NATCHEZ VISIT: New director of Two Museums brings staff to Natchez

By Roscoe Barnes III
Special to The Natchez Democrat
 

Robert Pernell, center, who chaired the Proud to Take a Stand Monument committee, tells the story of the Parchman Ordeal.

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Note: This story was published on the front page of the Aug. 30, 2023, issue of The Natchez Democrat.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Michael Morris, the new director of the Two Museums in Jackson, visited Natchez on Monday with eight members of his staff from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The team spent the day discussing history while touring historical sites that included Jefferson College, Forks of the Road, the Proud to Take a Stand Monument, and the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.

“Although the museums cover much of Mississippi's past, we encourage tourists to visit the places across the state where history happened,” said Morris. “I thought it was important for the museum staff to be able to speak from experience when they describe to visitors, for example, the Forks of the Road site or the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.”

Morris noted, “It's also important to understand that these places did not save themselves—there are individuals who have dedicated their lives to preserving these sacred places for the future generations to appreciate. We will continue this tradition, started by my predecessor Pamela D.C. Junior, of visiting historic sites across the state throughout the year, but I thought it was important we began in Natchez.”

Morris’ team included Ayana Jones, museum educator; Sarah Grantham, director of student learning; Drew Gardner, director of family and community learning; Luis Montgomery, museum educator and outreach assistant; Dorian Pridgen, museums administrator; Shalynn Smith, gallery assistant; Shamira Maxie, gallery assistant; Jerry Knight, museum educator.

Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez, participated in the tours throughout the day. Mayor Dan Gibson welcomed the team at the Grand Village.

“We in Natchez are so very grateful for all that the Mississippi Department of Archives and History does for our state – and having Michael Morris, a longtime friend of Natchez, and now executive director of Mississippi’s Two Museums, has indeed been an honor,” Gibson said.

“Mr. Morris and his staff members serve at the epicenter of the telling of Mississippi civil rights history, and our state’s overall history as well, and what better place for them to experience this history up close and personal than in Natchez.”

Mayor Dan Gibson, left, and Two Museums Director Michael Morris have a chat during visit to the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.

The MDAH visit began with a tour of Jefferson College. It was led by Phillip Williams, site maintenance manager of the Grand Village and Jefferson College, and Morris.

The team followed this visit with a tour of Forks of the Road, where Kathleen Bond, superintendent of the Natchez National Historical Park, presented the history of the site that included an overview of Natchez’s early history dating back to the French and Native Americans.

Bond praised Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-Clifford M. Boxley for his work in educating the public about the enslavement market history - and the US Colored Troops history - at Forks of the Road. She called Ser Boxley  “the godfather of this site” who worked over 20 years to interpret and help preserve its place in history. The site, which she described as “a site of conscience … like the Holocaust [sites],” is now part of the Natchez National Historical Park.

In discussing future plans for the new park site, Bond stated that the land-acquisition phase will end in 2024 when formal planning will begin, and public meetings will be held to gather input.

After having lunch at The Guest House, the team visited the Proud to Take a Stand Monument, where Robert Pernell gave a talk on the civil rights movement. Pernell, who chaired the Proud to Take a Stand monument committee, described how hundreds of people from the Black community in Natchez and Adams County were wrongfully incarcerated in October 1965 for standing up for basic civil rights and voting rights. 

About 150 were bused to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, where they were humiliated, punished, and abused for several days. The protestors became known as survivors of “The Parchman Ordeal.”

Morris and his team’s last stop was the Grand Village. There, they met Grand Village Historian Becky Anderson and Sales Shop Manager Janice Sago. After watching a short film about the history of the Natchez Indians, the team heard a presentation by Anderson that included stories about Natchez Indians’ ancestors and culture in Southwest Mississippi, and what became of them. She also led the team outside the museum to discuss the history of the mounds on the Grand Village property.

Morris said that he and his staff enjoyed the day’s experience. “Staff members were grateful to visit places they've heard department leaders discuss extensively like Jefferson College,” he said. “I think they were able to understand the challenges and why MDAH is placing so much effort into creating a long-term preservation plan for these sites. Most importantly, they very much enjoyed the food.”

Home with Heroes: Military museum seeking items for display

Story appeared on front page of The Natchez Democrat
(Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023)
 
By Roscoe Barnes III
Special to The Natchez Democrat

G. Mark LaFrancis, director of Military Museum and Veterans Welcome Center, which is sponsored by the Home with Heroes Foundation Inc.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The director of Natchez’s only Military Museum and Veterans Welcome Center is asking the public for military memorabilia to display in its new home at 107 Jefferson Davis Blvd.
 
"The Military Museum and Veterans' Welcome Center fulfill a dream we have had with the Home With Heroes Foundation," said G. Mark LaFrancis, museum director and president of the foundation. "In a way, it's a gift to the community, especially the veterans' community. We will display many, many donated and loaned items, quite a few are from local residents and veterans. Also, we have the 'Try Me On' section to allow young visitors to dress up as military individuals."
 
LaFrancis said he’s looking for military artifacts and keepsakes that include such things as combat boots, caps, helmets, gloves, military shoes, web belts, canteens, military pictures with frames, art work. He's also looking for models of military aircraft, ships, and tanks. He would also like to have a globe on display, he said.
 
Items may be shared with the museum as donations for permanent exhibits or as a loan for temporary display, LaFrancis said.
 
A grand opening is planned for October.
 
“We have big plans for when we go forward,” LaFrancis said. “We will have many exciting and important programs for the community. We now have a recognizable home, a place where we can help our veterans and their loved ones.”
 
LaFrancis said the museum is not just a place to see, but a place where people of all ages can come and learn about veterans and military service.
 
"Prize possessions include a massive display of original G.I. Joe figures, a patriotic quilt made by the folks of the Natchez Quilting Guild, and the original welder's mask of Mary Baroni Warren, who welded on ships and planes on the coast during World War II,” LaFrancis said. “I anticipate veterans will be on hand to greet people and to take advantage of their own welcome and information center, a first of its kind in the region."
 
One of the exhibits, “The Wall of Remembrance,” features photographs of 75 military personnel from Mississippi who were killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan.
 
"We want visitors and veterans to feel at home in our museum and center, and to learn about the tremendous contribution veterans have made to our community and nation," LaFrancis added.
 
In addition to dozens of exhibits in the new location, the museum will host authors, speakers, and movies at other locations in Natchez. Two upcoming movies include:
 
* “The Hello Girls” (2018), which tells the story of the 223 women the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent to France in 1918 as telephone operators to help win the Great War. “Hello Girls” was the informal name for the American women who served as switchboard operators.
 
* “Six Triple Eight” (2023), which dramatizes the story of the 855 Black women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion who cleared a three-year backlog of undelivered mail. They helped to deliver more than 17 million pieces of mail near the end of the war. Film is directed by Tyler Perry.
 
As a Welcome Center, the museum will assist veterans by seeking to answer their questions and provide them with information on veteran benefits and other issues of concern, LaFrancis said. A computer will be available for their use.
 
In recent years, the museum has sponsored bus trips to the World War II museum in New Orleans. LaFrancis and his team of volunteers also participate in the annual Wreaths Across America and Veterans Day parade.
 
The museum is a nonprofit with 501-c3 status. It originally opened in 2018 at the VFW Post 9573 building at 318 Sgt. Prentiss Drive near Walmart. The VFW provided a room for the museum on the second floor. LaFrancis noted the new location has more visibility and easier access than the previous site.
 
For more information call 601-442-0980 or send email to homewithheroes@live.com
 

Bombing of 1965 anniversary: Metcalfe remembered for courage, leadership

By ROSCOE BARNES III

Special to The Natchez Democrat 
Published 2:21 pm Tuesday, August 22, 2023

George Metcalfe, president of Natchez NAACP in 1960s

Credit: Courtesy of Ed Pincus Film Collection

Amistad Research Center, New Orleans, LA

NATCHEZ – The bombing of George Metcalfe’s car on Aug. 27, 1965, was meant to kill him and cripple with fear the Black community. Instead, it became a tragedy that galvanized the Black community and led to one of the most successful civil rights movements in the South.

 “The bomb that shook the earth below Metcalfe’s Chevrolet shook the black community out of its dormancy,” said Jack E. Davis in his book, “Race Against Time” (Louisiana State University Press, 2001).  

This week, on the 58th anniversary of Metcalfe’s bombing, local residents remember Metcalfe as a fearless leader who was bold and relentless in his fight for justice and equal opportunities for the Black community. 

Denise Jackson Ford knew Metcalfe through her father, Wharlest Jackson Sr., who was a close friend of Metcalfe. Her father, who served as treasurer for the NAACP, was killed on Feb. 27, 1967, when his truck was bombed reportedly by members of the Klan. 

“Mr. Metcalfe wanted equal rights for the citizens of Adams County and he stood up to the KKK’s and whites that thought differently” she said. “He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and was willing to do whatever he could for our city.  Mr. Metcalfe shall be remembered for his courage, pleadings, and sacrifices for orchestrating and organizing the local NAACP here in Natchez.” 

‘Dangerous time’ 

As president of the Natchez branch of the NAACP, Metcalfe’s work had resulted in threats from the Ku Klux Klan. Metcalfe worked at the Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company. After completing his shift at noon on Friday, Aug. 27, 1965, he got into his car. When he placed his key in the ignition and turned the switch, the car exploded. Metcalfe suffered burns and a broken arm from the explosion. His right leg was shattered in three places. His right eye was permanently damaged. Although many believe the bomb was planted in the car by the KKK, no one was ever charged for the crime. 

Former Natchez Mayor Phillip West said the 1960s were a dangerous time for Natchez. “Metcalfe and many like him made many contributions to Natchez’s civil rights history,” he said. “They were living in a dangerous time when African Americans had few if any support from law enforcement and the local government. Natchez was a microcosm of the bigger and more wide-spread problem of racism.”  

Natchez Alderman Billie Joe Frazier said he was one among many teenagers who participated in the marches. He said Metcalfe played an important role in the Natchez Movement. 

“He deserved all the credit for helping to get things started in Adams County,” he said. “It all started at the grassroots level. We were the young people then who took everything to the forefront.” 

Impact of bombing 

The impact of the bombing was immediate and clear as hundreds of Blacks held rallies and began to March in protest. The protests included boycotts of White businesses, picketing, and armed protection. 

“When Klansmen bombed Metcalfe, they intended to kill him and as a consequence so terrify the Black community that the fight for civil rights and equality in Natchez would end,” said Stanley Nelson, author of “Devils Walking” (Louisiana State University Press, 2016). “They failed on both goals. Not only did Metcalfe survive, but the attack on him inspired the Black community to fight harder and in a matter of weeks, the demands put forth by the NAACP for change in Natchez were approved by city officials.” 

Local historian Jeremy Houston said the bombing impacted Natchez in many ways. For one thing, he said, it brought national and local attention to the movement in Natchez. 

“It also sparked a sort of revolutionary spirit through the black community in Natchez,” he noted. “The bombing brought leaders like Charles Evers, Rev Al Sampson, Dorie Ladner, and William “Bill” Ware to the forefront of the Natchez movement.”  Houston said the bombing also led to the establishment of the Deacons for Defense and Justice in Natchez. The deacons provided armed protection for the civil rights activists and the black community.

“The black community came together socially, politically, and economically,” Houston explained. “After the bombing, the black community of Natchez organized the greatest economic boycott or protest in the state of Mississippi. The black community at that time damn near hurt the white community economically by not shopping in their establishments.”  In short, Black unity and organization towards a common goal showed that “white supremacy can be strangled and thrown in the Mississippi River,” Houston said.

Metcalfe’s legacy 

Neither the bombing nor his injuries dampened Metcalfe’s courage. He and others like him laid the foundation on which Natchez’s progress would be built and experienced for generations to come. 

“I can say this wholeheartedly, if it wasn’t for George Metcalfe, Natchez would’ve been a different place for someone like me to grow up,” said Houston. 

Houston said Natchez can do a better job of commemorating Metcalfe. He honored him regularly through his company, Miss Lou Heritage Group and Tours, from 2016 to 2020, he said. “I will continue to educate and tell everyone who I encounter in this life about how George Metcalfe stood up for equality for his people in Natchez, Mississippi. Without George Metcalfe there’s no new generation of Natchez leaders to lead us into the 21st century.” 

Nelson was impressed by the bravery Metcalfe showed after his recovery. “When I think of Metcalfe, I think of his amazing courage. After a year of recovery from his wounds, he returned to work at Armstrong Tire,” Nelson said. “This was where the attack on him was perpetrated, and this is where the Klan leader who ordered the attack worked. I believe very few of us would have the courage to do that. He didn’t run and he didn’t hide.”

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2023/08/22/bombing-of-1965-anniversary-metcalfe-remembered-for-courage-leadership/

William Johnson House reopens September 1

Roscoe Barnes III

Natchez, MS, USA/ListenUpYall.com
Aug 17, 2023 | 8:24 AM

The William Johnson House is pictured on the right; the building on the left is the McCallum House, Johnson’s neighbor’s house which is used as the Visitor Contact Station. The first floor of both buildings will be open on Sept. 1. (Click on photo to enlarge image)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The William Johnson House will reopen Friday, Sept. 1, according to Lead Historian Jeff Mansell of Natchez National Historical Park. He said only the first floor will be open.

“The upper family living quarters will remain closed,” he said. “We have to rebuild the back galleries of both houses (William Johnson and McCallum House). The renovation in that area needs to be completed because structurally, it’s not safe.”

As in the past, the house will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p. m. Tours are free to the public. Space for visitors and the bookstore will be on the first floor.  A guide will also be available.

“We are in the process of doing the A and E (architect and engineering) work for the rebuilding of the galleries,” Mansell explained. “We are improving accessibility to the site and to the kitchen. We will install new exhibits in the kitchen downstairs.”

The William Johnson House is located at 210 State St., between South Canal and South Wall streets. It is one of five sites owned and operated by the Natchez National Historical Park. The house initially closed in 2020 because of COVID-19, and it remained closed temporarily because of the need for property maintenance.

Johnson reportedly built the house in 1842 using bricks taken from buildings destroyed in an 1840 tornado.

“We’re happy to have this first floor open to the public,” Mansell said. “We invite everyone to  come in and learn about William Johnson’s life and writings.”

Johnson (1809 -1851) was known as “The Barber of Natchez.” According to Mansell, Johnson trained many barbers, and he took in lots of children of mixed race relationships and trained them to become barbers.

Johnson is probably most famous for his 16-year diary, which was discovered in the 1930s in the attic of his house, said Mansell. His family sold the diary to Louisiana State University, and it was published in 1951. It remains in print to this day.

“It is considered the most important account of the antebellum south from the perspective of a free man of color,” Mansell said.

One of the things that people find controversial about Johnson is the fact that he was born a slave, and he became a slave owner himself, Mansell said. Even so, he left a legacy that is rich in history, and his house is one way to learn more about his interesting life.

For more information, on the William Johnson House, call 601-442-7047. For a look at excerpts from William Johnson’s diary, visit the Natchez National Historical Park Facebook page.

Source: https://listenupyall.com/2023/08/17/william-johnson-house-reopens-september-1/

Alcorn to host West African music program by Vicksburg native Jerry Jenkins

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Roscoe Barnes III
Aug 17, 2023 | 7:59 AM

Jerry Jenkins performing on the drums

LORMAN, Miss. - Jerry Jenkins and his drums will be featured in a program on West African music at Alcorn State University. 

Jenkins will offer a historical look at African music and give demonstrations of how the music is played. He also will discuss its value as well as its impact on today’s culture in Southern Mississippi. 

Jenkins’ presentation is titled, “A Look at Mande’ (West African) Culture through Traditional Music.” It will be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, in Dumas Hall, Room 107, on the Lorman Campus of Alcorn State University. 

“My lecture will focus on the music of Pre-Africa and what it was like,” Jenkins said. “We will look at the music and the people of that time period. Today, we separate our artists from the community. But what are the benefits of bringing them back together?” 

Jenkins said he will engage the crowd as he often does in other presentations. He said he will bring extra drums for this purpose. 

Jerry Jenkins teaching

The event is hosted by the Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning and Alcorn State University School of Arts and Sciences. Teresa Busby, the center’s executive director, said the program is the first in the center’s Coffee & Culture series for fall 2023. The presentation is free to the public. 

“We are delighted to host Mr. Jenkins at Alcorn State University,” Busby said. “His interactive presentation will delve into the influence of West Africa on American culture. He uses music to tell an important story and to engage his audiences.”  

Jenkins is originally from Chicago. He grew up in Vicksburg and now lives in Jackson. His work as a musician and educator has taken him across the state and to cities outside of Mississippi.

In February 2022, Jenkins played the drums and portrayed King Sori in a play on Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahim held at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. The play was titled, “Isabella and the Prince: ‘Overcoming Struggles Through Courage & Faith.’” It featured local historian Jeremy Houston as the Prince and Shella Adams, an actual descendant of Ibrahim, as Isabella. 

During his performance with the drums, Jenkins moved throughout the room and engaged the audience by having several people play the drums along with him. 

Jenkins has given presentations at the Two Museums in Jackson and Juneteenth events in Vicksburg.  He said he’s also performed for the Jackson-George Regional Library System on the coast. In addition to his performance at the museum, Jenkins also has given presentations at Concord Quarters, working with Debbie Cosey, the property’s co-owner. 

Jenkins has been a lifelong student of African music. He is a member of the Mississippi Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau.  He also is listed as a performance artist on the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Artist Roster. 

According to the commission’s website, Jenkins “provides engaging programming structured around West African stories, dramas and Djembe ensemble music.” 

Jenkins teaches various levels of advanced techniques in Djembe drumming and Mande culture through music.  “His unique approach to interacting with the audience creates a deeper and more meaningful experience,” the website states.  For more information on Jenkins’ presentation, call 601-877-6551.  To request disability-related accommodations contact the Disability Coordinator at least five days in advance at 601-877-6460 (office) or email at disabilityservices@alcorn.edu

Website: https://listenupyall.com/2023/08/17/alcorn-to-host-west-african-music-program-by-vicksburg-native-jerry-jenkins/

My article on Dr. John B. Banks is published by BlackPast.org

DR. JOHN BOWMAN BANKS (1862-1911)

POSTED ONAUGUST 11, 2023 / CONTRIBUTED BY: ROSCOE BARNES III

Dr. John Bowman Banks, first black physician in Natchez, MS

Dr. John Bowman (“J.B.”) Banks was the first Black physician to practice medicine in Natchez, Miss. He recruited Dr. Albert Woods Dumas, the second Black physician to practice in the city. Together with four other businessmen, they founded an African American bank in Natchez, called Bluff City Savings Bank in 1906.

During the civil rights movement of the 1960s, Banks’ house was the headquarters for the Natchez Branch of the NAACP. It was also the home of NAACP President George Metcalfe. The building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum. In 2022, the Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi placed the house on the Mississippi Freedom Trail and the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. A ceremony for the unveiling of the Freedom Trail Marker was held in April 2023.

Banks was born on Feb. 14, 1862, in Louisiana. He spent his early years in Summit, Miss., a small-town northwest of McComb in Pike County. Banks began his higher education in 1877 at Leland University of New Orleans, Louisiana. Banks’ time at the school was interrupted by an outbreak of yellow fever, which forced him to end his studies.

He and his wife, Sarah, had two children: a daughter, Alberta Beatrice Banks, and a son, Oliver M. Banks. In 1883, Banks left his home to attend Meharry Medical College, a private, historically Black school in Nashville, Tenn. Banks graduated from Meharry, and on April 9, 1885, the Mississippi State Board of Health issued him his medical license. A few years later, he opened his practice in Natchez.

Banks was a successful businessman, strong community leader, and active member of Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church, where Hiram Rhodes Revels had served as pastor. Revels was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Banks also was a friend of Booker T. Washington. Around 1892, he built the house at 9 St. Catherine Street.

Dr. Banks’ daughter, Alberta, taught at the Union School in Natchez, founded in 1871 as the first public, co-educational school established for the African American community. His son, Oliver, studied medicine and was also a doctor. The Banks’ enjoyed the respect of the Black and White communities. John Bowman Banks was an active community member, joining in the efforts to support refugees fleeing flooding in Davis Island in 1897, and in 1898 when Union School needed an extra teacher to help teach 120 students, he sought and received support from Natchez City officials to have a new teacher hired.

Banks died in his home on December 30, 1911. He was 49 years old. His funeral at Zion Chapel, and his body interred at Natchez City Cemetery in Adams County.

Note: This article may be viewed online at https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dr-john-bowman-banks-1862-1911/

Note about his death:
On the morning of Dec. 26, 1911, Banks was in his office when he fell sick and became paralyzed, according to a newspaper account. He also lost consciousness. After a while, he started to awaken, but his condition grew worse. On Saturday, Dec. 30, 1911, at 1:45 a.m., he died in his home at the age of 49. His death was caused by a cerebral hemorrhage.

___________________________________________________________________

Subjects: 

African American History

Terms:

Civil Rights - NAACP, Education - Historically Black Colleges (HBCU), Civil Rights - Activist, United Sates-Mississippi, Meharry School of Medicine, Occupation - Medicine, Mississippi- Natchez

CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

BlackPast, B. (2023, August 11). Dr. John Bowman Banks (1862-1911). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dr-john-bowman-banks-1862-1911/

SOURCE OF THE AUTHOR'S INFORMATION:

Henry F. Kletzing, William Henry Crogman, Progress of a Race: Or, The Remarkable Advancement of the Afro-American Negro from the Bondage of Slavery, Ignorance and Poverty, to the Freedom of Citizenship, Intelligence, Affluence, Honor and Trust (J.L. Nichols, 1903) https://books.google.com/books/about/Progress_of_a_Race.html?id=Ss5tAAAAMAAJ

Historic Natchez Foundation, “Dr. John Banks House” https://natchez.org/education/historic-natchez/dr-john-banks-house

T.A. Walker, M.D., “A Tribute to an Old Friend and Schoolmate” Journal of the National Medical Association 4 (1912) https://archive.org/details/journalofnationa04nati/page/176/mode/2up?q=%22john+bowman+banks%22

 

Committee for Colored Troops marches on

Published in the Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, issue of The Natchez Democrat

Click on image to enlarge.

Committee for Colored Troops memorial marches on

 

By Robert Pernell

I’m happy to announce the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee continues to move forward in its effort to erect a monument – a permanent memorial – that will honor the lives and contributions of the more than 8,000 U.S. Colored Troops who served at Fort McPherson, right here in Natchez.
 
When we began this journey over two years ago, we announced that in addition to the memorial, we wanted to capture the interest of the community and assist anyone interested in tracing their roots to see if they are descendants of the Colored Troops.
 
As I look back, I can see that our work has generated interest in Civil War history, African American history, as well as genealogy. Thanks to our local and regional press coverage, including our social media platforms, people from Natchez and places throughout the United States are now supporting our efforts.
 
That said, I want to take a moment to provide an overview of what we’ve done so far. Our work includes the following:
 
* Community input: We held two community meetings through which we received public input on the memorial. Through the second community meeting, which was held in 2022, we collected public input for the design of the memorial. We also asked for input and shared news reports through Facebook and other social media platforms.
 
* A great location: The memorial will be located on The Natchez Bluff, at the corner of Madison and Broadway streets.
 
* An excellent sculptor/designer: Rolling Forks native Thomas J. Warren of Warren Sculpture Studios Inc., in Rogue River, Oregon, is leading the design phase of the project.
 
* A great design: The memorial will consist, among other things, of three bronze statues, nine to 10 feet tall, standing on a pedestal. These figures will include a U.S. Navy sailor who faces the Mississippi River, an infantryman, and a heavy artillery soldier.
 
* A cost estimate: The approximate cost for the project is $1.9 million.
 
One of the other things we’re excited about is the number of names that will be recognized. As we noted in press reports, the memorial will honor and bear the names of more than 8,000 African American men who served with six regiments at Fort McPherson in Natchez. The list of names will include those who served in the Navy who were born in Natchez. These names, which are based on the Muster Rolls of the USCT Regiments stationed at Fort McPherson, were provided by Dr. Frank Smith and the African American Civil War Museum, where he serves as founding director.
 
I also want to comment on an important change we made earlier this year, and that’s the name of the project. Instead of calling it the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument, our committee chose the new name, The Natchez African American Civil War Memorial. This new name, we believe, is more inclusive. It also better reflects our mission.
 
Today, we are making a push to raise funds. We need the community’s help to get this project across the finish line. For this reason, we’re seeking contributions by businesses, institutions, churches, and individuals. We’re also submitting grant applications. As I’ve said before, this is not a one-man show driven by ego; instead, it is a community project, something that will benefit the City of Natchez and our visitors for generations to come. Please join us and help us to make this important, historic dream a proud reality.
 
For more information, please visit our website at natchezusctmonument.com. Please share this link with friends and family members.
 
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ROBERT PERNELL is the chairman of the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee.