© 2026 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Proposed Mississippi State Poem Questioned

Michele Norris talks with Allan Mitchell, an adjunct instructor at the University of Mississippi, about efforts to stop the state legislature from making the lyrics to the song "I Am Mississippi" the official state poem.

The song was written by musician Paul Ott, who's been using it to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims. Mitchell is part of a group of professors and students who say the song is full of cliches.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.