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When the music hits just right! 🎶💫

@alcorn_soundsofdynomite paying tribute with soulful sounds and bringing comfort and healing to those affected by the New Orleans tragedy. 🙏🏾

Dr. Garry Lewis

Dr. Garry Lewis is a man of exceptional talent and leadership. We are fortunate to have him helping tell and preserve the stories that make Southwest Mississippi so special.

A former NFL cornerback, Dr. Lewis now leads Alcorn State’s Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning, helping communities preserve and share African American history.

Alcorn Alum Dr. John Plump Sings ‘Ol’ Man River’ at 16th Street Baptist Church

While attending the African American Travel Conference in April in Birmingham, Alabama, I had the opportunity to visit the 16th Street Baptist Church on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The church was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1963, killing four young girls and becoming one of the defining tragedies of the Civil Rights Movement.

During my visit, historian Barry McNealy gave a powerful presentation on the history of the church. His friend and colleague, Dr. John A.E. Plump, sang several songs with deep meaning in the Black community. He also performed “Ol’ Man River,” noting that the great Paul Robeson had sung the song in the church many decades earlier.

Plump is a graduate of Alcorn State University, where he studied voice with a concentration in classical music and contemporary opera.

This column provides an overview of my February 11, 2026, presentation at Alcorn State University.

You can also read it on my blog at:

Jerry Jenkins playing the drums

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Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com Roscoe Barnes III Aug 17, 2023 | 7:59 AM

LORMAN, Miss. - Jerry Jenkins and his drums will be featured in a program on West African music at Alcorn State University. 

Jenkins will offer a historical look at African music and give demonstrations of how the music is played. He also will discuss its value as well as its impact on today’s culture in Southern Mississippi. 

Jenkins’ presentation is titled, “A Look at Mande’ (West African) Culture through Traditional Music.” It will be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, in Dumas Hall, Room 107, on the Lorman Campus of Alcorn State University. 

“My lecture will focus on the music of Pre-Africa and what it was like,” Jenkins said. “We will look at the music and the people of that time period. Today, we separate our artists from the community. But what are the benefits of bringing them back together?” 

Jenkins said he will engage the crowd as he often does in other presentations. He said he will bring extra drums for this purpose. 

Jerry Jenkins teaching

The event is hosted by the Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning and Alcorn State University School of Arts and Sciences. Teresa Busby, the center’s executive director, said the program is the first in the center’s Coffee & Culture series for fall 2023. The presentation is free to the public. 

“We are delighted to host Mr. Jenkins at Alcorn State University,” Busby said. “His interactive presentation will delve into the influence of West Africa on American culture. He uses music to tell an important story and to engage his audiences.”  

Jenkins is originally from Chicago. He grew up in Vicksburg and now lives in Jackson. His work as a musician and educator has taken him across the state and to cities outside of Mississippi.

In February 2022, Jenkins played the drums and portrayed King Sori in a play on Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahim held at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. The play was titled, “Isabella and the Prince: ‘Overcoming Struggles Through Courage & Faith.’” It featured local historian Jeremy Houston as the Prince and Shella Adams, an actual descendant of Ibrahim, as Isabella. 

During his performance with the drums, Jenkins moved throughout the room and engaged the audience by having several people play the drums along with him. 

Jenkins has given presentations at the Two Museums in Jackson and Juneteenth events in Vicksburg.  He said he’s also performed for the Jackson-George Regional Library System on the coast. In addition to his performance at the museum, Jenkins also has given presentations at Concord Quarters, working with Debbie Cosey, the property’s co-owner. 

Jenkins has been a lifelong student of African music. He is a member of the Mississippi Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau.  He also is listed as a performance artist on the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Artist Roster. 

According to the commission’s website, Jenkins “provides engaging programming structured around West African stories, dramas and Djembe ensemble music.” 

Jenkins teaches various levels of advanced techniques in Djembe drumming and Mande culture through music.  “His unique approach to interacting with the audience creates a deeper and more meaningful experience,” the website states.  For more information on Jenkins’ presentation, call 601-877-6551.  To request disability-related accommodations contact the Disability Coordinator at least five days in advance at 601-877-6460 (office) or email at [email protected]