Bobby Dennis to Give Talk on Natchez History in Program at Alcorn State University

Event hosted by Southwest MS Center for Culture and Learning

By Roscoe Barnes III

#VisitNatchez

Bobby Dennis, Executive Director
Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture

LORMAN, Miss. – The public is invited to a special program on the history of African Americans and Natchez that will take place Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, at Alcorn State University, Lorman Campus.

 
Bobby Dennis, executive director of the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture, will be the guest speaker. His presentation, “The African American and Natchez: First 100 Years,” will be given at 1 p.m. in the Medgar Evers Auditorium in the J.D. Boyd Library.
 
Dennis is a 1975 graduate of Alcorn. A native of Natchez, he previously worked as an optician, a position he held for 30 years. Dennis said he looks forward to returning to his alma mater to talk about the history of his hometown.
 
The event, which is hosted by the Southwest MS Center for Culture & Learning, will be “interesting and informative,” according to Teresa A. Busby, the Center’s executive director. She said the Center is proud to host Dennis and to hear his presentation.
 
“People are often surprised to hear that there were free Africans in Natchez during the first 100 years, or during the Colonial Period,” Busby said. “Telling all of our history is important to the preservation of our cultural heritage, and we are excited to have Mr. Dennis share this very important information with us.”
 
According to the school’s website, the mission of the Center is “to celebrate culture, creativity and community.” To this end, it “serves as a resource for identifying, preserving, and communicating the rich history, vibrant culture, and cherished traditions of the region.”

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Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Manager at Visit Natchez.