▼ A VISION REALIZED: THE FOUNDING OF THE MENNONITE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY IN BURKE COUNTY, GEORGIA, 1968-1974 (140pp.) Advisor: Dr. Leslie A. Heaphy Before 1968, Burke County, Georgia, was void of a lasting Mennonite presence until visionary and dairy farmer, James Landis left the comforts of a large Mennonite church within the Virginia Conference of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and moved south with interest in starting a new Mennonite community. Previous to 1968, the Church of God in Christ Mennonites attempted a settlement in Burke County but their interest soon waned due to lack of leadership. Knowledge of this failed attempt propelled James Landis to ensure his pioneering attempt would be successful. The Mennonite community's growth within Burke County, Georgia, came about partially as a result of the formation of Vision Venture Inc., a corporation that purchased farms and went into partnership with young farmers until they were financially secure. The founding of the church, supported by the Virginia Conference, was more of a challenge for James Landis. Conference policies temporarily blocked the formation of a church in Burke County and threatened to divide the group. After several years of fruitless efforts by the group, Virginia Conference approved the formation of a church in Burke County. This thesis tells the story of the formation of the church: its beginning, the method by which church leaders were ordained and how church structure was decided upon. It is the goal of the author that after reading this thesis the reader will have a better understand of Mennonite church culture, values, and how they work together as a community. Advisors/Committee Members: Heaphy, Leslie.

▼ Music is a global phenomenon. It exists in every culture on the planet in a myriad of forms. But music is more than just a human hobby. It is a cultural magnifying glass. It is through music that the stories of a people; their history and philosophies, are displayed. It is through this performance that a culture can be understood. Without a peoples' stories, their past is incomplete and often misunderstood. The American Blues: Men, Myths, and Motifs explores Southern African-American life after Reconstruction predominantly through primary sources that are often overlooked, such as W. C. Handy and John Lomax, along with the Blues musicians themselves. The South, from the lumber mills of Eastern Texas to the cotton fields of Mississippi, a new American culture had emerged; a nascent world on display. Their music was dominated by Rhythm and Blues, a style with origins in both Africa and Europe. It is from the Blues that the frugally documented African-American South can be understood. This thesis uses the lyrics, biographies, and interviews of some of the greatest storytellers, and African-American oral historians called griots like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, and Robert Johnson, in an attempt to understand the culture of the people and places these musicians sang and spoke about. The American Blues delves into the lives of musicians, the histories of their enslaved kin, and the music that both showcased their past, as well as their mythologies and philosophies. Through this research of folklore, lyrics, and histories the early American South can truly be seen. Advisors/Committee Members: Heaphy, Leslie.