Natchez included in Freedom Summer Commemoration

Top of the Morning column published in The Natchez Democrat (Sunday, March 31, 2024, page 4A)

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Top of the Morning

Natchez included in Freedom Summer Commemoration

By Roscoe Barnes III

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is launching an ambitious project this year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer. Natchez and other cities across Mississippi will participate in this important event that recognizes a pivotal period in American history.

MDAH’s project, which is titled, “Freedom Summer: 60 Years Later -- A Landmarks of American History Teacher Workshop,” will be held July 8 to12 and July 22 to 26, 2024. It is funded in part by a major grant awarded to MDAH by the National Endowment for the Humanities to present two workshops on teaching civil rights history.

According to MDAH, the project is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of History and Culture Grant program. Its goal is to bring 70 teachers from across the nation to Mississippi to attend one or two of the weeklong workshops. They will start at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson, and from there the teachers will travel to the parts of the state that played a major role in Freedom Summer.

Al Wheat, MDAH director of education, is spearheading the project. “This grant is an incredible opportunity for us to show how this landmark event goes beyond Mississippi history; it's truly a national event,” he said. “Bringing teachers from across the country to Mississippi to see our sites, analyze our primary sources, and visit locations where the history actually happened will make a positive impact not just on workshop attendees, but on their students." 

I’m happy to report that MDAH has enlisted me to participate here in Natchez. I will lead two workshops and guided tours on the second and fourth Thursdays of July 2024. The specific dates are July 11 and 25. The workshops will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on both days at Historic Natchez Foundation.

Think about it. Educators from across the country will come here to learn about the role that Natchez played in the history of Freedom Summer and the civil rights movement. As teachers, they will take what they learn and carry it back to their respective schools and communities. This means that their students, with their young and fertile minds, will become empowered with lifechanging history about the struggles in Mississippi.

Freedom Summer was a 1964 initiative that sought to increase Black voter registrations in Mississippi. At the time, more than 700 volunteers, most of whom were White, worked with Black communities to help them overcome voter intimidation and discrimination at the polls, among other things.

These volunteers included teachers, ministers, lawyers, and students. They created Freedom Schools and helped communities with research and training. Leaders of the movement believed the work of the White volunteers would help bring national attention to their struggle.

The activists had previously suffered beatings, threats, incarcerations, murder, and other violence at the hands white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan, racist police, and hate-filled Whites throughout Mississippi. Unfortunately, these acts did not generate the national attention that they needed.

The work of the Freedom Summer activists eventually made a significant impact on the state of Mississippi. Not only did it result in national awareness of the struggle, but, as many believe, it was one of the factors that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was during Freedom Summer that activist Dorie Ladner and other workers descended on Natchez to help increase voter registration in the Black community. Dr. Stuart Rockoff, executive director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, has correctly observed that “Ladner was a vital part of the grassroots effort to change Mississippi and America.” Unfortunately, Ladner passed on Monday, March 11, following a long illness.

Ladner was one of the first workers to come to Natchez in 1964 to help register Black voters, according to Bobby Dennis, executive director of the NAPAC museum. That was at a time of heightened violence by the KKK, he said.

From every indication, it seems that the impact of this Freedom Summer project will be felt for a long time. MDAH has noted: “Teachers will collaborate to develop inquiry-based classroom activities and lessons about Freedom Summer using primary sources found in MDAH’s archives and experiential, site-based learning at the Two Mississippi Museums and key civil rights sites across Mississippi.”

This is great news for Natchez and the entire state of Mississippi.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is the cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.

Alcorn to host art exhibition and forum on race and history

Mikael Levin

NATCHEZ, Miss. – An art exhibition and conversation on race and history will be held Wednesday, April 3, at Alcorn State University, Lorman, in Belles Lettres Hall. 

The program is hosted by the Alluvial Collective, Mississippi Humanities Council, and Alcorn State University’s Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture and Learning. It will start with the launch of Mikael Levin’s exhibition, “Critical Places: Sites of American Slave Rebellion,” from 1 to 3 p.m.

Following the exhibition, guests will be asked to join a facilitated dialogue circle from 3 to 4:30 p.m. to discuss their thoughts, according to organizers. On Thursday, April 4, another dialogue will be held at the same time and place. The event is free to the public.

Levin’s exhibition, which is touring the South, features compelling photographs of historic landscapes that were once the sites of slave rebellions, raising important questions for viewers about the history of race in America, said Teresa Busby, executive director of Alcorn’s Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture and Learning.

“Critical Places” will be on display until May 31. For more information, call Teresa Busby at phone 601-877-6551 or visit https://alluvialcollective.org/.

Meeting with officials of the National Endowment for the Humanities

Great meeting today (3/27/2024) at the offices of the Mississippi Humanities Council in Jackson. I was excited to join thought leaders and educators from across Mississippi in a meeting with officials of the National Endowment for the Humanities. I was especially delighted to meet in person the wonderful Malika Polk-Lee, executive director of the B.B. King Museum, which is in my hometown of Indianola.

In the photo, seated, from left:  NEH officials, Turry M. Flucker, Dr. Zanice Bond, and Jean Wortman. Standing, from left: Dr. Rolando Herts, Al Wheat, Meg Cooper, Melissa Buie, Lashetta Wilder, Malika Polk-Lee, Elisabeth Callihan.

Note: One photo shows Elisabeth Callihan at the far right and the other shows me in the same location. 😊

VIDEO: Flags from Mississippi Gallery Talk - USCT invited guests Roscoe Barnes III and Dr. Albert Dorsey

 

To view the video, please follow this link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSTjD0PeDes

 
This is a video of a fascinating and insightful discussion on the U.S. Colored Troops in Mississippi. The event was hosted by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the Two Museums in Jackson, Miss.
 
I served as a panelist along with Dr. Albert Dorsey Jr., center, assistant professor of History at Jackson State University. Mr. Michael Morris, director of the Two Museums, served as moderator.
 
Many thanks to Drew Gardner, manager of Family and Community Learning at MDAH, for inviting me to participate in this important program.

New booklet tells the history of St. Catherine Street

By Roscoe Barnes III 

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com

(Mar 19, 2024 | 8:57 PM)

Project Director Thelma Newsome displays a copy of the new booklet, "St. Catherine Street: Yesteryears and Now," which tells the colorful history of an area that was once vibrant and filled with businesses.

NATCHEZ, Miss. — A free booklet that highlights the cultural history of St. Catherine Street is now available to the public.

Titled, “St. Catherine Street Yesteryears and Now,” the booklet features more than 40 historical sites in the area that was once known as Natchez’s “Black Wall Street.” Photos of various buildings are included along with colorful anecdotes and historical descriptions.

Thelma Newsome, a staff member of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, spearheaded the publication project. As project director, she plans to use the booklet for tours and other platforms to tell the complete history of  St. Catherine, she said.

“Though many of the places no longer exist, the contribution they made to the growth of the city of Natchez can never be completely erased,” she stated in the text on the back cover of the publication. She also noted that St. Catherine was once “a vibrant community, filled with businesses owned by Black, White, and Jewish citizens.”

The booklet is part of a larger project, which is called, “St. Catherine Street, Natchez, MS: Yesteryear through Today.” The project uses tours, photographs, and oral history to share the rare stories of the people, buildings, culture, and businesses on St. Catherine from as far back as the 1930s, according to Newsome.

In 2022, the project was awarded a $5,000 grant by the Mississippi Humanities Council. The booklet was funded with this grant.

The purpose for the booklet, in general terms, is summed up in a sentence on its front cover: “It is our hope that this booklet gives you some insight into the rich history of Saint Catherine Street and the people that lived there.”

Much to offer

Newsome said the publication has much to offer. “I encourage people to read it and relive vicariously the things we shared on St. Catherine Street,” she said.

Of the 41 stories presented, the one that stands out to her is “Hot Tamales,” which focuses on Mr. Jabo Johnson and his family who lived at 196 St. Catherine.

Thelma Newsome displays an open copy of the new publication on the history of St. Catherine Street.

“I knew that family personally,” Newsome said. “We ate hot tamales on Saturday nights. Back then, they cost about thirty cents a dozen.”

Newsome, a retired educator, said the idea for the booklet originated with a conversation she was having with Dora Hawkins, and Jacqulyn Williams. All three of them are members of Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, which owns the Dr. John Banks House.

They were discussing the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice, and the role of the Dr. John Banks House in the civil rights movement.

“I started telling them about all the things that happened on St. Catherine, where I grew up,” Newsome said. “They were floored by the amount of information I shared with them. At one point, Dora said, ‘You should do something on the history of this street.’”

And that’s when the idea for the booklet was born.

“They wanted that information to be shared with others,” Newsome said. “We want everyone to understand what a viable part that St. Catherine played in the formation of the City of Natchez.”

Fresh content

The booklet presents 10-pages of content that feature historical nuggets with photos of historical sites on each page. Featured sites and people include:

George F. Bowles House, Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, Mr. Whitehead’s Photo Shop, Three Together, Knoxall’s Grocery, The Iceman, Forks of the Road, Bob Lee’s Cleaners, Red Horse;

Texaco Service Station, O’Brien House, Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Francis High School, Ms. Sadie V. Thompson, Community Market, Ace Theater, White Rooster, Hot Tamales, Mr. Joe’s Store, Perrault Street;

George’s Alley, Churches, Brown’s Velvet Ice Cream, Other Entrepreneurs, Snow White Cleaners, The Bush House, Grocery Store Etc., Monmouth Street, Shotgun Houses, Donut Shop;

Ebony Barber Shop, Funeral Homes, Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church and Parsonage, Brumfield School, Winston Hill, 69 Saint Caterine Street, Combo Restaurant, Cedar’s Alley (Street), Junkin Street, Rembert Street, and Mr. Frazee Miller.

Copies of the St. Catherine Street booklet are available for free at Visit Natchez, Historic Natchez Foundation, NAPAC museum, and Natchez City Sightseeing Tours in the lobby of the Natchez Grand Hotel.

The booklet may be downloaded at https://visitnatchez.org/wp-content/uploads/St-Catherine-Street-Tour.pdf

For more information, call Roscoe Barnes III at Visit Natchez at 601-492-3004.

 

George F. Bowles house receives historical marker

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
(Published 9:26 am Friday, March 1, 2024)

Mayor Dan Gibson and the City of Natchez recently dedicated a historical marker for the George F. Bowles House at 13 St. Catherine St. From left are Mayor Dan Gibson, Brenda and Larry Homes, Debra and Rev. Birdon Mitchell, and Alderwoman Valencia Hall.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The George F. Bowles House, located at 13 St. Catherine St., is the recent recipient of a historical marker presented by the City of Natchez and the NAPAC museum. 

Mayor Dan Gibson and a group of local residents unveiled the marker in front of the house during a dedication ceremony Wednesday, Feb. 28. 

The mayor was joined by Larry and Brenda Holmes, the current owners of the house; Alderwoman Valencia Hall; the Rev. Birdon and Debra Mitchell, next-door neighbors; and Dr. Neifa Hardy.  

Friends and family members of the Holmes also attended the event which was held in recognition of Black History Month.  “It is such a blessing to witness the great things happening in Natchez,” said Gibson. “Being able to celebrate the history of this home, located in the Holy Family Catholic Church Historic District, and in the heart of the historic black business and residential area of North Natchez, is just another step forward in telling our story, all of it, for One Natchez.” 

The marker is inscribed with the words, “The George F. Bowles House: 1886 – 1890.” It displays the NAPAC museum logo and a QR code for additional information on the site.

 Larry Holmes said that he and his wife were elated about the marker.  “We both feel good about it,” he said. “This is something we’ve wanted for a long time. George F. Bowles was an important man in our history and his story, as well as the story of his wife, needs to be told.” 

Larry Holmes grew up behind the house, across the street known as Bowles Alley. In 1977, he moved into the house as a tenant.  

He said that he and Brenda purchased the house in 1984, and it has been their home ever since.  Birdon Mitchell, pastor of Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church, has been the Holmes’ neighbor for many years. He said he was happy to see the recognition given for their property. 

“Larry and Brenda are very knowledgeable about the history of this property,” Birdon Mitchell said. “They love telling the stories about this house and they’re eager to share this information with the broader community. Natchez is fortunate to have this property preserved for the present and future generations.” 

George F. Bowles (1844-1899) was a prominent African American who played a significant role in Natchez’s history in the 1800s.  Born enslaved in Charleston, S.C., he gained his freedom before the start of the Civil War.   

Bowles came to Natchez in 1871 after practicing law in Tennessee. In the 1880s and 1890s, he served as a member of the state House of Representatives from Adams County.  He was a successful businessman, inventor, newspaper publisher, and philanthropist. His wife, Laura E. Davis Bowles, was a member of a prominent black family. 

George Bowles built his house between 1886 and 1890, according to Mimi Miller of the Historic Natchez Foundation.  It is located in the Hospital Hill neighborhood on the very site that was home to Natchez’s first public hospital building, the Mississippi State Hospital, built in 1813.   

Before its main section was demolished in 1866, the hospital existed on the north side of St. Catherine across from the present location of Holy Family Church.  The Bowles house is flanked on the west by the Dr. John Bowman Banks house and on the east by the parsonage of Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church. 

The Bowles lived in the house until 1899, the year that both of them died. Laura Bowles died on Aug. 17, 1899 and George died in their home on Dec. 26, 1899, at the age of 55. 

His pallbearers included Dr. John Banks, G.W. Brumfield and L.D. Kastor. John Roy Lynch was listed as an honorary pallbearer. 

The Bowles house is the latest historical site to be added to the city’s Self-Guided African American History tour, which features 29 sites related to African American history. Barber Jessie Winston’s home was added to the tour in December 2023. 

The city’s self-guided history tour project was unveiled during a Black History program in February 2023. It is a joint initiative of the City of Natchez and NAPAC Museum. 

Mayor Gibson has said the project is one of many ways through which the city is telling its complete history. 

A detailed article on the history of the George F. Bowles House can be read in the September/October 2023 issue of Natchez Magazine.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/03/01/george-f-bowles-house-receives-historical-marker/

Panelist for ‘Flags From Mississippi Gallery Talk: USCT.’

On Thursday, March 14, I had the pleasure of  serving as a panelist for the MDAH program, “Flags From Mississippi Gallery Talk: USCT.” The program, which focused on the U.S. Colored Troops, was held at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. My fellow panelist was Dr. Albert Dorsey Jr., center, assistant professor of History at Jackson State University. Mr. Michael Morris, director of the Two Museums, served as moderator. We had good turnout and good discussions. I thoroughly enjoyed it all.

I’m grateful to Drew Gardner, manager of Family and Community Learning at MDAH, for inviting me to participate in this important program.