The Student Printz is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month, extending our well wishes to the Southern Miss community and beyond. This month, we highlight the late Lura Gibbons-Currier, the first female editor of The Student Printz, for her significant contributions to journalism and library services.
Lura Gibbons-Currier was born in Erie, Kansas, in 1912. Due to her father’s career, her family frequently moved across the country. In 1937, Gibbons-Currier graduated from Mississippi State Teachers College—now known as the University of Southern Mississippi—with a bachelor’s degree in English. She later attended Texas Woman's University, where she earned a second bachelor’s degree in library science in 1940.
Gibbons-Currier's career took her to Washington, D.C., where she worked in library public relations before moving to Mississippi in 1950. She served with the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) until 1967, playing a pivotal role in desegregating the state’s library system. During her tenure, she oversaw the opening of 70 libraries across Mississippi, and by the time of her resignation, she had successfully desegregated 70% of the state’s libraries.
After her time with the MLC, Gibbons-Currier moved to Washington state, where she became the director of the Pacific Northwest Bibliographic Center. In 1977, she returned to Mississippi and continued working in local libraries until her death in 1983.
In the spring of 1937, Gibbons-Currier became the 11th editor of The Student Printz, just before her graduation. Since her tenure, 37 women have served in leadership roles at USM’s student newspaper, including editor, editor-in-chief, or editorial director. Most recently, Abigail Troth held the position from 2022 to 2024.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, The Student Printz salutes the historic contributions of women in journalism, communications, and across the Southern Miss community.
