The College Language Association (CLA) is thrilled to announce its 84th Annual Convention, hosted by Jackson State University, set to take place April 8–11, 2026. This year’s Convention brings together hundreds of scholars, educators, students, writers, and activists from around the globe to explore the theme, “Soul Food, Soul Work, Soul Legacies: Food, Family, and Faith as Foundation.” We want the Jackson community to join us.
Founded in 1937, the CLA is the oldest and largest organization of scholars of Black Diasporic languages and literature in the United States. The 2026 Convention in Jackson marks a significant return to a city deeply rooted in African American literary history—most notably as the home of the Margaret Walker Alexander Center at Jackson State University, which is also the Host Institution for this year’s Convention.
“As a native of Natchez, I’m thrilled that we are bringing the 84th Annual CLA Convention to Jackson, a city rich with history and personal meaning,” said Constance Bailey, CLA Treasurer and Program Chair for this year’s Convention. Bailey emphasized that the last time the organization met in Mississippi was in 1977, so this year’s Convention is a Homecoming of sorts. In addition to panels celebrating our keynote speaker Kiese Laymon, a son of the city and literary giant, “This year’s theme allows us to examine the interconnected fields of foodways, history, literature and to celebrate the food traditions of our local communities, all while continuing our legacy of scholarly excellence.”
Convention keynote, highly acclaimed author Kiese Laymon, echoes Bailey’s sentiment. Laymon states, “It feels like poetry that the oldest and largest organizations of professors of Black literature would come to the home of the blues, Margaret Walker and Wright. Jackson is the literary capital of my world, and I’m thankful that CLA can experience the multiple literary frequencies that make up Jackson.”
Speaking of multiple literary frequencies, CLA Journal Editor and NAACP Image Award Nominee for Toni at Random, Dr. Dana A. Williams, acclaims, “The annual CLA Convention is always a joy. It’s an intellectual and cultural homecoming for languages and literatures’ scholars all in one. I feel about CLA the way Sixo described the Thirty-Mile Woman in Beloved: ‘She is a friend of my mind. She gather me, man.’ So much of the history of CLA is rooted in the south. No better place to gather and be gathered in these trying times than in Jackson, Mississippi–the city with soul.”
As the College Language Association’s 42nd President, Dr. Jervette R. Ward gathers the wisdom of CLA’s past to direct this historic organization forward in the midst of these trying times, she affirms that “We remain committed to our mission of excellence in the teaching of languages and literatures while eliminating inequities in higher education and providing access to the marginalized.” This year’s Convention is an opportunity to champion scholarship and fellowship as we continue to invest in the teaching of languages and literatures.
The 84th Annual CLA Convention in Jackson is a gathering and a homecoming and CLA welcomes you there.
Convention Highlights:
● Keynote Address: The Convention will feature a keynote address by Jackson native, Kiese Laymon, MacArthur award winning author of Heavy, Long Division, and How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America
● Academic Panels: Over 200 papers covering topics in African American, Caribbean, and African Diasporic literatures, folklore & oral tradition, composition & pedagogy, and many more.
● Student Engagement: Creative writing workshops by O. Henry Award winning author of Dominion and Mississippi native Addie Citchens.
● Book Release of Get It While It’s Hot: Gas Station, Roadside, and Convenience Cuisine in the U.S. South (LSU Press 2026). Edited by Shelley Ingram, Casey Kayser, and Constance Bailey
● Community Fellowship: Free and Open to the Public–Film screening of The Best Way to Eat Pig Ears at the Mississippi Museum of Art and Author Meet and Greet including NAACP Image Award nominated author Dana A. Williams for Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer’s Legendary Editorship (Harper-Collins 2025) Local Culture: Attendees will have opportunities to tour museums and landmarks unique to the Jackson area.
The event will be held at The Westin Jackson on South Congress Street. Registration is now open and ends on March 31, 2026. For more information on the schedule, registration, or sponsorship opportunities, please visit clascholars.org.
If you would like more information about this event, please contact CLA PR Director, Dr. Anna L. Hinton at contact@clascholars.org.
About the College Language Association
Founded in 1937 by a group of Black scholars and educators, the College Language Association (CLA) is organized exclusively for the literary, educational, and charitable purposes of advancement of education and eliminating prejudice and discrimination. CLA promotes and cultivates the study of languages and literatures to improve higher education experiences for students and teachers at colleges and universities across the world. Our annual Convention and peer-reviewed academic journal, CLAJ, support our commitments to literary excellence, inclusivity, and advocacy for the historically marginalized. CLA is a 501(c)(3) organization.