Robert F. Darden, professor emeritus in Journalism at Baylor University and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, discusses the sacred, transcendent spaces of Memphis’ past. Darden explored the sites, which include the East Trigg Baptist Church, the original headquarters of the Church of God in Christ denomination, and the Lorraine Hotel.

The New York Times is in a legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense over the DOD’s press access policies implemented in October 2025 and March 2026. In the two lawsuits, the Times argued that DOD policies governing press credentials violate its journalists’ First Amendment press and speech rights. Katie Bernard, a rapid response writer, discusses the legal disputes over the DOD press access policies.

Charles Mitchell, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, discussed the Voting Right Act and that the U.S. Supreme Court saw that creating racially safe districts has resulted not in unity, as intended, but in division that has manifested in myriad ways.

Terry Mattingly, writer of the national "On Religion" column for the Andrews McMeel Universal syndicate and "Rational Sheep," a Substack newsletter on faith and mass media, writes about membership decline in faith denominations.

Tony Pederson, managing fellow of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics and professor emeritus in journalism at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, writes about the Trump administration placing historic pressures on major news organizations through libel lawsuits and issuing subpoenas.

The rapidly changing world of college athletics will be the focus of a program on Sept. 17 at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at the University of Mississippi.  “College Athletics: It’s a Whole New Ballgame,” will be co-sponsored by Mississippi Today, the state’s Pulitzer Prize-winning nonprofit news organization.