Fried Catfish & Banjo Music

Fried Catfish

This weekend the History department at Mississippi State is hosting a national conference honoring the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 - the federal grant that provided the money to start universities like MSU.  The department head, Dr. Marcus, invited all of the visiting professors as well as the entire history department, including grad students, to his house for a good old southern catfish fry.  I decided to go because, well, free food, and also because this summer several people asked me how the culture is different in Mississippi than it is in South Carolina, and I didn't know what to say.  I've been asking around about Mississippi culture, and I've been told that catfish is the local specialty.  So I had to give it a try.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Well, not only did we have freshly fried catfish, but we ate hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, and baked beans.  (Yes, all the food was the same color - so much for vegetables...)  It was all delicious, but I think I'll be okay waiting a while before I have it again.

Hush Puppies

While we were mingling and schmoozing with the visiting professors, one of the Ph.D. candidates, Alan Harrellson, provided the evening entertainment by playing the banjo.  And he is amazing!  He was part of a bluegrass gospel band, and they were nominated for an Emmy a couple years ago.  It's really fun to watch him play because he clearly loves it, and he has all his music memorized.

Baked Beans

Needless to say, it was a cultural evening.  Good local food, great southern music, lively history chatter.  It was a lot of fun!  I was hoping to have even more cultural experiences this week - the conference is taking a group of people to the Delta to go see a cotton gin, eat at a historical commissary, and visit a blues club.  I've heard the the Delta is quite an experience, and that it is unlike any other place in the USA.  Unfortunately, none of other grad students wanted to go/had time to go on the trip, and I didn't feel comfortable going by myself, so I'm foregoing the experience this time.  Hopefully I will make it out to the Delta before I graduate and leave  Mississippi.  We'll see!