What Is the Pine Hills Culture Program?
The Pine Hills Culture Program, formed in 1996, is part of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Its purpose is to document, preserve, and present traditions and folk culture of the U.S. South’s pine hills (or piney woods) region; to build and maintain a network of academics, public programmers, lay scholars, community leaders, and folk artists; and to serve as a regional archive, a place for exhibits, and an information clearinghouse. An important part of its mission is helping communities to identify their own traditions and integrate folklife into local projects, museums, schools, festivals, and other public presentations. The program is headed by a public sector folklorist, Dr. Carolyn Ware. Our main office is in the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage on the USM campus, but we also lease offices, including programming and exhibit space, at the Walthall Center in Hattiesburg’s downtown historic district. The Pine Hills Cul
