Sips from the Sipp

In this episode, host Jean Greene welcomes Mr. Curtis Shears, a lifelong Utica area native whose musical roots stretch back to stomping feet and acapella harmonies in an old wooden country church. Raised in a family of eleven siblings — nine of whom came through Utica Junior College — Curtis was singing from the time he could stand on a step stool in the choir loft. His journey took him from Morningstar Baptist Church to Hinds AHS, where he studied under Dr. Bobby Cooper before earning a music scholarship to Tougaloo College, all while remaining deeply anchored to his home community. Along the way, Dr. Cooper's mentorship, Opera South productions, and a student-run gospel choir that brought down the house at every campus assembly shaped him into the vocalist and music leader he is today.

Curtis also shares the remarkable story of his nearly four-decade membership in the Mississippi Mass Choir, which he joined at its founding in 1987 at the invitation of Frank Williams of the Jackson Southernaires. What began as a local rehearsal grew into a global ministry that has performed in Spain, Japan, and before the Pope — and whose debut album stayed on the charts for 45 weeks. True to his Utica roots, Curtis has never stopped bringing those experiences back home, most recently through the Utica Community Choir, which he helped revive as an ecumenical gathering of voices from churches across the area. For Curtis, every stage he has stood on — from rural Mississippi to international concert halls — has carried the name of Utica with it.

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In this episode, host Jean Greene sits down with Mr. Maurice Morgan Sr., a gospel guitarist and songwriter whose extraordinary journey took him from a sharecropping family in Wilson, North Carolina, to playing alongside some of the most celebrated names in gospel history — including Willie Banks, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and the Canton Spirituals. Rooted in a grandmother who shouted in the kitchen and a grandfather who played gospel on a scratchy radio in the fields, Maurice grew up steeped in the music before he fully understood it. His career carried him across the country and eventually overseas, performing in Germany and Switzerland with the Five Blind Boys, until gospel music did what it so often does in this podcast — it led him straight to Utica, where a convoy of gospel groups, a white Jeep, and a woman named Angela James changed the course of his life.

Now settled in Utica and recently celebrating his debut solo album Rightful Heir, Maurice reflects on what gospel music has meant across a lifetime of playing — its power to carry hope to people in hard circumstances, the difference between singing words and singing from the spirit, and the way every great artist develops a signature sound that is entirely their own. Like the guests before him, he has turned his attention to mentoring the next generation, offering his gifts freely to upcoming groups, community funerals, and church programs throughout the area. The episode closes with a shared sense of wonder that a small town like Utica could draw someone with Maurice Morgan's résumé — and keep him.

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In this episode, host Jean Greene welcomes Mr. Frank McGriggs, a Utica native whose love of gospel quartet music has followed him from childhood church rehearsals to the battlefields of Iraq and back home again. Mr. McGriggs traces his musical roots to age 13, when Mrs. Kathleen McGriggs recruited him into the Traveling Voices, instilling in him not just harmony and technique but a lifelong ethic of service — always take care of home first, and never pass up a benefit program for someone in need. That foundation carried him through military service, where he founded the Voices of Reason in Iraq, and eventually led him into a career in education, where he came to see teaching and gospel ministry as deeply intertwined callings.

The conversation turns to the role of gospel music as a source of hope in a community that has absorbed significant loss — the grocery store, the sewing plant, the bank, the high school — and how quartet music in particular has served as both comfort and continuity for Utica. Mr. McGriggs reflects on the cycle of mentorship that sustains the tradition, noting that just as Mrs. Kathleen once found him as a teenager, he has since taken young singers under his wing and given piano lessons to keep the music alive for the next generation. The episode closes with a shared conviction between host and guest that gospel music, rooted in the spirituals and carried forward through groups like the Utica Southernaires, the Sensational Chosen Voices, and the Voices of Reason, will never die in Utica as long as there are people committed to passing it on.

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In this opening episode of Season Two, host Jean Greene welcomes Dr. Deborah Mays-Jackson, a proud product of the Utica campus whose family roots there stretch back generations. Dr. Mays-Jackson, former Vice President at Utica, shares how she arrived at Utica intending to study accounting, only to discover the music department — and the transformative mentorship of Dr. Cooper — during her first semester. What followed was a complete redirection of her life's path, as Dr. Cooper nurtured her from a self-taught church pianist into a trained classical musician, vocal performer, and eventual piano major, instilling in her not just musical technique but confidence, discipline, and a standard of excellence that she carried with her to Jackson State and throughout her career.

The conversation then turns to the broader role of gospel music in Black Mississippi life, with Dr. Mays-Jackson reflecting on how gospel functions as a communal language — rooted in the slave spirituals, shaped by the church, and capable of evolving across genres while preserving its core message of connection, resilience, and faith. She draws a throughline from Holtzclaw's Jubilee Singers to contemporary gospel, arguing that while the sound may change with the times, the spiritual and cultural purpose remains constant. The episode closes with her hopeful conviction that no matter how far music evolves, someone will always reach back into those fields and pull the old spirituals forward.

To support Sips from the Sipp and the Utica Institute Museum, visit our Patreon to become a member! You'll receive exclusive bonus features including early access to all podcast episodes!

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In this final episode of Season 1, Jean is joined by Jasmine Cannon, a documentary filmmaker and Alabama native, to discuss Chapter 19 of "Black Man's Burden." Jasmine shares her deep connection with Holtzclaw's journey, reflecting on how his perseverance and vision resonate with her own experiences as a Black woman from the South. They explore Holtzclaw's relentless efforts to establish the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, highlighting his impact on education and self-sufficiency for Black communities.

Jean and Jasmine delve into the themes of selfless success, the importance of education for freedom, and the power of young people in driving social change. Jasmine also shares insights into her documentary on Utica, inspired by Holtzclaw's legacy and the ongoing agricultural and community revitalization efforts. Their conversation underscores the enduring relevance of Holtzclaw's work and the vital role of inspiration and determination in overcoming challenges and achieving lasting impact.

Jasmine's current project, UTICA, is a feature documentary that puts a face to issues surrounding food security and access, community development, and agriculture. This film is a portrait of life in rural, southern America and explores the idea and power in community building. Jasmine Cannon is directing and producing this film as a professional documentary filmmaker who has worked in the Television and Film industry for nearly 10 years on numerous projects for networks including ABC, Netflix, HBO, Disney Plus and Hulu. UTICA is currently fundraising for production and post production support. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://southerndocumentaryfund.org/utica/. Support for UTICA can also be made by following the progress of the film on Instagram: @uticamsfilm and on Facebook at UTICA Film.

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A reading of William Holtzclaw's autobiography, Black Man's Burden. Chapter 19. William Holtzclaw was the founder of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a "Little Tuskegee" in rural Utica, Mississippi. His book, the first published by an African American in Mississippi, recounts his journey in establishing the school.

Chapter 19 of "Black Man's Burden" delves into the achievements of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a venture passionately spearheaded by William H. Holtzclaw. This chapter highlights the institute's role as a beacon of education and industrial training in an underserved region, detailing its evolution from a humble beginning with just one teacher and twenty students to a substantial educational institution. The chapter proudly recounts the institute's significant impact, as illustrated by a victorious oratory contest where a student from Utica outshone peers from more established schools, emphasizing the quality and effectiveness of the education provided.

Furthermore, the narrative draws attention to the broader community engagement and the progressive involvement of young educated Negroes revitalizing the area, juxtaposed against persistent societal challenges and prejudices. The chapter reflects on the supportive relationships formed between the institute and both black and white community members, which have helped foster a conducive environment for growth and learning. This supportive network, coupled with the narrative of overcoming adversities through sheer perseverance and community effort, positions the institute not only as an educational establishment but as a vital social catalyst in Mississippi during the early 20th century.

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In this episode, Brandon Forester from Media Justice joins us to delve into Chapter 18 of "Black Man's Burden." Brandon, a National Organizer for Internet Rights, explores the thematic layers of the chapter, focusing on how Holtzclaw addresses the systemic neglect of the Black community in agricultural development and education in the South. Highlighting Holtzclaw's strategic use of correspondence to advocate for equal educational opportunities, Brandon discusses the historical context of these issues and their ongoing relevance, underscoring the neglect by those in power as a significant barrier to regional progress.

Jean and Brandon also venture into a discussion of lynching and mob violence as addressed by Holtzclaw in his poignant letters to government officials, drawing parallels to contemporary issues of racial injustice. Brandon reflects on the effectiveness of Holtzclaw’s advocacy through letter-writing and how it demonstrates the power of strategic communication in challenging systemic inequalities. This episode not only revisits historical advocacy but also prompts a deeper reflection on how these methods can inform current social justice movements and community organizing.

To support Sips from the Sipp and the Utica Institute Museum, visit our Patreon to become a member!

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A reading of William Holtzclaw's autobiography, Black Man's Burden. Chapter 18. William Holtzclaw was the founder of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a "Little Tuskegee" in rural Utica, Mississippi. His book, the first published by an African American in Mississippi, recounts his journey in establishing the school.

Chapter 18 highlights the challenges and progress in agricultural education in the Southern United States, particularly focusing on racial disparities in access to educational resources. Holtzclaw discusses how recent initiatives to enhance agricultural education and resources were primarily benefiting white farmers, with Black farmers largely being overlooked due to systemic neglect rather than deliberate exclusion. This neglect became particularly evident when legislation in Mississippi proposed agricultural high schools for whites only, prompting Holtzclaw to take action. His efforts, and a lawsuit by a Black citizen refusing to pay taxes for a whites-only school, eventually led the Supreme Court to deem the school law unconstitutional, forcing a legislative rethink to include Black individuals.

Holtzclaw's advocacy didn't stop at agriculture; he also tackled the rampant issue of lynching in the South. He describes his personal correspondence with the Governor of Mississippi, where he appeals for a stronger enforcement of law to protect Black citizens and curb mob violence. These efforts illustrate Holtzclaw's broader commitment to improving the lives of Black Southerners not just through education but also by striving for social justice. His work underscored the importance of equitable educational opportunities and legal protections as foundational to advancing the rights and welfare of the Black community in the South.

To support Sips from the Sipp and the Utica Institute Museum, visit our Patreon to become a member!

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In this episode, Jean Greene was joined by DJ Hudson, who delved into Chapter 17 of "Black Man's Burden" by William Holtzclaw. Hudson discussed the powerful role of education in empowering African American communities, as illustrated by Holtzclaw's account of his students who profoundly impacted their communities after graduating from his institute. The discussion highlighted the achievements of a preacher who built a self-sustaining community and a school, and Theodcious Skelton, the institute's first boarding student who later became an influential educator.

Hudson, drawing from a rich background as a Black trans generational southerner and community organizer, compared Holtzclaw’s educational initiatives to broader historical and current contexts within the HBCU ecosystem. Hudson emphasized the importance of education as a tool for social and economic empowerment, reflecting on how these historical narratives resonate with current challenges and opportunities in Black communities. The conversation also touched on the political and social implications of education and community building as a form of resistance and empowerment.

To support Sips from the Sipp and the Utica Institute Museum, visit our Patreon to become a member!

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A reading of William Holtzclaw's autobiography, Black Man's Burden. Chapter 17. William Holtzclaw was the founder of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a "Little Tuskegee" in rural Utica, Mississippi. His book, the first published by an African American in Mississippi, recounts his journey in establishing the school.

Chapter 17 of "Black Man's Burden" recounts William H. Holtzclaw's visit to a progressive Black colony owning about five thousand acres, challenging the stereotype perpetuated by a former state governor who claimed that Negroes were regressing and incapable of assimilating into white civilization. Holtzclaw describes his interaction with a dedicated Black teacher who had significantly uplifted the community's standard of living. This chapter reflects on the tangible achievements in land ownership and education facilitated by local leadership.

The narrative continues with detailed accounts of the educational and agricultural advancements within the community, emphasizing the transformative role of industrial education similar to that at Tuskegee. Holtzclaw details the community's development from basic agriculture to more complex trades like wheelwrighting and blacksmithing, all fostered under the guidance of local educators who embody the principles taught at Utica. This holistic community development approach not only improved the economic conditions of African Americans but also fostered a sense of pride and self-sufficiency, disproving the negative stereotypes and showcasing the capabilities and progress of the Black community in the early 20th century.

To support Sips from the Sipp and the Utica Institute Museum, visit our Patreon to become a member!

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