MDAH in 2025: New name in store for Grand Village

By Roscoe Barnes III 

The Natchez Democrat 

Published Sunday, December 29, 2024

Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, recently announced major plans for historic sites in Natchez and other locations. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Katie Blount, director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, announced major plans for multiple historic sites in 2025 -- and later -- that include Windsor Ruins, the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, and Historic Jefferson College, among others.

 
The Grand Village will be renamed the Natchez Tribal History Center. Windsor Ruins will have new signs and a new interpretation, and Jefferson College will be restored and serve as an interpretive center and preservation field school.
 
Blount also outlined plans for the Margaret Ann Crigler Park, which will be adjacent to the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson, the Vicksburg Civil War Project, and an exhibit in 2025 that commemorates the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
 
Blount shared her vision for these sites during a December 18 media roundtable in Jackson. She told the press that Mississippi has important stories to tell and there is a growing number of people who want to hear those stories. This growing interest is having a positive impact on tourism, she said.
 
“We are moving around the state ensuring that our most important stories are told in all their complexity and that we're reaching a broader audience with these stories,” Blount said.
 
She also noted: “I think that there is a consensus among leadership, local and state in this state, that tourism is on the rise for Mississippi and that we have important stories to tell and that people will come and that we'll all have a better understanding of who we are and where we've come from.”
 
Windsor Ruins
 
“When we opened the Two Museums in 2017, we knew that our next priority really needed to be our sites around the state,” Blount said, noting the sites around the state needed MDAH’s attention.
 
Attention was first given to Windsor Ruins in rural Claiborne County. Blount said the columns were in danger of falling. But thanks to the state legislature, funds were provided through the Community Heritage Preservation Grant program that allowed them to acquire specialists to stabilize the columns and restore the capitals at the top of the columns. The work is now done, she said.
 
Research and archaeological work has been done at the site to uncover the stories of the enslaved people who lived and worked at Windsor. A new interpretation of the site will be announced early next year. New signs will go up at the site around the beginning of 2025.
 
Grand Village
 
Blount said their next priority was the Grand Village, a National Historic Landmark site that the department has owned since the 1970s. “It’s highly significant, and we had done very little to expand or update the initial interpretation from the ‘70s,” she said. “So we're building a new museum there and a new outdoor pavilion. And we are we're going to add walking trails.”
 
She noted all of the exhibits and interpretation will be new. In addition to the citizens of Natchez, MDAH is working with scholars of Native American history in Mississippi and their tribal partners, she said, adding the lead tribal partner is the Muscogee.
 
The new Grand Village should open in 2028, and when it opens, it will be known as the Natchez Tribal History Center. Blount said their native partners felt it was time to change the name. “’Grand Village’ is what the French knew the site as,” she said. “It’s not really a village.”
 
According to Blount, “Mississippi has more interesting, consequential, complex history than any other state.” She said one of the most important ways to tell the stories of the people and what happened here is to preserve the places where they happened.
 
Jefferson College
 
Next on MDAH’s list of priorities is Jefferson College, which Blount described as “the birth place of statehood, where the delegates first gathered to write the first state constitution.”
The college was the state's first institution of higher learning before the public universities opened. It also served briefly as a Freedman's Bureau after the Civil War. In addition to restoring the school’s eight historic buildings, plans include work on the roofs, windows and interiors, and the opening of an interpretive center.
 
The center, she said, will tell the stories that are central to the history of Natchez and to the country. These stories will focus on the cotton boom, slavery, Civil War, Reconstruction, and the aftermath of Reconstruction up to the Civil Rights Movement.
 
The establishment of a historic preservation field school will be another feature of Jefferson College. It will be a place where students can come from area universities, as well as Natchez Adams School District, to get hands-on training in historic preservation trades.
Blount said that while MDAH will continue to work on its programs, including the preservation field schools, “the work on the buildings will take years” to complete. She said it is important to get the buildings in shape before they place exhibits inside.
 
Projected costs
 
When asked about the amount of money being spent on the various projects, Blount provided projected costs for each of them.
 
Since Windsor Ruins is done, there is no need for more funding of the project, she said. And because some of the funds have already been placed into the Grand Village, its total will be less than $25 million. Total cost for the work at Jefferson College “remains to be seen,” as MDAH is just beginning the restoration of the building, Blount said.
 
Blount said the total cost for the projects will include funds they already have on hand. She explained that the money will come in from state, local, and federal government and from private donors.
 
Blount thanked the State Legislature for providing support of all of the projects.
 
Hurricane Katrina
 
Near the end of the meeting, Michael Morris, executive director of the Two Museum, announced plans to tell the story of Hurricane Katrina. He said it was an important event that impacted people in Mississippi and Louisiana.
 
On May 8, 2025, a photographic exhibit on Hurricane Katrina will be displayed at the Two Museums. The photographs were taken by Melody Golding, who is a photographer who's worked with the Smithsonian Institution and etcetera, Morris said. A number of programs on the topic will be held throughout the year, he said.
 
 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade will be Jan. 20

Event to feature civil rights activists of the Parchman Ordeal

NOTE: The parade has been rescheduled for Sunday, January 26, due to inclement weather.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. --- The 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, January 20, with the line-up beginning at 2 p.m. on Broadway Street on the Bluff.
 
The theme is “Natchez All In.” The event will include civil rights activists from the 1960s.
 
“In the January 20th MLK parade, the remaining living members that went to Parchman will be honored,” wrote Parade Chairperson Jacqueline Marsaw in a Facebook post. “I feel so good in honoring them as they should be every year.”
 
Marsaw described the activists as “Parchman Living Legends” because of the suffering they endured in the struggle for civil rights. On October 2 and 3, 1965, hundreds of protestors marched in solidarity through the city’s streets in defiance of a September 30 court ban against marching. They were all arrested, and  when the local jails became full, the authorities bused 150 of them to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.
 
The protesters were subjected to harsh treatment at the prison. Their experience became known as “The Parchman Ordeal.”
 
The parade will also honor such leaders as Medgar Evers, slain civil rights leader and NAACP's first field secretary in Mississippi; Wharlest Jackson Sr., civil rights leader who died when his truck was bombed by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Natchez, on Feb. 27, 1967; and Ida B. Wells-Barnett, journalist and activist who led anti-lynching crusades in the 1890s and fought for woman suffrage.
 
Others who will be honored include Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley, former civil rights worker and coordinator of Friends of the Forks of the Roads Society; and Nick Bezzel, founder of the Elmer Geronimo Pratt Pistol & Rifle Gun Club.
 
Natchez Alderman Billie Joe Frazier, Ward 2, will serve as grand marshal.
 
Entry fees for the parade are: $50 donations for any amount of vehicles; $50 for floats and 2 vehicles; and $10 per car.
 
Marsaw said bands, dance groups, horses, motorcycles and all organizations are welcome to participate in the parade.
 
The parade route will start at North Broadway and Franklin streets. From there, it will travel along Franklin to N. Dr. M.L. King St., where it will turn left and proceed up to Minor Street, where it will end.
 
The parade will be followed by trophy presentations at the corner of Dr. M.L. King and High streets for the best float.
 
The parade is sponsored by The Natchez Branch of the NAACP. 
 

The 2025 Annual Dinner of the Natchez Historical Society is Jan. 28

Reservation and payment deadline is January 14.

Matthew Skic, left, will be the featured speaker at the 2025 Annual Dinner of the Natchez Historical Society. Lance S. Harris will be presented the 2025 Historic Preservation Award. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The Natchez Historical Society will hold its 2025 annual dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Natchez Grand Hotel, 111 N. Broadway St. Reservation and payment deadline is January 14. Payment will not be accepted at the door. Social hour with cash bar will begin at 5:30 p.m.

This program is part of a lecture series that is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Matthew Skic, curator of exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will be the featured speaker. His topic is, “Muskets Along the Mississippi: The Revolutionary War in the West.”

During the dinner, society officials will present Lance S. Harris, sites operation administrator for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with the 2025 Historic Preservation Award.

Reservation and payment may be made online at natchezhistoricalsociety.org or by mail at Natchez Historical Society, P. O. Box 49, Natchez, Miss. 39121. Please include names and phone numbers with checks.

Dinner is $39 per person (regular and vegetarian options available). Membership dues for 2025 also may be included: $20 per person or $35 per couple. For more information, call 281-731-4433 or 601-492-3004.

For more information, visit this link:

https://roscoereporting.blogspot.com/2024/12/natchez-historical-society-announces.html

'The Six Triple Eight' by Tyler Perry

 

I’m happy to report that two women from Natchez, MS, were members of the Six Triple Eight. Their names are Gwendolyn F. Johnson (1924 – 2017) and Louise Rita Bruce (1913 – 1996).

#SixTripleEight #WWII #VisitNatchez
 

Natchez Historical Society announces 2025 Annual Dinner

Matthew Skic will be the featured speaker at the Jan. 28 event

Registration and payment deadline is January 14

By Roscoe Barnes III

Special to The Natchez Democrat

Matthew Skic

NOTE: This program is part of a lecture series that is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Matthew Skic, curator of exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will be the featured speaker at the 2025 Annual Dinner of the Natchez Historical Society. His topic for the evening is “Muskets Along the Mississippi: The Revolutionary War in the West.”

 
The dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 28, at the Natchez Grand Hotel at 111 N. Broadway St. Reservation and payment deadline is January 14. Payment will not be accepted at the door. Registration and cash bar will begin at 5:30 p.m.
 
During the dinner, society officials will present Lance S. Harris, sites operation administrator for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with the 2025 Historic Preservation Award.
 
Speaker’s topic
 
Daye Dearing, who chairs the program committee for the Natchez Historical Society, said Skic’s presentation will include compelling stories from the diverse people who experienced the Revolutionary War in the region. “His lecture will highlight the significance of Natchez and New Orleans and reflect upon the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence,” she said.
Skic said he looks forward to returning to Natchez.
 
“As we approach the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the Revolutionary War, I am excited to come to Natchez to discuss crucial military campaigns along the Mississippi River and to show how the region was deeply involved in the war. This history is little known and often forgotten," he said.
 
Skic is a native of New Jersey. He studied at American University in Washington, DC, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History. Skic earned his Master of Arts from the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program in American Material Culture. His graduate thesis focused on Philadelphia's gunsmiths during the Revolutionary War.  
 
During his undergraduate, Skic completed two internships at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. He joined the curatorial team at the Museum of the American Revolution in 2016.
 
Skic has curated many award-winning exhibitions including “Hamilton Was Here: Rising Up in Revolutionary Philadelphia (2018-2019),” “Cost of Revolution: The Life and Death of an Irish Soldier (2019-2020),” and “Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia (2023).”
 
2025 Historic Preservation Award
 
In November, the Natchez Historical Society named Harris the winner of the 2025 Historic Preservation Award. He will be presented the award at the dinner.
 
Harris’ work as a professional and volunteer in Natchez has been notable, according to the leaders of the Natchez Historical Society. He has organized archaeological, genealogical and museum conferences. He has also participated in numerous panel discussions and given scores of presentations on Native American history, among other topics.
 
Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he also completed an internship during graduate school assisting the reinterpretation of the American Indian basket collection at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.  He worked for the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Louisiana Department of State Museums, and the Hillard Art Museum before arriving in Natchez in 2015. 
 
In 2008, Harris won the Louisiana Association of Museums Newcomers Award and has recently served as the president of the Mississippi Museum Association and an accreditation peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums.
 
Harris has served on many committees helping volunteer groups throughout the local community. He has served on the boards of the Natchez Chamber of Commerce, Natchez Tricentennial Commission, Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning at Alcorn State, and the Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration. 
 
Dinner details
 
Reservation and payment for the dinner may be made online at natchezhistoricalsociety.org or by mail at Natchez Historical Society, P. O. Box 49, Natchez, Miss. 39121. Please include names and phone numbers with checks.
 

Dinner is $39 per person (regular and vegetarian options available). Membership dues for 2025 also may be included: $20 per person or $35 per couple. For more information, call 281-731-4433 or 601-492-3004.

See more at https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/

Honoring those who served

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It was an honor to assist the  Home for Heroes Foundation with the annual Wreaths Across America campaign at the Natchez National Cemetery. Photo by Jackie Smith 

Wreaths Across America 2024 in Natchez

This image is from the front page of The Natchez Democrat (Sunday, December 15, 2024)

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Natchez's second Mississippi Freedom Trail marker featured on Delta News TV

 

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See the story at this link:

https://www.deltanews.tv/news/new-freedom-trail-marker/article_2116c0a6-b3fd-11ef-b498-ab4e2a63681a.html

'Natchez: From Past to Present'

 

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Screenshot from the short film, “Natchez: From Past to Present,” which premieres today, December 12, 2024, at the Visit Natchez at the Depot visitor center.

Natchez's second Freedom Trail marker is now posted

This image is from the front page of The Natchez Democrat (Friday, December 6, 2024)

(Click on image to enlarge.)

The Mississippi Freedom Trail markers are administered by Visit Mississippi and the Mississippi Humanities Council. The markers serve to commemorate the people and places in the state that played a pivotal role in the American Civil Rights Movement.

Freedom marker honoring Deacons for Defense and Justice is posted

Unveiling ceremony was held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Zion Chapel A.ME. Church 

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Janice J. Herbert and Willie Carter say they are happy and proud to see the Mississippi Freedom Trail marker honoring the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice.  The marker is now posted at 319 N. Dr. M.L.King Jr. St., in front of the building that was home to Donnan’s Barbershop. The barbershop was the meeting place for the Natchez Deacons. Herbert is the daughter of the late James “Big Jack” Jackson, who was president of the Natchez Deacons. Carter is the current owner of the old barbershop building. The Mississippi Freedom Trail is administered by the Mississippi Humanities Council in partnership with Visit Mississippi.

Evening with Yvonne Lewis Day (Nov. 26, 2024)

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Photos from Natchez Historical Society’s meeting with historian Yvonne Lewis Day on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at Historic Natchez Foundation. Day’s talk was titled, “Who Will Sing My Name? The Loss of the Steamboat Monmouth.” From left: Daye Dearing, Yvonne Lewis Day, Roscoe Barnes III.

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Another informative column by Daye Dearing

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Check out this wonderful piece by my friend, Daye Dearing. The lecture she writes about will be given on Tuesday, November 26, at the Historic Natchez Foundation. It is free and open to the public.

New Mississippi History Now article published

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This announcement appeared in the MDAH Weekly Update newsletter (11.18.24).

See article at this link:
http://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/civil-rights-movement-natchez-mississippi

Yvonne Lewis Day to discuss the 1837 loss of steamboat Monmouth

By Roscoe Barnes III
Listenupyall.com
Natchez, MS
Nov. 15, 2024; 1:06 p.m.

Yvonne Lewis Day

NATCHEZ – Yvonne Lewis Day, a noted writer and researcher, will talk about the collision and loss of the steamboat Monmouth at the Tuesday, November 26 meeting of the Natchez Historical Society.

Day’s topic is, “Who Will Sing My Name? The Loss of the Steamboat Monmouth.” She will discuss the loss of the steamboat, which occurred on October 31, 1837, just north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of about 400 Muscogee/Creek Indians who were being forcibly transported to Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

“The wreck of the steamboat Monmouth in 1837 is a tale of mystery, intrigue, and shame,” said Day.  “The loss of 400 lives on that fateful night was the greatest death toll in a single incident on the Mississippi until the final days of the Civil War.  Though my research has added new information, the story of the Monmouth remains without a final chapter, as of yet.”

The Trail of Tears, in this case, was by water and not land, Day noted.

Day’s presentation will be given at the Historic Natchez Foundation, at 108 S. Commerce St. It will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m., followed by the presentation at 6 p.m. The program, which is free to the public, is part of a lecture series that is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Day said her illustrated presentation incorporates her original research conducted over the last decade. She will also share copies of archival materials relating to the 1837 tragedy. Her work has received recognition by representatives of the Muscogee Creek Nation, she said.

A recognized authority in several fields, Day is a local historian and genealogist. She is also a prolific writer and editor of works in the scientific and academic fields. According to her biography, she has been a keynote speaker or workshop leader at more than 900 local, state, national, and international conferences.

Day is a native of New Orleans. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University, where she pursued graduate studies in linguistics. She is also author of numerous publications, including a noted series on the cemeteries in Tangipahoa Parish and multiple volumes on family, state, and local history.

[Over the years, Day has held memberships with numerous organizations, the list of which includes the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Indians Committee. In addition to having served as past president of the Baton Rouge and Louisiana genealogical and historical societies, she served as state registrar and as chapter president and chapter registrar of the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812.

Day has won state and national awards for her work. Her contribution to the field of history includes the 2022 donation of her collected publications and papers to Southeastern Louisiana University.

For more information Day’s presentation, call 281-731-4433 or 601-492-3004 or send email to info@natchezhistoricalsociety.org

Harris named winner of 2025 Historic Preservation Award

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published 3:50 pm Friday, November 15, 2024

Lance Harris speaks during a program at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians (File photo)
Click on image to enlarge.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Lance S. Harris, sites operation administrator for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, is the winner of the 2025 Historic Preservation Award presented by the Natchez Historical Society, announced Karen Hill, president of the society.
 
The award honors individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to historic preservation or the study of history within the Natchez area. It is presented in January at the society’s annual dinner.
 
“Lance Harris’ contributions to the historic preservation and the history of Natchez are unmistakable,” said Hill. “His work is invaluable, as it helps to broaden our understanding and appreciation of local history.”
 
Harris said he was surprised and grateful to learn that he was named the recipient of the award.
 
“Natchez is not just a place of regional or national importance, but of true international significance,” he said. “It has also had a special place in my heart for a very long time. I am forever grateful for the embrace of the community for my family ten years ago and the opportunity to learn and share about Natchez with others during that time. This award is a treasure and I sincerely appreciate the honor.”
 
Harris served for eight years as the executive director of the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. However, his contribution to Natchez history extends far beyond his work at the Grand Village.
 
Preserving and sharing history
 
MDAH Director Katie Blount said the award is a “fitting way to recognize Harris for his commitment to ensuring historic stories are preserved as an endowment for future generations.” She commended him for the recognition.
 
“We congratulate Lance on being selected as the recipient of the 2025 Historic Preservation Award by the Natchez Historical Society,” Blount said. “Lance’s dedication to preserving and sharing the history of Mississippi’s multicultural heritage has been an essential asset at MDAH. We’ve drawn on his deep knowledge and insight over the years – most recently for the ongoing restoration of Historic Jefferson College and the planned interpretive center at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.”
 
Blount said that Harris is known for making tangible connections to people and places.
 
“It’s not surprising to learn he participated in events celebrating Native American heritage when he was a youth,” she said. “It takes that kind of keen interest to fully embrace the purpose and mission of preservation. He’s inspired his colleagues, community leaders and others who know him through his volunteerism and his thoughtful and collaborative approach to preservation.”
 
Since 2016, Harris has served as a commissioner on the board of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission (NCPC) that oversees Visit Natchez. For five years, he led the board as president.
 
Recognized by friends and colleagues
 
Harris’ contribution to local history is acknowledged by colleagues, friends, and elected officials throughout Natchez.
 
“I can think of no one more deserving of this prestigious award,” said Mayor Dan Gibson. “Lance has for many years gone above and beyond to be a true asset to Natchez. Not only has he been such a great caretaker of the Natchez Grand Village and now contributing such leadership to the redevelopment of Historic Jefferson College, he has also served voluntarily in so many ways, from Visit Natchez to our Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee. We salute Lance and congratulate him on this great award.”
 
Dr. Chuck Borum, chairman and director of the Natchez Powwow, said Harris deserves a lot of praise and attention. “I have known Lance since he was a teenager and was participating in events at the Grand Village site here in Natchez,” Borum said. “He has been a fantastic director with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and he has really become super involved in many, many activities that promote the City of Natchez, especially its rich history.”
 
Harris is a native of Laurel. He and his wife, Nicole, moved to Natchez with their children in 2015 from Lafayette, Louisiana. Since their arrival, they have been active in many programs throughout the community.
 
Harris’ love of history and diverse cultures prompted him to support Native American tradition for many years. Since the age of 15, he has traveled to dances and events throughout the country, including the Natchez Powwow.  He said it was this connection that led to his coming to the Grand Village in 2015.  Since then, he has enjoyed bringing indigenous people of Natchez (pronounced Nahchee) descent back to the site to share their culture and assist in the new planning at the site.
 
Scholarship and volunteer service
 
Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he also completed 63 hours of graduate studies towards an Applied Cultural Heritage Studies, Dual Master of Arts in History and Anthropology. Harris earned an Associate of Arts at Jones County Junior College.
 
While living in Natchez, Harris published articles and participated in numerous panel discussions. He also gave scores of presentations on Native American history, among other topics.
 
Harris has served on many committees helping volunteer groups throughout the local community. He currently chairs the Design Subcommittee for the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee. In this capacity, he helped to secure a sculptor/designer and a concept of the monument for the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops.
 
Harris recently assisted the Natchez Historical Society with its application for the Prince Ibrahima marker. Since 2021, he has served on the Natchez Civil Rights Trail Committee which has succeeded in bringing two Mississippi Freedom Trail markers to Natchez.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/11/15/harris-named-winner-of-2025-historic-preservation-award/
 
 

VIDEO: Mississippi Freedom Trail marker unveiled for Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice

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On Saturday, November 9, 2024, we held a ceremony for the unveiling of a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker for the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice in Natchez, Mississippi. It was a great program and wonderful tribute to the men who made a difference in the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez in the 1960s.

Dr. Akinyele Umoja, author of “We Will Shot Back,” was our guest speaker. We were joined by the Natchez NAACP and the Mississippi NAACP. We’re grateful to Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi for making this program possible.

Watch the Facebook Live video recording of the ceremony at this link:

 https://www.facebook.com/share/15DC69MZP3/

Ceremony honoring Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III is speaking at the November 9, 2024, ceremony for the unveiling of the Mississippi Freedom Trail marker for the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice. The program was held at Zion Chapel AME Church in Natchez, Mississippi. Photo by Ben Hillyer Photography (Click on image to enlarge.)

See video recording of the unveiling ceremony at this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/15DC69MZP3/

Natchez Colored Troops committee announces t-shirt fundraising campaign

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Nov 7, 2024 | 11:27 AM

Showing off t-shirts for the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument. Pictured from left are Lynsey Gilbert, interim director of Visit Natchez; Mallory Meng, community and programs manager for Visit Natchez; and Robert Pernell, chairman of the Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Natchez U.S. Colored Troops Monument Committee is selling t-shirts to raise funds for the monument that will honor more than 8,000 Black men who served at Fort McPherson in Natchez during the Civil War.

The shirts are available for purchase at the Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce St. The cost is $20 for sizes small, medium, and large; and $23 for sizes 2X and 3X.

The shirts are off-white and feature an image of the proposed monument — with three members of the Colored Troops — on the back side. The committee’s logo is displayed on the front.

“This is one of several things we’re doing to raise money for this important monument,” said Robert Pernell, who chairs the committee for the monument. “This is a community endeavor that will be part of the local landscape for generations to come. We believe it will serve to educate and inspire our local citizens and the people who come to Natchez from all over the world.”

Pernell said he is excited about the shirts and he believes those who purchase them will love the design.

The estimated cost of the monument is $1.09 million, according to Pernell. Sculptor Thomas Jay Warren of Warren Sculpture Studios in Oregon is the official designer of the project.

In addition to selling shirts, the monument committee continues to seek donations through businesses, church groups, civil clubs, and individuals. The committee is also researching funding opportunities through grants, Pernell said.

The monument will be located on the north end of the Bluff at the corner of Madison and North Broadway streets. It will feature the names of the Colored Troops that served with six regiments. These regiments include: 6th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery, 58th U.S. Colored Infantry, 70th U.S. Colored Infantry, 71st U.S. Colored Infantry, 63rd U.S. Colored Infantry, and the 64th U.S. Colored Infantry. The list of names will include those who served in the Navy who were born in Natchez.

The selected names were provided by Dr. Frank Smith and the African American Civil War Museum, where he serves as founding director.

For more information on this fundraising campaign, call 601-442-2500.

Veterans Week programs announced for Miss-Lou

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published 4:58 pm Wednesday, November 6, 2024

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Special to The Natchez Democrat 

NATCHEZ — Several Veterans Day programs will be held in Natchez, Vidalia, and Ferriday between November 6 and 12. Veterans of the U.S. military will be honored in schools, a park, a church, and in civic club gatherings, among other places.

 
In Natchez, G. Mark LaFrancis will be honored posthumously as the Patriot of the Year. LaFrancis passed in June 2024 following a long battle with cancer. He was the founding president of Home with Heroes Foundation Inc. The foundation is a private non-profit organization that works to help and honor veterans, as well as their loved ones.

U.S. Air Force veteran John “Captain Jack” Kerwin will be honored as the Veteran of the Millennia. U.S. Army veteran Ben Tucker, chairman of the board for Homes with Heroes, will serve as grand marshal for the city’s Veterans Day Parade.

 
“Veterans Day is a time of saying thank you,” said Mayor Dan Gibson. “Our community is full of patriots who have served, even those currently serving, who remind us that freedom is not free but rather comes at a price. I encourage all of our citizens to pause on November 11 to say thank you. And I hope all will take part in our special activities scheduled for this special day.”

 
Vidalia, November 6

On Wednesday, November 6, the Point Man International Ministries of the Miss-Lou,  a non-profit interdenominational Christian service organization that supports veterans and their families, will present a program honoring veterans at the Vidalia Lions Club luncheon at 402 Carter Street, Vidalia, according to Doug McCallister, the organizations president. He said his organization will give a status report of the “Cost of Freedom Tribute” memorial, among other things.

 
McCallister is a Vietnam Army veteran. He said this program and others organized by him, including those in which he participates, are done in partnership with the VFW Post 9573, the Vidalia American Legion Post 590, and the Natchez American Legion Post 4.  

For more information, call McCallister at 601-431-2096.
 
Natchez, November 10

 
The 14th Annual Veterans Recognition program where veterans from the Miss-Lou area are honored and presented gift bags will be held at 8 a.m., Sunday, November 10,  at Zion Hill #1 Baptist Church at 349 Lower Woodville, Road. The event is free and open to the public.  Door prizes also will be given, announced Alice Jones, the 2024 chairperson for the program.  For more information, call 601-442-2782.

 
Natchez, November 11

 
Home with Heroes will support several Veterans Day programs on Monday, November 11, that will begin with Mayor Gibson leading a bench dedication ceremony at 10:30 a.m. for U.S. Navy veteran Steve Nielsen at Memorial Park. This news was shared by retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith, president of Home with Heroes.

 
Smith said the ceremony will be followed by a parade at 11 a.m. that begins at the park and proceeds on Main Street to the Bandstand on the Bluff on Broadway Street. Ben Tucker will be the grand marshal. The parade will also feature the Natchez High School Marching Band and the Air Force Junior ROTC Corps of Cadets.

 
The mayor will lead an awards ceremony at 11:20 a.m. at the Bandstand, where U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force veteran John “Captain Jack” Kerwin will be recognized as the Veteran of the Millennia and the late G. Mark LaFrancis, US Air Force veteran, will be honored as the Patriot of the Year. The ceremony will conclude with a prayer of benediction and the bugle’s sounding of taps, to remember those who have died and to honor those veterans who are still with us.  These events are free and open to the public.

 
ACCS, November 11

 
On Monday, November 11, the Adams County Christian School will host its annual Veterans Day program at 1:30 p.m. It will feature Vietnam Army veteran Doug McCallister, president of the Point Man International Ministries of the Miss-Lou. McCallister said it will be a special time when the students recognize veterans and present displays representing people who serve — and have served — in the United States military. The students will also hear a presentation on patriotism by McCallister.

 For more information, call McCallister at 601-431-2096.

 
Ferriday, November 12

 
A program honoring veterans will be held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, November 12, at the Delta Charter School. The annual event is organized by Doug McCallister of Point Man International Ministries of the Miss-Lou and his supporting organizations.  For more information, call McCallister at 601-431-2096
 
Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/11/06/veterans-week-programs-announced-for-miss-lou/

The Civil Rights Movement in Natchez, Mississippi

New article published by Mississippi History Now

(Click on image to enlarge.)

This is the article I wrote for Mississippi History Now, a publication of the Mississippi Historical Society and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. It was published this week. The article includes a Lesson Plan for students written by MDAH educators.

See the article at this link:

https://mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/civil-rights-movement-natchez-mississippi

History will be made in Natchez on Saturday, Nov. 9

Join us for this important event!

It is FREE and open to the public!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Willie Carter has barber chair previously owned by James ‘Big Jack’ Jackson, president of the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice

Willie Carter displays the barber chair previously owned by James 'Big Jack' Jackson, who served as president of the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice. Carter is owner of the building that was home to Donnan's Barbershop, the meeting place for the Deacons. He moved the chair to his current barbershop. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- When I met with Willie Carter in his barbershop back in January 2024, he surprised me with a piece of important history. He showed me a barber chair and said, “This is the chair that was owned by James ‘Big Jack’ Jackson. Yes, this is his chair. I saved it.”

Jackson was the president of the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice, a paramilitary organization that provided armed protection for civil rights workers and the Black community against the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups. The Natchez Deacons are featured in the documentary, “Black Natchez” (1967).
 
Carter wants to use the chair in some way to share the history of Jackson and the Deacons. In the meantime, he’s planning to join the Natchez community in commemorating the Deacons with a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker. An unveiling ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, November 9, at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church at 228 North Dr. M.L. King Jr. St.
 
After the ceremony, the unveiling of the marker will occur at 319 North Dr. M.L. King Jr. St., which is the site of the two-story building that was home to Donnan's Barbershop. The barbershop  was the meeting place for the Deacons. Carter is the current owner of the historic building which was owned earlier by the late Leon Donnan. In the early 1960s, Carter worked in the building as a shoe-shiner.
 
In addition to being a meeting place for the Deacons, the building was the site of the first meeting held by the Council of Federated Organizations or COFO. The group met in 319C, Carter said.
 
According to Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-Clifford M. Boxley, an upstairs room in the building became the office of Judge Willie Scott, “the first African American judge in modern time.” The second floor also housed a library for the black community, Boxley said.
 
The Freedom Trail markers honor the people and places in Mississippi that played a pivotal role in the American Civil Rights Movement. The markers are approved by Visit Mississippi and the Mississippi Humanities Council.
 
For more information on the November 9 unveiling ceremony, visit this link:
https://roscoereporting.blogspot.com/2024/09/honoring-natchez-deacons-for-defense.html
 

We're all set for the unveiling ceremony to honor the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice

Make your plans to attend this important event! 

(Click on image to enlarge.)

This ceremony aligns with the 79th Annual Mississippi NAACP State Convention and Policy Institute taking place in Natchez November 7-9. The Rev. Dr. Robert James, president of the Mississippi NAACP, will be one of our speakers. About 150 attendees of the NAACP convention will attend the unveiling ceremony.

Lambert to discuss enslavement project at Prospect Hill

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Oct 18, 2024 | 7:58 AM
 

Dr. Shawn Lambert is an associate professor and undergraduate coordinator at Mississippi State University.

NATCHEZ, Miss. — Dr. Shawn Lambert, associate professor and undergraduate coordinator at Mississippi State University, is inviting the public to his presentation on the Prospect Hill Plantation.

Lambert’s talk will focus on the archaeology of his enslavement project at Prospect Hill. His topic is, “Before They were Settlers: Material Culture and Spaces of Enslavement at the Prospect Hill Plantation.”

Lambert will deliver his hour-long presentation at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Dumas Hall, Room 107, Alcorn State University, Lorman Campus. He will also share his presentation at 1 p.m. Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, 301 Main St., Natchez.

The programs are sponsored by the Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture and learning at Alcorn. They are free and open to the public.

“Dr. Lambert’s work is significant in many ways,” said Teresa Busby, executive director of the Southwest MS Center for Culture and Learning. “I especially appreciate that he developed the work at Prospect Hill as a multidisciplinary project that involved diverse scholars from several areas of academia to help us better understand the history of enslavement in the South. We will all benefit from Dr. Lambert sharing their findings with us.”

According to Lambert, the research at Prospect Hill has global significance. “It is research that represents the collaboration with diverse communities and descendent communities as well as researchers from other disciplines such as archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, historians, and biological anthropologists,” he said.

Lambert noted the “research is a multivocal and multi-perspective attempt to not only understand the history and archaeology of enslavement at Prospect Hill in Mississippi, but also trace this reverse African Diaspora to Liberia where hundreds of enslaved individuals from Prospect Hill were resettled.”

Prospect Hill is located in Jefferson County. Lambert described it as “an early-to-mid 19th century plantation site that, until recently, has had very little anthropological research.”

The site played a significant role with early plantation life in the South and with the American — and Mississippi Colonization Societies — that relocated hundreds of enslaved people to Greenville, Liberia, Lambert said.

“In this spirit, Prospect Hill is globally connected to the history and development of West Africa and to local communities in Mississippi,” he added.

Lambert works in the department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures at his university.

According to his bio, his research interests include protohistoric and historic decolonial and community-engaged archaeology in the U.S. South with specific focuses in pre-European Contact Native American communities, and the archaeology of enslavement in the American South.

Lambert is recognized as an expert in remote sensing technologies, ceramic analysis, ancient iconography, organic residue analyses, and elemental analyses of artifacts.

Lambert said he is “committed to working with diverse descendant communities and the public to further decolonize archaeological practice, strengthening relationships with underrepresented communities, and making field work more inclusive and supportive for student experiential learning.”

For more information, send email to tbusby@alcorn.edu

 

BEFORE, AFTER: Nellie’s has new look

By Roscoe Barnes III

The Natchez Democrat
Published 1:34 pm Tuesday, October 15, 2024

The Nellie Jackson house, once commonly known as Nellie's Place, located at 416 N. Rankin St., is currently owned by J.T. Robinson, who is restoring the building. He plans to open it as a museum. Left, the Nellie Jackson house as Robinson purchased it in 2019. (Submitted) Click on image to enlarge.

NATCHEZ, Miss. — After years of sitting in disrepair on the corner of North Rankin and Monroe streets, the Nellie Jackson house has a new makeover. The wood-frame building has a new roof, new porch, and its original screen door that features a metal cutout of a woman wearing a hoop skirt with a man in top hat bowing in front of her.

The house is painted white with a red door and red trimmings. Its renovation work is continuing inside with new floors and walls.

The house, which was commonly known as Nellie’s Place (or simply Nellie’s), was owned by Nellie Jackson (1902-1990). It is located at 416 N. Rankin and is currently owned by J. T. Robinson, who is restoring the building. Robinson said he purchased the house in 2019.

Caesar Cobb of Cobb Construction, Gloster, is doing the renovation. Completion date is set for November 30, according to Robinson. He plans to open the home as a museum.

Jackson was well known as a friendly madam who openly ran a brothel from her home for about 60 years.

Jackson’s house was built in the Queen Ann style between 1892 and 1897, according to the Historic Natchez Foundation. The house has three bedrooms and two baths. It has undergone a number of changes.

The house was one of the filming locations in the movie, “Get on Up” (2014).

Though mostly known for operating her brothel, Jackson also was known for her charity.

According to news reports, she fed the hungry and regularly provided money for people in need. She also provided transportation for nuns. During the mid-1960s, she served as an FBI informant and provided information on members of the Ku Klux Klan gleaned from her employees who serviced Klan members, according to local historians. She was also known to bail civil rights workers out of jail.

Jackson’s story is told in the documentary film, “Mississippi Madam: The Life of Nellie Jackson” (2017).

Jackson was born into poverty on August 3, 1902, in Possum Corner, an unincorporated community in Wilkinson County. She was the youngest of twins. While growing up, she attended Oak Grove Church in Wilkinson County, according to her obituary. She moved to the house on Rankin in 1921, and a few years later, she joined the Holy Family Catholic Church, the obituary noted.

Jackson died on July 12, 1990, from injuries received in a fire at her home on July 5, 1990. Police said the fire was caused by Daniel Eric Breazeale, 20, a former resident of Oxford. Newspapers reported he was a junior at the University of Mississippi majoring in business. He stayed in Natchez for the summer where he was working. He was living on North Rankin at the time of the fire.

Breazeale reportedly became angry when he was denied entrance into Jackson’s house in the early morning hours. Police said he was told to leave because he was drunk.

Breazeale left and returned with gasoline in an ice chest.

Police said he “poured gasoline on the front porch, entered the brothel and poured gasoline on Jackson. In the process, he also splashed gasoline on himself,” according to The Clarion Ledger (November 13, 2019). Former Mayor Tony Byrne told The Clarion Ledger, “”When he lit the fire at Nellie’s, it blew him almost across the street.”

A witness told The Natchez Democrat (July 6, 1990) that Breazeale resembled a “ball of fire shooting across the street.” The witness said, “He came flying across the road. It looked like a cartoon.”

The Natchez fire chief at the time said the fire destroyed the front porch and one bedroom. Jackson’s bedroom was near the porch. She was asleep at the time of the fire, The Natchez Democrat (July 6, 1990) reported. Two of her four dogs died in the fire.

Jackson suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns over 100 percent of her body, according to press reports. Breazeale suffered third-degree burns to 80 percent of his body.

Breazeale and Jackson died from their injuries. Jackson was 87. Her funeral was held on July 16, 1990, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Services were officiated by Father David O’Connor. Jackson was buried at Sunset View Memorial Park.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/10/15/before-after-nellies-has-new-look/

Natchez Historical Society funds marker honoring Prince Ibrahima

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, October 16, 2024 
 

Board members of the Natchez Historical Society display a poster of Prince Ibrahima. They approved a donation of $3,420 for a marker in the prince's honor. In the front row from left are Al King, Karen Hill, and Adam Gwin. In the back from left are Roscoe Barnes III, Daye Dearing, and Bobby Dennis. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Natchez Historical Society has made it possible for Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori (1762-1829) to be honored with his own historical marker.

On Monday, Oct. 14, the society’s board members approved a donation of $3,420 that will cover the cost of the marker, which will be acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. 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, the society’s president, said she is very pleased with the board’s decision.

“I am proud of the Natchez Historical Society,” she said, adding the donation is important for many reasons. “I’m happy that our gift will help to ensure that the legacy of Prince Ibrahima will be honored and shared for years to come.”

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 welcomed the news about the funding.

“Kudos to the Natchez Historical Society and to Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, Visit Natchez’s cultural heritage and tourism manager, for this exciting news,” he said. “The diverse history of our area’s exceptional people is well-served by this worthy step.”

The marker will be a first for the Natchez-Adams County area that pays tribute to the African prince who spent 40 years enslaved on Thomas Foster’s plantation near Washington. His story has been widely known and publicized for decades.

“I feel this marker will give recognition to the man and his skills utilized in the productivity of the Natchez District, which helped to build its wealth,” said Bobby Dennis, director of NAPAC Museum and new board member of the society. “The knowledge of an enslaved man or woman is rarely discussed, only the productivity of the enslaved slave who an owner led.”

In addition to Dennis and Hill, the society’s board members who approved the donation include Daye Dearing, Al King, Virginia Benoist, Adam Gwin, and Roscoe Barnes III.

Dr. Artemus W. Gaye, a seventh generation descendant of the prince, said he and his family were excited to learn about the donation.

“The responsibility or obligation of the living and the community is never to forget the past and the ancestors whose footprints we are walking in the here and now,” he said. “After 240 years since Prince Abdul Rahman and his trusted friend, Samba, walked the paths of their enslavement in Natchez and Washington, the onus is now on us to always remember their legacies and the society they built within their own constrained limitations. This historic marker in essence is a testimonial of this great effort to reconcile and remember!”

Gaye is the author of “Dr. Isabella Rahman and the African Prince of Fouta Djallon” (Forte Publishing International, 2023).

Once the application for the marker is approved and processed, it will be delivered around August 2025. An unveiling ceremony will be planned around that time or later.

The marker will be posted near Historic Jefferson College and Highway 61, a site that played a significant role in Ibrahima’s life. It was in this area in Washington that Ibrahima recognized Dr. John Coats Cox in 1807 at the market place. Cox, an Irishman, had sailed to West Africa in 1781. After going ashore, he became lost and later collapsed. He was rescued by the Fulani people and taken to Timbo, where Ibrahima’s father cared for him until his health was restored.

After Ibrahima and Cox recognized each other at the market in Mississippi, the doctor tried for many years to buy his freedom. However, Foster refused to sell him. Cox died in December 1816. The story of their chance meeting near Natchez became widely known.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2024/10/16/natchez-historical-society-funds-marker-honoring-prince-ibrahima/