A MAN OF FREEDOM: Charles Evers honored with Freedom Trail marker

By Roscoe Barnes III

The Natchez Democrat
Published Sunday, March 2, 2025

The family of Charles Evers celebrates the memory of the civil rights leader who was honored with a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker Friday, February 28, 2025, in Fayette, Mississippi. (Click on image to enlarge.)

FAYETTE, Miss. -- The town of Fayette hosted a ceremony Friday for the unveiling of a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker honoring James Charles Evers, who served for 16 years as the town’s mayor.

About 200 people turned out for the event which was held at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 1484 Main Street in Fayette.  

Dr. Tracy M. Cook, president of Alcorn State University, said it was an honor to recognize Evers, whose courageous actions during the Civil Rights Movement left a lifetime mark on the nation’s history. “After the assassination of his brother, Medgar Evers, he continued the calling his brother started: the fight for an equal opportunity,” Cook said in his opening remarks.

First elected in 1969, Charles Evers was the first Black mayor of a biracial town in Mississippi since Reconstruction, following passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which enforced constitutional rights for citizens.

He was remembered Friday as a fearless leader and man of principle who stayed the course in the fight for justice, freedom, and equality.

Charles Evers’ son, Carlos Evers, said he was pleased with the recognition given to his father.

“Today’s program was awesome,” he said after the ceremony. “It’s an acknowledgement of my father and some of the things he achieved in the state of Mississippi. It was great to finally see that marker, which will be there for generations to come. This means his name will not be forgotten in Mississippi history. This marker highlights the areas of the struggle in the Civil Rights Movement.”

Guest speakers

The guest speakers for the ceremony included Dr. Michael V. Williams, professor of History and director of Africana Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Democratic Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, who represents Mississippi's 2nd congressional district.

Williams said Charles Evers’ life came “to epitomize what it meant to fight for and demand freedom, to fight for and demand equality, to fight for and demand justice, and to dedicate his life to the defense of humanity .…”

Williams said Charles Evers was unwavering in his belief that Mississippi could be better, but that it was up to the people to make it so. “He told us that we have a responsibility to challenge wrong, wherever we found it,” Williams said.

Charles Evers was down-to-earth in his talks with the public, Williams said, adding his talks also revealed his fearlessness, as in his statement, “I would rather be dead and in heaven than be afraid to do what I think is right.”

Thompson said Charles Evers made an impact on Mississippi that is still being felt today.

“It’s important for us to acknowledge people for the work that they have done,” he said. “What we have done here today with this [marker] … is to make sure that that legacy is not forgotten.”

Ceremony participants

Participants in the ceremony included Kelvin T. King, president of the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, who gave the Welcome. Fayette Mayor Londell Eanochs and Judge Latrice A. Westbrooks, Mississippi Court of Appeals (District 2, Post 2), each shared remarks about Evers, as did V. Charlene Evers-Kreel, Charles Evers’ daughter.

Tributes were presented by Johnny L. Ford, first African American mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama; Jefferson County High School Scholar; and the Step by Step Kinder-Kids Academy.

John Spann, program and outreach officer at Mississippi Humanities Council, thanked Fayette officials, volunteers, and the public for supporting the day’s program.

The Mississippi Freedom Trail was created to honor the people and places in the state that played an important role in the American Civil Rights Movement. The markers are administered by the Mississippi Humanities Council and Visit Mississippi.

‘Man of the Year’

Charles Evers was born in 1922 in Decatur. He spent many years of service as a businessman, civil rights activist, and politician. He also worked as station manager for WMPR, where he hosted a weekly political talk show.

Charles Evers served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a 1950 graduate of Alcorn A&M College in Lorman, which is today’s Alcorn State University.

In addition to his time as mayor of Fayette, Charles Evers served as Mississippi field secretary for the NAACP following the assassination of his younger brother, Medgar Evers, on June 12, 1963. During the mid-1960s, Charles Evers became a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez after the attempted assassination of NAACP President George Metcalfe, whose car was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on August 27,1965.

Charles Evers played a significant role in the success of the Natchez movement, according to historians.  When he departed Natchez, he left “with his own position strengthened statewide,” wrote John Dittmer in “Local People: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi” (University of Illinois Press, 1995). “Nationally, the charismatic brother of Medgar Evers had come to symbolize the civil rights movement in Mississippi.”

In 1969, the NAACP named him the “Man of the Year” because of his accomplishments.

Charles Evers died in July 2020 in Brandon. He was 97.

 

Black History talk at the Rotary Club of Natchez, Mississippi

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III and Deanna Kimbro
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I spoke at the Rotary Club of Natchez on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. My topic was, “Black History Initiatives and Updates in Natchez and Adams County.” I was a guest of Deanna Kimbro. Photo by Allen Richard. 

Looking back at the origins of Black History Month

Top of the Morning column published in The Natchez Democrat (Wednesday, February 26, 2025, page 4A)

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Top of the Morning

Looking back at the origins of Black History Month

 By Roscoe Barnes III

When I was a kid growing up in the Mississippi Delta, I was a big fan of TV westerns. I watched many shows about cowboys and Indians, and for the longest time, I believed the Indians were the villains in our history. But as I grew up, I learned the Indians were not the villains.

The media and historians in the late 19th and 20th century led us to believe that Native Americans were the bad guys. However, that is not the story they told themselves. They believed they were the good guys defending their homeland from interlopers. But the historians did not tell those stories until the 1960s and 1970s, much like the stories of African Americans being told in modern times.

Today we see attacks on Black History Month. Its relevance is questioned by politicians and celebrities. Sadly, some people are simply misinformed. With these concerns in mind, I will discuss for a moment the origin of Black History Month, something we cannot do without mentioning Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950).

Woodson is known as the “Father of Black History Month.” He was a distinguished historian, writer, editor, and publisher. Before he came along, historians showed little interest in the history of African Americans. The former slaves and people of color had a history, but it was often overlooked or omitted from the history books.

Woodson biographer Burnis R. Morris correctly noted, “Many of the historians of the 19th century and early 20th century left African Americans out, and those who included them in their history books distorted facts and included many untruths.”

Speaking of historian John Hope Franklin, Professor Leon Litwack astutely observed that Franklin’s book, “From Slavery to Freedom,” holds that “African Americans had a history—a past based not only on what white men did to black Americans but on what black Americans did for themselves.”

Woodson believed that African Americans made significant contributions to the history of the United States and other nations. He also believed this history should be recorded and celebrated. In addition to giving African Americans a sense of pride and inspiration, this history should help to address the issues of racism, he thought, showing that all people are created equal.

On February 7, 1926, Woodson announced the first celebration of Negro History Week. Woodson chose this time period to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass (February 1818) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809), two men who played important roles in the freedom of African Americans. This period of celebration would later expand to the full month and become known as Black History Month.

Contrary to what some have claimed, Black History Month was not given to African Americans by whites, and it was not relegated to the shortest and coldest month of the year. While it is true that Black History Month received official recognition in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, February was intentionally chosen decades earlier because of Lincoln and Douglass.

Woodson said, “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” This quote is true and deadly accurate without debate.

Today, we have Black history that we can look to for lessons, insight, and inspiration. For it reveals what we all have contributed to the success of our great nation. It recognizes from all periods of history the intelligence, resilience, and contributions of African Americans in all fields. At the same time, it promotes acceptance and inclusivity.

So instead of criticizing this history and pushing it aside, we should all come together and learn from this history as we work to find common ground and build a healthy society.

 ---------------

ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is the cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez.

Black History program at Adams County Correctional Center, Natchez, Mississippi

 

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I was honored to serve as guest speaker for the Black History program held Friday, February 21, 2025, at the Adams County Correctional Center. My topic was "Black History in Natchez, Mississippi." The staff did an amazing job. I’m pictured here with Warden Jason Streeval and the facility staff.

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Johnson to talk about racial justice at Natchez Historical Society meeting

By Roscoe Barnes III  
ListenUpYall.com
Feb 20, 2025 | 9:02 AM

Professor Paula C. Johnson 

NATCHEZ, Miss. — Paula C. Johnson, professor at Syracuse University College of Law and director of the Cold Case Justice Initiative (CCJI), will talk about racial justice at the Tuesday, February 25 meeting of the Natchez Historical Society. The program will be held at the Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce St. It will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m., followed by Johnson’s presentation at 6 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Johnson’s topic is, “Memory Lessons: Meeting the Imperative for Racial Justice through Memory, Memorials, Knowledge, and Empowerment.” She will discuss her organization’s efforts to seek justice for unsolved civil rights-era crimes while preserving the victims’ legacy.

The program is funded in part by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Johnson said her presentation will emphasize the importance of working for justice in all the forms it may take.

“In this regard, the Cold Case Justice Initiative (CCJI) works on behalf of families of victims of racial violence — homicides and disappearances — whose perpetrators have not been held accountable for their crimes,” she said. “The imperative for justice includes remembering the victims of such horrendous crimes and their families, and their sacrifices and contributions to American society for the ideals we profess to espouse.

“For example, collaborating with the family of Wharlest Jackson, Sr., of Natchez, MS, who was murdered by truck bomb in February 1967, is a key example of this meeting this imperative.”

Johnson said these memory lessons must be in the national consciousness, the classroom, and in the physical form of historical landmarks. “We must be dedicated to telling the complete story of American history and the continuing struggle for freedom, justice, and democracy,” she said.

Johnson is a co-founder of the Cold Case Justice Initiative which investigates racially-motivated murders that occurred during the civil rights era and in contemporary times.

She is also a widely respected teacher, author, and scholar in her fields of study. Her distinguished teaching posts include the Haywood Burns Chair in Civil Rights at CUNY Law School and the Sparks Chair at the University of Alabama School of Law, among other universities.

In addition to criminal law and criminal procedure, Johnson teaches courses on race and law, multicultural lawyering, and voting rights. She has also led seminars on women in the criminal justice system.

Johnson holds a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a  Doctor of Jurisprudence from Temple University School of Law. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland.

Her books include “Interrupted Life: Experiences of Incarcerated Women in the United States” (University of California Press, 2010) and “Inner Lives: Voices of African American Women in Prison” (NYU Press, 2003).

Johnson has received many honors and awards for her work. In 2025, she was recognized as one of the 57 Most Influential Black Attorneys by the Northeast Black Law Students Association. Her honors include the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation Woman of Courage Award in Honor of Mamie Till Mobley (2015);  the National Civil Rights Social Justice Award (Philadelphia, MS 2014); and the Unsung Heroine Award from the Syracuse University Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Committee.

For more information on Johnson’s lecture, send email to info@natchezhistoricalsociety.org.

Tribute to Norman B. Rohrer, founder and director of the Christian Writers Guild

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Note: This article is published by the Evangelical Press Association. You can view it here or by following this link: https://www.evangelicalpress.com/norman-b-rohrer-former-epa-executive-secretary-has-passed/

This is one of the most meaningful articles that I have written. Why? It’s an article about Norman B. Rohrer, the man who taught me how to write and publish. He died in December 2024 at the age 95. His family authorized me to write this tribute, and I was fortunate to have it published by the Evangelical Press Association, the organization that meant so much to Norm.
 
Norm was known as the man who “fired” writers. I will forever be grateful to him for “firing” me with enthusiasm for developing my God-given writing talent and extending my work and ministry.
 
I took Norm’s writing course in the early 1980s while serving in the Army. It was a 3-year correspondence course offered through Norm’s Christian Writers Guild. This single course changed my life and provided me with a successful career as a writer.
 
Norm was a great teacher and mentor. We stayed in touch long after I completed his course in 1984. May he rest in peace.

Honored to speak at Greater St. James' Annual Black History Program

 

I had the pleasure of speaking Sunday (2/16/2025) at the Annual Black History Program at Greater St. James Baptist Church in Natchez. My topic was "Black History: Why It Matters." We had a great time. In the photo, Pastor Johnson is on my right, and Deacon Lyles is on my left. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Marker for Prince Ibrahima gets green light for Silver Street

By Roscoe Barnes III

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Feb 14, 2025 | 2:00 PM

A marker commemorating Prince Ibrahima has been approved for Silver Street by the Natchez Preservation Commission. The marker will be located near a lamp post on the west side of the street. Its precise location is indicated by the red circle on the left side of the post. Source: Image capture August 2024 (c)2025 Google (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Natchez Preservation Commission recently approved a site for a marker on Silver Street that will honor Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori. That approval came Wednesday, February 12 during a regular meeting of the commission.

Visit Natchez and the City of Natchez sought approval for the location, which is near the landing dock on the west side of Silver Street in the grassy area near the sidewalk overlooking the river. The property is owned by Silverland Inc., which has given its support for the project.

In his report on the requested location, Interim City Planner Riccardo Giani shared his assessment, stating, “Prince Ibrahima is one such figure in Natchez’s history whose captivating and important story offers a valuable opportunity to educate future generations about his time. The applicant has provided supporting documentation for this marker, including its proposed location.”

Carter Burns, executive director of the Historic Natchez Foundation, welcomed the news. “I am glad to see Prince Ibrahima recognized with an official state historic marker in Natchez,” he said. “He was an extraordinary man with an extraordinary life.  The landing is an appropriate location for it since he arrived and departed from Natchez at that site.”

Ibrahima (1762-1829) was an African prince who spent 40 years enslaved on Thomas Foster’s plantation near Natchez. When he came to Natchez in 1788, he arrived at the landing dock, which is also the place where he and his wife, Isabella, departed Natchez with their freedom in 1828.

Ibrahima’s marker will be acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. In keeping with the Preservation Commission’s guidelines, the marker will be parallel with the street and located close to the lamp post that has an existing marker nearby. Ibrahima’s marker will be the same distance from the lamp post as the existing marker on the opposite side.

Lynsey Gilbert, interim director at Visit Natchez, said the location is ideal for the marker. “It will be seen by thousands of visitors, especially those traveling on the Mississippi River cruise ships,” she said. “Silver Street is frequented by many tourists and local residents throughout the year.”

Mayor Dan Gibson said he was excited about the project and the recognition it will give to Ibrahima’s legacy.

“On behalf of the City of Natchez, I want to express our gratitude to Dr. Roscoe Barnes and all who have worked to make this happen,” Gibson said. “Prince Ibrahima’s story has long been a source of inspiration to so many, not only here in Natchez but all across the world.

“His is a story of both triumph in the midst of adversity and of love overcoming hate. We have a number of the Prince’s descendants in Natchez, and I share their excitement to see this part of our amazing Natchez story being told. We consider him to be ‘Our Prince’.”

Once the application for the MDAH marker is submitted and approved, it will take at least six months for the marker to be manufactured and delivered to Natchez for installation.

The Silver Street marker will be the second one commemorating the prince in the Natchez-Adams County area. In October 2024, the Natchez Historical Society approved a donation for a marker off of Highway 61 North near the Historic Jefferson College.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/02/14/marker-for-prince-ibrahima-gets-green-light-for-silver-street/

Rhythm Night Club Museum opens ‘theater room’ to share stories of survivors

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Feb 7, 2025 | 12:09 PM

Monroe Sago, co-owner of the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, views a video recording of Sidney Fowler, a survival of the night club fire that occurred April 23, 1940. Visitors can now view recordings of Fowler and other survivors in the museum’s theater room. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Rhythm Night Club (On Site) Memorial Museum has opened a theater room where visitors can watch recordings of the people who survived the fatal fire of April 23, 1940 – the deadliest club fire in the nation’s history.

Monroe Sago, co-owner of the museum with his wife, Betty, recently cleared out his office in the back of the building and turned it into a 20×12 theater that can seat 15 people.

“We’ve been open since 2010, and we felt it was time to create space where our visitors can come and hear these stories,” Monroe said. “We have video recordings of some of the survivors. These people need to be seen and heard.”

The Rhythm Night Club Museum is located at 5 St. Catherine St. on the exact site of the original building. The survivors are the people who visited the club on the night of the fire where more than 200 people died, including Walter Barnes and members of his band, a jazz orchestra, known as the Royal Creolians.

Monroe said one of the survivors was Frank R. Robinson III, the grandson of Dr. John Bowman Banks, who built a home at 9 St. Catherine. Robinson died in 2003 at the age 83, according to his obituary.

“This is the only place where people can come and see these survivors, all of whom are now deceased,” said Monroe.

Photos and profiles of the survivors are displayed in a history panel on the wall of the museum. Visitors can select the survivors they want to see and enter the theater room to watch the selected recordings.

One visitor selected Sidney Fowler, who was 22 the night of the fire. He was 93 when he was interviewed by Monroe. Fowler appears on the screen with his wife, Mary, and their daughter, Audrey Martin. He talks about the piles of bodies he saw after the fire. He also speaks of how he rescued his sister.

“I couldn’t sleep at all that night,” he says. The fire was so tragic, people talked about it for many weeks, he says.

In addition to announcing plans for the theater room, Monroe said the museum is seeking community support for its annual scholarship fundraiser. Each year local high school seniors are invited to visit the museum and write an essay about their experience for a chance to win a scholarship of $500 to $1,000.

The scholarship is presented during the museum’s annual commemoration ceremony.
Monroe said the scholarship will help to defray the student’s cost to a college of his or her choice for the fall of 2025. This year, it will be presented on Saturday, April 26.

The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. It is open on Sunday by appointment.

For more information on the museum’s theater room and scholarship fundraiser, call 601-597-0557.
 

Mississippi State University Libraries

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III
(Click on image to enlarge.)

 Mississippi State University Libraries 

DeeDee Baldwin (Date: 2.6.2025):

“Yesterday, Dr. Roscoe Barnes, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Manager for the city of Natchez, shared the incredible true story of Abdul Rahman Ibrahima—an African prince who was enslaved in Natchez and later secured his freedom. Want to learn more? Check out Prince Among Slaves by Terry Alford!”

Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori (1762–1829): A Story of Unexpected Patience, Courage, and Freedom

 My talk on the Muslim prince who spent 40 years enslaved in Southwest Mississippi

(Click on image to enlarge.)

I gave this lecture Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in the John Grisham Room at Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi. It focuses on the life history of Prince Ibrahima, who spent 40 years enslaved on Thomas Foster’s plantation in Washington, Mississippi, just outside of Natchez, before he gained his freedom in 1828. The story of Prince Ibrahima is one of the most remarkable and well-known stories to come out of the Natchez-Adams County area.

Read or download the paper at this link: 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388758776_Prince_Abdul_Rahman_Ibrahima_Sori_1762-1829_A_Story_of_Unexpected_Patience_Courage_and_Freedom

Norman B. Rohrer, founder and director of the Christian Writers Guild, has passed

 His family shared his final, heartwarming message on YouTube

I was saddened to learn that Norman B. Rohrer, founder of the Christian Writers Guild, has passed. He was 95. His family shared this video of him on YouTube. I'm proud to say I was one of Rohrer’s many students in the early 1980s. He was a great teacher and mentor.

Natchez Historical Society honors Lance S. Harris at 2025 Dinner Meeting

By Roscoe Barnes III 
ListenUpYall.com
Jan 31, 2025 | 3:17 PM

Karen Hill, president of the Natchez Historical Society, presented Lance S. Harris with the 2025 Historic Preservation Award at the society’s annual dinner on Tuesday, January 28, at the Natchez Grand Hotel. Harris is sites operation administrator for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Trustees of the Natchez Historical Society are ecstatic about their annual dinner held Tuesday, January 28, at the Natchez Grand Hotel.

Over 130 people turned out for the event that featured a presentation of the 2025 Historic Preservation Award to Lance S. Harris and an engaging talk by Matthew Skic on “Muskets Along the Mississippi: The Revolutionary War in the West.”

The program was funded in part by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Karen Hill, the outgoing president of the society, said she was more than happy about the program. “We had a record attendance of 137 people,” she said. “I am so proud of the people of Natchez in their support of the Natchez Historical Society and Natchez’s rich history.”

Hill said she was especially thrilled about the recognition given to Harris, “as he has contributed so much in various projects of historical significance.” Harris is the sites operation administrator for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Hill said the audience “thoroughly enjoyed” Skic’s presentation on the American Revolution. Skic, the featured speaker, is curator of exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

His talk focused on the significance of Natchez and New Orleans in the war, topics that are relevant as the nation reflects upon the upcoming 250th anniversary of America’s independence. Skic talked about the “crucial military campaigns” along the Mississippi River. He used PowerPoint images to show how the region was deeply involved in the war.

Recognition of board members

During the business portion of the meeting, Hill thanked the society’s board members for their work. She acknowledged the board members who were leaving after completing their term. In addition to herself and Roscoe Barnes III, publicity chair, the departing board members included Norma Bearden, membership chair, and Adam Gwin, vice president.

Hill also thanked former board members Mary Eidt, Mike Gemmell, Page Ogden, Maria Bowser, and her husband, Charlie Hill, for their service, and all the other members who helped her along the way.

Hill introduced the new board members, who include Ginny Benoist, president; Nicole Harris, vice president; Fran Trappey, secretary; Al King, treasurer; Daye Dearing, program chair; Bobby Denis, communications and public relations chair; Elodie Pritchartt, publicity chair; Julianna Rabb, membership chair; and Laura Tate, hospitality chair.

Award presentation

Each year, the society presents a preservation award that honors individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to historic preservation or the study of history within the Natchez area.

This year, the award went to Harris, who was presented a plaque with the inscription: “Natchez Historical Society Proudly Presents THE PRESERVATION AWARD to Lance S. Harris For Significant Contributions to Historic Preservation, January 2025.”

Harris offered his appreciation for the award: “Natchez has held a special place in my heart for a long time. Many of you know that I had been an annual visitor to the city since my teenage years. Those trips fueled my love of history leading to my collegiate and professional career in the public history and museum sectors.

“I met my beautiful wife Nicole in graduate school and after spending a dozen years in Louisiana, we recrossed the river to Natchez right at 10 years ago. I am thankful that the community embraced us with open arms and has been such a special place to raise our children, Amelie and Roan.”

Finance report

Al King, the society’s treasurer, presented the annual financial report for the society. He said 2024 was a good year and the society looks forward to the new year with more exciting programs and new projects.

In 2024, the society made a donation to support a historical marker for Prince Ibrahima near Historic Jefferson College. King said the organization wants to support other projects in 2025.

In addition to providing support for the marker, King said the society upgraded its website and sound system.

King presented a financial report that shows a total of $7,491 in income receipts and a total of $10,982 in expenses. The society’s total ending net assets for 2024 were $318,129. The amount is up from $276,429 in 2023.

“We’re in good shape,” King said, noting the total for the net assets was due to “the good stock market.”

King acknowledged the $2,400 grant awarded to the society by the Mississippi Humanities Council. The grant helps cover its monthly lecture series from September through May.

King also acknowledged the contribution of Geoff Butcher and Jim Johnson, who own The Carriage House at Myrtle Terrace. They provide housing at their guest house for out-of-town speakers at the society’s monthly meetings.

2025 Goals

The mission of the Natchez Historical Society is to serve as a resource for the research, development, presentation, remembrance, and understanding of the formative history of the Natchez area. With that in mind, its goals for 2025 and beyond include:

* Collecting historical material about Natchez and Adams County

* Cooperating with officials in ensuring the preservation and accessibility of local records

* Disseminating historical information through publications and other means

*Preserving historic buildings, monuments, and markers

* Conducting meetings with lectures, papers, and discussions

* Participating in relevant field trips and tours

After serving for many years on the society’s board, Hill said she is grateful for all the things she has learned about Natchez.

“When i first accepted the Program Chair in 2017, I knew little about Natchez and Mississippi history,” she said. “Once I started studying and researching, I realized the national and global people and events in this area. I couldn’t get enough!”

With its new president and other board members, the society is in good hands, Hill said, and she looks forward to seeing the exciting things ahead.