Real Mississippi

After years of being stuck at the bottom of the list, Mississippi made significant improvements and climbed up from 49th to 30th place on America’s educational ranks. It was mainly supported by the 2013 Literacy Based Promotion Act, as it helped support children who were struggling with academics and provide them with more attention to ensure their success. However, Mississippi is still not considered in the top 25, so in order to figure out what issues prevent education in Mississippi to be even greater, a comparison with New York was made. Studies showed that poverty and low-funding played an important part in the success of students, which was why Mississippi’s education couldn’t reach its full potential. As policies continue to change, these issues in Mississippi may soon be resolved, allowing Mississippi to continue to climb up the ranks for best education in America. 

This podcast delves into the world of Civil Rights tourism by analyzing the problems with the status quo and providing solutions for making it a better and more ethical industry. 

In this podcast, Mirae Nishikawa delves into the importance of the Korean Church for the Korean population of Starkville Misssissippi. She chose this topic because of her connection to the Korean Church. The church has become a haven for Korean families such as hers to get together and share the struggles of living in a foreign country where they are unfamiliar with the customs. These churches hold a special place in rural states such as Mississippi because of the seclusion racial minorities often experience. 

In this episode of Real Mississippi, hosts Aanya Banga and Rebecca Sun explore the pressure college women face to conform to beauty standards, especially in Greek life communities across Mississippi. Through an interview with Grace Fruge, a Phi Mu member at Millsaps College, they discuss how cosmetic procedures are often considered necessary for social acceptance but still carry stigma. Grace’s story highlights both the empowerment and risks tied to cosmetic surgery. The hosts reflect on how true confidence should guide these decisions, not societal expectations, and call for a more open, judgment-free conversation around beauty and self-expression.

In Mississippi, getting kids into sports isn’t as simple as lacing up sneakers. In many Delta and rural towns, fees for leagues, gear costs, and travel miles make joining a team feel impossible—especially for families on tight budgets. Black and Latino kids are hit hardest, with fewer local programs and less community funding compared to wealthier, whiter areas. Girls face extra hurdles too, since there are often fewer teams and coaches paying attention. As club-based, year-round models become the norm, the divide only grows, leaving tons of Mississippi youth cheering from the sidelinesinstead of getting in the game.

Dungeons and Demons, written by John Paul Willhoite, is a short podcast produced as a part of Real Mississippi that analyzes the history of the satanic panic in Mississippi. It lays out a timeline and discusses the rise of satanic fear mongering, the tragic incidents that started its rise, the origins of Dungeons and Dragons as a whole, and how the satanic panic has affected the larger Dungeons and Dragons community as a whole. It includes interviews from those who have been through the satanic panic.

The podcast made by Ainsley Dew and Poppy Bowling challenges the widespread belief among Mississippians that success requires leaving the state. It examines how research into Mississippi’s economy and business culture reveals overlooked growth opportunities. Through interviews with students and teachers, it highlights the tension between Mississippi’s current struggles and its untapped potential. Cited sources explain how the loss of educated workers weakens economic development, while arguments from Eric Hill propose that Mississippi could become a tech hub through investment in workforce development and entrepreneurship. The podcast closes that the state’s future depends on a collective shift in mindset: believing in Mississippi’s potential and actively building it from within.

In the last 60 years, Mississippi has made strides to move forward, but the scars of injustice still haunt its complicated and dark past. Mack Charles Parker was a black man accused of raping a white woman. He was later lynched, and justice was never brought to his case. The brutal lynching of Mack Charles Parker remains one of Mississippi’s deepest scars and stands as a reminder to move towards progress. This episode of RealMississippi looks beyond the headlines and focuses on the human cost of hatred and silence.

 The United Methodist Church, a denomination of Christianity, recently faced a disastrous split. This split is referred to as disaffiliation, and the main issue that caused this split is over the compatibility with the church and homosexuality. This podcast dives into the history of homosexuality and Methodism, along with how pastors and their families have been negatively impacted by this process. 

Theodore G. Bilbo was born in October, 1877, in Poplarville, Mississippi, and after studying law, Bilbo decided to focus on a career in politics. Bilbo’s local success grasped the attention of James K. Vardaman, and through working together, Bilbo would be elected as Governor of Mississippi. During Bilbo’s first term, his actions would benefit the state as he addressed many problems such as education and infrastructure in Mississippi. However, after losing an election for Congress, Bilbo would be re-elected as Mississippi’s Governor, and his following careless actions would wreck the state’s economy. Bilbo’s effects can still be felt through Mississippi even today.