Rather than patriotically dumping tea in a harbor on April 11, locals will get a lesson in proper colonial tea party etiquette at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library.
“Patrons can come and bring their own tea cups or have a tea cup provided, … and it’ll be kind of Bridgerton-esque,” said library archivist Mona Vance-Ali, referring to the popular Netflix series. “… It’s not the same historical time period, but you kind of get the same feel where people can come and engage within that history.”
Jeanette Watts, a historic costume and dance consultant, will host the event, set for 10 a.m. to noon. Those attending will learn about 18th century manners and clothing while enjoying brunch and tea.
The colonial-inspired tea party is one of six upcoming events planned at the library for the celebration of America250. The library announced Wednesday it had received a nearly $5,000 Mississippi Humanities Council America250 mini grant to fund the tea party, exhibits and presentations planned for this year.
The award marks the second America250 grant the county has received this month after landing a $15,000 legacy grant earlier this week to construct a museum in honor of Alva Temple and the Tuskegee Airmen at the Columbus-Lowndes County Airport.
Rei Lott, communications manager for the Mississippi Humanities Council, said the council was excited about the wide range of ideas applicants submitted for Mississippi programs even though it wasn’t a state during the country’s founding.
“(These programs are using) different themes and really showcasing how Mississippi fits into the broader American story … and what all connects us,” Lott said.
Since Mississippi was not established as a state during the Revolutionary War, Vance-Ali said she decided to focus the library’s events on discussions of American history more broadly.
“I reached out and looked up scholars that are throughout the state of Mississippi that have a focus on colonial America,” Vance-Ali said. “… To essentially focus on themes that come out of the American Revolution. (Ideas like) citizenship, freedom (and) voting rights, things that come out of the Constitution that (made it) so revolutionary at the time.”
At 5:30 p.m. March 31, the library will host an exhibit and discussion with Peter Messer, professor of history at Mississippi State University, surrounding Reconstruction and its importance in American history.
Susannah Ural, professor of history at MSU, will host a discussion at noon April 7 on historic documents in the Civil War and Reconstruction Governors of Mississippi project database. The discussion will surround the different opinions held by previous Mississippi governors about how the Civil War tested American values found within the documents.
The final presentation for the year is set for September with Bonnie O’Neill, MSU professor of English. Vance-Ali said final details, including the date, time and topic for the presentation, are still being planned and discussed.
The grant also covered the cost of previous America250 presentations and an exhibit held earlier this year. Both events drew crowds of between 25 to 30 people, and Vance-Ali said she hopes to see similar attendance at the rest of the library events this year.
While the country’s semiquincentennial is a celebration, Vance-Ali said it also serves as a way to reflect on historical and social issues the country has faced.
“This is the chance to sort of engage with our community and get a chance to kind of learn more about … America’s history,” Vance-Ali said. “How we sort of ebbed and flowed to get to where we are. It has not been an easy road, and it certainly has had its ups and downs. So this is about showing pride, but it’s also about understanding that it has not always been all inclusive.”
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