A long and enlightening planning year is winding down as we prepare to submit a draft of our application to the National Endowment for the Humanities for a grant to support humanities activities focusing on Mississippi and the surrounding states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee. Since receiving a planning grant for this project, Charles Reagan Wilson and Center staff have covered the Deep South with meetings in an attempt to ascertain the needs of communities in the region. These meetings made it clear that there is a great need for regional humanities programs that cut across state lines.

   As we head toward the August 1 deadline for the final application, we thank those who helped organize and attended planning sessions in Helena, Hattiesburg, Selma, Mountain View, Nashville, New Orleans, and Lafayette. We consider all attendees of these meetings to be our partners in this collaborative effort, and we look forward to working with them in the future, whether we receive the NEH designation or not.