U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson announces Open House for Natchez office

U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is inviting the public to the official opening of his Natchez District Office at 208 Lynda Lee Drive, according to Jacqueline Marsaw, Thompson’s case worker and field director who manages his local office.
 
An Open House will be held at the office from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, July 21. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
 
In a promotional flyer for the event, Thompson invites the public to “come out to visit my new office” and meet Marsaw, his field representative for Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Wilkinson counties.
 
Thompson represents Mississippi’s Second Congressional District, which includes much of western Mississippi. He is serving his 13th term and is considered “the longest-serving African American elected official in the State of Mississippi and the lone Democrat in the Mississippi Congressional Delegation,” according to his website.
 
For more information, contact Ashley Shelby at 601-946-9003 or at ashley.shelby@mail.house.gov

#BennieThompson #CongressmanBennieThompson #OpenHouse

Humanities Council is a friend of Natchez

This column appears on the op-ed page (4A) of The Natchez Democrat (June 14, 2023).

Humanities Council is a friend of Natchez

 By Roscoe Barnes III

The theme song for the NBC show, “Golden Girls,” begins with the words, “Thank you for being a friend. Travel down the road and back again. Your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant.”

As corny as these words may seem, they express the gratitude that I have for Mississippi Humanities Council and its contributions to Natchez. The council has been a friend, but even more, it has been an essential partner to Natchez, helping us to grow as we strive to tell our full history.

The council has provided many opportunities for our institutions to succeed in their areas of expertise. These institutions are telling stories, providing lectures, having dialogue, and discovering history that is preserved, presented, and publicized throughout the year. This is all being done, in part, by the resources provided by the council.

The success is no surprise when you consider the council’s mission, which is to “create opportunities for Mississippians to learn about themselves and the larger world and enrich communities through civil conversations about their history and culture.”

Just recently, the council and its board members paid a visit to Natchez for a two-day retreat. They met on Thursday and Friday, June 8 and 9, at Historic Natchez Foundation. During their stay, they conducted business and dined at local restaurants. They also toured some of our historical sites, such as Melrose, Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, and the Dr. John Banks House, where they held a reception.

Over the years, Dr. Stuart Rockoff, the council’s executive director, and his team have been staunch supporters of Historic Natchez Foundation, Natchez Historical Society, Visit Natchez, and Natchez National Historical Park. They also support the annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. But that isn’t all. In 2021 and 2022, the council approved six grants for three of our museums.

Here's a list of other things the council has done over the last two years in its support of Natchez:

* In August 2021, John Spann, the council’s program and outreach officer, came to Natchez and spent the day meeting with the staff of Visit Natchez and directors of three museums: Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, and the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture.

* Spann returned in July 2022 to lead a symposium on the subject of “Freedom.” The event drew a large audience.

* In May 2022, the council, along with Visit Mississippi, approved our application to have Natchez listed on the Mississippi Freedom Trail and the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

* In October 2022, Rockoff spoke at the monthly meeting of the Natchez Historical Society, where he gave a talk on the Jewish history of Mississippi.

* In 2022, the council brought the traveling Smithsonian exhibit “Voices & Votes: Democracy in America” to Co-Lin in Natchez.

* The council also provides support through its Speakers Bureau, of which our very own Jeremy Houston and Galen Mark LaFrancis are members.

This list does not include the webinars, Zoom calls, and phone calls the council used to provide guidance on grant funding.

As noted on its website, the council is “a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi.”

By supporting us in our efforts to promote the humanities here in southwest Mississippi, the council is doing what it does best, which is exactly what it was created to do.

In the book of Proverbs, we’re told, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (ESV). Mississippi Humanities Council, I’m happy to say, has been and continues to be such a friend.

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Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is the cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.

Natchez is a great place to celebrate Juneteenth

This essay appeared on the op-ed page (4A) of The Natchez Democrat (June 2, 2023)

By Roscoe Barnes III

Natchez is a great place to celebrate Juneteenth

If you want to celebrate Juneteenth – and learn more about African American history, then Natchez is the perfect place to begin your journey.

Natchez is home to many sites related to Black History along the Mississippi River. The sites include historical structures, museums, markers, and tour guides that present the history of chattel slavery and the Civil War. Over 52 sites in Natchez played a role in the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Now you can tour these areas and learn about the city’s history that is a vital part of its cultural legacy.

Of course, you can also attend the special events held in recognition of Juneteenth. I’ll say more about these events, but first, a little background on this holiday.

Juneteenth is short for “June 19th.” It is one of the oldest known holidays commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The date has been called “Freedom Day” and “Liberation Day.” The reason is that on June 19, 1865, U.S. General Gordon Granger and federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to ensure the freedom of all enslaved men, women, and children in that region.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, to free most, but not all of the enslaved people in the rebellious southern states.  However, in portions of Texas, it would be two-and-half years later – two months after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered – before the enslaved people were actually released from forced servitude.

Freedom for the enslaved people in Natchez came on July 13, 1863, nine days after the U.S, victory at Vicksburg. When Union troops arrived by steamboat Under the Hill and occupied Natchez, it was a defining moment in the city’s history.

“For nearly 100 years the dominant narrative at Vicksburg was that the 4th of July was about Confederate suffering,” said Dr. David Slay, chief of interpretation at Natchez National Historical Park, in a recent interview. “The hardships endured by the Confederate defenders were almost Christological in the retelling. But the truth is, the 4th of July in Vicksburg and July 13th in Natchez were days of celebration for a large portion, if not the outright majority, of the population.”

People commemorate Juneteenth in many ways. Some celebrate with parades, music, and food, while others pay homage via art and history tours. For many, it’s about education and gratitude and strength for life’s journey.

This year, several exciting events will be held in Natchez in recognition of Juneteenth. They include:

* Juneteenth African American Tours offered Saturday through Wednesday, June 17-21. Rev’s Country Tours will provide special tours that focus on African American history.

* Legends Celebration 2023 Concert: A Musical Tribute for Juneteenth set for 6:30 p.m., Saturday, June 17, at the City Auditorium. The entertainers represent a wide range of Mississippi music including gospel, blues, R&B and jazz with performances by local and other well-known artists.

* Jazzin on the Vine: A Black Artist Art Exhibit will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, June 19, at Concord Quarters courtyard side. The exhibit will feature an array of visual art that includes drawings, paintings, photography, sculptures, and readings by two poets.

* Film “Women of the Struggle: Facing Fear in the Civil Rights Era” will be shown at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. The film chronicles the lives of women in Mississippi who overcame their fears in the fight for freedom and justice.

In closing, I’m reminded of a comment by novelist Pearl S. Buck, who said, “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.” This is true and especially so when we think about Juneteenth.

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Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is the cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.

#Juneteenth #VisitNatchez #NatchezCulturalLegacy #Juneteenth2023 #CivilWar #Emancipation #FreedomDay #BlackHistory