What would later become the Southern Youth Institute (then the Summer Youth Institute) grew out of a group of University of Mississippi students who wanted to help nurture Mississippi’s next generation of leaders.

That diverse group of young visionaries sought to develop an experience for younger Mississippians to learn to lead with equity, justice, history, and possibility in mind. Their vision, supported by the (then) Winter Institute and the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, resulted in the first summer training in 2010.

Since then, there have been 18 cohorts in two states, training more than 400 young southerners the skills of leadership and community change.