Delta Blues Press Release

December 21, 2023

Delta Blues Museum Announces New Virtual Tours Through Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Grant

Clarksdale, Mississippi

Museum's upcoming online educational programming to focus on Clarksdale's Blues community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Clarksdale, Mississippi - December 21, 2023] - Delta Blues Museum continues to expand its Virtual Tours, thanks to a $20,000 grant received from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA).

The FY 24 MDNHA grant will funding the Museum's latest project, "45 Years into Celebrating the Blues and the Clarksdale Community" and includes a new virtual field trip through Clarksdale's New World District as well as a new exhibit and accompanying panel discussion on Margaret's Blue Diamond Lounge. Additionally, the Museum will develop a snapshot of the life and music of Little Milton Campbell through a new interactive Explore and Learn feature.

Expanding web-based offerings remains a focus for Museum Director Shelley Ritter, as the Museum looks to reach new audiences and enhance the museum experience for online visitors. "We are thrilled to be able to explore Blues music legacies in more immersive and interactive ways," Ritter said. "Funding partners like MDNHA offer us a path to provide more educational resources online and create lifelong learning opportunities for Blues fans of all ages."

"We are thrilled to be able to explore Blues music legacies in more immersive and interactive ways," Ritter said. "Funding partners like MDNHA offer us a path to provide more educational resources online and create lifelong learning opportunities for Blues fans of all ages."

About the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area

MDNHA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization managed by The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University and partnered with the National Park Service (NPS) to stimulate cultural and economic development in the Mississippi Delta region.

About Delta Blues Museum

Established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and re-organized as a stand-alone museum in 1999, the Delta Blues Museum is Mississippi's first music museum. A 2013 recipient of the IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Services--the nation's highest honor for museum and library service to the community--and a 2014 recipient of the National Arts & Humanities' Youth Program Award, the Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to creating a welcoming place where visitors find meaning, value and perspective by exploring the history and heritage of the unique American musical art form, the Blues. The Museum is also recognized as a Great River Road Interpretive Center. For more information on events or programs, please call (662) 627-6820, or visit the Museum web site at www.deltabluesmuseum.org.

Members of the press may register in the PRESS ROOM on the Museum's website to access further information, downloadable images and related materials.

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This newsletter is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and, in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

This site is made possible through support from the Mississippi Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Rock River Foundation.