Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics

The mission of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics is to create better understanding of the media, politicians and the role of the First Amendment in our democracy. The center is funded through a $5 million grant from the Freedom Forum, a foundation dedicated to educating people about the importance of a free press and the First Amendment.

The Overby Center features programs, multimedia displays and writings that examine the complex relationships between the media and politicians — past, present and future — paying special attention to Southern perspectives.

Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services.

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2020

Journalism and Democracy in Crisis, Geneva Overholser, Charles Overby, and Greg Brock

Dr. Andrew Selepak, Andrew Selepak and Jason Cain

Taffy Brodesser-Akner: Willie Morris Writers Series, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Wright Thompson, and Debora Wenger

Filmmaker Tom Thurman Discusses Robert Penn Warren: A Vision, Tom Thurman and Joe Atkins

The Intersection of Religion and Politics, Terry Mattingly, Richard Ostling, and Charles Overby

Mandy Carter, Mandy Carter, Mark Dolan, Sarah Heying, Kendrick Wallace, Hooper Schulz, and Jojo Brown

2019

Interview with the Director of Fannie Lou Hamer's America, Joy Elaine Davenport and Curtis Wilkie

Sports Panel, Dwayne Bray, Rick Cleveland, and Mackenzie Salmon

The Fight for Press Freedom, David E. McCraw, Charles Overby, and Greg Brock

Looking Ahead to the Mississippi Elections, Austin Barbour, Brandon Jones, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Harold Burson, Harold Burson and Robin Street

The Battle Between Trump and the Press, Peter J. Boyer, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Plotting the Future of Newspapers and Journalism, Walter E. Hussman Jr. and Charles Overby

Overcoming a segregationist past, William Alsup, Danny Cupit, Thelton Henderson, and Charles Overby

Wright Thompson: The Willie Morris Lecture Series, Wright Thompson

Are Centrist Politics Doomed?, Stuart Stevens, David Baria, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Fannie Lou Hamer's America Project, Pablo Correa

The Truth About Fake News, Margaret Sullivan, Charles Overby, and Greg Brock

The Father of Black History, Burnis R. Morris and Alysia Burton Steele

Insight into Mississippi's Election Year, Emily Wagster Pettus, Adam Ganucheau, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

The Importance of Independent Judges, Jim Duff and Charles Overby

2018

Reading the Returns, Austin Barbour, Brandon Jones, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Showtime in American Politics, Peter Boyer and Curtis Wilkie

Fred Young, Fred Young and Hank Price

Deep South Dispatch, Anne Farris Rosen, Charles Dunagin, and Curtis Wilkie

In the Dark, Madeline Baran, Samara Freemark, and Charles Overby

Chuck Swirsky: how do you become a sports caster?, Chuck Swirsky

Jeff Goldman: Covering the White House, Jeff Scott Goldman and Jason Sollinger

Mississippi's Injustices Exposed, Tucker Carrington, Cynthia Joyce, and Curtis Wilkie

Why Debates Are Vital, Janet Brown, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Delta Epihany, Ellen Meacham and Bill Rose

A Conversation About Race, Gene Dattel and Otis Sanford

Jesse Holland, Jesse Holland, Will Norton, and Jeffrey S. Vitter

Clyde Kennard Q&A, Jerry Mitchell; Alysia Burton Steele; and Bobby Steele, Jr.

Bill Rose Tells All, Bill Rose and Charles Overby

Integrating God's House, Dalton Lyon, Warren Black, and Charles Overby

2017

Crime and Punishment in Black America, James Forman Jr., Tucker Carrington, and Curtis Wilkie

How the Internet Broke Democracy, Sue Gardner and Robert Cummings

A Preview of New State Museums, Rachel Myers, Pamela Junior, and Charles Overby

Peter Hamby, Snapchat News Director, Peter Hamby and Charlie Mitchell

The South's Role in JFK's Election, Tom Oliphant and Curtis Wilkie

Textbook Brouhaha, Charles W. Eagles and K. B. Melear

We Believed We Were Immortal, Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez, Kathleen Wickham, Don Cole, and Curtis Wilkie

Jon Meacham, Jon Meacham, Andrew Lack, and Charles Overby

Free State of Jones, Charles Pickering, Wyatt Moulds, and Charles Overby

Mississippians Say the Strangest Things, David Crews and Charles Overby

Time for a Change, Charles Overby, William "Brother" Rogers, and Marvin King

The Assault on the Media, Bill Rose, Ronnie Agnew, Jerry Mitchell, and Marshall Ramsey

Does Anyone Give a Damn About Education?, Jay Hughes and Bracey Harris

2016

What Now?, Charles Overby, Curtis Wilkie, and Marvin King

Jack Ford, Jack Ford and Charles Overby

Can Journalists Come Home Again?, Fred Anklam and Dennis Moore

The Value of the First Amendment, Geoffrey Stone, Charles Overby, and Charles Overby

Courageous Editors, Hodding Carter, II; Ira Harkey; Hazel Brannon Smith; and Curtis Wilkie

Oxford's Literary Tradition, Richard Howorth, Neil White, Beth Ann Fennelly, and Curtis Wilkie

Slaves in the White House, Jesse Holland and Curtis Wilkie

2015

America's Great Storm, Haley Barbour and Charlie Mitchell

Senator James Eastland discussion, Maarten Zwiers and Jim Abbott

Dueling Propositions, Michael Bentley, Greg Snowden, and Bill Rose

Aaron Henry: Inside Agitator, Aaron Henry

RIOT, Edwin E. (Edwin Earnest) Meek (1940-), Curtis Wilkie, and William Winter

The Last Season, Stuart Stevens, Curtis Wilike, and Charles Overby

Covering Katrina, Cynthia Joyce, Alyssia Burton Steele, Joe York, and Nancy DuPont

Candidates Night, Curtis Wilkie, Chip Mills, Trent Kelly, Nancy Adams Collins, Quentin Whitwell, Jonathan Dickerson, Walter Howard Zinn Jr., Greg Pirkle, Mike Tagert, Ed Holliday, Henry Ross, Austin Chambers, Sam Adcock, and Daniel Sparks

The Long Hot Political Summer: Analyzing the 2015 Elections, Geoff Pender, Hayes Dent, and Grant Sowell

Tackling the Mississippi Prison Problem, Marshall Fisher, Andy Taggart, Lydia Chassaniol, and Eric Lambert

From Mississippi to Ethiopia, Pat Thompson

Land of Broken Promises, Bill Rose and Charles Overby

The New Terrorism, Van Hipp and Scott Coopwood

Mississippi's Struggle Over Education, Cecil Brown, Gray Tollison, and Andy Mullins

Drawing Sharp Comment: Marshall Ramsey, Marshall Ramsey and Curtis Wilkie

2014

The SEC Network Panel, Justin Connolly, Stephanie Druley, Charlie Hussey, and Kaylee Hartung

Assassins, Eccentrics, Politicians, and Other Persons of Interest, Curtis Wilkie and Charles Overby

On to Omaha and Beyond: 2014 Ole Miss Baseball, Mike Bianco, Keith Kessinger, and Curtis Wilkie

Remembering 1962 Ole Miss, Kenneth Wooten and John Seigenthaler

Jewels in the Delta, Alysia Burton Steele, Lela J. Bearden, and Herma S. Mims Floyd

Freedom Summer Panel Discussion, Roy DeBerry, Susan Glisson, Charles Ross, and Curtis Wilke

Girls can be sports journalists too, Rick Cleveland, Courtney Cronin, Donica Phifer, and Melissa Meador

What we can learn from the Snowden/NSA files, Douglas Sullivan-Gonzales, Matthew Hall, Mike German, and Joe Atkins

Challenging the Big City Daily, Joe Atkins and Donna Ladd

Diversity in Sports, Jamil Northcutt, Samuel G. Freedman, Charles Ross, RoSusan Bartee, and James M. Thomas

Southwest Airlines PR, Linda Rutherford

The Sanctity of the Vote: Voting Rights Act of 1965, Delbert Hosemann, Leslie McLemore, Jim Herring, and Marvin King

Remembering Larry Speakes, Charles Overby, Ed Meek, Curtis Wilkie, and Scott Coopwood

2013

50 years later, reflections on JFK, Charles Overby, Tom Oliphant, Susan Spencer, and Curtis Wilkie

Energy and Economic Development, Bill Johnson, David Copenhaver, David Rumbarger, and Josh R. Gladden

Land of Plenty, Bill Rose

Yazoo Revisited with filmmaker David Rae Morris, David Rae Morris, Charles Ross, and David Sansing

Game Changers, Ross Bjork, Renie Anderson, Mike Glenn, and Charlie Hussey

Khayat in Conversation, Robert C. Khayat, Curtis Wilkie, and Charles Overby

Crime and Punishment, John Hailman and Charles Overby

Is Print Dead: Debate, Samir A. Husni and Darren A. Sanefski

Stuart Stevens: No Retreat, No Surrender, Stuart Stevens, Charles Overby, and Curtis Wilkie

Remembering Medgar Evers, Myrlie Evers Williams, Leslie McLemore, Jerry Mitchell, and Curtis Wilkie

How to Get a Job in Local Television and Radio, Nancy McKenzie Dupont, Debora Wenger, Bradley E. Schulz, and Charlie Mitchell

Lunch at Woolworth, Ed King, Michael O'Brien, Loki Mullholland, and Joan Trumpauer Mullholland

The Charter School Fight, Hob Bryan, Rachel Canter, and Bill Rose

The Flood of the Century, Bill Rose

2012

Faith in America, Terry Mattingly

Election Wrap Up, Charles Overby, Curtis Wilkie, Will Feltus, Alan Huffman, and Michael Rejebian