Images of juke joints of the Mississippi Delta by local photographer Birney Imes will be on display at the Black Prairie Blues Museum.
The opening of the exhibit entitled, Photo Recollection The Process Examined, will be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22, at the museum, 640 Commerce St., West Point.
Imes will be on hand to sign copies of “Juke Joint,” which will also be available for purchase for $45, said volunteer museum director Deborah Mansfield. About two dozen photographs will be on display as part of the exhibit.
Besides taking in the exhibit, visitors will be able to enjoy food by Magnolia’s at the Ritz and sample beer provided by The Smokestack in West Point.
Blues musician Terry “Harmonica” Bean, of Pontotoc, will perform during the event. He has released seven albums since 2001 and is currently dedicated to promoting older blues stylings.
A $30 donation recommended at the door to The Black Prairie Blues Museum. The funds will be used to help pay utilities, insurance and other items vital to the museum’s daily operations, Mansfield said.
Mansfield said that the facility, a former bank building, has been renovated as much as it can be until the permanent exhibits are planned and built.
Mansfield said the museum is working with a designer based in Dallas who is creating conceptual plans for the exhibit base.
“We’re just working to get more money to get the engineering plans done and then pay for construction and operating costs,” she said, adding that the total cost will be about $2 million.
The museum, which is completely staffed by volunteers, is also working toward getting brochures made and is applying for grants and other income sources.
There are plans to host various fundraising events once a month, Mansfield said. Also in the works is a blues festival in February highlighting the past, present and future of the music genre that was born in Mississippi.
Throughout the summer, the museum sponsored the local Boys and Girls Club and held various family friendly programs, Mansfield said. The efforts are among the ways the museum plans to support the community and promote the blues.
“We’re trying to work with West Point High School to start a blues club, so they can come and play the blues here,” she said.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 38 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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