The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the diverse cultural heritage of Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta, and the American South. The Foundation works to achieve its goals by creating and hosting cultural activities at the Southern Cultural Heritage Complex.

 Our upcoming activities suit many interests, and our past activities are a testimony of the rich cultural heritage of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Our 20th Anniversary! In 1994, the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation was formed to preserve these historic buildings and to direct their transformation into a cultural center. Twenty years of carrying on our mission: emphasizing the humanities and the arts, providing unique and quality programming for free or at low cost to the Vicksburg community.

• February 2020 newsletter (1.2 MB Adobe Reader file).
  If you would like to discontinue receiving the printed SCHF newsletter and only receive the electronic newsletter, please call 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.
  Coming soon:
  more Kids in the Kitchen
  Classics in the Courtyard’s “Happy Hour” Concerts

• SCHF Event Calendar

• Facebook Events Page (must sign into Facebook to view)

• More! Activities Log of all current and past years' activities.

• The 9th Annual Carnaval de Mardi Gras & Gumbo Cook-Off, presented by the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation (VFHP) Saturday, February 22, 2020 from 5-8 p.m. Live Music, Dancing, Food, Drinks, Children's Activities and more! The Foundation is accepting teams for the gumbo cook-off now. In addition to bragging rights and trophies, the first place winner in both the seafood and non-seafood categories will be awarded a $300 cash price. The entry fee for the cook-off is $50 before February 14th, and $75 after February 14th and includes admittance for four team members to the carnival. Admission: $10 per adult (includes gumbo bowl). $5 per child (includes all children's activities). Live music by Legal Tender with DeAnna Nicole. **Additional tickets can be purchased for drinks and concessions. All proceeds benefit Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation. For more information, call 601-636-5010. Registration Form & Rules. Facebook event page.

• Southern Book Club, February 19, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. The Southern Book Club meets the third Wednesday of each month. In February, the monthly book is If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell. Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But more than her reputation is on the line in the first novel in the New York Times bestselling Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series. At her newest renovation project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by tracking down the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man.

• Lebanese Cooking with Lana, Thursday, February 20, 2020 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Join us for Lebanese Cooking with Lana, a hands-on cooking experience. This class will prepare Spanakopita-a delicious savory Greek dish made with phyllo dough spinach and feta cheese and Eggplant Casserole— a tasty eggplant and meat dish with onions, pine nuts and tomatoes. Registration is $35/SCHF Members and $40/Non-Members and includes all supplies. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information, please contact the SCHF office at 601.631.2997 or email info@southernculture.org. Press release. Facebook event page.

• Mississippi Paranormal Society Ghost Hunt, February 29, 2020 from 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. Tickets go on sale on Monday, January 6 at noon! Come investigate the Southern Cultural Heritage Center with MPS! This place has proven to be a very haunted location! This is a hands-on ghost hunt... meaning you will do everything that the team members of MPS does while using the equipment we use! There is a limit of 24 tickets for this event. Get them ASAP here: Eventbrite tickets! Each ticket is $50 per person (plus Eventbrite fees). ~Please, no one under the age of 13.~ Facebook event page. Eventbrite tickets.

• Kids Mardi Gras Mask Workshop with Karen Biedenharn, Friday, February 21, 2020 from 3:45-5 p.m. Join us to create a fun and colorful mask before enjoying the parade the next day in downtown Vicksburg. The workshop is a great way for kids to celebrate the Mardi Gras holiday in a fun and creative way. Registration is $10/per child (ages 6 and up). Space is limited. For reservations or more information, please call the SCHF business office at 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org. Press release. Facebook event page.

• Sushi Workshop with William Furlong, Monday, March 2, 2020 from 5:30-7 p.m. You can enjoy an authentic Japanese edible art form that is both healthy and delicious. Learn just how fun, fast and easy rolling sushi can be as William teaches you the proper techniques. You will have hands-on experience as he introduces the fundamentals of sushi preparation, presentation, rolling and cutting. Registration is $40/SCHF members and $45/non-members and includes all supplies. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information, please contact the SCHF office at 601.631.2997 or email info@southernculture.org. Press release. Facebook event page.

• “More Than a Painting” Art Class with Nancy Mitchell, Thursday, March 5, 2020 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Come join Nancy Mitchell and paint a Spring painting! This one is by Pissarro a French Impressionist. Nancy Mitchell will offer the class on Thursday, March 5th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Classes suit both artists and beginners. Nancy Mitchell believes anyone can learn to draw and be creative. However, in today’s world not many people have time for weekly art classes. Each three hour class is based on a painting she designs to mimic the style of a renowned artist. The step-by-step process enables each student to recreate the painting, adding their personal style. Students also learn basics about composition and color mixing. In addition to artist facts and a touch of art history throughout the lesson, students receive a handout on the artist. The students leave with a finished art piece to hang in their home at the end of their class. Nancy Mitchell has been teaching art for 36 years. As an educator and artist, she practices a variety of media including basic drawing, batik workshops and charcoal.. Registration is $45/SCHF Members and $50/Non-Members (includes all supplies) for each class. For reservations or more information, please contact the SCHF office at 601.631.2997 or email info@southernculture.org. Press release. Facebook event page.

• The River Kids Free After-School Art Program. Spring Semester began on January 30, 2020. Open to any child in 1st through 6th grade, the program will accept 60 students for the class on Thursdays from 3:45-5 p.m. for the thirteen week program. It will expose creativity through drawing, painting, crafts, collage, ceramics, sculpture and many more exciting techniques. Experienced and accredited educators Karen Biedenharn and Ashleigh Holliday plan and teach each class. The program is free, but will require a full semester commitment from the parents. It will be filled on a first come, first served basis. To register, call the SCHF business office at (601) 631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org. This free after-school program is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the generous support of the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation individual and corporate members, the City of Vicksburg, and various appropriations. Press Release. Facebook event page.

• SCHF Receives Mississippi Arts Commission Grant. The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation has been awarded a $11,400 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.4 million in grants the Commission will award in 2019-2020 and will be used to continue the mission of the SCHF and bring exceptional events and quality programming to the community through artistic excellence. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Among the numerous activities scheduled throughout the year, these funds are vital in supporting the River Kids free after school art program, a variety of concerts, workshops, lectures, exhibits and the many other events and programs that are instrumental in growing the awareness of the arts to the Vicksburg community and surrounding areas. Press release. For information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Anna Ehrgott, Communications Director, 601.359.6546 or aehrgott@arts.ms.gov. More.

• More activities...

• WLBT article, Going back in time with the Sisters of Mercy, February 20, 2009.

• Guitar & Ukulele Lessons. Richard McComas, SCHF guitar instructor, is seeking students for guitar lessons. If you are interested or would like more information, please call 601-529-6505. (Inquire about special discounts for SCHF Members.)

• Violin Lessons. The SCHF is now offering violin lessons for all ages. Mrs. Ruthanne Schnell has taught for over 25 years. She has trained and studied under many master instructors. She is also able to teach the viola and cello. If you are interested or would like more information, please call 601-383-0796.

• A memorial fund in honor of Mother Clementine Phelan and the Sisters of Mercy has been established by Mrs. Edna Henry Hosemann, Mrs. Elizabeth Henry Nelson and Mr. George Nelson, and Pat and Lance Dichter in honor of their aunt. Press release.

• Looking for that unique gift for that special someone? Consider the special Cultural Center Crosses created by Misty Clendenin. All proceeds go to support the buildings and all programs at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center. The crosses are only $10 each, plus tax.

• The SCHF is an ideal place to hold weddings, receptions, performances, reunions, lectures, and business meetings. Space available for rent include the classrooms in the 1930s Academy Building and the 1880s Auditorium featuring a stage, 24-foot ceilings, and hardwood floors.

• Check out the musical montage of past programs and events held here at the Center, The Southern Cultural Experience at the bottom of this page.

Important Community links...
Vicksburg/Warren Chamber of Commerce
Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau
Vicksburg Main Street
Vicksburg Theatre Guild and Gold in the Hills