MDAH Wins 2026 Southeastern Conference Awards for Publications and Technology

MDAH WINNERS: MDAH Southeastern Museums Conference Awards winners, from left to right, Tori Rice, Mikailah Jefferson, Shelia Byrd, Rodney Thompson, Mike Bienkowski and Elizabeth Grey — **MDAH WINNERS:** MDAH Southeastern Museums Conference Awards winners, from left to right, Tori Rice, Mikailah Jefferson, Shelia Byrd, Rodney Thompson, Mike Bienkowski and Elizabeth Grey.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is the recipient of three 2026 Southeastern Museums Conference Awards, including a Gold Award for a digital series about the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

During the SEMC awards luncheon recently held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, MDAH was recognized with the following awards:

Gold Award in Virtual Media: Project Under $1,000 for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Anniversary Shorts campaign.
Silver Award in Gallery Guide: Student Guide 2026
Silver Award in Posters: 2026 Makers Fest Poster

Recipients of the awards were judged by an appointed jury of museum professionals across the region who specialize in the fields of digital media, graphic design, publications and technology.

“The series of shorts on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 put together by our Digital Marketing team was extraordinary,” said Barry White, director of MDAH. “It’s a great honor to be recognized by SEMC.”

The MDAH Voting Rights Act Anniversary Shorts campaign was an entry in the SEMC Technology Competition that recognizes effective design, accessibility, creativity, and pride in work and recognition of institutional identity. The campaign was a series of short videos visualizing 10 topics within the scope of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and features historical sound recordings, documents, and archival images from the MDAH collections.

The series highlights the severe barriers Black Americans faced before 1965—including poll taxes, literacy tests, violent intimidation, and economic retaliation—and the landmark legislation that outlawed these discriminatory practices.

The SEMC Publication Design Competition recognizes and rewards excellence in graphic design in Southeastern museum publications. The competition encourages communication, effective design, creativity and pride in work, and recognition of institutional image and identity.

The 2026 Makers Fest poster promoted the annual concert that features Mississippi artists and is free to the public. The Gallery Guide: Student Guide 2026 is used by teachers and students who visit the Two Mississippi Museums.

Award winners will be listed in the Winter 2027 edition of “INSIDE SEMC,” a digital publication of the Southeastern Museums Conference.

About the Southeastern Museums Conference:
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC), a nonprofit membership organization, “is an association of museums, museum staff, independent professionals and corporate partners. We focus on the Southeastern United State including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.”

VOTING RIGHTS ACT: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOWRwgQFQHhzuc8cDX5AnzhMpqALR4jFq&si=qR68lKOShFM_YY9R

FREEDOM SUMMER: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOWRwgQFQHhxfKN0WeWSGuw3I8rj4M8Dr&si=6OIwENp_FNvaaAtu

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