In the News

Delta Center at DSU worthy of support

April 25, 2010

Clarion Ledger
Martha Bergmark, Letter to the Editor

I was delighted to see the recent attention given by the Mississippi Economic Council to tourism as a viable economic development strategy. Recently, my organization had the opportunity to discover two jewels that are prime for helping move Mississippi tourism forward: Dr. Luther Brown and the Delta State University's Delta Center for Culture and Learning that he directs.

Each year, we take a group of about 50 local and national leaders on a bus tour to introduce them to our state's rich and storied history, in the hopes of persuading them that Mississippi offers far more than is generally known, and deserves their rapt attention. Last fall, our destination was the Mississippi Delta, and we were fortunate to have Dr. Brown as our extraordinary guide.

When our guests returned to Jackson, it was clear that Dr. Brown had fundamentally changed for the good the way they think about the Delta - its past, present and prospects for the future. Each person left wanting to know more, vowing to return and to recommend this trip to their friends. The trip was so successful that we plan to repeat it this fall, with Dr. Brown and the Delta Center playing a leading role.

Our state is facing some of the most difficult funding decisions in recent history. However, Dr. Brown's depth of knowledge, exceptional storytelling and teaching abilities, and devotion to the Delta Center's mission to ensure people know about the bounty born from the Delta's rich soil are indeed too precious to become the victim of budget cuts.

Dr. Brown's ability to weave together stories about the Blues, soul food, agribusiness, America's leading writers, segregation and integration, freedom summer, civil rights, the history of the Jews in the South, the great flood and so much more provide all the evidence needed to support the Delta's claim that it is indeed the "cradle of American culture."

Last year, the Mississippi House of Representatives honored Dr. Brown for his work. I hope that recognition reflects widespread belief in the value of his work, and secures the important role of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning for many years to come.

Martha Bergmark
Founding president/CEO
Mississippi Center for Justice