Natchez NAACP announces plans for Medgar Evers’ 100th birthday celebration

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Jun 18, 2025 | 4:15 PM

Medgar Evers (July 2, 1925 - June 12, 1963)
Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
(Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — A special two-day event celebrating the life and legacy of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers will be held in early July in recognition of his 100th birthday, according to Natchez NAACP President Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis.

“A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Work of Medgar Wiley Evers (July 2, 1925 – June 12, 1963)” will be presented by the Natchez Branch of the NAACP in collaboration with the Natchez Business and Civic League, the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, and Visit Natchez. It is free and open to the public.

“Medgar Wiley Evers worked tirelessly in Mississippi to overturn racial segregation in schools and public facilities, and to expand opportunities for African American citizens both economically and politically,” said Arcenaux-Mathis. “He gave his life to make Mississippi and America a better place for all Americans to live in. His work transcended Mississippi and impacted the entire United States of America.”

Arcenaux-Mathis said honoring “this heroic American helps to keep his history and contributions alive and relevant in world today.”

The celebration will begin with a panel discussion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture at 301 Main St. The discussion will be preceded by a social at 5:30 p.m.

Panelists will include Olivia Spann, supervisory park ranger at the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument; Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, interim dean of the Alcorn State University School of Nursing; and Dr. Marcus Ward, senior vice-president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the ASU Foundation at Alcorn State University.

Spann will discuss Evers’ work on important cases in Mississippi, including his work on the 1955 murder of Emmitt Till. Ward will discuss Evers’ time with Alcorn A&M and his contributions between 1948 and 1952. Additionally, he will talk about the ways in which Alcorn may have influenced his commitment to human and civil rights. Ward will also discuss Medgar and Myrlie Evers’ impact on Alcorn since 1963.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, will serve as moderator. Loki Mulholland, Emmy-winning filmmaker, author, speaker, and director of the film, “The Evers,” will share remarks via Zoom.

Arceneaux-Mathis will introduce the panelists and moderator.

The evening will include a showing of the praise dance video, “I’ve Been Buked and I’ve Been Scorned,” and introductory film, “Medgar & Myrlie Evers: A Legacy of Courage and Activism.”

On Wednesday, July 2, “The Evers” will be shown at 6 p.m. at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church at 117 Pilgrim Blvd. The program will open with a devotion by the Rev. Melvin White, the church’s pastor, and an introduction by Arceneaux-Mathis.

A reception will be held in the church’s fellowship hall.

Evers was the first NAACP field secretary in Mississippi. A prominent civil rights activist and organizer, he worked for voting rights and to improve the lives of Blacks in Mississippi. He also worked to end racial violence. Evers was assassinated on June 12, 1963, in the carport of his home, which he shared with his wife, Myrlie, and their children, in Jackson.

His death was considered “the first murder of a nationally significant leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, and it became a catalyst for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” according to the National Park Service.

For more information, call Joyce Mathis at 601-807-4319 or Roscoe Barnes III at 601-492-3004.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/06/18/natchez-naacp-announces-plans-for-medgar-evers-100th-birthday-celebration/

Royal Hill Jr. to present Juneteenth program at Co-Lin Natchez Campus

 

Royal Hill Jr.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Copiah-Lincoln Community College is hosting a Juneteenth program at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19, at the Willie Mae Dunn Library in the Tom Reed Academic Building at 11 Co-Lin Circle, Natchez.
 
Local historian Royal Hill Jr., the guest speaker, will discuss “The History of Juneteenth.” The event is free and open to the public. It is organized by Library Director Victoria Williams, who will serve as the master of ceremony.
 
Other participants in the program will include Robin Grenell, senior aide, who will present the invocation, and Corey Ellis Jr., who will introduce the speaker.
 
Hill is a graduate of Alcorn State University. In addition to being a co-owner of Open Arms Tours and Receptive Services with his wife, Lavada, Royal Hill is the center manager for Mississippi Action for Progress at the Thompson Head Start Center.
 
“I believe that servitude and giving back to the community are essential components of being  ‘part of the problem or part of the solution,’” Royal Hill said. It was this conviction, he noted, that led him to co-chair the Natchez Juneteenth Committee of 1990.
 
Over the years, Royal Hill has served on multiple committees in the Miss-Lou area.
 
"As we honor Juneteenth, we must also honor and invest in the institutions that continue to uplift the values it represents," said Dr. Pernell Goodwin, vice president of Co-Lin’s Natchez Campus.
 
Thursday’s program is expected to last for one hour. Refreshments will be served. The program is designed for the students and the general public, said Williams.
 
For more information, call 601-446-1107.

 

Beautiful morning at Wilkinson County Park

My view Saturday morning (6/14/25) during my walk at Wilkinson County Park, Woodville, MS. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Mississippi Historical Society

The board of directors of the Mississippi Historical Society met Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Old Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi. We had a great meeting. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Evening view at Wilkinson County Park

My view during my Monday evening walk (6.2.2025) at Wilkinson County Park, Woodville, Mississippi. Time: 7:45 p.m. (Click on image to enlarge.)

The Reason We are Here

 A speech presented at the 2025 Miss-Lou Memorial Day ceremony at the Natchez National Cemetery in Natchez, Mississippi

By Dr. Roscoe Barnes III

Cultural Heritage Tourism Manager at Visit Natchez

Click on image to enlarge. Photo by Albert L. Jones

Good Morning!

I am happy to be here today, and I'm proud to participate in this important event, which started in the late 1800s and is now one of the longest-running Memorial Day traditions in our nation. 

I want to note that when I came to Natchez four years ago, the first person to talk to me about this Memorial Day event was Mark LaFrancis, who was president of the Home with Heroes Foundation. Unfortunately, Mark died last year, and today he is resting in this sacred space. I thank him for his service to the military and to our community. He was a good man and his legacy lives on.

Today, I want to talk about the reason we are here, and it can be summed up in two words: We Care. We are here observing this day because WE CARE.

In the movie, "A Few Good Men," when Demi Moore's character is asked why she cares so much about the Marines on trial, she responds:

"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch.'"

Today, we're showing that we care. We care because our service members – our veterans who are now deceased, stood on a wall and they fought on a battlefield. We care because they left their homes and families to ensure our freedom. We care because of the commitment of these men and women who bravely and unselfishly served our country with dignity and honor.

Now, to be honest, there are many other reasons we care, but I want to focus on three of them.

First, WE CARE because they have shown us a "greater love."
In John 15:13 (NKJV), Christ said:

    "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

This verse clearly has implications related to Christ's death on the cross. But it also speaks to a general, fundamental truth about the ultimate act of love that can be seen in the sacrifices of our military service members.

Greater love is demonstrated when we unselfishly give our lives for others. This special love is shown when we give up our own privileges and lay down our lives for a cause that is much bigger than ourselves.

We observe Memorial Day because of this greater love shown by our military service members.

Second, WE CARE because they have given us hope.

Hope for a better community and hope for a better country. Hope for a bright future.
In spite of the horrors and debilitating wounds of war that we have faced as a community and as a nation, we've been able to stand up … pick up the pieces and snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat, and peace out of pain as we live out the true meaning of freedom. And that is no coincidence.

We have hope and a reason to believe because of the people we honor here today.

Third and finally, WE CARE because they have shown us that their service, and yes, their deaths, were not in vain. 

On one occasion, when Christ was speaking of his impending death, he said these words in John 12:24 (NLT):

    "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives."

My friends, the sacrifice of our service members makes it possible for us to not only go on living, but their sacrifice makes it possible for us to grow and even thrive and prosper in so many areas of our lives. Because of them, we have dreams and opportunities. We can have children who grow up to understand and appreciate this great nation, its values, and the opportunities it allows. 

Conclusion

As I close, I want to mention an important request: As we mourn those who are deceased and reflect on their duty and dedication in our military, let us also remember their loved ones, their families, as well as their friends. Those who have lost family members in the military should know that their suffering is also acknowledged and it will not be forgotten.

Thank you.

Miss-Lou Memorial Day event draws hundreds in annual tradition

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
May 29, 2025 | 1:18 PM

Hundreds of people participated in the 2025 Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. Here they are crossing the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge from Vidalia as they proceed on to the Natchez National Cemetery for a ceremony to honor the fallen U.S. military service members. Photo by Albert L. Jones (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Hundreds of people turned out for the annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26, to honor fallen U.S. military men and women. Beginning in Vidalia, they marched across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge and stopped briefly at the Natchez Visitor Center at  640 South Canal St., before proceeding to the Natchez National Cemetery.

Ben Tucker, retired Army 1st Sgt., and Jeff McClure, retired Army Lt. Col., led the parade as co-grand marshals. The parade ended at the cemetery where a ceremony honoring the fallen was held. The day’s theme was “Symbols of American Courage.”

“We had a wonderful program,” said Laura Ann Jackson, who chairs the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade Committee. “We had a good turnout in spite of the forecast calling for rain. Fortunately, the rain held off and we went on with the parade and the ceremony.”
Jackson said she appreciates all of the participants, and she looks forward to seeing more of them in 2026.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, served as guest speaker. He delivered a message titled, “The Reason We are Here.” Barnes said the reason for the parade and the ceremony could be summed up in two words: “We care.”

“Today, we’re showing that we care,” he said. “We care because our service members – our veterans who are now deceased, stood on a wall, and they fought on a battlefield. We care because they left their homes and families to ensure our freedom. We care because of the commitment of these men and women who bravely and unselfishly served our country with dignity and honor.”

Barnes suggested the service members demonstrated a “greater love” by laying down their lives for others. He quoted Christ, saying, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Noting their service was not in vain, Barnes said “they give us hope for a better community and hope for a better country.”

Barnes said it was also important to remember the families of the service members.

“As we mourn those who are deceased and reflect on their duty and dedication in our military, let us also remember their loved ones, their families, as well as their friends,” he said. “Those who have lost family members in the military should know that their suffering is also acknowledged and it will not be forgotten.”

The parade and ceremony were organized by Jackson and the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade Committee.

Dr. Patricia Suduth-Scott, co-chair of the parade committee, served as master of ceremony. Vietnam veteran Doug McCallister gave the invocation, and Nolan Cubie led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

In her opening remarks at the ceremony, Charlotte Taylor, assistant director of the Mississippi National Cemetery Complex at Natchez, thanked everyone for their participation in the day’s event. She welcomed them to the cemetery “to honor our fallen veterans.”

She was followed by retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” As a representative of the Elnora Riley group, Cayman Riley provided a solo trumpet performance of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

Mayor Dan Gibson and his wife, Marla, also attended the ceremony.

The Natchez High School AFJROTC posted and retired the colors, and Natchez National Cemetery staff assisted with the wreath presentation and the raising of the flag. Taps was played by military veteran Wilbur Johnson.

Taylor thanked the parade committee, distinguished local and state leaders, guest speaker, veterans, and cemetery staff for their participation in the ceremony.

She thanked everyone for “their commitment to honor our veterans on this Memorial Day and I look forward to your continued participation.”

See more at this link:

https://listenupyall.com/2025/05/29/miss-lou-memorial-day-event-draws-hundreds-in-annual-tradition/