The Southern Documentary Project is an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi and shares the Center’s core mission to document, interpret, and teach about the U.S. South through critical research and public engagement. In addition to telling our own complicated stories about the South, the Southern Documentary Project staff is equally focused on training the next generation of storytellers.
SouthDocs teaches and mentors undergraduate and graduate students in the Southern Studies academic programs. Students come to the program with a range of backgrounds and experiences in visual storytelling. Some have never used a camera before and others are experienced filmmakers interested in applying their craft to telling the stories of the South. Southern Studies graduate students can pursue a documentary track MA degree as well as an MFA in Documentary Expression. Each semester we show off our student work in a documentary showcase that shows the full scope of our programs.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The Southern Documentary Project is an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, whose mission statement can be found here. For SouthDocs, that affiliation means a commitment to providing space for multiple stories and storytellers. A commitment to equity and inclusion begins with our staff, and SouthDocs works to recruit and retain colleagues who are not only exemplary storytellers, but who also represent the rich diversity that makes our stories worth telling. A staff that truly reflects our region will also attract talented and diverse students. As we look to the future, SouthDocs is also committed to seeking collaborators throughout the region to help us identify and tell stories within their communities. Actively engaging specific diverse communities throughout the South and helping them tell their own stories is our clearest example of a commitment to equity and inclusion.
Contact Information:
The Southern Documentary Project
The University of Mississippi
241 Kinard Hall
University, MS 38677
Phone: 662-915-5917
Fax: 662-915-5109
Email: acharper@olemiss.edu
