“We sold everything. We had everything from nails to oilcloth. We had twenty-five pounds sacks of flour. We had garden dust. We had wash tubs and scrub doors. We had anything you could name.”
—Juanita Dong
DSU Oral History Collection
Stories From Behind the Counter
In their own words, layered, with their own images, the story of the Mississippi Delta Chinese presents a glimpse into the lives lived within the grocery stores which once peppered the landscape of MS Delta towns. The exhibit contains five freestanding, full color panels which extend to seven feet in height and three feet in width. Public libraries, schools, special interest groups and other public organizations may request to borrow the exhibit for up to five weeks.
Points to Consider
Site Considerations
If you are interested in hosting the exhibit, please review the following questions and information regarding your display site.
Space & Lighting
- What is the size of the room where you plan to place the exhibit?
- Is there enough space for the panels, vertically?
- Are there any light fixtures hanging from the ceiling which may interfere with the panels?
- Is there track lighting or recessed lighting sufficient to view the exhibit?
Security
- How will the exhibit be monitored while the area is open for the public?
- Will a staff person be in the area?
- Is there a security camera system in operation or will security make periodic visual checks of the area on a regular time schedule?
Insurance
- While we do not require a borrowing institution to carry special insurance for this exhibit, we do ask that you agree to the terms of the Borrowing Institutions Agreement which states that if any of the panels are damaged while in the care of the borrowing institution, that institution will pay to have that panel or those panels replaced at cost.
Costs
- There is an exhibit reservation/hosting fee of $150.00.
- Gallery Guides and Teacher Aides are available for $.31 each.
Packing Instructions & Useful Links
For sites currently hosting the exhibit, please find the instructions for unpacking and packing the exhibit with the link below:
For sites wanting to host the exhibit, please find the application with the link below:
For sites that finished hosting the exhibit, please fill out the Evaluation Report that you can get from the link below:
Contact & Shipping Information
Shipping/ Receiving within Mississippi
Within the state of Mississippi, it is recommended that the host site schedule to pick up the exhibit from the Archives & Museum building or the prior hosting site. The Archivist will coordinate with host sites to arrange pick-up and delivery.
Shipping/ Receiving outside Mississippi
Those interested in hosting the exhibit outside of Mississippi will need to make shipping arrangements with the Archivist. The host site will have to cover expenses of shipping the exhibit to and from the host site.
Shipping Address
C.T. Salazar
Delta State University
DSU Box 3137
Cleveland, MS 38733
Contact Information
C.T. Salazar, Interim University Archivist
Phone: 662-846-4781
Email: csalazar@deltastate.edu
