A detailed account of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson’s involvement in the civil rights movement has won the LSU Shreveport Masters in Liberal Arts Thesis Award.
“Moving on up a Little Higher: Mahalia Jackson, Champion of Freedom through Song”, by Sherman Houston Jr., is the first volume in The Noel Masters Series published by LSUS. Houston will speak on Jackson and sign copies of his book from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. this Wednesday, November 20, in the Assembly Room at Noel Memorial Library on the LSUS campus. The event is free and open to the public.
“Mahalia Jackson’s music has been at the center of my life since I was a little boy,” Houston said. “My father introduced me to her. He always pushed me to get an education. He always wanted me to do better than him.”
The MLA program created the thesis award last year. It was funded last year by a Faculty Research and Development Grant and this year by a Noel Foundation Grant, which covered publication of the winning thesis and a $500 honorarium to the student receiving the award. Any student completing a thesis in the MLA Program is eligible for the award, said Dr. Elisabeth Liebert, the MLA Program director.
“As a cultural hub, we have a responsibility to invest in knowledge not only within our own walls but also within the community that supports us,” Dr. Liebert said.
A native of Grand Cane, Houston earned a bachelor’s degree in history at LSUS after graduating from Mansfield High School. He enrolled in the Masters in Liberal Arts program at LSUS because he wanted to stay close to home.
He has worked as an adjunct history instructor at Southern University Shreveport and is now seeking a permanent position teaching history.
Houston’s father, Sherman L. Houston Sr., was a disabled veteran who supported Houston’s dream of becoming a college history professor. He was a sounding board as Houston sifted through archives and listened to rare recordings while researching Jackson’s civil rights contributions – but he wasn’t there for Houston’s moment of achievement.
“He passed away in March of 2018, and I graduated in May of 2018,” Houston said. “I dedicated my book to him. Because of his sacrifices, I was able to ‘move on up a little higher’.”
SHREVEPORT, La. -- The LSUS Foundation is now operating of the Spring Street Historical Museum on behalf of LSU Shreveport.
The Spring Street Museum will complement other LSUS resources that support arts and culture. This includes the LSUS Northwest Louisiana Archives; the Noel Collection, the largest private collection of antiquarian books in the United States; the Pioneer Heritage Center; and LSUS Red River Radio.
This fall, the university will begin operating new academic programs through the Spring Street Museum, including internships for history students and a digital arts class using the museum’s collection. Plans also include creation of a certificate program in museum studies. Faculty and community advisory boards will help develop these programs.
SHREVEPORT, La. -- Ten LSU Shreveport students have been approved for Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Scholarships offered by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).
LSU Shreveport assistant professor Dr. Sam Cannon is more Clark Kent than Superman, but he’s a superhero to comic artists in Chile.
Dr. Alex Mikaberidze, LSU Shreveport's internationally known expert on Napoleon Bonaparte, shares some of the Noel Collection's rare materials in conjunction with an exhibit tied to the 250th anniversary of Napoleon's birth.
A scholarship established to honor the legacy of an avid balloonist will help two LSU Shreveport students pursue undergraduate science degrees as they prepare for careers in dentistry and medicine.
A grant from the Community Foundation will help the LSU Shreveport LaPREP program nurture a new generation of scientists and technology trendsetters next summer.
The International Lincoln Center for American Studies at LSU Shreveport will bring distinguished speakers to campus this fall. Dr. Bill Pederson, who holds the American Studies Endowed Chair in Liberal Arts, started the center 36 years ago. Washington Semester, the center's signature program, offers LSUS students a front-row seat to history during a trip to the nation's capitol each year.
A Shreveport family's generous gift will help LSU Shreveport students learn the communications skills they need to succeed.
Dr. Alex Mikaberidze takes Shreveport Times writer Tiana Kennell and photographer Henrietta Wildsmith on a time travel adventure through the LSU Shreveport Noel Memorial Library's rare books collection.
The LSUS Foundation 2019 Winter Newsletter is out covering stories such as the LARGEST graduating class ever and the LSUS Foundation earns a prestigious new honor!
