Dr. Gross presented her lecture on “Erasing Slavery” at Tuesday’s meeting (May 28, 2024) of the Natchez Historical Society at the Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce St.
The interview begins at 17:23. Please visit this link:
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| Retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith and his wife, Jackie, center, display the Quilt of Valor. It was presented to him on May 21 by the Natchez Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The couple is joined by Juliette Cassagne, left, regent of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR, and Deborah Springer, chair of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR Service for Veterans committee. |
NATCHEZ, Miss. – Retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith is a recent recipient of the Quilt of Valor awarded by the Natchez Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation.
The Natchez Chapter NSDAR recognized Smith for his
military service and sacrifice at a ceremony held Tuesday, May 21, at Miss-Lou
Military Museum and Veteran’s Welcome Center at 107 Jefferson Davis Blvd.
“I am honored and grateful to receive this award from the
[Natchez Chapter] Daughters of the American Revolution,” Smith said after
the ceremony. “During my years of military service, I occasionally received the
odd medal or ribbon for this or that, but never for patriotism. They are so
very kind to consider me worthy of the distinction. I thank them from the
bottom of my heart.”
Deborah Springer, who chairs the Natchez Chapter NSDAR
Service for Veterans committee, said the award presented to Smith carries a
three-part message: “We thank you for your service, for your willingness to lay
down your life for our country. We thank you for your sacrifice in serving our
nation, [and] we hope your quilt provides healing, peace and comfort.”
Smith was nominated for the award by G. Mark LaFrancis, president of the Home with Heroes Foundation Inc., that operates the military museum. LaFrancis is a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he served for 27 years. His wife, Eileen, along with Smith’s wife, Jackie, attended the Tuesday afternoon ceremony.
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| The Natchez Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, recently honored retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith with the Quilt of Valor. Deborah Springer, left, chair of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR Service for Veterans committee, presented the quilt in a May 21 ceremony at the Miss-Lou Military Museum and Veteran's Welcome Center at 107 Jefferson Davis Blvd. She was joined by Juliette Cassagne, regent of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR. |
The Natchez Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, recently honored retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith with the Quilt of Valor. Deborah Springer, left, chair of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR Service for Veterans committee, presented the quilt in a May 21 ceremony at the Miss-Lou Military Museum and Veteran’s Welcome Center at 107 Jefferson Davis Blvd. She was joined by Juliette Cassagne, regent of the Natchez Chapter NSDAR.
Smith served almost three decades in the U. S. Army, from
Cold War Europe in the 1980s to the Global War on Terror in India, Nepal, Sri
Lanka and Maldives.
When Smith joined the Army in 1983, he began as a private
and rose through the ranks to become a sergeant, as well as a company and field
grade officer. In addition to serving as a military policeman, he served in the
Chemical Corps, in Air Defense, and Military Intelligence. He was “assigned to
storied units like the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the
4th Infantry Division,” Smith wrote in his personal biography.
Before his retirement, he served as a foreign area
officer. He also served as chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Nepal.
He later worked with the U.S. Defense Attache at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo,
Sri Lanka.
A native of Savanna, Ill., Smith and his wife moved to
Natchez in 2021.
In Springer’s remarks about the award, she said the
quilts represent healing. She noted the mission of the Quilts of Valor
Foundation is to “cover service members and veterans touched by war with
comforting and healing.”
Springer said the foundation began in 2003 with a dream
by Catherine Roberts whose son was deployed in Iraq. Since then, the
organization has awarded more than 300,000 quilts, she said.
According to the foundation’s website, Roberts’ dream was
a literal dream. Roberts recalled:
“The dream was as vivid as real life. I saw a young man
sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The
permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons
clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter.
“Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene
wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of
hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my
dream was: Quilts = Healing.”
From this dream, Roberts said, she was inspired to have
volunteers “donate their time and materials to make a quilt.”
See more at this link:
https://listenupyall.com/2024/05/29/army-veteran-larry-smith-honored-with-quilt-of-valor/
Certificate of Recognition presented for her leadership and preservation work
By Roscoe Barnes III
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| Mayor Dan Gibson honored Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with a Certificate of Recognition on Friday, May 24, at City Hall. From left are Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez; Carter Burns, director of Historic Natchez Foundation; Mayor Dan Gibson; Katie Blount, MDAH director; and Valencia Hall, Ward 1 Alderwoman. |
Opal Lee, left, who is known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," is pictured with Natchez native Princess Karen Chatman at the 2023 Inspired Women's Luncheon in Arlington, Texas. In early May 2024, President Biden honored Lee with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work in establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday in 2021.
NATCHEZ, Miss. — A full slate of Juneteenth 2024
programs will be celebrated this year throughout Natchez. The events will
include music, tours, food, museum exhibitions, local government meeting, and a
Civil War encampment, among other activities.
Juneteenth, which is short for “June 19th,” is one of the
oldest known holidays commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
“Though the emancipation of enslaved people of African
descent in the Natchez area began in force with the arrival of Union forces in
July 1863, our national holiday to celebrate that newly found freedom is held
each year on June 19th – acknowledging when the news of the end of the Civil
War arrived in Texas,” said Jeff Mansell, Lead Historian of the Natchez
National Historical Park.
This year’s programs in Natchez will include the
following:
Melrose Through the Labor of Others: the McMurrans as Enslavers
June 10 – June 30
Beginning on June 10, and continuing throughout the month
of June, a temporary exhibit in the Melrose slave quarters will provide
additional information on the McMurran family and those people they held in
bondage. It will include the currently known names of nearly 400 people
enslaved by the McMurrans at Melrose and five plantations. This exhibit can be
viewed free of charge every day between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Aldermen Meeting at NAPAC Museum
Tuesday, June 11, 11 a.m.
In June each year, the Natchez Mayor and Board of
Aldermen Meeting is held at the NAPAC museum, which is dedicated to presenting
the history and culture of African Americans in not only Natchez but the
entirety of the southern United States. This is an annual tradition started in
June 2021. The meeting starts at 11 a.m. at 301 Main St.
Kick-Back at NAPAC
Thursday, June 13, 6 p.m.
This is a special event held by the City of Natchez and
NAPAC Museum that honors citizens and businesses for their contributions to
Natchez. The event is held at the museum. The public is encouraged to come and
see the many wonderful artifacts displayed at the museum. Refreshments will be
served. The program will be held at the museum at 301 Main St. For more
information, call Bobby Dennis, the museum’s executive director, at
601-445-0728.
Natchez Welcomes Mississippi 3rd U.S. Colored
Cavalry
Thursday, June 13, all day
Re-enactors for the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry will
ride into Natchez and set up camp on the Bluff, where they will engage the
public and talk about the Cavalry’s history. The event is organized by Ser
Seshsh Ab Heter-Clifford M. Boxley. He said the encampment is open to the
public. It’s expected to include 200 to 300 participants. For more information,
call Ser Boxley at 601-442-4719.
Natchez Day of Unity
Friday, June 14, (location to be determined)
The City of Natchez will hold its fifth annual Day of
Unity event, the continuation of a tradition begun by former Natchez Mayor
Darryl Grennell during the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd incident. “Now
held every June to coincide with Flag Day, this tradition has now become an
integral part of the city’s annual Juneteenth celebration and is held at a
rotating location every year,” said Mayor Dan Gibson. The time and location for
this year’s event will be announced soon.
“We celebrate harmony with both song and spoken word,”
said Gibson. “One of my favorite parts of this event is when the sounding of
the bells of churches throughout the city ring out as a reminder that we are
all children of God made uniquely in His image.”
The Juneteenth Extravaganza
Friday, June 14, 7 p.m.
This special event will celebrate Juneteenth through the
music of several prominent blue artists at the Natchez City Auditorium. In
addition to Melodic Princess, from Fayette, the list of artists will include LJ
Echols, Avail Hollywood, OB Buchanan, and DJ Mario. Elias Lover III will serve
as host. Carol Smith, owner of The Postal Shoppe, is spearheading the event,
which she plans to hold each year. She said the performances offer a good mix
of current and older blues artists, such as those who played during the Tyrone
Davis era. Tickets are $40 for general admission. Presale cost is $30 until May
1. VIP tables that seat eight people are $400 per table. Doors open at 7 p.m.
and the show starts at 8 p.m. For more information, call Carol Smith at
214-551-9858 or 601-653-0490.
1st Annual Juneteenth Cheeseburger Challenge Cook-Off
Friday, June 14, 3-7 p.m.
97.7 FM and 1240 AM will kick off Juneteenth weekend with
the first ever Cheeseburger Challenge on the Bluff. Five to 10 teams will
compete head-to-head to see who makes the absolute best cheeseburger. Teams
will grill live on-site in downtown Natchez between 3 and 7 p.m. Judging will
take place at 5 p.m. WTYJ and WMIS will broadcast live on site with D.J. Buzz
providing the soundtrack for the event. The contest will take place on N.
Broadway St., in front of the Natchez Grand Hotel. Grand prizes include $400
for First Place, $200 for Second Place and “Bragging Rights.” This event is
held by New Vision Broadcasting in partnership with the City of Natchez. For
more information, contact Malcolm Innis at info@newvisionbroadcasting.com or
by calling 601-442-2522.
Juneteenth Travel in Time Spring Fling
Saturday, June 15, 10-1 p.m.
NAACP in conjunction with area businesses will host its
Community Carnival at the Concord Quarters. The event will combine fun, games
and education for area youth. “It will, among other things, look to provide a
fun and engaging environment to teach children the history of Juneteenth and
why it is important,” said organizer Malcolm Innis, owner of New Vision
Broadcasting. Community Carnival is held by New Vision Broadcasting in
partnership with the City of Natchez. For more information, contact Malcolm Innis
at info@newvisionbroadcasting.com or
by calling 601-442-2522.
1st Annual Choir Showcase
Sunday, June 16, 3-7 p.m.
The first annual Juneteenth Choir Competition featuring
five of the area’s “best choirs” will be held in recognition of Juneteenth in
the Natchez City Auditorium. The event will showcase five area churches in a
competition to see which choir will be awarded a cash prize and selected as the
1st Annual Juneteenth Choir Competition winner. Grand prizes will include
$1,000 for First Place and $250 for Second Place. The Choir Showcase is held by
97.7 FM and 1240 AM in partnership with the City of Natchez. For more
information, contact Malcolm Innis at info@newvisionbroadcasting.com or
by calling 601-442-2522.
Melrose Juneteenth Luminary
Wednesday, June 19th, 7:30 p.m.
In commemoration of the Juneteenth holiday, Natchez
National Historical Park will present a luminary on the front lawn at the
Melrose estate at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19th, at #1 Melrose-Montebello
Parkway, Natchez. This grand illumination will be held in remembrance of the
nearly 700 enslaved people who involuntarily labored at Melrose and on the
associated cotton plantations of John and Mary Louisa McMurran.
The Melrose front gate will close at 5:00 p.m. that day
and reopen at 7:30 p.m. Visitors are asked to park in the main parking
lot and walk to the lower portion of the front lawn where an area will be set
aside specifically for solemn reflection. The public is encouraged to bring
lawn chairs and flashlights, as it will be dark. The observation will conclude
at 9:30, and the gates will close at 10:00 p.m. For more information,
visit www.nps.gov/natc
Melrose Juneteenth Tours
Wednesday, June 19th
Throughout the day on Wednesday, June 19th, the staff of
the Natchez National Historical Park will provide tours of the Melrose mansion
at #1 Melrose-Montebello Parkway, Natchez, that focus on the African American
experience. The tours will highlight what is known about the enslaved men,
women, and children who lived and labored at the estate as well as the system
of slavery in this region that made such extravagant homes possible. Melrose
house tours take place seven days a week at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2
p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. The cost for adults is $11.00 while children 15 and
under are free. Tour tickets can be purchased at Melrose or online in advance
at Recreation.gov.
For more information, visit www.nps.gov/natc
Juneteenth African American Tours
Entire month of June
Special tours focusing on African American history are
offered in June in recognition of Juneteenth. They’re led by Rev’s Country
Tours who tells the dramatic and significant stories of African Americans in
Natchez. For more information, call 601-807-5337.
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| Karla Brown of Downtown Karla Brown and her volunteers visit Natchez National Cemetery on Memorial Day to honor military service members by placing flowers on their graves. Flags are placed on the graves by the Natchez National Cemetery staff and volunteers. (Photo courtesy of Karla Brown) |
Commemorative programs will be held in Natchez and
Vidalia.
These programs include a fundraising dinner, patriotic
ceremonies and the placing of flags and flowers on the graves of those who died
in military service.
These events, which will start on Friday, will lead to
the 158th Annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade set for Monday, May 27.
Friday, May 24
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, May 24, Point Man
International Ministries will serve jambalaya plate lunches at 270 Front St.
These plates are a fundraiser for the Cost of Freedom Tribute Memorial that will be built on the Vidalia riverfront. The cost per plate is $15.
The VFW Post 9573 will provide the food preparation. The
event is organized by Army Vietnam veteran Douglas McCallister.
As noted in the March 3, story in The Natchez Democrat,
the memorial will “be an 80 percent scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., 360 feet long and 8 feet tall at the apex,
except the memorial would include the names of casualties and tributes to those
involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, 9/11, World War I and World War II and Korean
wars in addition to Vietnam.”
McCallister said Memorial Day is a special time of the year: “It is a time that we might consider that you haven’t lived until you’ve almost died. And for those who fought for it – freedom – they have a flavor the protected will never know.”
The public may also visit the Miss-Lou Military Museum
and Veteran’s Welcome Center from 9 to 12:30 p.m. on Friday. The museum is located at 107 Jefferson Davis
Blvd. Admission to the museum is free to the public.
Saturday, May 25
Starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 25, the Natchez National
Cemetery will honor military service members by placing flags on each of their
graves.
This is an annual tradition that is done with the help of
volunteers through the cemetery’s Pre-Memorial Day Program, said Caleb Ray,
cemetery technician.
Volunteers typically consist of groups from the Natchez
Fire Department, Girl Scouts, Natchez High School’s AF JROTC and the Adam
County Sheriff Office Trustees, all of whom are supervised by the cemetery
staff, Ray said.
Charlotte Taylor, the assistant director of the
Mississippi National Cemetery Complex at Natchez, said that after Memorial Day,
volunteers will be needed to retrieve the flags on Saturday, June 1, beginning
at 8 a.m.
Also on Saturday, at 11 a.m., a Memorial Day ceremony
will be held at 270 Front St. in Vidalia to honor the 13 U.S. service members
killed in action in Afghanistan during the United States’ pullout from the
country. Retired Army Sgt. Major Kasie King of Jonesville, La., will be the
guest speaker, according to McCallister.
Monday, May 27
For several years now, Karla Brown of Downtown Karla
Brown has visited the Natchez National Cemetery on Memorial Day to honor
military service members by placing flowers on their graves.
She will do it this year at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, May 27
and she is looking for volunteers to assist her.
“I buy up all the flowers at Walmart and the grocery
stores,” she said. “I put them in a bucket full of water and early the next
morning, I put one flower in front of the graves. I don’t have enough flowers
to do every grave. It would be a wonderful dream to put a flower on every
grave.”
In a recent Facebook post, Brown said that each year she
would place the flowers “very randomly” on the graves until she ran out. “I
just always made sure I covered all the wars and all the branches of services,”
she wrote.
When people learned of her project, they donated “buckets
of flowers,” and some of them served as volunteers, Brown said.
One of the volunteers in 2023 included Harper Willis of
Girl Scout Troop 3745.
She noted that she and her volunteers, some of whom are
veterans, are careful to not rush through the cemetery. “We put the flowers in
front of the graves and stand back,” she said. “We look at the grave and
reflect on the person and their service to our country before we move on to the
next grave.”
For Brown, it is important to start early on Memorial Day
because of the many activities scheduled for the cemetery on that day.
“We set the flowers at the graves very early in the
morning, at 6:30am,” she said. “Yes, it might be early, but can you honestly
think of a better way to start Memorial Day off than by setting a beautiful
flower or rose in front of a veterans grave early in the morning? I
can’t.”
Anyone interested in assisting Brown as a volunteer or
who wishes to make a donation for the purchase of flowers may contact her at
907-540-0001.
The Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade will be held Monday, May
27. The lineup will begin at 8 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church at 601 Magnolia
Street in Vidalia.
At 9 a.m., the parade will start at the foot of the
Louisiana side of the bridge. It will proceed across the bridge to the Natchez
Visitor Center at 640 S. Canal St. and from there to the Natchez National
Cemetery at 41 Cemetery Road, where the 11 a.m. ceremony will be held.
Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/05/21/memorial-day-weekend-programs-announced-for-natchez-and-vidalia/
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| Mayor Dan Gibson and the staff of Visit Natchez recently celebrated the changing of the key to the historic Depot on the Bluff. The city conveyed the key to Visit Natchez for the southern part of the building that is now the new visitor center. It is officially known as Visit Natchez at the Depot. From left are Curtis Maroney, Ward 6 Alderman; Jessica Cauthen and Mallory Meng of Visit Natchez; Mayor Dan Gibson; Lynsey Gilbert, interim director of Visit Natchez, and Jawana Lowe, also of Visit Natchez; and Valencia Hall, Ward 1 Alderwoman. |
NATCHEZ, Miss. — The City of Natchez and Visit Natchez kicked off National Travel and Tourism Week Monday, May 20, with a special ceremony in which Mayor Dan Gibson conveyed the keys to the historic Depot on the Bluff to the staff of Visit Natchez.
The facility, which will serve as the new visitor center,
is officially named, Visit Natchez at the Depot.
“We’re so excited to get into this beautiful building….,”
said Lynsey Gilbert, interim director for Visit Natchez. “We know that the
community has really wanted another central location for visitors, and we’re
really happy to provide that, and not only invite them here, but welcome them
when they get here. We’re just really thankful to everyone who was
involved in this project.”
Visit Natchez will operate the south side of the facility
as the new visitor center on the Bluff at 200 N. Broadway St., with plans to
open on Tuesday, May 28. As for the north end of the building, the mayor said
the Board of Alderman has approved a proposal to make it part of the Natchez
Convention Center.
Gibson said the Depot is a beautiful place that people have loved and cherished for many years. “We are excited that we are one step closer to having our new downtown Visitor Center right here at the Depot, thanks to a lot of hard work,” Gibson said, as he acknowledged the work of Mark Carter of Wilmar Construction and Johnny Waycaster of Waycaster Dungan Architecture and Engineering.
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| Visit Natchez Interim Director Lynsey Gilbert received the key to the historic Depot and a City Proclamation from Mayor Dan Gibson on Monday, May 20. The Depot is the new visitor center that is now officially known as the Visit Natchez at the Depot. |
The mayor was joined by Ward 6 Alderman Curtis Maroney and Ward 1 Alderwoman Valencia Hall. In addition to Gilbert, the Visit Natchez staff included, Jessica Cauthen, marketing manager; Mallory Meng, community and programs manager; Jawana Lowe, administrative assistant and receptionist; and Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager.
Other attendees included Bobby Dennis, director of NAPAC
museum; Ashleigh Johnson, Miss Hospitality; Kevin Miers, the new director of
Downtown Natchez Alliance; and Norma West, who serves as treasurer for the
downtown organization.
“It’s great to see what was once a vacant building now
being repurposed for such a great purpose and that is to become our new Visitor
Center right here in downtown Natchez,” Gibson said. “We will have a
ribbon-cutting soon.”
During the ceremony, Gibson presented a Proclamation for
National Travel and Tourism Week, which lasted from Sunday, May 19 to Saturday,
May 25. According to Visit Natchez, the week is a time of celebration “that
underscores travel’s essential role in driving the nation’s economy,
cultivating vibrant communities and forging connections.”
Gibson agreed, saying tourism is very important to
Natchez.
Reading from the Proclamation, he noted: “Tourism has for
many years been a driving force in the City of Natchez, keeping our economy
going even during hard times for almost 100 years.” Because of the growing
number of people who visit Natchez each year, Natchez, on a per capita basis,
is the top performing tourism destination of any small city in our region, he
said.
Gibson also made an announcement about funding approved
for the city. He said Natchez has been awarded a $362,000 grant funded by the
Mississippi Legislature. The money is being appropriated through the
Mississippi Main Street Association, he said.
“That $362,000 is going to allow us to transform this
plaza and even the property behind us, and we will therefore be making great
strides toward realizing our downtown master plans and ambitions for this
property,” Gibson said.
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| (Click on image to enlarge.) |
Charlie Thomas will serve as grand marshal and Stephen J. Collins will be honored as Veteran of the Year. by Mississippi Monitor | Nov 5, 20...
