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.
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