A public screening of “Eyes on Mississippi” and a panel discussion will take place 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Old Main Academic Center room 3320.
The event is co-sponsored by the Mississippi State University’s chapter of Lambda Phi Eta, Department of Communications, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, and the Gender Studies Program.
“Eyes on Mississippi” is a documentary about Bill Minor, a longtime journalist, political columnist and civil rights reporter who not only witnessed but shaped history. Despite the pro-segregation message seen in most Mississippi news outlets during his time, Minor remained a fair-minded reporter during the civil rights movement. 
This film is named not only after Minor’s long-time column but also for Minor’s belief that through sharing the raw, unfiltered truth about Mississippi to the world the state would be pressured into transformation. 
The panel for this event will include journalist, film producer and director Ellen Ann Fentress, MSU alumna Donna Ladd, editor-in-chief and co-owner of the Jackson Free Press, and Marty Wiseman, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
The University of Missouri School of Journalism, Tulane University, Atlanta History Center and Vanderbilt University are among the universities that have held screenings of this film.
Lambda Pi Eta, a co-sponsor for the screening of “Eyes on Mississippi,” was responsible for creating the flyers and advertisements for this event.
Fefe Brown, president of Lambda Pi Eta, said she is glad to be part of the event planning and is looking forward to hearing from the discussion panel following the film. 
“I am excited because I get to introduce the film,” Brown said. “I am also really looking forward to hearing from Ellen Ann Fentress since she is the producer of the film. She is a journalist, so it will be interesting to hear her perspective on Minor and how that went into her process as a producer of the film.”
Shannon Olsen, a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations, said she is also looking forward to the discussion panel following the film’s screening.
“I want to ask a little about their careers and how they got started,” Olsen said. “I am a junior, so I will be looking into starting my own career soon. I would love to see how Mississippi ties back into their career and the decisions they have made.” 
Olsen, a new member of Lambda Pi Eta, said she hopes this event will increase her knowledge on Mississippi and Minor, and help her network as well.
“I think it is a really good opportunity to get to see and meet these panelists,” Olsen said. “It is a great opportunity to network that you might not get otherwise.”
Olsen said she believes each member of the panel will provide new insight on the discussion centered on the intersection of gender, politics and journalism.
“There are going to be a lot of aspects about the film that they will each be able to cover individually but differently,” Olsen said.
Brown, a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations, said she hopes there will be a large turn out and that everyone will come prepared with topics for discussion. 
“We really want to encourage everyone who is interested to come and to please come with questions for our panel,” Brown said. “They have a lot valuable insight to offer on anything you might want to ask.”