Written by 1 Mississippi intern in Tennessee, Mark River Peoples*
I had the opportunity in the days before the quest to navigate an inspirational group of students from Mississippi State University on a clean-up and lunch on Montezuma Island.
Weeks previous I had asked my mentor and brother, John Ruskey, if he had a book that I could read about pre-Civil War checks and balances in southern society. Of course, he had a book called The Most Southern Place on Earth-The Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional Identity by James C. Cobb. Ironically, the students on this trip were part of a Delta history course using this book as a reference. The Mississippi River is such great part of Delta history. Its rich soils created yields in produce and commodities so great it was able to control the stock market in the North, while creating and controlling the strongest labor force in the history of this country in the South. Their developments of techniques in occupational psychology are still used by corporations today.
We met in Helena Harbor, Arkansas. Before I knew anything about the class, I noticed a diverse conglomerate of ethnicities and cultures. I like diversity; it’s like the River, bringing us all together. As we leave the harbor, I could feel and hear a heated debate going on. I asked,” What book you talking about?” That’s when I learned about the course. So I listened and participated in delta history until we reached our destination. We combed the island for trash and I was proud that these cleanup efforts were making a difference. The island was pristine and most of us had our shoes off enjoying the sand. At lunch I had the chance to talk to the students about their goals and my goals to sign River Citizens wherever I go. After lunch we all enjoyed the water. As I sat back and enjoyed the day with these students, I could see how this complex course and book has shaped them while creating a bond between them that’s respectful and healing. At the end of the day as I watched them enjoy the River, I thought to myself, “Now that’s Delta history!”
Mark River Peoples
1 Mississippi Southern Region Intern
*Field Notes are a new series from the 1 Mississippi campaign, created and developed by our regional campaign interns as a means to encourage River Citizen engagement and to help our interns grow as environmental leaders.