George Metcalfe: May he never be forgotten.

 

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KNOE 8 News coverage of ceremony honoring George Metcalfe

Reporter Shahid Evans, left, and Dr. Roscoe Barnes III
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Reporter Shahid Evans of KNOE 8 News provided excellent coverage of our ceremony honoring civil rights leader George Metcalfe on August 27, 2026. The ceremony was held at the site where Metcalfe’s car was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on August 27, 1965, outside the former Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company in Natchez.

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Civil rights leader George Metcalfe honored

 

(Click on image to enlarge.)

On Thursday, August 27, 2026, we honored George Metcalfe at the site where his car was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on August 27, 1965. He survived the attack but suffered severe injuries. No one was ever charged with the crime. This marker is posted on the west side of the old Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company in the triangle at the intersection of Kelly Avenue, Brenham Avenue, and South Concord Avenue, in Natchez, Mississippi.

Pilgrimage Garden Club to host symposium on Pre-Civil War Natchez history

Presentations will explore cotton and the Mississippi River, followed by dedication of new Enslaved Quarters Exhibit at Longwood

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Aug 24, 2026 | 12:11 PM

Terrel Williams, M.D., president of the Pilgrimage Garden Club, announces plans for the James Wade Memorial Symposium slated for September 26 at the Carriage House. (Click on image to enlarge.)

 

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The Pilgrimage Garden Club will host an afternoon symposium Saturday, September 26, examining the impact of the Mississippi River, cotton, and key events that shaped Natchez before the Civil War.

Held in memory of the late James McHenry Wade, former curator of Longwood, the program is titled “The People, River, and History that Shaped Natchez.” It runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Carriage House on the grounds of Historic Stanton Hall at 410 N. Commerce St. Admission is $25.
 
Following the symposium, a dedication ceremony will be held at Longwood at 140 Lower Woodville Road for the new Enslaved Quarters exhibit, located in the property’s historic dependency building. Admission is free.
 
Dr. Terrel Williams, president of the Pilgrimage Garden Club, said the exhibit will highlight the history of the enslaved families who lived and worked at Longwood and explore how dependency buildings – historically known as slave quarters – can provide invaluable insight into their daily experiences.
 
The symposium will focus on the explorations of La Salle, the transformation of the cotton industry following Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin, and the importance of preserving these stories and historic resources for future generations.
 
The symposium brochure highlights the significance of the Mississippi River, stating it has long shaped the history of Natchez, serving as a vital source of settlement, commerce, and conflict.
 
 “This program explores how the river fueled the cotton economy and plantation system while profoundly influencing the lives of the enslaved people whose labor sustained it,” the brochure notes.
 
The publication states that through these interconnected stories, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the region’s complex history and the ongoing efforts to preserve and interpret these narratives.
 
“Together, these topics offer a deeper understanding of the history, culture, and legacy of Natchez and the lower Mississippi River Valley,” said Williams.
 
In addition to Williams, who will serve as emcee, the symposium will feature presentations by six speakers:
 
* Stephen Perkins, author and co-founder of ForrestPerkins in Washington, D.C., will discuss “The Discovery of the Mississippi River by Rene’-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.”
 
* Becky Anderson, educator and historian at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, will discuss “Natchez Indians on the Bluff of the Mississippi River.”
 
* Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, will discuss “Dread and Dreams: The Mississippi River and the Journey of Prince Ibrahima.”
 
* Lynette Tanner, owner of Frogmore Plantation, will discuss “Cotton: White Gold on the River.”
 
* Carter Burns, executive director of the Historic Natchez Foundation, will discuss “Plantation Dependencies and Longwood.”
 
* Douglas Lanfear, Longwood docent and former staff member at Rosalie, will discuss “Longwood Dependency: From History to Interpretation.”
 
Williams will deliver the symposium's welcome, opening remarks, and closing remarks.
 
Tickets to the symposium can be purchased at NatchezPilgrimage.com or by calling Natchez Pilgrimage Tours at 601-653-0919.
 
In 2025, the Pilgrimage Garden Club held its first James Wade Memorial Symposium, which focused on Longwood and the donated ostrich eggs that Dr. Rush Nutt and his eldest son, Rittenhouse Nutt, used to smuggle Egyptian cotton seeds out of Egypt.

ArtsNatchez donates $500 in art supplies to local classrooms

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Aug 21, 2026 | 1:01 PM

ArtsNatchez Gallery recently donated $500 worth of art supplies to two classrooms in the Miss-Lou area. Posing with the donated supplies, from left, are Judy Uzzetta, Armand Saiia, Katherine Parker, Connie Burns, art teacher Wilshonda Johnson, Joe Johnson, art teacher Amanda Coley, Sheri Perry-Brown, Michelle Bryant, and Carolyn Weir. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- ArtsNatchez Gallery recently donated $500 worth of art supplies to two first-year art teachers and their classrooms in Natchez and Vidalia.

The supplies were presented at the gallery to Amanda Coley, an art teacher at Vidalia High School, and Wilshonda Johnson, an art teacher at Natchez Middle School.
 
Both teachers said they were grateful to ArtsNatchez and look forward to sharing the supplies with their students.

“This donation means the difference between actually teaching students to create art like artists and just teaching art theory with no hands-on experience,” said Coley. “This donation means that students can immerse themselves in the creative process while learning to utilize different mediums.” 

Johnson expressed her gratitude for the gift and the impact it would have on her classroom. She said the supplies will provide her students with opportunities and creative ways to express themselves.
 
“Your generosity gives my students the tools to explore, experiment, and express their artistic voices with confidence and joy,” Johnson said. “I’m truly grateful — your support doesn’t just supply our classroom, it fuels every bold, brilliant masterpiece they’re ready to create.”
 
The donated items include drawing paper, mixed media paper, and watercolor paper, along with chalk pastels, drawing pencils, colored pencils, canvases, and acrylic paint. The teachers also received pens, erasers, sharpeners, and watercolor for the middle school classroom.
 
“The students are going to love it,” said Johnson, flashing a big smile. “They ask every day, ‘When are we going to paint?’”
 
ArtsNatchez member Carolyn Weir said the donation reflects how the generosity of local artists can become something tangible for two area classrooms to help the students prepare for the new school year.
 
“Both teachers had recently reached out to the community through Facebook, asking for help stocking their new art classrooms,” Weir said. “Like many public-school art teachers, they face the challenge of creating meaningful art experiences for their students with very limited classroom supplies and often must purchase materials themselves or rely on donations.”
 
Thankfully, said Weir, ArtsNatchez was in a position to help because of a fundraiser that began two years earlier. She noted the nonprofit organization hosted a special event in 2024 during which proceeds from donated artwork sold at the event were earmarked specifically for providing art supplies to local students.
 
The gallery held those funds until it found the right opportunity to put them to use, she said.
 
According to Weir, school art programs, elementary through high school, are an important focus for ArtsNatchez.
 
“Supporting artists has always been central to the mission of ArtsNatchez Gallery, but that mission extends beyond the professional artists whose work hangs in the gallery,” she said. “We believe in supporting the next generation of artists begins in local classrooms. By helping teachers provide students with access to art materials and creative opportunities, ArtsNatchez hopes to encourage young people to explore their creativity and discover the value of making art.”
 
ArtsNatchez Gallery is located at 425 Main St. It is open daily at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-442-0043.

Neddie Winters to keynote event honoring George Metcalfe in Natchez

The Rev. Neddie Winters will keynote an Aug. 27 Natchez ceremony dedicating a historical marker to civil rights leader George Metcalfe.
 
Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
August 19, 2026

Neddie Winters, former president of Mission Mississippi, will serve as keynote speaker at the marker dedication ceremony honoring George Metcalfe on Thursday, August 27, in Natchez. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ — The Rev. Neddie Winters, former president of Mission Mississippi, Jackson, will serve as the keynote speaker for the dedication of a state historical marker honoring the late George Metcalfe. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at the intersection of Kelly Avenue, Brenham Avenue, and South Concord Avenue, on the west side of the former Armstrong Tire & Rubber Company.

The event is hosted by the City of Natchez and Visit Natchez. It is free and open to the public.

Metcalfe was the president of the Natchez NAACP when his car was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on Aug. 27, 1965, in the triangle area near the plant. That single act of violence became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez, galvanizing the Black community and helping spur a sustained campaign for voting rights and desegregation.

Metcalfe was targeted by the Klan because of his leadership in the Black community and his courageous civil rights activities. He successfully led a voter-registration drive that resulted in more than 8,000 African Americans registering to vote.

He and the NAACP called on the Natchez city administration to denounce white supremacist groups like the Klan and to end police brutality. They also urged the city to hire Black employees and to desegregate swimming pools, parks, and other public facilities. Metcalfe also led a delegation which confronted the school board with a signed petition calling for the desegregation of the public school system.

Winters said he is honored to participate in the Aug. 27 program and to speak about the legacy of Metcalfe.

A native of Tunica, Winters is a nationally recognized leader in racial reconciliation and healing.

“He is known for his passionate advocacy for building beloved communities through dialogue, understanding, and shared action,” said Dr. Felicia M. Bowens, executive assistant to the president of Mission Mississippi. “Under his leadership, Mission Mississippi became a statewide catalyst for conversations and collaborations that bridge racial divides.”

She noted Winters has dedicated his life to fostering oneness across racial, cultural, political, and denominational lines.

Winters served for many years as president of Mission Mississippi, a pioneering organization committed to racial reconciliation through Christian relationships and community engagement.

In addition to his public speaking and leadership, Winters serves as an adjunct professor at Belhaven University, where he teaches “The History, Theology, and Practice of Christian Reconciliation.”

Winters is a graduate of Alcorn State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He holds a master’s degree in public finance management from American University’s Kogod School of Business.

In addition to Winters, the ceremony will feature remarks by Mayor Dan Gibson and Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, president of the Natchez NAACP.

Other participants will include Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez, who will serve as master of ceremonies and introduce the keynote speaker.

The invocation will be given by the Rev. Dr. Chase Caldwell, associate pastor of First Presbyterian Natchez, and the benediction will be given by the Rev. Clifton Marvel Sr., pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

Historical reflections will be shared by Alderman Billy Joe Frazier; local historian Jeremy Houston; Frances Bailey and Paul Bacon, eyewitnesses to bombing; Denise Jackson Ford, daughter of Wharlest Jackson Sr., and Wharlest Jackson Jr., his son.

Thelma Newsome, representative of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, will read a letter presented by Alderwoman Felicia Bridgewater-Irving. Bobby Dennis, director of Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, will give the closing remarks.

For more information, call 601-492-3004.

 

New panels at Natchez National Historical Park preserve stories of the enslaved

I enjoyed my visit with KNOE 8 News reporter Shahid Evans!

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