The Southern Documentary Project

The Southern Documentary Project produces works of documentary storytelling from the perspective of studying the American South. Our mission is to steward accountable documentary storytelling in its many forms and mediums to increase civic and cultural engagement.

Mississippi Creates is a collaborative project between the MFA in Documentary Expression and Yoknapatawpha Arts Council started in 2021 by John Rash as part of his MFA Documentary Fieldwork course. MFA students enrolled in the course are each produce a short documentary film highlighting musicians creating work influenced or inspired by the life, culture, and sounds of Mississippi.

Our academic programs are designed to help train the next generation of storytellers and are rooted in Southern Studies. This includes courses in documentary theory and production, internships, multimedia workshops, and oversight of the MFA in Documentary Expression curriculum at the Center for Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.