Greenwood Soul Mates — Lisa Cookston
What is “soul?”
For us, “soul” represents that unique essence each person contributes to their community, weaving a colorful tapestry of stories, talents, cultural experiences, and more. In Greenwood, this tapestry is formed by numerous unique individuals whose captivating stories and deep connections to the region’s food, music and history define our identity as a town and make Greenwood such an extraordinary place to visit. These remarkable individuals are our “Soul Mates.”
Today’s Soul Mate is Lisa Cookston, Executive Director of the Museum of the Mississippi Delta; an establishment bursting with tradition, art and Southern treasures that tell the rich history of Mississippi’s most unique and renowned area – the Delta.
Lisa’s journey to the Museum of the Mississippi Delta wasn’t a straight shot. It was filled with valuable twists and turns; each effectively preparing her to eventually take up its helm.
Practically a native, Lisa was born in New Orleans but moved to Greenwood at an early age where she created her most cherished childhood memories. Later, life took her to Oxford, where she attended and graduated from Ole Miss. During a brief stint in Jackson, Lisa met her future husband, Steven, whom she married in Greenwood. When Steven was presented with a job opportunity in Las Vegas, they decided to make the big move. But when the time came for her and Steven to start a family of their own, the home of her childhood came calling, and Lisa returned to Greenwood before long.
Upon her return to the Heart of the Delta, Lisa became the Lifestyle Editor for The Greenwood Commonwealthwhere she wrote human interest stories and local features. Later she worked in tandem as the public relations director for Staplcotn, the oldest cotton marketing cooperative in the country, and as Greenwood’s Main Street director. She held a few other notable positions in Greenwood, including as the writing instructor at Mississippi Delta Community College, before her latest opportunity at the museum came in January 2023.
“I’ve loved this museum since I was young,” Cookston said. “Then the director before me left and the opportunity came up, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring. It’s been a wonderful experience and I really enjoy it.”
When walking through the museum, guests experience the Mississippi Delta through prehistoric fossils, Native American pottery, regional art, Civil War history and bountiful agriculture. Thoughtfully and respectfully curated, it proudly serves as a hub of knowledge and history to honor the Mississippi Delta’s colorful past and present. It’s a responsibility that Lisa takes seriously: to tell the Delta’s storied past while also bringing fresh, interactive exhibits that bring visitation to Greenwood, Mississippi and beyond.
Under her leadership, the museum recently welcomed and played host to its most successful exhibit since the museum opened its doors: Van Gogh for All. Originally scheduled to run for three months, the exhibit saw three date extensions due to its mass popularity. Lisa proudly shared that the exhibit broke visitation records by bringing in more than 4,500 attendees over the course of three months, compared to the 1,800 people who visited the museum throughout the entire previous year – a remarkable feat.
Its performance should be of little surprise, though. Before arriving in Mississippi, the exhibit entertained visitors in cities such as Chicago; Houston; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Charleston, West Virginia.
In an earlier interview, Lisa said,
“Needless to say, we were thrilled to be chosen. If what we’ve heard from other locations happens here, we’re expecting this will bring in visitors not only from the local Greenwood area, but it will draw from all over the region.” And it was an apt prediction.
“The Van Gogh for All exhibit has been so reinvigorating for our museum,” Lisa recently shared. “I was shocked because it had already been in Laurel, Mississippi, yet people still came from Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee just for this exhibit. I loved seeing our museum transformed into a Van Gogh display and watching how people reacted.”
When asked how the Museum of the Mississippi Delta got started and how Greenwood became home to it, she shared,
“The purpose is education, but also to interpret the history and culture of the Mississippi Delta,” she said. “The Delta is a unique place within Mississippi and even the whole country. Otis Allen, who was superintendent of schools in 1969, got together with like-minded people who decided they needed to have an educational and cultural facility. So they went to work fundraising and made it happen.”
As many other Soul Mates have discussed, Lisa agrees it can be hard to explain the Mississippi Delta and Greenwood until you experience it for yourself. “The Delta is called the most southern place on earth for a reason. It can be a little gritty at times, but there’s a lot of beauty, and the people are warm and welcoming.” And in her opinion, the museum serves as a central hub for visitors to fully understand the true story.
“We want to add to the Delta experience,” she said. “Greenwood has incredible writers and musicians, and they all came from an area that’s considered so impoverished, but it’s just been a fertile ground for really creative people. The museum spotlights that.”
When asked what makes the soul of Greenwood, Lisa didn’t hesitate.
“The soul of Greenwood is the people, the land, the fertile soil and what I would call the “living soil”. This place had to be carved out, and the settlers who made Greenwood what it is today had to work hard to get through a jungle to the soil. That resiliency continues today. A lot of times they are considered impoverished or backward, but neither could be further from the truth. They are interesting and hardened people who have carved out a territory for themselves.”
Lisa’s passion for Greenwood shines through in her words and her actions. Today, she serves her town as a member of the Greenwood City Council and wants her love for the town and the Delta to spread to others so Greenwood can continue to grow.
“Many of our younger people move away,” she said. “Collectively, we are trying to entice them to come back to Greenwood and invest in the area. There’s a lot of work to do, but it’s a worthwhile effort because there is just something about this place. Personally, I didn’t plan to come back but I’m so glad I did.”
In her spare time, Lisa enjoys taking a ride down Money Road in Greenwood while watching a good sunset with her friends. She remarks “…a beautiful Delta sunset that can’t be beat.” And we’d have to agree.
When asked to describe Greenwood in one word, Lisa said “unique.”
“It stands apart from anywhere else. I’m very proud of our little town and to play a small role in it.”
Click here to read more about all our Greenwood Soul Mates!
For more information about Greenwood and our Soul Mates, please visit our Facebook page & follow us on Instagram.