Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain without fear or despite criticism. It may be relatively simple to define it, but how do we implement it? Some things are easier said than done. There are many models of courage gleaned from the modern Civil Rights Movement as a whole. However, few have looked at the way courage enacted by local people shaped the terrain of the integration of education from 1962 and beyond. I feel honored to have the opportunity to share some of those stories.

Rhondalyn Peairs is a native Oxonian and proud Mississippian. Her passion for the complex history of Mississippi and its people started early and runs deep.  She has served in many roles throughout her life including, educator, historian, entrepreneur, activist, and culture bearer. Following in the footsteps of her parents, Peairs became a certified educator in English and Social Studies in 1998.While she has done several stints in traditional K-12 classroom settings, her career has included other educational positions such as a Reading Instructor at the Finch-Henry Job Corp Center (FHJCC), Documentary Project Educator and Coordinator at the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation (WWIRR)and as a Consultant for the UM Slavery Research Group (UMSRG). During her consultancy for the UMSRG, she coordinated and facilitated L.O.C.A.L, a community/university collaborative initiative around local history. As an outgrowth of this work, she partnered with fellow UMSRG member Jennifer Mizenko to develop the documentary Moving Spirits: The History of the Enslaved and Civil Rights Through Movement, Dance and Song. She served as researcher, writer and creative advisor for the project. These recent initiatives demonstrate her ardor for connecting communities with their past to positively impact their future.
 
In 2018, Peairs decided to leave the traditional classroom in favor of facilitating experiential learning for a broader community. In order to accomplish this goal, she founded Historich, an experiential learning and educational services business. The company offers tours, public lectures, curriculum development, and consulting among other services. Historich specializes in highlighting the rich history and culture of North Mississippi including the Mississippi Hill Country and the Mississippi Delta. Our current clients and partners include Visit Oxford, UMSRG, the UM Center for Community Engagement, Bridging Winona, and a growing list of others.
 
Currently, Peairs is a Master of Arts candidate in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi and a part of the research team on a Russell Sage Foundation funded grant that explores regional and racial identities in the 21st century.

UUCO is a welcoming congregation and we invite you to join us either in person or online for services this Sunday at 11 am.  Unfortunately, due to security concerns we are unable to publish the link to the service.  Please contact Sandra Moss at [email protected] to have the link sent to you.  Please request link before Sunday.

Last week, Dr. Marvin King challenged us as a congregation to get involved in our community and to become a model for service here in Oxford. Join us for a community conversation this Sunday where we'll take up this challenge and consider where we can best use our congregation's talents.


UUCO is a welcoming congregation and we invite you to join us either in person or online for services this Sunday morning at 11 am.  Unfortunately, we are unable to publish the link to the service due to security concerns.  To have the link sent to you contact Sandra Moss at [email protected].  Please request link before Sunday.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, America's civic institutions flourished as Americans had a renewed sense of purpose. However, the bonding experience of 9/11 turned out to be a short-lived aberration, as the last two decades have seen more polarization and less trust. The last two years, in particular, have tested America's civic institutions like never before. What is the cause of this spiral, and how can it be turned around?

Returning speaker Marvin King is on the faculty at The University of Mississippi, and teaches courses on Politics of the American South, Federalism, African American Politics, and Political Inequality; he has published journal articles on the same topics. He is also Senior Faculty Fellow of the Residential College South. Dr. King is a frequent speaker for the League of Women Voters, the Mississippi Humanities Council, and other civic organizations and government agencies. Active in the LOU community, Dr. King has served as the founding Organizer of TEDxUniversityofMississippi, on the boards of the Oxford Park Commission and Oxford Planning Commission, and as President and Race Director for Run Oxford among his community engagements. He is married to Amy Evans, and they have three daughters. 

UUCO is a welcoming congregation and we invite you to join us either in person or online for services this Sunday morning at 11 am.  Unfortunately we are unable to publish the link to the service due to security concerns.  You may contact Sandra Moss at [email protected] to have the link sent to you.  Please request link before Sunday.