Political Science Professor, Joseph Weinberg, to Speak on Gene Taylor Exhibition at USM

News item published on: 2024-02-22 09:40:00

In conjunction with the exhibition, Gene Taylor: South Mississippi’s Choice for U.S. Congress, 1989-2011, Dr. Joseph Weinberg will give a lecture on the issues and events that define the era in which the Congressman served. Joining Weinberg will be Congressman Ronnie Shows, who worked alongside Taylor in the House of Representatives. The lecture will be held February 29, at 2 p.m. in McCain Library and Archives room 203.

The exhibition highlights major themes of Congressman Taylor’s tenure with select documents and artifacts. A listening center and research table are also installed in the gallery to allow visitors to spend more time learning about the congressman’s perspective on the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina.

As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Taylor exercised Congressional oversight for conflicts from Kosovo-Bosnia to Iraq and Afghanistan. Representative Taylor is widely known for his support of servicemen and domestic military bases. He championed shipbuilding and defense-related industries in the State. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he worked tirelessly to bring federal emergency relief to his devasted district and continued to lobby on behalf of his constituents who had lost their homes and businesses.

Dr. Joseph Weinberg is a political science professor in the School of Political Science and Legal Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi. He earned his doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his masters degree from North Carolina State University at Raleigh, and his undergraduate degree from American University. He served as a Legislative Assistant to US Rep. Charles H. Taylor from 1998-2001. His lifelong interest in Congressional policy has led to his extensive research at the intersection of agriculture, federal policy, and economics. He has been awarded three grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to host joint economic-political conferences fostering scholarly research of agriculture policy.

The gallery will remain open for additional viewing following the lecture. For more information, contact or 601.266.4117.