Mississippi will celebrate its 200th birthday this year on Dec. 10.
In honor of this momentous occasion, the Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi are sponsoring a statewide celebration, much of which is taking place on Mississippi State University’s campus.
One of the celebration’s first events was a lecture given by MSU’s own Jim Giesen, associate history professor, entitled “Farming in Mississippi: A Brief History.”
Giesen spoke about three different periods in Mississippi’s history and the impact things like slavery or the boll weevil had on the state.
“Lots of people around the world think of Mississippi as a place apart from the rest of the nation,” Giesen said.
Giesen said Mississippi is a place with a rich, unique history, and he hopes by learning a little bit about the state’s history in farming, people learned Mississippi connects with the rest of the world through agriculture.
Giesen’s lecture is just one of many that will take place throughout the celebration.
On Wednesday, Donald Shaffer, associate English professor, will give a lecture called “Writing Across the Color Line.”
Then, in mid-October, art professor Brent Funderburk will speak on the importance of art and landscape and how they influence each other.  
Just a few days later, Jeff Harris, research professor of biochemistry, molecular biology, and entomology, will speak on Mississippi’s history of bee-keeping.
On the night of Harris’s lecture, MSU’s Bug Zoo will open for visitors 4 years and older beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The Old Main Gallery will also host the exhibit “Symbols of Our State: A Walk Through Mississippi Culture and Industry,” which will showcase different objects and artifacts from Mississippi’s history.
There will be an opening reception at 5 through 7 p.m. on Sept. 22  After this reception, the exhibit will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 29.
Amy Moe-Hoffman, chair of the Museums and Galleries Committee, said she hopes people from all over Mississippi feel welcomed to participate.
“There is something interesting for everybody,” Hoffman said. “I hope that they take away a sense of belonging, whether they’re long-term residents or new here. Mississippi is a dynamic place, but we still have those core values that make people feel like they’re Mississippians.”
Visit the MSU Museums and Galleries page on Facebook for more information about the celebration and for updates on upcoming events.