WELCOME

Welcome to the "official" website for the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation. This is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted primarily to preserving the musical legacy of Mississippi John Hurt, a Country Blues musician from Avalon, Mississippi, whose work represents a profound contribution to American culture. Thank you for stopping by!

THE FOUNDATION

The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation was founded in 1997 by John Hurt's granddaughter, Mary Frances Hurt, and is mainly supported by generous donations as well as proceeds from the annual Mississippi John Hurt Music Festival and the operation of the Mississippi John Hurt Museum.

The Foundation's mission is to help preserve the musical legacy of Mississippi John Hurt. It achieves this goal by maintaining John Hurt's home, which is now the Mississippi John Hurt Museum, as well as the St. James Church, which was John Hurt's place of worship and also his school. Additionally, the Foundation helps maintain John Hurt's grave in the historic St. James Cemetery. The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation also provides musical and educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth, such as an after school program where participants learn about Blues music, learn to play an instrument, and perform at events like the Chicago Blues Festival. And through the Mississippi John Hurt Music Festival, also known as Homecoming, the Foundation celebrates John Hurt's life and music annually in a meaningful and personal way.

Through this website, we invite you to learn more about Mississippi John Hurt - his life, his music, his legacy - and we hope that you will become a special part of our music family!

DONATE

Please consider donating to the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation through the PayPal Giving Fund or through PayPal.Me/MSJohnHurtFoundation. If you are a resident of the United States, donations are typically 100% tax-deductible - and donations of $500 or more can be made from 401K accounts without any tax consequences.

Generous donations to the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation help maintain the Mississippi John Hurt Museum and the historic St. James Church. Your contributions also help fund the Foundation's musical and educational endeavors, as well as its annual Mississippi John Hurt Music Festival. The Foundation thanks you for your kindness and for taking the opportunity to personally contribute to the legacy of Mississippi John Hurt.

IN THE NEWS

October 7-8, 2023 - The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation is excited to conclude its 25th Anniversary celebration with a special Memorial Walk which will be held in Avalon, Mississippi. This event will include the unveiling of a new marker at the entrance to the historic St. James Cemetery where Mississippi John Hurt rests, along with many family members and generations of Avalon's African American residents. During the two-day celebration, all are invited to play music at John Hurt's gravesite as well as on the steps of the Mississippi John Hurt Museum. And those who simply enjoy listening will have a lot of good music to tickle their ears! Don't miss this exciting opportunity to help honor the legacy of Avalon's most celebrated resident. (Visit Festival Page)

In collaboration with Draft, a creative production company from Knoxville, TN, the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation is proud to present the official Trailer for the upcoming documentary film, HURT - A Mississippi Inspiration. This is a major milestone for the project and we thank each and every person who has supported it - we have come this far because of you. Anyone wishing to donate to this important project is encouraged to contribute to the Foundation's Silver Anniversary Fundraiser Campaign. There is more work to be done! (Visit Film Page)

April 29, 2023 - Caffè Lena is an important venue in the story of John Hurt's rediscovery in the early 1960s and a larger-than-life photo of this music legend now graces the entrance to their concert hall. The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation is excited to announce a fundraiser concert at Caffè Lena to support the upcoming documentary film, "HURT - A Mississippi Inspiration." Four exciting acts will share pieces from or inspired by Hurt's repertoire. (Get Tickets)

In Knoxville, TN, Central Cinema hosted an exciting fundraiser for the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation. This event included vintage film clips of rural life in the South curated by the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound and a 16mm presentation of Louie Bluie (1985) about Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong. The world premiere of the official Trailer for HURT - A Mississippi Inspiration was also shown, with commentary provided by Mary Frances Hurt. Leading up to the fundraiser, ABC WATE TV aired an informative interview with the film's Producer, Paul West, and a Draft film crew Director, Jamison Stalsworth. (Visit Film Page)

Desecration of Historic African American Cemetery in Avalon, Mississippi, written by Valerie Turner and published by the African American Folklorist Magazine, shines a spotlight on an ugly tradition in the United States regarding the desecration of African American cemeteries. This article focuses on the historic St. James Cemetery, the resting place of Mississippi John Hurt. The St. James Cemetery is distinguished as being the sole African American cemetery in Carroll County, Mississippi, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and generations of African Americans are buried there. A visit to this cemetery in the spring of 2022 by Mary Frances Hurt, granddaughter of Mississippi John Hurt, revealed that a mysterious marker had been installed at the cemetery's main entrance and that numerous graves had been disturbed. (Read Article)

It's the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation's 25th Anniversary! How time passes!! We're excited to announce our Silver Anniversary Fundraiser Campaign for the documentary film, HURT - A Mississippi Inspiration, plus a few operational things. Please share everywhere and help this fundraiser gain momentum. Thanks in advance for your help! (Donate Now)

The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation is collaborating with the talented Draft film crew to produce a documentary film about the life and times of Mississippi John Hurt, HURT - A Mississippi Inspiration. This film is unique in that it will tell the legendary musician's story from the perspective of a close family member, his granddaughter Mary Frances Hurt, and it will include truths that have never been released! Stay tuned for updates on the film's progress and to learn how to view the documentary once it becomes available. (Visit Film Page)

The complete Mississippi John Hurt 2021 Online Concert Series is now available for viewing on the Foundation's YouTube channel. The artists presented in this concert series were Jontavious Willis, the Piedmont Blūz Acoustic Duo, Andy Cohen, Hubby Jenkins, and Alan Lighty. Enjoy! (Watch Concert Series)

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