississippi Book Festival, where his newest graphic novel, Framing Emmett Till, will debut with a panel including author Christopher Benson and illustrator Eric Battle. Other opportunities to explore the worlds of John Jennings include a slate of programs outlined in the Calendar of Events (see Page 5). The exhibition also offers educators and students a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of literature, visual art, history and science fiction. To book a group tour or field trip, contact Stanley Wright at stanley@msarts.org, or phone (601) 5811550 ext. 14 for more information. Contributing photographers: Marianne Todd + Sophia Calderón From Blue Hand Mojo: Hard Times Road. This supernatural, gritty graphic novel combines Mississippi culture, folklore and history in a richly illustrated Great Migration blues story set in 1930s Chicago. JSU Student Showcase SATURDAY FEBRUARY 27 ™ Visual Arts • Music Theatre • Literature
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