Mississippi Museum of Art

Under Yazoo Clay

Under Yazoo Clay dives deep into the generations of family secrets around Mississippi’s former “lunatic asylum.” In 2012, a construction crew in Jackson, Mississippi discovered human remains at the site of the state’s university hospital. They would eventually turn out to be one of over 7,000 patients, who had died at the old asylum and been buried on its grounds. Reporter Larrison Campbell travels to Jackson to meet the families trying to get answers about their ancestors. And she tries to understand just how this “forgotten” chapter of history came to be forgotten.The Mississippi Museum of Art and Pod People created Under Yazoo Clay to explore family histories like artist Noah Saterstrom’s and to shed light on the treatment—and too often, erasure—of individuals living with mental illness. Through the stories uncovered by the Asylum Hill Project, the Museum sought to raise awareness of the Mississippi State Asylum’s legacy and to highlight how artists can use their work to confront difficult histories and honor forgotten lives.As mental health becomes an increasingly vital cultural conversation, the project aligns closely with the Museum’s mission to connect Mississippi to the world through art and community. Listener response has been deeply positive, affirming Under Yazoo Clay as a powerful example of how storytelling and sound can extend the reach and impact of museum work.