Jason Burkett holds a portrait of civil rights activist James Meredith he created. Other examples of his work are showcased on the wall.

   Representatives from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) in Jackson will visit Philadelphia Middle School Friday morning to make an important announcement.

   Austin Burkett, an eighth-grader at PMS, is one of two winners of MDAH’s Groundbreaking Mississippian Art Contest. Austin’s entry in the statewide competition was a portrait of civil rights activist James Meredith, who, in 1962, became the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi.

   Austin will be presented a tile of his artwork during the announcement, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the middle school campus. Stacey Everett, an MDAH representative, and Claire Gwaltney, director of MDAH’s Education-Museum Division, will make the presentation.

   The art contest celebrates the construction of the new Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, which are scheduled to open in December 2017 as the centerpiece of the state’s bicentennial celebration, according to Chris Goodwin, director of Public Information at MDAH.

   Students statewide were encouraged to illustrate and submit their choice for the most groundbreaking event in Mississippi history that also had a national impact – such as Hurricane Katrina and the integration of Ole Miss, as well as local milestones such as the state’s first high school football game, the Mississippi Married Women’s Property Act of 1839, the 1936 Tupelo tornado and the first bottle of Barq’s root beer sold in Biloxi.

   Deanne McCowan, art teacher at Philadelphia Middle School, said she received a flyer about the contest from MDAH and presented the idea to her students.

   “All the students had the opportunity to participate in the contest, but Austin was the only one that submitted something to me,” McCowan said. “I submitted it to the MDAH; they contacted me later to tell me Austin had won.”

   Two winners were chosen out of 278 entries for the art competition – one in secondary education and one in elementary. MDAH’s Public Info Officer Stephenie Morrisey said the judges commended Austin for his portrayal of Meredith in a reflective moment.

   Austin said he chose to depict Meredith at a teacher’s suggestion.

   “It is almost like the portrait of Martin Luther King,” Austin said. “It proves to me that all races should be able to integrate with each other in the South.”

   The artwork will be transferred to a 12-by-12 inch tile, which will be mounted in the Education Hall at the new museum.

   “His tile will be on display with other winners when the museum opens,” Morrisey said.

   Asked how it felt to win, Austin said, “I was shocked!”

   Philadelphia Middle School Principal Stacie Collins said the students and faculty are very proud of Austin.

   “Austin is a very mannerable young man, who is adored by his peers and his teachers as well as our administrative staff for his hard work and how polite he is toward others,” Collins said. “His peers definitely admire his artistic ability.”

   The Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum will be comprised of two museums located in one facility, but will share several common spaces. Goodwin said the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum will provide a comprehensive look at civil rights activities that occurred across the state, and will be the largest such museum in the state.