If you’ve never heard of SESAH, it’s pronounced “see-saw” just like it looks. It’s short for the much-longer name: Southeastern Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. As I’ve mentioned before, the group is meeting here in Jackson this year, with paper sessions and tours stretching from Thursday morning through Saturday.

This flyer arrived in my e-mail inbox over the weekend and I thought I’d pass it on to you, my faithful readers, and also, begrudgingly, to my unfaithful readers–you know who you are . . .

The Friday night keynote starts at 6:30 in the War Memorial Building next to the Old Capitol. The speaker, Robert Ivy, is the editor of Architectural Record and a former professor in our own Mississippi State University school of architecture. I’m excited about his topic, “The Precarious State of Modernism in the Deep South,” as of course, we’ve spent more than a few posts on Modernism in Mississippi and have bemoaned the treatment of some of our Modern landmarks, most prominently the Gulfport Library.

The keynote is free and open to the public and as an added bonus you get to spend time inside the wonderfully Art Deco War Memorial Building, designed by our own E.L. Malvaney. Preceding the keynote, beginning at 5:30, is a reception in the Old Capitol, which according to the flyer is open to non-SESAH members for $20/person.

Another event that might be of interest is the day-long bus tour of Jackson’s sites, on the theme of “Beyond Greek Revival.” The tour is open to non-SESAH member for $50 and includes stops at Tougaloo College, the Medgar Evers House, the Manship House, Fondren, Wiener House (recently proposed for National Register listing), St. Richard’s Catholic Church (included on the Mississippi AIA’s “Favorite Buildings” list last year), and Eudora Welty’s house. Greenwood Cemetery rounds out the Halloween tour day.

Looks like a busy week–maybe I’ll see you there!

Categories: Modernism, Preservation People/Events