Mississippians
![DJ Prince Charles Smith Music Collection](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/smith_collection_banner.width-500.png)
![The DJ "Prince" Charles Smith collection consists of 864 vinyl dance records that provided the soundtrack for queer life in North Mississippi during the last two decades of the 20th century. Hailing from Booneville, Charles Smith spun records at several Mississippi gay bars in Palmetto, Columbus, and Shannon. Smith was most associated with the club Rumors in Shannon, MS, prominently featured in the award-winning Malcolm Ingram film Small Town Gay Bar (2006), produced by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma). This collection includes a large number of dance remixes of songs from the 1970s and 1980s, but also features some pop hits from the 1990s and early 2000s. The collection was acquired by Ronda and Clyde McDowell in 2008. Their daughter Amy McDowell facilitated the donation to Archives and Special Collections as part of a larger effort to document LGBTQIA+ history in Mississippi.](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/smith_collection_about.width-500.png)
![map of Mississippi pointing out the towns of Booneville, Palmetto, Shannon, and Columbus.](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/smith_collection_clubs.width-500.png)
![Film poster: Small Town Gay Bar (2006)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_small_time_gay_bar_poster.width-500.jpg)
![Vinyl records (1) Living La Vida Loca / Ricky Martin (1999) Lucky Love / Ace of Base (1996)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_ricky_martin_ace_of_base.width-500.jpg)
![Vinyl records (2) Hot Sun on Video / Venus (1985) How Long / Information Society (1990) Be Near Me / ABC (1985) A Deeper Love / Aretha Franklin (1993)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_bottom_row_left.width-500.jpg)
- Living La Vida Loca / Ricky Martin (1999)
- Lucky Love / Ace of Base (1996)
- Hot Sun on Video / Venus (1985)
- How Long / Information Society (1990)
- Be Near Me / ABC (1985)
- A Deeper Love / Aretha Franklin (1993)
![Vinyl records (3) Someone Like You / Sylvester (1986) The Time Warp / Damian (1988) Pride in the Name of Love / Clivillés & Cole (1991)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_center.width-500.jpg)
![Vinyl records (4) Losing My Mind / Liza Minnelli (1989) Theme Song from “Which Way Is Up” / Stargard (1977) Sooner or Later / Sylvester (1987)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_center_liza.width-500.jpg)
- Someone Like You / Sylvester (1986)
- The Time Warp / Damian (1988)
- Pride in the Name of Love / Clivillés & Cole (1991)
- Losing My Mind / Liza Minnelli (1989) •
- Theme Song from “Which Way Is Up” / Stargard (1977)
- Sooner or Later / Sylvester (1987)
![Vinyl records (5) Call Me / Go West (1985)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_go_west_right.width-500.jpg)
![Vinyl records (6) Times Two / X 2 (1988) Heart Over Mind / Jennifer Rush (1987)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_center_right.width-500.jpg)
![Vinyl records (7) I Will Go With You / Donna Summer (1999) Call It Love / Yello (1987)](https://exhibit-production-digitalcommons.s3.amazonaws.com/images/charles_smith_bottom_row_right.width-500.jpg)
- Call Me / Go West (1985)
- Times Two / X 2 (1988)
- Heart Over Mind / Jennifer Rush (1987)
- I Will Go With You / Donna Summer (1999)
- Call It Love / Yello (1987)