News  Release

The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi is honored to host Archie Manning as the keynote speaker for the 2nd Delta Conversation which will take place on Sept. 11 noon at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland. Tickets are $60 and are almost sold out.

Becky Nowell, chairman of the event said, “We are proud to honor this great son of the Delta, especially in a building that shapes the Delta’s worldwide reputation for music. The proceeds from this event will benefit more than 700 charitable organizations through the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. This is an example of what our region can do when we work together. We look forward to an amazing day.”

Archie was born in Drew and became known for his participation in 4H events and record-setting Sunday School perfect attendance. Then 50 years ago he burst onto the national scene as a record-setting quarterback at the University of Mississippi. He was voted Mississippi’s Greatest All-Time Athlete in 1992 and was named Mississippi’s Most Popular Athlete of the Century.

Archie also was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame and is a member of other Halls of Fame including the Gator Bowl and Sugar Bowl and the Louisiana and Mississippi Halls of Fame. In addition, he and his son Peyton were named among the 100 All-Time Greatest College Football players.

“Our foundation welcomes this Drew native back to the Delta and looks forward to his commentary on football, family, Delta life and more,” said Community Foundation President Tom Pittman. “Archie exemplifies

so much of what is wonderful about our region and has been a great ambassador for Mississippi. We look forward to welcoming him home and engaging him in conversation.”

Archie and his wife Olivia were recipients of the National Pathfinder Award for their work in post-Hurricane Katrina. He and his wife now enjoy family life in New Orleans and have three sons, Cooper, Peyton and Eli and have nine grandchildren.

The first Delta Conversation featured the legendary Tom Brokaw and NBC News chairman Andy Lack in 2016. It established the Tom Brokaw Endowment for Delta Health, and Brokaw matched the Delta Conversation’s contribution.

Both Delta Conversations raise funds for the operation of the Community Foundation, which since its beginning in 2002 has granted over $25 to assist more than 700 nonprofits. The foundation serves 11 counties and has helped more than 4,000 donors with their charitable interests. It now holds 237 managed funds totaling more than $18 million.

For more information or to purchase a ticket to Delta Conversation, go to www.CFNM.org/events or call 662.449.5002.

The Community Foundation was established in 2002 with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation, the Community Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Foundation serves Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica counties. A board of 19 volunteer civic leaders governs the Community Foundation. Learn more about the Community Foundation at www.cfnm.org or call 662.449.5002.