First stop of three-day event will be in Natchez
NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Mississippi
Humanities Council wants to know what freedom means to you.
“After
celebrating Juneteenth and our nation’s independence this year, it’s clear that
freedom is unique to all of us,” said John Spann, program and outreach officer
for MHC. “Is there any common ground on the meaning of the term?”
MHC is asking the question, “What
does freedom mean to you?” in a three-part Ideas on Tap series, which it fondly
calls the Freedom Tour.
“We are taking the program to
Natchez, Columbus, and Jackson,” said Spann. “We have created a panel for each
conversation to address what freedom means through various lenses, like
immigration, African Americans, LGBTQ, and women.”
Guests are invited to share
their perspectives of freedom and how they understand the term differently,
Spann said. He noted the series is part MHC’s More Perfect Union initiative, which
seeks to honor the Mississippians that challenged America and this state to
provide freedom and justice for all.
The first stop of the tour will
be on Monday, July 25, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Natchez Brewing Company at 207
High St. The second stop will be in Columbus at the
Columbus Arts Council, July 26 from 5:30-7 p.m., and the final stop will be in
Jackson at the Cultivation Food Hall, August 1 at 5:30-7 p.m.
In Natchez, the panel will
consist of Kathleen Bond of the National Park Service, Roscoe Barnes III of
Visit Natchez, and John Grady Burns. Spann will moderate the conversation.
“The Council is excited to host
our first program of the series in Natchez,” Spann said. “The rich history the
city has, plus the historic sites like the Forks of the Road and the John Banks
House offer a great backdrop to the topic of freedom.”
Each program is free to the
public. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided. For more details, contact John Spann,
program and outreach officer at 601-432-6752 or by email at jspann@mhc.state.ms.us.