Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
History Is Lunch explores photography and Black freedom struggles with Kaegan Sparks
How did photography support the Civil Rights Movement and other Black freedom struggles? Curator Kaegan Sparks will address that question at History Is Lunch on November 4, 2026, drawing on an exhibition spanning 1955 to 1985.
From the exhibition to the artists
Sparks, associate curator of exhibitions at the Mississippi Museum of Art, will discuss Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985. Her focus is photography’s role in mid-20th-century struggles for Black freedom, connecting the art form with movements for civil rights.
The talk is followed by a conversation with two photographers whose work appears in the exhibition: John Mayden and Roy Lewis, who was born in Mississippi. The format offers visitors both a curator’s framing of the exhibition and a chance to hear from participating artists.
Further reading: History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Visit JacksonCWS_Logo_Horizontal_FullColorlogo-circularlogo-circularCWS_Logo_Stacked_FullColor ↗ · History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Mississippi Department of Archives & History ↗
The talk and exhibition are in different places
History Is Lunch takes place at the Two Mississippi Museums; the exhibition itself is at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The exhibition is listed as continuing through November 8, four days after the program. Anyone hoping to see it as well should plan a separate museum visit.
Further reading: History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Visit JacksonCWS_Logo_Horizontal_FullColorlogo-circularlogo-circularCWS_Logo_Stacked_FullColor ↗ · History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Mississippi Department of Archives & History ↗
Program
The conversation with Mayden and Lewis follows Sparks’s discussion; a separate start time is not listed.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium, Two Mississippi Museums
- Kaegan Sparks discusses the exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985, with a focus on photography’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and other Black freedom struggles.
- Conversation with exhibition photographers John Mayden and Roy Lewis.
Plan your visit
Wednesday lunchtime
November 4, 2026, noon–1 p.m.
Free program
Reservations are not specified. For more information, call 601-576-6850.
Live stream
Watch on the MDAH Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Getting to the talk
Two Mississippi Museums
The program is in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium at the Two Mississippi Museums, 222 North St., Jackson, Mississippi 39201—not at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Use the map links to calculate directions from your starting point.
History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Visit JacksonCWS_Logo_Horizontal_FullColorlogo-circularlogo-circularCWS_Logo_Stacked_FullColor ↗ · History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Mississippi Department of Archives & History ↗
Before you make a plan
Can I watch the program online?
Yes. It will stream live on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Is the exhibition at the same venue as the talk?
No. The talk is at the Two Mississippi Museums; Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985 is at the Mississippi Museum of Art through November 8, 2026.
History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Visit JacksonCWS_Logo_Horizontal_FullColorlogo-circularlogo-circularCWS_Logo_Stacked_FullColor ↗ · History Is Lunch: Kaegan Sparks, "Photography in the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985" | Mississippi Department of Archives & History ↗
Do I need a reservation?
Reservation requirements are not listed. For more information, call 601-576-6850.
Location & Google Maps
Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium, Two Mississippi Museums
222 North St., Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.