About
I’m Shannon Evans
I was raised in Columbus, Mississippi. Ever since I was appointed Vice President of the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund, my passion has been community-engaged and archival research. Based on my accomplishments over the past year, the MZMF decided to nominate me for the Oakley Award from the Association of Gravestone Studies. To read the entire nomination, please click HERE
Background
Shannon Evans earned her MFA in Creative Writing at the Mississippi University for Women, and she once worked as a full-time faculty member at a former segregationist academy in her hometown of Columbus in Lowndes County, Mississippi. Shannon lost her job in the aftermath of “critical race theory” hysteria, however, and she has re-dedicated herself to preventing the silencing of African American History as the Vice President of the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. She served as a research and community engagement specialist for the American Historical Association-funded pilot project to build the WebAtlas of African American Burial Grounds, and she looks forward to expanding upon her successful project implementation strategies in Lowndes County, where she documented over 120 cemeteries. Shannon also expanded the WebAtlas to include cemeteries in Washington and Carroll Counties through funding from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area.
Research
Accomplishments
Cemetery Marker
Shannon worked with Mary Frances Hurt to design a large, granite historic marker for St. James MB Church Cemetery, and she oversaw its fabrication and installation by Columbus Marble Works. For more info, please read her blog post HERE.
Graphic History
Shannon is currently working on a graphic history project with historian Dr. DeWayne Moore and Hungarian graphic artist Csaba Mester about the life and musical legacy of Delta blues artist Charley Patton.
Shannon had added data about hundreds of cemeteries to the WebAtlas of African American Burial Grounds.
Grants
Shannon has successfully closed a $62,000 grant from the American Historical Association and a $29,500 grant from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, and she has assisted in the submission of numerous other grant proposals to continue her work for the MZMF.
MS Landmark
Shannon compiled and submitted the preliminary paperwork to add the home of Mississippi John Hurt to the official list of MS Landmarks.
Wayfaring Markers
Shannon worked with the Carroll County Visitor’s Bureau, the mayor of Carrollton, and Mary Frances Hurt to design several wayfaring signs and install them at strategic locations leading to the historic home of Mississippi John Hurt.
Blues Trail
Shannon went before the Mississippi Blues Commission with Mary Frances Hurt and convinced them to rewrite and relocate the blues trail marker of Mississippi John Hurt to the site of his historic home in Teoc, MS.
Visit MS
Shannon worked with Visit Mississippi to design and install a new sign at the turn onto St. James Church Road to direct visitors to the grave of Mississippi John Hurt in St. James MB Church Cemetery.
Creative Publications
Editor 2019-2020
The Joyful Coast Anthology Volume 1
Non-Fiction Editor 2021-2022
Mississippi University for Women’s Ponder Review Vol 5.1 and 5.2
Spring 2021
Constellations – Volume 9
Spring 2021
West Trade Review – Volume 12
2020
Poet’s Choice Magazine – Summer Poems Edition
Fall 2020
Pennsylvania English – Volume 40:2
Spring 2020
The University of Baltimore’s Welter Online Journal
Summer 2020
Barely South Review
Summer 2020
Riza Press
Summer 2019
About Place Journal
Social
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Have a project in mind?
If you have a great idea, reach out to me. Whether it is a small or big project, I will listen first and get back to you with a plan.