Natchez celebrates history of Bluff City Savings Bank

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Aug 8, 2025 | 3:02 PM

Mayor Dan Gibson recently presented a historical marker to Eric Berry that honors the legacy of the Bluff City Savings Bank, Natchez's only Black-owned bank. From left are Dora Hawkins, Jacqulyn Williams, Berry, Gibson, Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, and Thelma Newsome. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The former site of Bluff City Savings Bank, the only Black-owned bank in Natchez, now has a historical marker that honors the history of the bank, which operated from 1906 to 1913 at 119 N. Union St.
 
Mayor Dan Gibson on Friday presented the marker on behalf of the City of Natchez to Eric Berry, who co-owns the Natchez Manor Bed and Breakfast, 600 Franklin St., with his family. Gibson said the marker will be mounted at a later date on the side of the Natchez Manor building.
 
The historical site is now part of the city’s Self-Guided African American History tour, which has a total of 30 sites. The marker was a joint project of the city and NAPAC museum with assistance from Visit Natchez.
 
The bank’s original building, which no longer exists, was located on the north side of the three-story building on North Union that once served as a fire station. Today, that space is occupied by the rear addition to the Natchez Manor, facing North Union.
 
Berry, a former NFL football player, said he was surprised and very pleased to learn about his building’s connection to the Bluff City Savings Bank.
 
“I feel like I’m a part of history and upholding the history, legacy, and heritage of Natchez,” he said. “When I got the notice that this was the first Black bank in the city, it was a pleasant surprise to me. I’ve been doing research all over the country and all over the Southeast. Discovering this history has been liberating. I’m excited to be part of it.”
 
Gibson said the story of the bank is a significant piece of Natchez’s history. He noted Dr. John Bowman Banks, the city’s first Black physician, played an important role in the founding of the bank. “Dr. Banks obviously was a pillar of our community and indeed a trail blazer,” Gibson said. “It was his vision to create this bank.”
 
The history of Dr. Banks is regularly shared at the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, which is owned and operated by Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Representatives of the museum attended Friday’s presentation to show their support for the new marker. The representatives included Dora Hawkins, Thelma Newsome, and Jacquelyn Williams.
 
Bluff City Savings Bank was founded by a group of prominent Black men with backgrounds in medicine, business, and education. In addition to Dr. Banks and Dr. Dumas, the co-founders included Professor J.R. Ross, Professor George Washington Brumfield, Professor Samuel H. Owens, and Walton Barland.
 
The bank’s opening occurred at a critical time for Blacks, who were living under Jim Crow. It was one of nine Black-owned banks in Mississippi.
 
“Bluff City became an important source of small, short-term loans,” wrote Shennette Garrett-Scott in the publication, “’All the Other Devils this Side of Hades’: Black Banks and the Mississippi Banking Law of 1914” (Cambridge University Press, Jan. 12, 2022). “Farmers, for example, could get $40 or $50 using their mule, livestock, and farm equipment as collateral.”
 
Page Ogden, a retired banking professional, described Bluff City as a “fairly loaned up bank as reflected in the ratio of its loan deposits in their statement of condition.” He said it was a small bank that most likely focused on loans for houses and other consumer type loans. “It was all about the business of supplying the local needs in the black population,” he said.
 
The bank closed in 1913. In the January 1914 issue of The Crisis, the magazine reported:
 
“Bluff City Savings Bank, of Natchez, Miss., a colored enterprise, has been closed. The bank is not insolvent, but the failure of a white bank in the same town caused a run upon the colored bank, and it was closed until the property in which the money was invested could be converted into cash.”
 
Ogden said the fear in 1913 was understandable given the times. “In those days, there was no FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation),” he said. “Mississippi was primarily a rural state and there was a lot of suspicion of banks to begin with. Scares were common.”
 
Mimi Miller, executive director emerita of Historic Natchez Foundation, said the bank “went into receivership and Dr. Dumas acted as the receiver to make sure that investors got back their money and that loan defaults were properly executed, and the properties resold.”
 
Note: An article on the bank titled, “This History is Important: Remembering the Bluff City Savings Bank,” appeared in the July/Aug 2023 issue of Natchez Magazine.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/08/08/natchez-honors-history-of-bluff-city-savings-bank/

Marker approved for Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade

By Roscoe Barnes III

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Aug 5, 2025 | 12:15 PM

A marker commemorating the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, formerly called the 30th of May Parade, has been approved by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The marker will be posted at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express. Its precise location is indicated by the red circle. Photo: Google Street View, Image capture: August 2024 (c) 2025 Google (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – A historical marker honoring the 30th of May Parade, which is now known as the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, has been approved by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The parade is one of the longest running Memorial Day traditions in the United States.
 
"The 30th of May Parade is an important tradition in Natchez. I look forward to the marker dedication ceremony that will fit well with our state's celebration of all things patriotic for America250,” said Brother Rogers, MDAH historian and secretary-treasurer for the Mississippi Historical Society.
 
The marker will be installed at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express and across the street from the Natchez Visitor Center, where the parade participants stop on their way to the Natchez National Cemetery. Its precise location will be the grassy strip on the east side of Canal near the Holiday Inn parking lot. Installation date is set for early 2026.
 
"We are so grateful to finally be giving this longstanding tradition it's due,” said Mayor Dan Gibson. “Even before I became mayor, I have been honored to participate in this annual observance. It is not only one of the very oldest continuing Memorial Day rituals in the country, but it has become an event we as a community look forward to each year, both Black and white. And how fitting that something that began as a tribute to our U.S. Colored Troops has become a regional celebration of all who served in every conflict to keep America the 'land of the free and the home of the brave'."
 
The Memorial Day parade, which started in the late 1800s, was originally held on May 30. “We named it the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade because we wanted to keep Vidalia and Natchez together,” said Laura Ann Jackson, who chairs the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade Committee. “We wanted everyone involved to be united.”
 
Jackson said that while she has chaired the committee for more than 15 years, she was part of the committee for a number of years before her current position. Also, she added, she has been involved with the parade since the age of five. “When I was five years old, I marched with Army veteran Jimmy Williams of Vidalia,” she said.
 
From its earlier days, and before the original Natchez-Vidalia Bridge was built in 1940, parade participants sailed from Vidalia on a ferry to Silver Street. From there, they marched to the Natchez National Cemetery, where a ceremony was held to honor the deceased military service members.
 
After the bridge was built, hundreds of participants began their trek at the foot of the Louisiana side of the bridge and crossed over to Natchez. The tradition now includes a stop at the Natchez Visitor Center at 640 S. Canal, where the participants rest for 30 minutes before proceeding to the cemetery.
 
Jackson said she and her committee are happy about the marker.
 
“I want to thank all of the people, including MDAH, Mayor Dan Gibson, and Dr. Roscoe Barnes III of Visit Natchez, who made this happen, because it’s been a long time coming, and it is well deserved,” she said. “This marker is not just for one group of people. It’s for everybody.”
 

The idea for the marker originated with filmmaker James Theres, the executive producer and director of the film, “The 30th of May” (2016). He said in 2024 that it was time to honor the people – and the Memorial Day tradition -- by erecting a marker that gives them the recognition they deserve.

See more at this link:
https://listenupyall.com/2025/08/05/marker-approved-for-miss-lou-memorial-day-parade/

Medgar Evers’ 100th Birthday Celebration in Natchez, Mississippi

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, Moderator of Panel Discussion
(Click on image to enlarge.)

I was honored to serve as moderator for the wonderful and engaging panel discussion on Medgar Evers on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. The program was presented by the Natchez Branch of the NAACP in collaboration with the Natchez Business and Civic League, the museum, and Visit Natchez. About 70 people turned out for the event.

Group photo: Panelists included, from left, Dr. Marcus Ward, Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, Dr. Tracy M. Cook, and Olivia Spann.

Photos by KD-Public Relations
 

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Markeith Thompson awarded $1,000 scholarship by Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published 2:18 pm Thursday, July 10, 2025
 

The Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation recently honored Markeith Thompson as the 2025 recipient of its $1,000 scholarship. From left are Wilbur Johnson, Hugh Green, Thompson, Laura Jackson, and Eva Dunkley. Thompson is a 2025 graduate of Natchez High School. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Markeith Thompson, 2025 graduate of Natchez High School, is the 2025 recipient of a $1,000 scholarship awarded by the Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation. 

Hugh Green, a retired College Football Hall of Famer and NFL football standout and the namesake of the award, recently met with Thompson on the Bluff and presented him with the scholarship. 

Green is a native of Natchez and graduate of North Natchez High School. He and Thompson were joined by Thompson’s family and friends, and members of the Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation.

The foundation committee members included Eva Dunkley, president; Wilbur Johnson, secretary; and Laura Jackson, treasurer. 

Jackson said the award is an athletic scholarship presented each year to deserving students from all local high schools who plan to attend college or university. 

“Thompson was a track star who has been running track since middle school,” Jackson said. He plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi. “This award is a stipend to help him with his finances,” she said.

In June, The Natchez Democrat reported Thompson was named the 2024-25 Gatorade State Player of the Year, which capped “off a record-breaking season and securing his place as one of the top athletes in the state of Mississippi.”

Thompson said he was happy to receive the Hugh Green scholarship. “I’m very thankful,” he said. “This will help me a lot in getting the essential needs for college.” 

Thompson said he will major in business marketing. The 17-year-old is the son of Alexis Davis and the grandson of Marva Gaylor. He said he is grateful to them for their support over the years, as well as the support of his aunts, Amber Davis and Victoria Gaylor.

Thompson also offered special thanks to his Amateur Athletic Union coach, Eddie Ray Jackson, and his high school coaches, Kelly Thomas and Veronica Green. 

The Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation was created over 30 years ago by a group of local men who wanted to help students with their education, according to Jackson. She said it was organized by the late George A. Dunkley. 

Last year’s recipient of the award was Ceairra Franklin, who also attends the University of Southern Mississippi, where she is studying to become a licensed laboratory technician. 

Green was a 1976 graduate of North Natchez High School. He was a linebacker for the University of Pittsburg Panthers from 1977 through 1980. He finished second in the 1980 Heisman Trophy voting to winner George Rogers of the University of South Carolina. 

Green was the seventh pick in the NFL draft in 1981, taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1985, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins for their first- and second-round draft picks in the 1986 draft. He played 11 seasons in the NFL. 

Green was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana, in 1996.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2025/07/10/markeith-thompson-awarded-1000-scholarship-by-hugh-green-scholarship-foundation/

Natchez community celebrates Medgar Evers' 100th birthday

The slain civil rights leader was honored by panel discussion and film

By Roscoe Barnes III

Participants in the panel discussion on Medgar Evers included, from left, Dr. Marcus Ward, Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, Dr. Tracy M. Cook, and Olivia Spann. Dr. Roscoe Barnes III served as moderator. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- A recent panel discussion on slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers presented him as a family man, a fearless leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and a thriving student at Alcorn State University, where his legacy is recognized to this day.

 
About 70 people attended the event where they heard discussions about Ever’s family, his investigative work on civil rights cases throughout Mississippi, as well his -- and Myrlie Evers’ -- time at Alcorn.
 
Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, president of Natchez NAACP, said she was excited about the panel discussion, and she praised all of the participants. She said she was also happy to see the turnout for the program.
 
Flora Terrell, co-publisher of The Bluff City Post, said the panel discussion was engaging and thought-provoking. “The Moderator, Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, presented the topics and the well-versed panelists showed enthusiasm and made the audience know just who Medgar Wiley Evers was,” she said. “I left the event feeling uplifted and grateful for all those who fought so hard that we may have the ‘right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’”  
 
The panel discussion was held Tuesday, July 1, at NAPAC Museum. It was one of two programs held in Natchez as a celebration of Medgar Evers’ 100th birthday. The second program, which included a showing of the film, “The Evers” by filmmaker Loki Mulholland, was held on Wednesday, July 2, at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church.
 
The two-day event was titled, “A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Work of Medgar Wiley Evers (July 2, 1925 – June 12, 1963).” It was presented by the Natchez Branch of the NAACP in collaboration with the Natchez Business and Civic League, NAPAC Museum, and Visit Natchez.
 
Medgar Evers worked as the first NAACP field secretary in Mississippi. He was assassinated on June 12, 1963, at his home, which he shared with his wife, Myrlie, and their children, in Jackson.
 
Ben Tucker, a retired Army veteran, was one of many people who said he enjoyed the panel discussion. “I think it was well organized,” he said. “The moderator did an excellent job, and the presentations were set up really well, which made it possible for all the panelists to get engaged. There were good questions and the panelists answered them by providing information that was of interest to the audience."
 
Tucker said the panelists held everyone’s attention.
 
The panelists included Olivia Spann, supervisory park ranger at the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson and two Alcorn administrators: Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, interim dean of the Alcorn State University School of Nursing; and Dr. Marcus Ward, senior vice-president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the ASU Foundation at Alcorn State University.
 
Dr. Tracy M. Cook, president of Alcorn, also joined the panel. He commented on Medgar Evers’ bravery and sacrifice, describing him as a “remarkable individual.”
 
“As a leader, so often individuals want the title and the money, but not the responsibility,” Cook said. “We’re talking about an individual who took on that responsibility, spending so much time away from his family. … I get security escorts when I go to different places, I have a security detail, but think about an individual traveling up and down that dangerous highway, knowing that every day could be his last day. But he did it for a common goal, for a better way of life and opportunity for his kids.”
 
As moderator of the panel discussion, Barnes, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, presented the panelists with a list of pre-prepared questions on Medgar Evers’ life and legacy. He also invited questions from the audience.
 
Spann talked about Medgar Evers investigative work on several civil rights cases, including the 1955 murders of Emmitt Till and the Rev. George W. Lee. She said he also assisted James Meredith in 1962 in his effort to enroll at the University of Mississippi.
 
Spann mentioned a colorful anecdote about Medgar Evers having his car “souped up” so he could speed out of town when faced with danger.
 
Spann said Medgar Evers was a busy man and always on the road. He even tried to integrate the beaches on the Gulf Coast, she said. People should know that this civil rights leader was a young man with his own family, she said, stressing he was only 36 when he was assassinated.
 
“It’s important to know that he was out doing his work, working the cases, and working with widows and these mothers while his own young wife was at home raising their three children just so he could try and create a better world for them,” Spann said.
 
Ward focused on Medgar and Myrlie Evers’ time as students at Alcorn, which was previously named Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College. In addition to sharing the actual 1951 yearbook that Medgar Evers edited at Alcorn, Ward discussed how he and Myrlie began dating and fell in love.
 
Medgar Evers was a business major, along with his brother, Charles, and they both were very athletic, he said. Ward also outlined the many ways in which the Evers’ legacy is recognized at Alcorn, including the erection of a monument in his honor.
 
Evers-Manly, a cousin of Medgar Evers, spoke about his courage and commitment to the cause of civil rights and human rights, and how he and his brother, Charles, were inspired by their parents to be fearless in the face of danger.
 
The Evers family was one of pride, strength, and compassion, according to Evers-Manly. She noted the children in the family grew up learning about strategies and the struggle for freedom and civil rights. She said the philosophy of fighting for a good cause was instilled in the family.
 
Near the end of the program, Mulholland shared remarks by Zoom about his film, “The Evers.” He asked the audience to remember Medgar Evers’ final words, “Turn me loose.” Medgar shared those words as he was being taken to the hospital after being shot.
 
“In this time that we are in and trials that we are facing, those words seem to resonate with people,” Mulholland said. “I think when those of us who truly believe in the America that Medgar dreamed of and believe in the freedom that he was fighting for, pray that we all have that same spirit and that we say inside of ourselves, ‘Turn me loose’ and ‘Let me get to work.’”
 

Historic Beulah Baptist gets a new look thanks to national grant

By Roscoe Barnes III

The Natchez Democrat
Published 10:39 am Tuesday, July 1, 2025 

Beulah Missionary Baptist Church has a new steeple. It was funded by a $150,000 grant awarded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation through the Preserving Black Churches program of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Other restoration work included the outside windows, and the walls and ceiling in the church foyer. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ –  A $150,000 grant awarded in 2024 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation has made a difference in the appearance, stability, and preservation of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church. 

The funding, which came through the Preserving Black Churches program of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, was used for the restoration of the steeple and exterior windows of the 112-year-old structure. 

“When the time is right, the Lord will make it happen, and it has happened at Beulah Baptist Church,” said Pastor Johnathan T. Hargrave. “We’re so thankful for the blessings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Members of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church are celebrating the restoration of their church steeple and exterior windows completed in May. Pictured in front of the church from left are Robert Morgan, deacon; Johnathan T. Hargrave, pastor; and Carter Burns, executive director of the Historic Natchez Foundation. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Other restoration work included the walls and ceiling in the church foyer, said Deacon Robert Morgan. He and other church officials are excited about the project being completed, and they are pleased with the results, Morgan said. 

He noted the construction began in November 2024 and was completed in May 2025. Johnny Waycaster of Waycaster Dungan Architecture and Engineering was the architect on the project, and Smith Painting and Contracting completed the work. 

“Everybody was overjoyed,” Morgan said of the congregation. “They were so pleased that they actually made more trips to the church. Some people who don’t even attend the church said they made it a habit to drive by to see how it looks.

For Morgan, the project is about the legacy of the church. “It means that the legacy continues,” he said. “Each generation does its best to take what the previous generation gave and makes it better. In this case, the legacy continues for the next generation, which won’t have that problem (of the steeple) to deal with.” 

Carter Burns, executive director of Historic Natchez Foundation, assisted the church with its grant application. 

“We’re thankful that the Historic Natchez Foundation was able to assist Beulah in receiving this grant from the Preserving Black Churches program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation to restore the steeple on this important historic church building here in Natchez,” Burns said.

The church before the restoration. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Beulah is located at 710 Beulah St. or B Street. It played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez. According to historians, it was regularly used as a meeting place by the Natchez NAACP.  In early October 1965, NAACP meetings at the church launched protests that resulted in the arrest of several hundred protesters who defied a court ban against marching. 

When the local jails became full, the authorities bused 150 of them to Parchman Penitentiary where they endured harsh treatment. It is said that they were “Proud to Take a Stand.” Their experience became known as “The Parchman Ordeal.”

 Beulah was founded in 1896 by William Rochester, a U.S. Colored Troops veteran and commander-in-chief of the Mississippi and Louisiana Department of the Grand Army of the Republic. 

The church officially organized on December 30, 1896, but its original wooden building was constructed in 1901, according to Hargrave. Unfortunately, he said, it was destroyed by fire on March 4, 1911, and rebuilt in 1912. 

Beulah was one of 31 churches out of more than 550 applicants across the United States approved for funding by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which awarded a total of $4 million for the institutions.  A dedication ceremony for the steeple will be held at 4 p.m. , Sunday, July 20, during the church homecoming service. It is open to the public.

Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2025/07/01/historic-beulah-baptist-gets-a-new-look-thanks-to-grant/

Natchez NAACP announces plans for Medgar Evers’ 100th birthday celebration

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Jun 18, 2025 | 4:15 PM

Medgar Evers (July 2, 1925 - June 12, 1963)
Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
(Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — A special two-day event celebrating the life and legacy of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers will be held in early July in recognition of his 100th birthday, according to Natchez NAACP President Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis.

“A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Work of Medgar Wiley Evers (July 2, 1925 – June 12, 1963)” will be presented by the Natchez Branch of the NAACP in collaboration with the Natchez Business and Civic League, the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, and Visit Natchez. It is free and open to the public.

“Medgar Wiley Evers worked tirelessly in Mississippi to overturn racial segregation in schools and public facilities, and to expand opportunities for African American citizens both economically and politically,” said Arcenaux-Mathis. “He gave his life to make Mississippi and America a better place for all Americans to live in. His work transcended Mississippi and impacted the entire United States of America.”

Arcenaux-Mathis said honoring “this heroic American helps to keep his history and contributions alive and relevant in world today.”

The celebration will begin with a panel discussion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture at 301 Main St. The discussion will be preceded by a social at 5:30 p.m.

Panelists will include Olivia Spann, supervisory park ranger at the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument; Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, interim dean of the Alcorn State University School of Nursing; and Dr. Marcus Ward, senior vice-president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the ASU Foundation at Alcorn State University.

Spann will discuss Evers’ work on important cases in Mississippi, including his work on the 1955 murder of Emmitt Till. Ward will discuss Evers’ time with Alcorn A&M and his contributions between 1948 and 1952. Additionally, he will talk about the ways in which Alcorn may have influenced his commitment to human and civil rights. Ward will also discuss Medgar and Myrlie Evers’ impact on Alcorn since 1963.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, will serve as moderator. Loki Mulholland, Emmy-winning filmmaker, author, speaker, and director of the film, “The Evers,” will share remarks via Zoom.

Arceneaux-Mathis will introduce the panelists and moderator.

The evening will include a showing of the praise dance video, “I’ve Been Buked and I’ve Been Scorned,” and introductory film, “Medgar & Myrlie Evers: A Legacy of Courage and Activism.”

On Wednesday, July 2, “The Evers” will be shown at 6 p.m. at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church at 117 Pilgrim Blvd. The program will open with a devotion by the Rev. Melvin White, the church’s pastor, and an introduction by Arceneaux-Mathis.

A reception will be held in the church’s fellowship hall.

Evers was the first NAACP field secretary in Mississippi. A prominent civil rights activist and organizer, he worked for voting rights and to improve the lives of Blacks in Mississippi. He also worked to end racial violence. Evers was assassinated on June 12, 1963, in the carport of his home, which he shared with his wife, Myrlie, and their children, in Jackson.

His death was considered “the first murder of a nationally significant leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, and it became a catalyst for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” according to the National Park Service.

For more information, call Joyce Mathis at 601-807-4319 or Roscoe Barnes III at 601-492-3004.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/06/18/natchez-naacp-announces-plans-for-medgar-evers-100th-birthday-celebration/

Royal Hill Jr. to present Juneteenth program at Co-Lin Natchez Campus

 

Royal Hill Jr.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Copiah-Lincoln Community College is hosting a Juneteenth program at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19, at the Willie Mae Dunn Library in the Tom Reed Academic Building at 11 Co-Lin Circle, Natchez.
 
Local historian Royal Hill Jr., the guest speaker, will discuss “The History of Juneteenth.” The event is free and open to the public. It is organized by Library Director Victoria Williams, who will serve as the master of ceremony.
 
Other participants in the program will include Robin Grenell, senior aide, who will present the invocation, and Corey Ellis Jr., who will introduce the speaker.
 
Hill is a graduate of Alcorn State University. In addition to being a co-owner of Open Arms Tours and Receptive Services with his wife, Lavada, Royal Hill is the center manager for Mississippi Action for Progress at the Thompson Head Start Center.
 
“I believe that servitude and giving back to the community are essential components of being  ‘part of the problem or part of the solution,’” Royal Hill said. It was this conviction, he noted, that led him to co-chair the Natchez Juneteenth Committee of 1990.
 
Over the years, Royal Hill has served on multiple committees in the Miss-Lou area.
 
"As we honor Juneteenth, we must also honor and invest in the institutions that continue to uplift the values it represents," said Dr. Pernell Goodwin, vice president of Co-Lin’s Natchez Campus.
 
Thursday’s program is expected to last for one hour. Refreshments will be served. The program is designed for the students and the general public, said Williams.
 
For more information, call 601-446-1107.

 

Beautiful morning at Wilkinson County Park

My view Saturday morning (6/14/25) during my walk at Wilkinson County Park, Woodville, MS. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Mississippi Historical Society

The board of directors of the Mississippi Historical Society met Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Old Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi. We had a great meeting. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Evening view at Wilkinson County Park

My view during my Monday evening walk (6.2.2025) at Wilkinson County Park, Woodville, Mississippi. Time: 7:45 p.m. (Click on image to enlarge.)

The Reason We are Here

 A speech presented at the 2025 Miss-Lou Memorial Day ceremony at the Natchez National Cemetery in Natchez, Mississippi

By Dr. Roscoe Barnes III

Cultural Heritage Tourism Manager at Visit Natchez

Click on image to enlarge. Photo by Albert L. Jones

Good Morning!

I am happy to be here today, and I'm proud to participate in this important event, which started in the late 1800s and is now one of the longest-running Memorial Day traditions in our nation. 

I want to note that when I came to Natchez four years ago, the first person to talk to me about this Memorial Day event was Mark LaFrancis, who was president of the Home with Heroes Foundation. Unfortunately, Mark died last year, and today he is resting in this sacred space. I thank him for his service to the military and to our community. He was a good man and his legacy lives on.

Today, I want to talk about the reason we are here, and it can be summed up in two words: We Care. We are here observing this day because WE CARE.

In the movie, "A Few Good Men," when Demi Moore's character is asked why she cares so much about the Marines on trial, she responds:

"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch.'"

Today, we're showing that we care. We care because our service members – our veterans who are now deceased, stood on a wall and they fought on a battlefield. We care because they left their homes and families to ensure our freedom. We care because of the commitment of these men and women who bravely and unselfishly served our country with dignity and honor.

Now, to be honest, there are many other reasons we care, but I want to focus on three of them.

First, WE CARE because they have shown us a "greater love."
In John 15:13 (NKJV), Christ said:

    "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

This verse clearly has implications related to Christ's death on the cross. But it also speaks to a general, fundamental truth about the ultimate act of love that can be seen in the sacrifices of our military service members.

Greater love is demonstrated when we unselfishly give our lives for others. This special love is shown when we give up our own privileges and lay down our lives for a cause that is much bigger than ourselves.

We observe Memorial Day because of this greater love shown by our military service members.

Second, WE CARE because they have given us hope.

Hope for a better community and hope for a better country. Hope for a bright future.
In spite of the horrors and debilitating wounds of war that we have faced as a community and as a nation, we've been able to stand up … pick up the pieces and snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat, and peace out of pain as we live out the true meaning of freedom. And that is no coincidence.

We have hope and a reason to believe because of the people we honor here today.

Third and finally, WE CARE because they have shown us that their service, and yes, their deaths, were not in vain. 

On one occasion, when Christ was speaking of his impending death, he said these words in John 12:24 (NLT):

    "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives."

My friends, the sacrifice of our service members makes it possible for us to not only go on living, but their sacrifice makes it possible for us to grow and even thrive and prosper in so many areas of our lives. Because of them, we have dreams and opportunities. We can have children who grow up to understand and appreciate this great nation, its values, and the opportunities it allows. 

Conclusion

As I close, I want to mention an important request: As we mourn those who are deceased and reflect on their duty and dedication in our military, let us also remember their loved ones, their families, as well as their friends. Those who have lost family members in the military should know that their suffering is also acknowledged and it will not be forgotten.

Thank you.

Miss-Lou Memorial Day event draws hundreds in annual tradition

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
May 29, 2025 | 1:18 PM

Hundreds of people participated in the 2025 Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. Here they are crossing the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge from Vidalia as they proceed on to the Natchez National Cemetery for a ceremony to honor the fallen U.S. military service members. Photo by Albert L. Jones (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Hundreds of people turned out for the annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26, to honor fallen U.S. military men and women. Beginning in Vidalia, they marched across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge and stopped briefly at the Natchez Visitor Center at  640 South Canal St., before proceeding to the Natchez National Cemetery.

Ben Tucker, retired Army 1st Sgt., and Jeff McClure, retired Army Lt. Col., led the parade as co-grand marshals. The parade ended at the cemetery where a ceremony honoring the fallen was held. The day’s theme was “Symbols of American Courage.”

“We had a wonderful program,” said Laura Ann Jackson, who chairs the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade Committee. “We had a good turnout in spite of the forecast calling for rain. Fortunately, the rain held off and we went on with the parade and the ceremony.”
Jackson said she appreciates all of the participants, and she looks forward to seeing more of them in 2026.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, served as guest speaker. He delivered a message titled, “The Reason We are Here.” Barnes said the reason for the parade and the ceremony could be summed up in two words: “We care.”

“Today, we’re showing that we care,” he said. “We care because our service members – our veterans who are now deceased, stood on a wall, and they fought on a battlefield. We care because they left their homes and families to ensure our freedom. We care because of the commitment of these men and women who bravely and unselfishly served our country with dignity and honor.”

Barnes suggested the service members demonstrated a “greater love” by laying down their lives for others. He quoted Christ, saying, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Noting their service was not in vain, Barnes said “they give us hope for a better community and hope for a better country.”

Barnes said it was also important to remember the families of the service members.

“As we mourn those who are deceased and reflect on their duty and dedication in our military, let us also remember their loved ones, their families, as well as their friends,” he said. “Those who have lost family members in the military should know that their suffering is also acknowledged and it will not be forgotten.”

The parade and ceremony were organized by Jackson and the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade Committee.

Dr. Patricia Suduth-Scott, co-chair of the parade committee, served as master of ceremony. Vietnam veteran Doug McCallister gave the invocation, and Nolan Cubie led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

In her opening remarks at the ceremony, Charlotte Taylor, assistant director of the Mississippi National Cemetery Complex at Natchez, thanked everyone for their participation in the day’s event. She welcomed them to the cemetery “to honor our fallen veterans.”

She was followed by retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” As a representative of the Elnora Riley group, Cayman Riley provided a solo trumpet performance of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

Mayor Dan Gibson and his wife, Marla, also attended the ceremony.

The Natchez High School AFJROTC posted and retired the colors, and Natchez National Cemetery staff assisted with the wreath presentation and the raising of the flag. Taps was played by military veteran Wilbur Johnson.

Taylor thanked the parade committee, distinguished local and state leaders, guest speaker, veterans, and cemetery staff for their participation in the ceremony.

She thanked everyone for “their commitment to honor our veterans on this Memorial Day and I look forward to your continued participation.”

See more at this link:

https://listenupyall.com/2025/05/29/miss-lou-memorial-day-event-draws-hundreds-in-annual-tradition/

Miss-Lou Military Museum to close by end of June

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published 12:38 pm Thursday, May 29, 2025

The Miss-Lou Military Museum, the brainchild of the late Mark LaFrancis, will close by the end of June. (Roscoe Barnes/The Natchez Democrat) Click on image to enlarge.

NATCHEZ—The Miss-Lou Military Museum and Veterans Welcome/Information Center will close its doors around the end of June, according to Larry Smith, president of the Home with Heroes Foundation Inc., the organization that operates the museum.
 
Smith said the decision to close the museum was prompted by funding issues. In short, he said, the museum simply does not have the funds to cover its rent.
 
Smith also announced that he and his wife, Jackie, will soon be moving to Arizona to be closer to their family. The couple moved to Natchez about four years ago, and since then, they have been active volunteers on various community committees.

“Having served in the U.S. Army for almost three decades and lived all over the world and across the United States, Natchez will always be home in our hearts,” said Larry Smith. “Its people, its history, and its charming eccentricities are truly unmatched. God is good, and we pray that one day we might return.”
 
U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Robert Foley is the new president of the Home with Heroes Foundation, and Gabi Crousillac, retired Army National Guard Major, is the new vice president. On June 1, Crousillac will replace Jackie Smith as the executive director. 
 
The museum, a nonprofit organization with 501 (c) (3) status, was the brainchild of G. Mark LaFrancis, former president of the Home with Heroes Foundation. LaFrancis passed in June 2024 following a long battle with cancer.
 
The museum first opened in 2018 at the VFW Post 9573 building at 318 Sgt. Prentiss Drive. The VFW provided a room for the museum on its second floor. However, on Nov. 12, 2023, the museum celebrated its grand opening at its current location at 107 Jefferson Davis Blvd. 
 
LaFrancis said the museum’s aim was to educate the public about the contributions of men and women in the U.S. military by giving local residents and visitors immersive, interactive, memorable, and visually stimulating experiences.

 
Those experiences were made possible by the use of military artifacts, GI Joe figures, well-designed ship and aircraft models, uniforms of different military branches, and photos. LaFrancis said the museum could be seen as a tangible way to recognize all branches of the U.S. military, dating back to World War I.
 
According to Smith, over the past few months, the museum staff has searched for a more cost-effective building to call home. Unfortunately, they were not successful in their search.
 
Smith said that between now and its closing, all of the museum’s collections and artifacts will be returned to their owners. Unclaimed items will be offered to military museums in Mississippi and Louisiana.  

For information on the museum’s closing and having items returned, call 253-970-2090.
 
Read more at: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2025/05/29/miss-lou-military-museum-to-close-by-end-of-june/
 
 

Speaking at the 2025 Miss-Lou Memorial Day ceremony in Natchez, Mississippi

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III

I had the honor of serving as the guest speaker at the Miss-Lou Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 26, at the Natchez National Cemetery. I delivered a message titled, “The Reason We are Here.” Photo by Albert L. Jones.

Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade set for Monday, May 26

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
May 19, 2025 | 12:55 PM 

Anthony Cupit, cemetery caretaker at Natchez National Cemetery, places a flag on the gravesite of a U.S. military veteran in 2024. Photo courtesy of Caleb Q. Ray of the Natchez National Cemetery (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, one of the longest-running Memorial Day traditions in the United States, will be held Monday, May 26, 2025, with Army veterans Ben Tucker and Jeff McClure serving as co-grand marshals, announced Laura Ann Jackson, who chairs the Committee for the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade.

Jackson said that she and others in Vidalia and Natchez are looking forward to continuing the tradition that began in the late 1800s and has continued to this day.

“As in previous years, we expect a good turnout as we honor those who are now deceased who served in our military,” Jackson said. “This is important for our community and for our nation, which is free because of the price paid by our military service members.”

The parade lineup will begin at 8 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church at 601 Magnolia Street in Vidalia. Participants will proceed to the corner of Carter and Magnolia streets

Around 9 a.m., they will begin their trek at the foot of the Louisiana side of the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge. From there, they will proceed across the bridge to the Natchez Visitor Center at 640 S. Canal St., where they will take a 30-minute break.

After their break, the participants will proceed north on Canal to Franklin Street, and from Franklin, they will move along to Pearl Street and from Pearl to Oak Street. From Oak, they will proceed to Maple Street and then travel north to the Natchez National Cemetery at 41 Cemetery Road, where a ceremony is held.

Jackson said shuttles will be available at the Visit Center and the cemetery.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the west side of the cemetery overlooking the river front. This year’s program will feature Dr. Patricia Sudduth as the master of ceremonies and Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, the cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, as the guest speaker.

For more information call 601-446-9052.

In addition to the Monday parade, several other events will take place over the Memorial Day weekend in the Mississippi-Louisiana area.

Posting flags

On Saturday, May 24, beginning at 9 a.m., the Natchez National Cemetery Memorial Committee will place flags on the gravesites of each veteran. The committee is asking for volunteers to assist with this project.

“Refreshments will be provided following placement of the flags in appreciation of the volunteers’ support,” said Caleb Q. Ray, cemetery technician.

Volunteer help is also needed at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 27, when the flags will be removed from the gravesites, Ray said.

For more information or to volunteer, call 601-445-4981.

Supporting memorial

Also on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m., the Point Man International Ministries will host a drawing for a fundraiser at the Veterans Memorial site at 270 Front St., Vidalia, at the south end of the Riverfront next to the Riverview RV Park, announced Army Vietnam veteran Douglas McCallister.

At the same location, Boy Scout Troop 158 will conduct a flag retirement ceremony, McCallister said.

The drawing is for a wooden flag made by a local scout, Peyton Covington, as part of his Eagle Scout project. The fundraiser is for the Cost of Freedom Tribute Memorial that will be built on the Vidalia riverfront, McCallister said.

Presenting flowers

Downtown Karla Brown is seeking volunteer help and donation of flowers for her annual Memorial Day tradition, where she visits the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of the deceased U.S. military service members. Although many flowers are purchased, some are donated by businesses and individuals, according to Brown.

Brown is asking volunteers to meet her at the Natchez National Cemetery at 6:30 a.m., Monday, May 26. She said they can finish in about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the amount of help she has.

“Memorial Day is about our fallen soldiers,” Brown said in an earlier interview. “We honor them because of their sacrifice and because we’re living in a free country.”

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.

See more at this link:
https://listenupyall.com/2025/05/19/miss-lou-memorial-day-parade-set-for-monday-may-26/

VIDEO: Natchez College to house Anne Moody Interpretive Center

Happy to see this coverage by WJTV 12 News

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/05/06/natchez-college-to-house-anne-moody-interpretive-center/

Natchez College to house Anne Moody Interpretive Center

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA/ListenUpYall.com
May 6, 2025/12:23 p.m. 

Anne Moody was a civil rights activist and the author of "Coming of Age in Mississippi." She attended Natchez College in the early 1960s on a basketball scholarship after graduating from high school in Woodville, Mississippi.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- A building on the campus of Natchez College will soon house historic documents, artifacts, and memorabilia of one of its famous students and authors who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
 
The Women’s Auxiliary building – the main building on campus -- will be home to the Anne Moody Interpretive Center, which honors the legacy of Anne Moody, author of “Coming of Age in Mississippi.” Moody attended the school on a basketball scholarship in the early 1960s, before moving on to Tougaloo College, where she became a civil rights activist.
 
The name for the center was approved in November 2024 by the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi Inc., announced the Rev. Reginald M. Buckley, who is president of the convention.
 
When asked about the reason for the interpretive center, Buckley said, “We believe that it is extremely important to protect the voices and preserve the narratives that are often silenced. 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.”
 
“I’m so happy Natchez College is honoring Anne,” said Frances Jefferson, Moody’s sister. “I’m looking forward to visiting the interpretive center when it’s completed.”
 
Moody (1940-2015) was born and raised in Centreville, Mississippi. She grew up as a poor black girl in the Jim Crow South, but despite her limitations, she  found courage in the midst of bigotry and racial violence in a segregated society. In her memoir, Moody recounted how she risked her life in her fight for civil rights for African Americans and other people of color. She suffered beatings and endured multiple incarcerations in her efforts to bring about change.
 
Those who knew Moody say that she exhibited courage as she fought for justice, voter registration, and equal access to public places.
 
Moody wrote about Natchez College in chapters 18 and 19 of her book. She discussed in detail the problems the students had with the food. Buckley noted, “It was there that she participated in her first public protest that involved the student meals.”  For that reason, Buckley envisions the cafeteria in the Women’s Auxiliary building being the space where the interpretive center is housed.  
 
According to Buckley, the interpretive center will also allow future generations to know of Moody’s history and be inspired by her work in the Civil Rights Movement.
 
“An interpretive center in her name will serve as a catalyst for programs that speak directly to our youth,” he said. “This would include writing programs and expressionist projects that interpret her life history while helping the young people to discover their own voices the way that Moody discovered hers.”
 
In other words, Buckley said, “the interpretive center would aid in helping our youth with self-expression via writing, speech, and other forms of communication. It would present history – and ideas – that would inspire them to become change agents in their respective communities.” 
 
The interpretive center is expected to reach diverse groups of people and speak to them on different levels. In addition to providing programs related to Moody’s legacy, the interpretive center will include compelling exhibitions and relevant displays of period photographs and art, as well as copies of Moody’s books, articles, and family artifacts, Buckley said.

Buckley hopes the Interpretive Center will open around 2027, when other restoration work is completed at the Women’s Auxiliary building. The work will cost an estimated $6.5 million and when finished will provide classroom, office spaces and historical archives where research about Baptist life in Mississippi can occur. That is far more than the $750,000 awarded in 2022 to complete the first floor restoration of the T.J. Huddleston Memorial Chapel on the Natchez College campus.
 
Funding for the chapel was provided as a pass-through grant by Lilly Endowment Inc., which was part of a $2.5 million grant to the Foundation for Mississippi History to support Mississippi Department of Archives and History programs that promote public understanding of the role of religion in Mississippi history and culture.
 
Buckley said the first floor of the chapel has been completed, and funds are being sought for the second floor.
 
Natchez College was established by the Baptist convention as a private, historically black institution in 1884. The school, which later became Natchez Junior College, closed in 1989. Booker T. Washington visited the school in 1908.
 

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/05/06/natchez-college-to-house-anne-moody-interpretive-center/

Karla Brown seeks volunteers for Memorial Day event to honor fallen soldiers

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Published Friday, May 2, 2025

Karla Brown of Downtown Karla Brown, left, is pictured here with her friend and volunteer Allene Kaiser, who helps with Brown's annual Memorial Day project. (Photo courtesy of Karla Brown) Click on image to enlarge.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- When Karla Brown goes out this year to honor the deceased U.S. service members on Memorial Day, she will keep a promise she made years ago to G. Mark LaFrancis, who was president of the Home with Heroes Foundation Inc.

 
Brown did not have flowers to place on the graves of all of the service members, but LaFrancis asked her to remember one in particular.
 
“He donated $100, and he asked me to make sure we placed a flower on the grave of Wilson Brown, who was African American, and the only Medal of Honor recipient buried in the Natchez National Cemetery,” Brown recalled. “Each year we place two roses on his grave.”
 
LaFrancis died in June 2024 following a long battle with cancer. This year, Brown and her volunteers will honor him by placing a flower on his grave.
 
LaFrancis was a retired veteran of the military. He served a total of 23 years in the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. He was also director of the Miss-Lou Military Museum and Veterans Welcome/Information Center.
 
Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 26, and as the day approaches, Brown is seeking volunteer help -- and donation of flowers. Brown is known for her work through Downtown Karla Brown.
 
 “Last year we had eight buckets of flowers, which was a record,” Brown said, noting her volunteer project “gets bigger each year.” Last year, they bought out the flowers at Walmart in Natchez and Vidalia and grocery stores, she said. They want to do the same this year.
 
She also had about a dozen volunteers, she said.
 
When the Flower Station learned of Brown’s needs last year, the business quickly donated flowers for the cause, Brown said. Moreton’s Flowerland also pitched in to help. Brown said she was extremely grateful to these businesses.
 
Brown typically purchases all of the flowers that she can afford and place them in a bucket of water one day before Memorial Day. Early the next day, she visits the cemetery where she and her volunteers place one flower in front of the graves of the military service members.
 
While she would love to honor all of the service members with a flower, she usually does not have enough to go around, she said. Even so, she is mindful to cover the graves of men and women who served in all of the wars -- and all branches of the military, she said.
 
Brown said she moved to Natchez 13 years ago, and for the last 12 years, she has been placing flowers on the graves of U.S. service members. Natchez is the first place she has lived that has a national cemetery, she said.
 
“Memorial Day is about our fallen soldiers,” she said. “We honor them because of their sacrifice and because we’re living in a free country.”
 
Placing flowers on the graves is an act of reverence and something that should not be rushed, Brown said. She asks her volunteers to take a flower, stand in front of the grave, reflect and say, “Thank you.”
 
“I ask them to really think about what these people did and to give some reverence,” she said. “We take our time and think about their service to our nation. I really encourage people to do that.”
 
As in previous years, Brown is asking all volunteers to meet her at the Natchez National Cemetery at 6:30 a.m. She said they can finish in about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the amount of help she has. Afterwards, they will go to breakfast.
 
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.

See more at this link: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2025/05/02/downtown-karla-brown-seeks-volunteers-for-memorial-day-event-to-honor-fallen-soldiers/

Cypress knees exhibit highlights little-known piece of Natchez history

Clay sculptures will be donated to Monmouth and African American museum

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
Thursday, May 1, 2025

The Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture recently hosted the Cypress Knees exhibit presented by Woven Wind. Viewers of the exhibit's clay sculptures included, from left, Debbie Toles, Sue Harris, and Ruthie Smith. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Members of the Woven Wind project used clay sculptures of cypress knees Friday, April 25, to highlight the history of the Toles family and their enslaved ancestors at Monmouth.

An exhibit of the cypress knees was featured for one day at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. The knees were also placed on the grounds of Monmouth near a pond, said Nashville-based curator Courtney Adair Johnson.
 
“The clay objects, which symbolically carry the voices of the enslaved, will dissolve with the landscape over time to memorialize the site of the family's painful history,” Johnson said, adding the unfired pieces of art will simply melt into the ground.
 
Some of the sculptures will be donated to the museum and Monmouth, she said.
 
Melisande Short-Colomb, research and community engagement associate at the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University, said nobody can really explain the purpose of the cypress knees in nature.
 
“They don’t grow into trees, but they are part of the network, the eco system, and the environment of the cypress swamp,” she said. “They connect all of the trees.”
 
Short-Colomb spoke about the cypress knees at the museum. She was joined by Vesna Pavlović, the Paul E. Shwab Chair in Fine Arts Professor of Art at Vanderbilt University.
 
“Part of what scientists believe is the cypress roots are in the water,” Short-Colomb said. “The knees come up to get some air and store water in periods of draught when the water may recede or go down when it doesn’t rain. Because of the cypress knees, the cypress trees continue to have a source of water. We chose the knees as a representative of the continuity of family through time.”
 
“The connection between the cypress knees and the trees shows the connectivity of a family,” said Bobby Dennis, director of the museum. “Each knee is attached to a tree. They all have the same resource as that tree, yet they’re all different.”
 
Furthermore, Short-Colomb said, the cypress knees sculpture is an artistic representation of the region. “The trees themselves hold the memory of everything that has happened there. The soil, the water, all of that is a memory that lives in the environment all over Natchez.”
 
Short-Colomb said Natchez was the richest city in America for 90 years, and the remnants of memory remain in the environment, even though the cycles of humanity continues to change. “One day we’re born, and one day we die. The environment of the earth contains all of us. It receives all of us,” she said.

Woven Wind representatives Melisande Short-Colomb, left, and Vesna Pavlovic, discuss the clay sculptures of the Cypress Knees exhibit held April 25 in Natchez. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Short-Colomb said their work as Woven Wind “was connecting the archives of John A. Quitman, who was an enslaver, a human trafficker, to descendants of a complete and full name mentioned in the archives of the Quitman family.”
 
Their aim, she said, was to connect the living descendants to their ancestor, Frank Toles, who was mentioned in the archives. The archives are held in the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
 
According to Pavlović’s website, Woven Wind is a multi-layered research project drawing from artistic translations of the Lovell Quitman archive, which includes extensive Quitman Plantation records and photographs of the Civil War era.
 
The creation of the cypress knees involves the use of clay as a community activity, said Short-Colomb. The work is done by people who are not professional potters.
 
“Those knees are part of a multi-disciplinary art installation that includes the film of the Toles family, painted art work, a portfolio of photographs, and original music composed for the film and was performed in Nashville, she said.

 See more at this link:
 
https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2025/05/01/cypress-knees-exhibit-highlights-little-known-piece-of-natchez-history/