Ibrahima historical marker a gift to Natchez

Top of the Morning column published in The Natchez Democrat (Wednesday, October 8, 2025, page 4A)

Natchez will honor Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima with its first historical marker dedicated to the enslaved African prince, celebrating his legacy at a ceremony near Jefferson College on Oct. 24.

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Top of the Morning

Ibrahima historical marker a gift to Natchez

 

By Roscoe Barnes III

 

The Natchez Historical Society is planning a dedication ceremony for a historical marker that will honor the legacy of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima (1762-1829). The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24, near Historic Jefferson College on the corner of Highway 61 and Jefferson College Street.
 
Natchez Historical Society is also the sponsor of the marker that was acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
 
The marker will be the first one in the Natchez-Adams County area to honor the prince who was enslaved for 40 years on Thomas Foster’s plantation just outside of Natchez.
With that in mind, we could say that this dedication ceremony will be historic in more ways than one.
 
Gift to community
 
In October 2024, the society’s board members approved a donation of $3,420 to cover the cost of the marker. The total cost includes $2,670 for the marker and post, plus an additional $750 for a sign underneath that reads, “Sponsored by the Natchez Historical Society.”
 
Karen Hill, former president of the society, said the marker is an important gift to the Natchez-Adams County community and to the descendants of Ibrahima, many of whom still live in Natchez.
 
Ibrahima’s story is told in Dr. Terry Alford’s book, “Prince Among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery in the American South” (Oxford University Press, 1977). Alford praised the society for its donation, its initiative, and the foresight it has shown to commemorate Ibrahima.
 
Ibrahima’s backstory
 
Ibrahima was a Muslim prince who said he was born in 1762 in Timbuktu, a city in the current western African country of Mali. He grew up in Timbo, Guinea, West Africa. His father, Ibrahima Sori, ruled as a political and religious leader in the Futa Jallon highlands of Guinea.
 
By the age of 26, Ibrahima became a colonel in his father’s army. In January 1788, he and his soldiers were returning home to celebrate a victory when they were ambushed by the Hebohs, a rival non-Muslim group that prevented Futa Jallon from trading with Europeans. Ibrahima was captured and sold to slave traders for two flasks of powder, a few trade muskets, eight hands of tobacco, and two bottles of rum.
 
 As a captive of the slave traders, Ibrahima sailed from West Africa to the West Indies and on to New Orleans, from where he sailed north on the Mississippi River to Natchez.
 
Ibrahima arrived in Natchez in August 1788 at the site that is known as Under-the-Hill. From there, he and his friend, Samba, who served under him in the military, were sold to a farmer named Thomas Foster for $930.
 
In 1791, Foster purchased a woman in her early 20s named Isabella. She and Ibrahima married on Christmas Day of 1794. The two of them welcomed nine children into their family: five sons and four daughters.
 
In 1803, Ibrahima met newspaper editor and printer Andrew Marschalk, who is today known as the “Father of Mississippi Journalism.” He would play a significant role in helping Ibrahima to gain his freedom.
 
Connection to Jefferson College
 
The area near Jefferson College was selected as the site for Ibrahima’s marker because of its connection to his story.
 
First, the land occupied by Jefferson College was donated by John Foster and James Foster, according to the National Register of Historic Places. Both men were brothers of Thomas Foster.
 
Second, it was in the area near the college that Ibrahima recognized Dr. John Coats Cox in 1807 at the market. Cox, an Irishman, had sailed to West Africa in 1781. After going ashore to hunt, he became lost and ill but was rescued by the Fulani people and taken to Timbo, where Ibrahima’s father cared for him.
 
After their chance meeting in Mississippi, the doctor tried for many years to purchase Ibrahima’s freedom, but Thomas Foster refused to release him. Even so, Ibrahima’s fame spread because of his meeting with Cox, and it eventually led to his freedom.
 
Finding freedom
 
In 1828, Ibrahima gained his freedom through the help of Natchez newspaper editor, Marschalk, and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Clay in President John Quincy Adams’ administration. Clay authorized Marschalk’s efforts to obtain Ibrahima’s freedom.
 
On Friday, Feb. 22, 1828, Thomas Foster delivered Ibrahima to Marschalk’s printing office along with a deed in trust for Ibrahima. Ibrahima was 66. Isabella’s freedom was later purchased for $200.
 
On April 8, 1828, Ibrahima and Isabella traveled with their family to the dock under the hill. They boarded the Neptune steamship and waved goodbye to their children, who remained enslaved. For several months after leaving Natchez, Ibrahima travelled to Washington, D.C., and Connecticut, among other places, on a fundraising campaign to help free his children. However, he came up short with his fundraising campaign.
 
In February 1829, he and Isabella sailed to Monrovia, Liberia, which the American Colonization Society had created as a home for formerly enslaved Africans. During their stay in Liberia, Ibrahima contracted a disease and died on July 6, 1829, at the age of 67. He never reached his homeland. Isabella remained in Liberia. Two of her sons later joined her.
 
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Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez.
 

Marker honoring Prince Ibrahima to be dedicated Oct. 24

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NATCHEZ, Miss. -- A historical marker honoring Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima (1762-1829) will be dedicated at 11 a.m. Friday, October 24, near Historic Jefferson College on the corner of Highway 61 North and Jefferson College Street. The ceremony is being organized by the Natchez Historical Society, the sponsor of the marker that was acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Michael Morris, director of The Two Museums in Jackson, will be the guest speaker at the ceremony.

Ibrahima was a Muslim prince from West Africa who spent 40 years enslaved on Thomas Foster’s plantation near Washington before gaining his freedom. The marker will be the first in the Natchez-Adams County area that pays tribute to Ibrahima.

This event is free to the public. For more information, call 601-492-3004 or send email to Roscoe@visitnatchez.org.

Celebrating with Anne Moody’s brother

I'm here with the Rev. Fred Moody Jr., brother of Anne Moody. He's mentioned throughout "Coming of Age in Mississippi." Photo taken Monday, September 15, 2025, at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Centreville, Mississippi. Photo by Albert L. Jones (Click on image to enlarge.)

Anne Moody honored with Freedom Trail marker

by Mississippi Monitor | Sep 17, 2025 | Capital/River
By: Roscoe Barnes III, Visit Natchez

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A Mississippi Freedom Trail marker honoring Anne Moody now stands in front of the church she attended – and wrote about – in her memoir, “Coming of Age in Mississippi.’'

The marker, which was unveiled Monday, September 15, is located on the northside of Highway 24 at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, 8755 Highway 24 East, Centreville. It is the first and only Freedom Trail marker installed in Wilkinson County.

About 80 people turned out for the ceremony that paid tribute to Moody as a civil rights activist, warrior for social justice, and respected author, whose memoir has remained in print since it was first published in December 1968.

Rev. Reginald M. Buckley, the guest speaker, said Moody’s Freedom Trail marker will stand as “a testimony of the importance of memory itself.”

“This marker is more than mere words inscribed upon metal,” Buckley said. He noted the marker is “a reminder, a storyteller, a sanctified witness that will speak to generations long after we have left this place.”

Rev. Fred Moody Jr., brother of Anne Moody, reads the inscription on the Mississippi Freedom Trail marker erected in her honor. The marker was unveiled in a ceremony Monday, September 15, at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Centreville. Fred Moody is mentioned throughout Anne Moody's "Coming of Age in Mississippi." Photo by Roscoe Barnes III (Click on image to enlarge.)

The day’s program, which was held at Mount Pleasant, featured music by the Mount Pleasant Church Choir and inspiring messages from prominent leaders that included the Rev. LeReginald Jones, pastor of Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church; Dr. Donzell Lee, president of Tougaloo College; Rep. Angela Cockerham, District 96; Rev. Fred Moody Jr., brother of Anne Moody; Dr. Daphne Chamberlain, chief program officer at the Emmett Till Interpretive Center; John Spann, program and outreach officer at the Mississippi Humanities Council; Rev. Larry Lee, pastor of Winans Chapel C.M.E. Church; and Senator Gary L. Brumfield, District 38.
 
Members of Anne Moody’s family attended the program, along with elected officials, pastors from across the state, and visitors from Natchez.
 
Buckley said it is important to remember Anne Moody as a bold and brilliant storyteller. He said she was a teller of an inconvenient story and uncomfortable truth.
 
Anne Moody, he said, told a “story that pulled back the blood-soaked veil and exposed the heart-wrenching reality of life for black people in the American South, specifically, Mississippi. She told a story that was difficult to hear in a culture that was not welcoming of her voice, not receptive to her perspective and in many instances, not even caring of her truth.”
 
All of the presenters spoke about the importance of Anne Moody’s contribution to the state’s history.
 
Jones recounted the history of Mount Pleasant and its role in Anne Moody’s life. The church, he said, has been a place that served as a school and community center for Black families. It was also a place that helped to develop “some theological thought, birth agents of change, great preachers, and great orators, agents of change and justice, like our celebrated native daughter, Ms. Anne Moody.”
 
According to Donzell Lee, Anne Moody was “a young lady of tremendous courage and tremendous foresight, who put herself in harm’s way at the forefront of civil rights in her day.”
 
Cockerham commented on the inspirational elements of Anne Moody’s life.
 
“Miss Moody’s acts of love, faith, and courage, remind us that the best lies deep within us,” she said. “Her life serves as an example to embrace God’s purpose for our lives no matter how difficult the journey gets, because God is always with us, and I have no doubt in my mind that God created and anointed Miss Moody for such a time.”
 
Fred Moody, Anne Moody’s brother, is mentioned throughout her book, along with their sister, Adline Moody, whom Fred Moody introduced at the ceremony. Both he and Adline Moody expressed gratitude for the day’s program. Fred Moody drew laughs when he told how he burned down the family’s house as a child. The story is captured in “Coming of Age in Mississippi.”
 
Chamberlain, a former history professor at Tougaloo College, told of how Anne Moody’s memoir affected her personally. She said Anne Moody’s work helped her to see the past and present “a little clearer.”
 
“Her activism made me stand a lot taller,” she said. “Her bravery made me this quiet little Black girl in Columbus, Mississippi, be a little bolder. Anne Moody’s legacy has influenced more than just me. It has touched readers locally and readers from all around the world.”
 
Spann, representing the Mississippi Humanities Council, acknowledged the assistance of U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson in securing federal funds for the Freedom Trail markers. He said because of Thompson’s help, among others, the markers are free to communities across the state. “We have more than doubled the size of the Freedom Trail, taking it from 30 to 64 in just two years,” he said.
 
Brumfield gave the closing remarks. He said Anne Moody presented a story that resonates with many people. “She gives me courage to think that she thought outside the box. It’s ok to be different as long as you are making a difference.”
 
The Freedom Trail markers are administered by the Mississippi Humanities Council, in partnership with Visit Mississippi. They commemorate the people and places in the state that played important roles in the American Civil Rights Movement.
 
See more at this link: https://www.themississippimonitor.com/anne-moody-honored-with-freedom-trail-marker/
 

Buckley to speak at ceremony honoring Anne Moody

He will be joined by Rep. Angela Cockerham and others

By Roscoe Barnes III

Rev. Reginald M. Buckley will be the special guest speaker at the unveiling ceremony for the Mississippi Freedom Trail marker honoring Anne Moody on Monday, September 15, in Centreville. Rep. Angela Cockerham is one of several prominent leaders who will speak at Monday's ceremony honoring Anne Moody.

CENTREVILLE, Miss. -- The Rev. Reginald M. Buckley, president of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi Inc., will be the guest speaker at the Mississippi Freedom Trail ceremony honoring Anne Moody.

The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, September 15 at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, 8755 Highway 24 East. The event is free and open to the public.
 
A native of Jackson, Buckley is a graduate of Tougaloo College, where he completed his undergraduate studies. He is also a recipient of the Andrew W. Mellon fellowship. He holds a Master of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.
 
Buckley is the senior pastor of Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. In addition to having been inducted into the Tougaloo College Hall of Fame, he is a recipient of the Tougaloo Meritorious Leadership award. Buckley and his wife, Dr. Lecretia A. Buckley, are the parents of two children, Jonathan and Anna.
 
Dr. Donzell Lee, president of Tougaloo College, said he looks forward to participating in the program, which will be a first for Wilkinson County. Lee will share remarks about Moody, who became a civil rights activist while attending Tougaloo College in the early 1960s.
 
Other speakers will include the Rev. LeReginald Jones, pastor of Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church; Rep. Angela Cockerham, District 96; Rev. Fred Moody Jr., brother of Anne Moody; Dr. Daphne Chamberlain, chief program officer at the Emmett Till Interpretive Center; John Spann, program and outreach officer at the Mississippi Humanities Council; Rev. Larry Lee, pastor of Winans Chapel C.M.E. Church; and Senator Gary L. Brumfield, District 38.
 
Dr. Roscoe Barnes III will serve as master of ceremonies. Barnes is the cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez and the president of the Mississippi Historical Society. Music will be provided by the Mount Pleasant Church Choir.
 
Organizers say they are excited about the list of speakers, all of whom continue to make a difference in Mississippi’s history. They are also helping to preserve Moody’s legacy.
 
In 2018, Cockerham sponsored House Bill 1153 that resulted in Highway 24 -- between Woodville and Centreville -- being named the Anne Moody Memorial Highway. Cockerham’s bill was passed overwhelmingly by the House and Senate, without any “nay” votes recorded. Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill into law on March 8, 2018.
 
In May 2025, Buckley reported how Moody would be honored by the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi Inc. He announced the Women’s Auxiliary building at Natchez College will be home to the Anne Moody Interpretive Center. The center will feature historic documents, artifacts, and memorabilia.

Buckley said, “Moody’s time spent at Natchez College was formative in her development as a writer and activist as she discovered her agency to confront and speak to issues. Establishing the Anne Moody Interpretive Center at the Baptist Heritage and Arts Center at Natchez College will help to keep Moody’s spirit of agency and activism alive for future generations to be inspired.”
 
Moody was a civil rights activist and the author of “Coming of Age in Mississippi.” She was born and raised in Centreville, a town that she features in her book. She also wrote about her time as a student at Natchez College.
 
In September 2017, the town of Centreville held a celebration that included a proclamation for Anne Moody Day and a resolution for renaming Fort Street, Anne Moody Street. The celebration was organized by the Anne Moody History Project, an organization that was founded at the MTC-operated Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville.
 
Moody died in 2015 at the age 74.
 
 

Important Reminder!

 Anne Moody event only a few days away!

Anne Moody, author of “Coming of Age in Mississippi,” will be honored with a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker at 10 a.m. Monday, September 15 at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, 8755 Highway 24 East. The event is free to the public.

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Natchez Screening of Ken Burns’ ‘American Revolution’ set for September 25

David Schmidt, left, Sarah Botstein, and Ken Burns are the directors of "The American Revolution" documentary series. Credit: Stephanie Berger. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Mississippi Public Broadcasting, in partnership with Visit Natchez, is inviting the public to view a 40-minute screener of Ken Burns' "American Revolution.” The viewing will be followed by a discussion led by Jim Wiggins, retired instructor of History at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
 
The event will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, September 25, at the Visit Natchez at The Depot Visitor Center at 200 N. Broadway St. It is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
 
The six-part, 12-hour documentary film will premiere on Sunday, November 16 on PBS, and air for six consecutive nights through Friday, November 21.
 
The film explores the country’s founding struggle and its eight-year War for Independence.
 
“The American Revolution is one of the most important events in human history,” said Burns. “We went from being subjects to inventing a new concept, citizens, and set in motion democratic revolutions around the globe. As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding, I’m hopeful that people throughout the country will come together to discuss the importance of this history and to appreciate even more what our ancestors did to secure our liberty and freedoms.”
 
“The American Revolution” was directed and produced by Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, and written by collaborator Geoffrey C. Ward.
 
For more information on the viewing, send email to Roscoe Barnes III at Roscoe@visitnatchez.org