Vincent Venturini

Vince is a native of Jackson Mississippi. He attended St. Therese's Elementary School on McDowell Road in south Jackson. In 1971 he graduated from St. Joseph High School. Vince has degrees from Mississippi State University (BA), the University of Southern Mississippi (MSW) and the University of Alabama (Ph.D.) Dr. Venturini taught at Mississippi Valley State University for 28 years where he served at various times as the Chair of Social Work and as the Associate Provost of the University. He also taught post retirement at Jackson State University. Since his retirement he has been writing local histories. His first book, "One Direction Home: A History of South Jackson" (co-authored with the late Doug Shanks has to date sold nearly 1700 copies. His second book covered downtown and west Jackson. His new book is based upon the diary kept by a teenage Jackson girl during the Battle of Jackson (May 1863) and the Siege of Jackson (July 1863). Vince combines her story with local history to show the hardships young Belle endured. Currently, Vince is writing a history of Social Work in Mississippi. He works out of his home in Ridgeland.