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College of Liberal Arts
University of Mississippi

Southern Foodways Alliance

Sarah Rodriguez

Using Oral Histories as an ‘Avenue to Difficult Truth-telling’

Sarah Rodriguez blends love for food and meaningful conversation at Southern Foodways Alliance FEBRUARY 6, 2023 BY REBECCA LAUCK CLEARY Sarah Rodriguez engages with people through her work as an oral historian, honing skills such as honesty and empathy building. She also enjoys connecting with them over a meal, which is not surprising, given her […]

Roger and Rebecca Emerick want their planned gift to support the Southern Foodways Alliance based at the University of Mississippi.

Thinking Ahead

Estate Gift will fund John T Edge Southern Foodways Alliance Endowment AUGUST 6, 2020 BY BILL DABNEY Roger and Rebecca Emerick of Hillsborough, California, want their planned gift to extend the mission of the University of Mississippi’s Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA), an organization they applaud for its compelling storytelling and inclusive takes on cultures and […]

McIlhenny Company, maker of TABASCO®, is a longtime supporter of SFA work.

Hot Take

SFA Debuts Virtual Tour of Cajun Country with help from TABASCO® JULY 25, 2020 BY BILL DABNEY McIlhenny Company, maker of TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauces is a longtime partner of the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA). This year, the duo collaborated on a first-of-its kind virtual tour of Cajun Country, a destination the TABASCO folks know […]

Randy Fertel presents the Ruth Fertel Keeper of the Flame award to Adrian Miller.

Fanning the Flame

Fertel’s $1M Planned Gift Will Support Southern Foodways Alliance MAY 29, 2020 BY BILL DABNEY A New Orleans-based writer’s $1 million planned gift to the University of Mississippi will fan the flames of one of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s (SFA) most prestigious awards. Each fall, the SFA honors an unsung hero or heroine with the […]

ony Chachere, pictured here on the set of his first cooking video, shared his passion for Creole cuisine with his family and friends throughout his life.

A Natural Fit

Tony Chachere’s Funds SFA Documentaries on Hero Home Cooks MAY 27, 2020 BY MARY STANTON KNIGHT Tony Chachere’s major gift to the University of Mississippi will fund the creation of three film documentaries over the next three years by the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA). Based out of Opelousas, Louisiana, the family-run corporation’s $90,000 gift will […]

Cathead Distillery founders Austin Evans (left) and Richard Patrick have made a donation to the UM Southern Foodways Alliance to fund a series of essays exploring the contemporary South and its future. Photo courtesy Cathead Distillery

Cathead Makes Major Gift to Southern Foodways Alliance

Gift honors SFA’s efforts on behalf of restaurant industry during pandemic and beyond APRIL 29, 2020 BY BILL DABNEY The Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi has received a major gift from the founders of Mississippi-based Cathead Distillery, whose efforts during the COVID-19 crisis are making statewide impact. The $75,000 gift from Cathead […]

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill is among volunteers giving Cathead hand sanitizer to citizens during the community's first distribution.

Cathead Makes Major Gift to SFA

Gift Honors SFA’s Efforts During Pandemic and Beyond APRIL 23, 2020 BY BILL DABNEY The Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) at the University of Mississippi received a major gift from the founders of Mississippi-based Cathead Distillery, whose efforts during the COVID-19 crisis are making statewide impact. The $75,000 gift from Cathead owners Austin Evans and Richard […]

UM journalism graduate Will Jacks kicks off the SouthTalks spring series Jan. 29 with a talk about his photographs of Po’ Monkey’s Lounge outside Merigold.

Spring SouthTalks Begin January 29

January 23, 2020 by Rebecca Lauck Cleary The SouthTalks series, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, is offering a wide variety of events this spring, including five lectures focused on movement and migration in the South. SouthTalks explore the interdisciplinary nature of Southern studies and includes […]

Artist Lina Puerta’s From Field to Table: Seven Tapestries Honoring Latino Farm Laborers from the American South was underwritten by 21c for the SFA Fall Symposium in 2017. Puerta’s exhibit focused on overlooked and under-recognized Latino women and men who labor on farms.

21c Museum Hotel Gift Helps Feature Works at SFA Symposiums

Thought-Provoking Art JULY 1, 2019 BY MARY STANTON KNIGHT When giving a dinner party, the host often installs a centerpiece that ties together the theme of the evening. Thanks to a major gift from the 21c Museum Hotels, the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) will continue to showcase Contemporary artists as the centerpiece of its annual […]

Steve Palmer leads a presentation.

An Appetite for Excellence

Restaurateur’s gift will help ensure longevity of UM Southern Foodways Alliance MARCH 26, 2019 BY BILL DABNEY When restaurateur Steve Palmer overheard one of his servers say she’d like to buy a home if only she had the down payment, he started a company-wide home loan program. “We loan our employees their down-payment interest-free,” said […]