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Programs examine historical events linked to today's headlines

Jackson Community College will present two upcoming presentations offering historical looks at people and events related to issues today, such as Constitution Day and Hurricane Katrina.

George III: This is a compelling picture of a life of duty, pain and conflict that ended in lonely, impotent madness the life of King George III. His turbulent reign saw America break free from the British Empire. But the maligned ruler also helped secure Britain's pre-eminent role in the world at that time. George III is one of the most fascinating rulers in British history. The first Hannover to be primarily concerned with the fortunes of England, he nevertheless oversaw the loss of the crown jewel of the Empire and a series of political catastrophes that nearly forced his abdication.

In this video, the whole of George's reign and life is examined through contemporary records, political cartoons, portraits and the commentary of renowned historians. Discover how much of his reputation is undeserved and learn of the inspired moves that helped restore some of the glory of the empire, including the daring decision to place the government in the hands of the 24-year-old William Pitt. This program will be presented at noon Thursday, Sept. 22 in Bert Walker Hall Room 126.

Fatal Flood: Eerily reminiscent of the events that erupted after Hurricane Katrina; this fatal flood altered the landscape, widened the abyss of race relations in the Deep South and led to a vast migration of blacks to northern cities. In 1927, after weeks of rain, the Mississippi River flooded. Quickly moving from Cairo, Illinois, the river blew away levee after levee, flooding thousands of farms and hundreds of towns; killing as many as a thousand people and leaving nearly a million people homeless. When relief supplies finally reached the city, they were distributed on the basis of race. Frequently, African Americans were left with nothing. Living along the Mississippi Delta, former U.S. Sen. LeRoy Percy, professed to be a defender of his African-American tenant farmers. He was a "Cotton King" of the Deep South in an area that instituted a deplorably exploitative system in which the white landowner made an easy fortune and black laborers could barely afford to put food on their tables. This flood tested the limits of his "compassion" and exposed his greed. When he was faced with losing his empire, the disaster also led him to betray his own son.

This video presentation includes archival footage of the flood and its aftermath and interviews with former residents that survived the flood. There will also be a discussion immediately after the video presentation to compare events of the Mississippi River flood to events that developed during Hurricane Katrina. This program will be presented at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Potter Center Room B.

Call the Atkinson Library at (517) 796-8622 to register for these programs as seating is limited.