Thursday, January 29, 2015
Volume 99 Issue 32
www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE
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NEWS
F E AT U R E
OPINION
SMAC to host annual concert featuring singer Kris Allen.
Vinyl makes a major comeback with younger generation.
Anderson’s adaptation a success on all fronts.
Eagle Jam
Music
PAGE SEVEN
PAGE SIX
‘Inherent Vice’
S P O RT S
Super Bowl XLIX
Writers evenly split over the big game’s outcome.
Ala., Miss. fight Campus organizations for right to marry to honor Black History Month
STATE
Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter
Chris Lee
Printz Reporter Next week will mark the start of Black History Month and, thanks to The University of Southern Mississippi’s Office of Multicultural Programs and Services, Southern Miss students will have many opportunities to learn about African-American history and culture. The university will host and sponsor events throughout the month in honor of Black History Month. “It is important for students, all students, to learn about African-American history,” said Valencia Walls, coordinator of the Office of Multicultural programs. “We are very selective in the programs that we choose for the month. The events are created to be informative, enlightening and entertaining.” February’s events include an essay contest sponsored by Southern Miss’ chapter of the NAACP and an oratorical contest sponsored by the Xi Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The events will start Black History Month off with, “A Night at the Cotton Club,” Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at Woods Theatre. Events will continue throughout the month concluding with a talk from Joseph Byrd of Xavier University titled, “Trials, Tribulations and How We Overcome Them” Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in Owings-McQuagge Hall, Room 105. “I hope that through the programs, students will gain a greater respect and understanding of African-American history and
the responsibility that comes along with it,” Walls said. “There are also several programs that offer scholarship opportunities for USM students.” Much of Southern Miss’ student body and faculty have high expectations for next month’s events. “My hopes for this years Black History Month would be to
Illustration by Cody Bass
not only educate but to inspire the many students that attend The University of Southern Mississippi to make a difference,” said student Kendall Lancaster. Rebecca Tuuri, a USM professor of African-American history said, “I hope every member of the USM community will attend the events offered for Black History Month.”
“They will teach participants about not only the AfricanAmerican experience, but also American history more broadly,” she said. Here is a complete list of the month’s events: Feb. 2, 6 p.m. “A Night at the Cotton Club”-- The Woods Theatre Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. “Come Hell or High Water: The Battle of Turkey Creek” Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. Liberal Arts Building, room 108 (Gonzales Auditorium) Feb. 9, 7 p.m. “Knowing Your Worth: A response to the decline in African-American self respect”Union Hall of Honors Feb. 10, 11-1 p.m. “Student Soul Food Luncheon”- Fresh Food Company Feb. 10, 7 p.m. “The ArmstrongBranch Lecture Series” Bennett Auditorium Feb. 12, 6 p.m. “The LampkinHughes Oratorical Contest”- Trent Lott Center Feb. 19, noon “Aiming High: Strategies for Success in Graduate School” - TCC 218A/B Feb. 19, 6 p.m. “Mock Trial” TCC Ballroom II Feb. 23, 6 p.m. “The Eagle Awards”- Trent Lott Center 103 Feb. 24, noon. “250 Years: Black Poetry from Phillis Wheatley to the Poets of Southern Miss” RC’s Lounge (includes scholarship opportunities) Feb. 25, 7 p.m. “Trials, Tribulations and How We Overcome Them” Featuring Dr. Joseph K. Byrd of Xavier UniversityOwings-McQaugge Hall, room 105 The NAACP Essay Contest will be held throughout the month.
ON CAMPUS
UPD arrest 2 men for weapon possession
UPD arrested two people in connection with a call made by a concerned student to the police department Wednesday morning. The call regarded possible weapons presented on the Hattiesburg campus.
Campus police stopped a car fitting the description on campus and arrested two male suspects, according to a press release. The men were in possession of handguns and illegal narcotics. Charges are
pending against the individuals at this time. The press release reported both were arrested without incident, and no threats were made to anyone on the Southern Miss campus. UPD
has not released the names of the two suspects. UPD reminds everyone to contact them if you see something suspicious on campus. To report suspicious activity, call 601.266.4986.
In a groundbreaking ruling by a U.S. district judge, Alabama has become the 37th state to abolish the same-sex marriage ban. According to the site Freedom to Marry, on Jan. 23, U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade ruled in favor of two Mobile women who had married in California, but wanted their marriage recognized in Alabama in order to adopt a child. Granade set a stay on the proceeding, set to expire Feb. 9. However, this is not Granade’s only pro-marriage ruling. On Jan. 27, she struck down the state’s ban in a second case involving an unmarried same-sex couple that wishes to marry in Alabama. Mississippi is no stranger to the freedom to marry struggle, with a recent U.S. District Court ruling on Nov. 24, 2014, that made denying the right to marry to same-sex couples was unconstitutional. That ruling was also issued with a stay and is being appealed by the state in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Many students believe that national acceptance of gay marriage is inevitable. A gay student at Southern Miss, who prefers to remain anonymous, said she thinks that one day it will not be an issue. “It’s going to happen eventually,” she said. “Mississippi may be the last state, but it will happen.” “I really don’t think that it’s going to happen in Mississippi for a while, purely because our state is so religiously based,” said Rebecca Guy, a senior theatre major. “The majority (of voters) is going to be against it.” Ann Marie Kinnell, a USM professor of sociology, agreed that the decision may take some time. “We’re talking about federal decisions, federal court cases for the four state area, including Mississippi,” she said. “Now that the Supreme Court has decided to pick it up, I don’t know. They held up Proposition 8 in California, but they didn’t hold up the Defense of Marriage Act.” “It’s coming down to a states’ rights issue,” she said. “The states have unalienable rights that can’t be violated. However, in 40 years we’re going to look back and see (how foolish) we were.” For more information on the states that allow gay marriage and the court proceedings, visit www. freedomtomarry.org.