Members of Natchez civil rights committee visit Bogalusa for unveiling of civil rights marker

Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee members Roscoe Barnes III, left, and Robert Pernell, far right, recently visited Bogalusa, La., for the unveiling of a civil rights trail marker by Louisiana Lieutenant Gov. Billy Nungesser.

BOGALUSA, La. -- Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee members Roscoe Barnes III and Robert Pernell recently visited Bogalusa, La., for the unveiling of a civil rights trail marker at the Robert “Bob” Hicks house. The event was held by Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of tourism.

Bogalusa, a city in Washington Parish, played an important role in the fight for freedom and justice, according to Barnes. Hick’s house served as a command center for the Deacons and other groups in the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

While visiting the small Louisiana community, Barnes and Pernell met with the city’s mayor and former civil rights activists, including one of the oldest living Deacons, who was 97. They also spoke with the lieutenant governor about Natchez’s listing on the Mississippi Freedom Trail.

“When we mentioned our plans for an unveiling before the year is out, the lieutenant governor handed us his business card and said, ‘Be sure to invite me,’” Barnes reported.

“It was important for us to meet the local citizens, the civil rights workers, and the elected officials of Louisiana,” said Pernell. “Their ceremony was amazing and well-attended. We wanted to see how they managed this special event. At the same time, we wanted to invite them to join us for the dedication of our Freedom Trail marker later this year.”

Mississippi Native Thomas J. Warren Picked to Design Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument

Agreement supported by Natchez Board of Aldermen
 

#NatchezUSCT

Thomas J. Warren
Warren Sculpture Studios Inc.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee has chosen Rolling Forks native Thomas J. Warren of Warren Sculpture Studios Inc., in Rogue River, Oregon, to lead the design phase of its monument project.
 
Warren, who has 36 years of experience working on sculptures and monument designs, said he welcomes the opportunity to work on the Natchez project.
 
“I am very excited about working on the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument design,” he said Thursday. “I can’t wait to get back to my home state of Mississippi to visit with the community and stakeholders to learn what they want to see in this important monument to American heroes.”
 
Warren will soon visit Natchez as part of his research. He will meet with supporters and others with a vested interest in the project. He will, among other things, create a conceptual and schematic design for the monument, according to Robert Pernell, chairman of the Natchez USCT Monument Committee.
 
Pernell said the selection of Warren is another major step in the committee’s progress to honor more than 3,000 African American men who served at Fort McPherson during the Civil War.
 
“We’re getting closer and closer to our goal,” Pernell said. “We’re sharing this recent news so that we can keep the public, our supporters, and elected officials informed of our progress. Our aim is to be transparent.”
 
The committee’s selection of Warren received support Tuesday, Aug. 23, from the Natchez Board of Aldermen, following a presentation by Pernell and Lance Harris, chairman of the Monument Design Subcommittee.
 
Speaking after the meeting, Harris said that he and members of his subcommittee are happy that the full committee, including the city of Natchez, support working with Warren Studios. “I’m excited to begin work on this first phase of this project,” he said.
 
Harris explained that at the end of the project, “we will have a conceptual design and schematic design, as well as cost estimation that can be used for fundraising efforts as we get ready for the next phase.”
 
Mayor Dan Gibson said he was impressed by Warren’s previous work.
 
“We are so pleased by the unanimous selection of this outstanding Mississippi artisan,” he said. “Mr. Warren’s portfolio of past projects speaks to his talent and passion, especially in the area of celebrating the African American history of our country. This will be a monument all can take pride in.”
 
Warren is a graduate of Mississippi College. He has created 53 public art works in 20 states and Canada. His past works have included monuments of Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, John Lewis, among other historic figures.
 
Earlier this year, the committee chose the Natchez Bluff, at the corner of Madison and Broadway streets, as the site for the proposed USCT monument.
 
In a unanimous vote in March, the Natchez Board of Aldermen approved the location contingent upon approval of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Natchez Preservation Commission.
 
Pernell, who formerly chaired the committee for the Parchman Ordeal monument, said he is grateful to his subcommittees and chairs who have worked hard on the USCT Monument Project. “I am proud of them, and I appreciate their contributions, which have allowed us to reach this phase of the project,” he said.
 
A community meeting on the monument design will be held sometime between the end of September and the beginning of October, according to Harris.
 
For more information on the Natchez USCT Monument Project, visit NatchezUSCTMonument.com. The works of Warren Studios can be viewed at warrensculpture.com.

NAPAC museum awarded minigrant for ‘Map of Civil Rights Sites in Natchez’

Publication will feature more than 50 sites that played significant roles in the Natchez movement

Protestors at Adams County Courthouse during civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Photo courtesy of Historic Natchez Foundation

  

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The Mississippi Humanities Council recently awarded $1,450.00 through a minigrant to Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture for the creation of a map on the civil rights movement in Natchez.

 
The map will be a joint project between the museum and the Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee, according to Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez. He said the working title of the publication is “Map of the Civil Rights Sites in Natchez, Mississippi.”
 
Barnes, who also chairs the NCRTC, said the map will be published as a full-color brochure. In addition to photographs, it will include an annotated list of more than 50 sites that played a significant role in the Natchez movement, he said. Design and printing will be done by Catherine Murray of Murray Printing.
 
“This is another milestone and special gift to the city of Natchez,” said NCRT member Robert Pernell. “This will allow visitors, as well as our local citizens, to literally trace the routes of the Natchez movement and see the sites that made a difference in our history.”
 
Mayor Dan Gibson said the map will help to tell the full story of Natchez’s history.
 
“This is great news for Natchez,” he said. “These grant funds will help greatly in our efforts to better tell the entire history of Natchez to include commemorating our African American historic sites. Many thanks to Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, Visit Natchez, Bobby Dennis, the Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee, and NAPAC for making this happen.”
 
NAPAC stands for Natchez Association for the Preservation of African American Culture, the agency that operates the African American museum.
 
The listed sites were identified by Historic Natchez Foundation. Local residents, including former civil rights activists and their family members, also contributed to the project.
 
Barnes noted the homes of several civil rights leaders and activists in the movement will be listed, including the homes of NAACP Treasurer Wharlest Jackson Sr. and NAACP President George Metcalfe. The home of Nellie Jackson, aka “Mississippi Madam,” will also be included, as will the homes of Mary Lee Toles, Forrest Johnson, Mayor John Nosser, Marjorie Baroni, Jessie B. Williams, Alderman Theodore West, and Mamie Lee Green Mazique, among others.
 
Other noteworthy sites are the government buildings that played a role in the movement. They consist of the Adams County Courthouse, Natchez City Hall, and Natchez City Auditorium. Churches, parks, and commercial buildings will also be shown.
 
“This map will be a convenient tool and handy resource for anyone to learn more about the civil rights movement in Natchez,” said Bobby Dennis, executive director of the museum. “We really appreciate this assistance from the Mississippi Humanities Council.”
 
Earlier this year, Natchez was approved to be listed on the Mississippi Freedom Trail by the Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi. This approved designation, which comes with a historical marker, means the city will also be listed on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
 
Barnes said the map will serve as a supplement to the Mississippi Freedom Trail marker that is set to be dedicated this year at 9 St. Catherine St., the site of former NAACP Headquarters, which is commonly known as the Dr. John Banks House.

Opinion: Promoting Natchez's Rich Cultural Heritage

An overview of my work as cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

#VisitNatchez

This essay appeared in the Aug. 24, 2022 issue of The Natchez Democrat (Natchez, Miss.)

Top of the Morning 

Promoting Natchez’s Rich Cultural Heritage

A local man asked me about Visit Natchez and my work as the cultural heritage tourism manager. Specifically, he wanted to know what my job entailed. In a nutshell, I told him, I do a little bit of everything that’s related to the city’s cultural history. Then I gave him three things to consider, which I summarized as follows:

 
1. I work with individuals and institutions to help them discover their story. This includes researching their rich cultural heritage.
 
2. I assist them in telling their story. This includes writing, publication, and preservation.
 
3. I assist them in promoting their story. Promotion, as we all know, is essential.
 
This list did not cover my entire job description, but it gave him an idea about the nature of my work. That said, I want to give a brief overview of some of the things I’ve done over the past year, beginning with the museums.
 
We’ve been working with The Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, The Dr. John Banks House, and the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture aka NAPAC Museum. Last year, we assisted all three of them in writing grants that resulted in more than $30,000 being awarded by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
 
I write press releases about Natchez history and cultural events on a regular basis. These press reports appear in local, regional, and sometimes national publications. Last December, I wrote a press release about the “Black Butterfly” exhibit at NAPAC Museum that was picked up by the Associated Press. As a result, the story went national. The same story later appeared in Today in Mississippi Magazine.
 
I also pitch ideas to national publications. Last year, for example, I sent a query letter about the Rhythm Night Club to Good Grit Magazine. The editor assigned me to write a 1,500-word article, which I did. It was published in the May 2022 issue of the magazine. In April this year, Bobby Dennis and I co-authored an article about NAPAC Museum for Arkansas Review journal.
 
In my efforts to promote tourism, I also travel to pitch ideas to tourism professionals. Earlier this year, I attended the African American Tourism Conference in Topeka, Kansas. There, I got to speak with 40 contacts in the travel industry.
 
One exciting part of my job is community engagement through public speaking and volunteer work on various committees. I serve on the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee, where I chair the Marketing/PR Subcommittee. In this role, my team and I have produced press releases, created a Facebook group, designed a website, and assisted with fundraising projects.
 
Additionally, I’m part of the Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee. And I’m happy to say that this committee succeeded in having Natchez listed on the Mississippi Freedom Trail and the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
 
In sharing these milestones, I must admit that none of them would have been possible without the support of the Visit Natchez team and our partners.
 
In closing, I want to borrow a concept from Robert Fulghum, author of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” In my case, I can honestly say that some of the things I know about tourism, I learned in my childhood. As a kid growing up in the Mississippi Delta, my friends and I would hunt for buried treasure. Whenever we found something of interest, we would call out to everybody and say, “Hey guys! Come see what I found.”
 
That is what I’m doing today. When I find a good story or an enchanting piece of history, I call out to people everywhere and say, “Come see what I found. Come and see what Natchez has to offer.”
 
Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D. is the cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.
 

How F.F. Bosworth Prayed Before Each of His Salvation-Healing Campaigns

His handwritten prayers were found inside the pages of his Bible following his death in 1958

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind “Christ the Healer”
Copyright © 2022
 
#FFBosworth
#TLOsborn

This photo was taken at a FGBMFI meeting in Miami, Florida. Left to right are Raymond T. Richey, Texas; F.F. Bosworth, Florida; Demos Shakarian, California. Photo: Full Gospel Men’s Voice Magazine

When F.F. Bosworth died in 1958, he left handwritten notes inside his Bible that contained the content of his prayers before each of his great salvation and healing revivals in Africa, Cuba and Japan. These prayers were presented and published by T. L. Osborn in the May 1958 issue of the Full Gospel Men’s Voice magazine.

In his article, “He Prayed Earnestly for Himself,” Osborn suggested, “Great men, who have really known God, have known the excellency of prayer.” He continued with this comment: “A man may preach eloquently, he may lecture on a sound doctrinal basis, but it is when he prays that he unveils what he really is. It is then that he reveals how intimately or ow vaguely he is actually acquainted with Deity.”

Bosworth’s prayers reveal a man of faith who looked to God for healing, guidance, compassion, and great manifestations of divine power. His prayers were infused with Scripture. Using simple, childlike petitions, he asked the Lord to reveal Himself through his preaching and through the gift of prophecy. He requested power over the forces of darkness in “every service.” He asked to bring light, inspiration, and revelation through his messages. Bosworth prayed that God would anoint his lips so that his preaching of God’s word would heal the sick and break the power of demons.

The prayers reveal a man of humility who was also confident in the faithfulness of his Father. The prayers are direct. They focus on multiples aspects of ministry and life in general.

There was, however, one request that stood out: “Lord, be the strength of my physical heart as long as you are willing to let me serve on earth.” During his final years, Bosworth suffered from diabetes and congestive heart failure. One wonders if this prayer referred to his medical condition at the time.

Osborn closed his article with this beautiful statement: “These prayers of F.F. Bosworth reveal the most sublime acquaintance and communion which existed between this patriarch of faith and the Father.”

NOTE: This article and other issues of Full Gospel Men's Voice magazine can be viewed at ORU's Digital Showcase available here or by following this link: https://digitalshowcase.oru.edu/voice/

------------------

The Life of F.F. Bosworth and His Ministry
Will Count for Time and Eternity, Because

He Prayed Earnestly for Himself!

 

It is when men and women pray that they reveal what they know, or do not know, about faith.

By T.L. Osborn

 
The most sacred chapter, perhaps, in the entire Bible, is the Seventh Chapter of John. It is the prayer and communion which flowed from the heart of Christ to the heart of the Father, during the Last Supper.

Previous to this, He had given us what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” No one has been able to unfold the depths and riches of this short prayer.
 
One of the most sacred themes in Scripture is the subject of prayer and the prayers therein.
 
Great men, who have really known God, have known the excellency of prayer.
 
A man may preach eloquently, he may lecture on a sound doctrinal basis, but it is when he prays that he unveils what he really is. It is then that he reveals how intimately or how vaguely he is actually acquainted with Deity.
 
The following prayers were found in the Bible of F.F. Bosworth, after he recently passed to his reward. They were carefully written in his own handwriting, with this notation accompanying them: “My wholehearted prayers for myself during the day, before every night service while in Africa, Cuba and Japan. F.F. Bosworth.”
 

*          *          *

Do “abundantly above all I ask or think” according to the power that worketh in me.
 
Let Thy glory be seen in me while I preach.

Fill me with Thy compassion for the people while I preach to them.

Work in me “to will and to do Thy good pleasure.”
 
Make me Thy voice – Thy transmitter to the people.

Create in me the suitable emotions which the truth I preach deserves.
 
Make me “more than a conqueror” in all things while I am preaching.
 
Make me strong in the grace that is Christ while I am preaching.
 
While I am preaching, manifest the gift of prophecy.
 
Let my preaching be “by the glory of the Father” and “in the likeness of His resurrection.”
 
Give me “power over all the power of the enemy” in every service.

Exhibit in me the virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
 
Make known to me and through me “what is the riches of the glory of the mystery” – “Christ in me the hope of glory.”
 
May my preaching be “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”

Lord, be the strength of my physical heart a long as you are willing to let me serve on earth.

Quicken my mortal flesh every day.

In my weakness let Thy strength be made perfect.
 
Manifest in me and through me the quietness, the unshaken faith, and the deep peace that pervades the Godhead.

Fill me with the love that “believeth all things.”

Give me the Spirit to worship while I am preaching.

Give me new and direct inspiration and revelation while I am preaching.
 
Father, let Thy Word in my lips become Your living, life-saving, faith-producing, inspiring voice.

Let Thy Word in my lips heal the sick and break the power of demons.
 
Let it be Thy Word in my mouth that “cannot return unto Thee void.”
 
Lord help me to be under Thy full control tonight.

Let there flow from me “rivers of living water.”
 
Make me as much like Jesus as possible.

Give me the joy of descending thoughts – the thoughts poured in from above. Let heaven light up my lips.
 
Tonight exhibit not only Thy goodness but Thy greatness.

 Let Thy infinite mind think through my finite mind and cause me to share the ideas and powers which rule the universe. Harmonize my life with Thy mind and Thy will.
 

*          *          *

 
These prayers of F.F. Bosworth reveal the most sublime acquaintance and communion which existed between this patriarch of faith and the Father. They are brought forth from his Bible and sent forth to the world in the belief that they will profoundly influence the prayers and lives of multitudes through the earth!
  

Related article:

T.L. Osborn's Farewell to His Mentor, F.F. Bosworth: Tribute published in March 1958 issue of 'Full Gospel Men’s Voice' magazine. See here.
 

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Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code (all caps): BOSWORTH25.
 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Want to know more

about F.F. Bosworth?

Follow the "Bosworth Matters" blog!

Start here:

ffbosworth.strikingly.com

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters

B.B. Bosworth’s Death Certificate

Unexpected news related to his passing

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind “Christ the Healer”
Copyright © 2022
 
#FFBosworth

#BBBosworth

Evangelist B.B. Bosworth    

(1887 - 1958)

Burton Brydia “B.B.” Bosworth, the younger brother of Fred Francis “F.F.” Bosworth, died on Feb. 17, 1958, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. at the age of 70. His death was caused by respiratory medullary failure, according to his death certificate. The medulla is the respiratory control center of the brain. According to one medical professional (my niece) who reviewed this document, "he had a stroke to the medulla area of the brain, which controls the involuntary respiratory actions which caused respiratory failure."

Burton’s death occurred only a few weeks after the passing of Fred, who died on Jan. 23, 1958.

According to the death certificate, Burton suffered from pleural effusion or water on the lungs, for eight to 12 weeks. For 20 years, he suffered from arteriosclerotic heart disease. Burton also had diabetes mellitus and influenza. Members of the Bosworth family confirmed years ago that both of the Bosworth brothers suffered from diabetes.

For many years, Burton and Fred held revival meetings that attracted thousands of people. Many who attended the meetings reported healings and miracles in answer to prayer. Oswald J. Smith, who personally participated in some of the meetings, said, “The lame are walking, the deaf are hearing, the cancers are gone – these things no one can deny.”

 

In my article, “B.B. Bosworth: Unsung Hero of Divine Healing Revival Meetings,” posted on Oct. 24, 2020, I mentioned the tribute to Burton and his brother that was written in the Alliance Witness. Shortly after their passing, the magazine reported “there were many unusual instances of divine healing" in the meetings held by the Bosworth Brothers.

Related article:

F.F. Bosworth's Death Certificate

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Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code (all caps): BOSWORTH25.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Want to know more

about F.F. Bosworth?

Follow the "Bosworth Matters" blog!

Start here:

ffbosworth.strikingly.com 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters