Dr. Wicker met with Mississippi representatives, senators, and their staff members on March 10, 2020, just as elbow bumps replaced handshakes. She was in Washington, DC, to advocate for the humanities on Capitol Hill, testifying to the positive impact of humanities work in our district and the State of Mississippi as part of a broader advocacy strategy that aims to persuade members of Congress to increase federal funding for the humanities.
While there, she met Mississippi native Jon Parrish Peede, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities since May 2018. Mr. Peede (pictured with Dr. Wicker here), grew up in Brandon, MS, and received the MA in Southern Studies from The University of Mississippi.