Adams County supervisors approve marker for Black legislators of Reconstruction

Adams County will install a new courthouse marker honoring 10 Black Reconstruction-era lawmakers, spotlighting Mississippi’s first African American legislators.

By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat

December 18, 2025

Adams County Courthouse will be the site of a new historical marker honoring 10 Black legislators from Adams County who were elected after the Civil War. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Adams County is poised to install a new state historical marker on the grounds of the Adams County Courthouse that will honor its 10 Black legislators elected during Reconstruction. The marker is part of the “Making Their Mark” project, a statewide, grant-funded initiative to recognize the first African Americans to hold legislative office in Mississippi after the Civil War.

The Adams County Board of Supervisors approved a request for the marker, presented by DeeDee Baldwin of Mississippi State University, on November 17.

“This marker recognizes an important chapter in Adams County’s history and the men who served during a transformative period in Mississippi,” said Board President Kevin Wilson. “By acknowledging their service, we are helping preserve the full historical record for future generations and providing an opportunity for education, reflection, and community dialogue.”
 
The marker will be acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Installation is planned for late 2026. The exact location on the courthouse grounds will be determined later as the matter is reviewed by the Natchez Preservation Commission.
 
According to Baldwin, the unveiling of the marker will be accompanied by a community event featuring creative performances by local students. All costs for its manufacture and installation will be covered by the “Making Their Mark” project through a grant from Monument Lab, a public arts nonprofit based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
 
As of December 11, a total of 11 markers has been approved by county boards of supervisors across the state.
 
“We are so appreciative of the county supervisors who have worked with us so far to make this project a reality,” said Baldwin. “The support we’ve encountered is wonderful to see.”
 
The draft text for the front side of the marker reads:
 
The First Black Legislators
 
After the Civil War, the 14th Amendment and a new state constitution enabled the people of Mississippi to elect 162 Black men to state or national office over the next 20 years, more than any other state. Ten of these legislators represented Adams County, including Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African American to serve in either house of the U.S. Congress. The overthrow of Reconstruction and passage of the 1890 state constitution ended multiracial democracy in Mississippi for over 70 years.
 
The text proposed for the back side reads:
 
The following Black Men from Adams County served in the legislature from 1870-1891:
United States Congress: John Roy Lynch and Hiram Rhodes Revels
State Senate: Jeremiah M.P. Williams
State House of Representatives: George F. Bowles, Felix L. Cory, Willis Davis, William W. Hence, Henry P. Jacobs, William H. Lynch, George R. Washington
 
Baldwin and Chuck Yarborough of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science are co-directors of the “Making Their Mark Project” team, which comprises researchers and historians working to install markers and spearhead community programming in 22 counties.
 
Team members include Brother Rogers, historian and former employee of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History; Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez; Dr. Robby Luckett, professor and director of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University; Heather Denne, executive director for Community Engagement at Jackson State University; and Vickie Roberts Ratliff of Land, Literacy, Legacy LLC.
 
Baldwin, who serves as associate professor and engagement librarian at Mississippi State University Libraries, is a leading authority on the Black legislators who served during Reconstruction. Her website, “Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi,” provides biographies, photos, newspaper clippings, and other resources to assist people researching these elected officials.
 
For her work on the website, Baldwin received an Award of Merit from the Mississippi Historical Society in 2025 and has been honored with the 2026 Humanities Scholar Award by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
 

See more at this link: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/adams-county-supervisors-approve-marker-for-black-legislators-of-reconstruction-91810069

Wyatt Waters donates giclée print to Dr. John Banks House

Acclaimed artist Wyatt Waters donates a giclée of his Dr. John Banks House watercolor, spotlighting Natchez civil rights history and a museum still fighting for restoration funds.
 
By Roscoe Barnes III
The Natchez Democrat
December 16, 2025

Wyatt Waters of Wyatt Waters Gallery recently donated a giclee print of his his painting, "Dr. John Banks House," to the staff of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum at 9 St. Catherine St. From left are Jacqulyn B. Williams, Veula Robinson, Thelma Newsome, Mayor Dan Gibson, Rev. LeRoy White, Wyatt Waters, Kristi Waters, Willie Woods, Dora Hawkins, and Bonita Reed. Photo by Albert L. Jones (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. –  When Thelma Newsome learned that Wyatt Waters had painted the watercolor, “Dr. John Banks House,” back in July, she became excited and curious.

Newsome, a manager of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, said the museum staff wanted a copy of the painting, but she wondered if she could purchase one with the help of her children.

“When I contacted Wyatt Waters Gallery, I was told that Mr. Waters would be happy to donate a giclée print of the original painting to the museum,” she said. “I just couldn’t believe it. We were on Cloud 15 all day. We really do appreciate his gift.”

Newsome shared these remarks Friday, December 12, at the museum, where Wyatt Waters and his wife, Kristi, officially presented the artwork to the Rev. LeRoy White, pastor of Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, and the church’s staff that manages the museum.

The church inherited the Banks house in 2011 from Frank Robinson Jr., the grandson of Banks. The house, located at 9 St. Catherine St., became a museum in 2020. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also the site of Natchez’s first Mississippi Freedom Trail marker.

Banks was the first Black physician in Natchez, and his home served as the headquarters for the Natchez NAACP during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Newsome is one of several volunteers who operate the museum. She is joined by Dora Hawkins, Willie Woods, Jacqulyn B. Williams.

Wyatt Waters, right, presents a giclee print of his watercolor of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum to the Rev. LeRoy White, pastor of Rose Hill  Missionary Baptist Church, which owns and operates the museum. Photo by Albert L. Jones (Click on image to enlarge.)

At Friday’s presentation, White thanked the Waters for their donation. He said he is excited about Rose Hill’s ownership of the house. “We’re going to show it off to make sure everybody all over Mississippi, as well as the world, know what Dr. John Banks stood for,” he said.

Mayor Dan Gibson also participated in the presentation. “What a blessing it is to have Kristi and Wyatt here in Natchez,” he said. “What is also such a blessing is, Wyatt is capturing so much of our history in such a beautiful way through his art, and it’s being shown all over.”

Gibson said people are discovering Natchez because of Wyatt Waters’ art. “He is internationally known, internationally travelled, and he is also a fabulous painter,” Gibson said.

Speaking to Wyatt Waters, Gibson said, “I’m grateful that you have done this for the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum.”

Wyatt Waters replied, “It’s our honor to be able to document this. A big part of our book is the story and not just the building.”

When Newsome thanked Wyatt Waters for the painting, he said, “Without y’all, there wouldn’t be anything for me to paint here. Thank you for maintaining this building and for keeping this history alive.”

In April 2025, Gibson met with the museum staff and kicked off a campaign to raise $15,000 to repair the building’s aging roof. The two-story wood-framed house was built in 1892. Gibson also honored Banks posthumously with a Key to the City, which he presented to Hawkins and other museum staff.

According to Williams, a museum volunteer, the mayor’s campaign succeeded. She said they hired Chimneyville Roofing of Jackson to repair the roof, and the company finished the job in October.

However, there is more work to be done. “We still need about $10,000 to $15,000 to repair the ceiling inside that was damaged by the roof leaks,” Williams said. “We also want to expand the museum to the rooms upstairs for our civil rights history. However, we need an elevator for ADA purposes.”

Williams said there is also a need for cosmetic work for the porch.

Tours of the museum are available by appointment. Information on tours or donations is available by calling 601-807-2537. All donations are tax-deductible. Checks should be made out to the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum and mailed to P.O. Box 501, Natchez, MS 39121.

See more at this link: https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/wyatt-waters-donates-gicle-print-to-dr-john-banks-house-cf43b39b/

2026 MLK parade will honor Natchez Deacons for Defense

Jackie Posey to serve as grand marshal

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
December 4, 2025 | 2:35 PM

(Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will honor the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice, with community leader Jackie Posey serving as grand marshal, announced Parade Chairperson Jacqueline Marsaw.

The parade, which is sponsored by the Natchez Branch of the NAACP, starts at 3 p.m. Monday, January 19. Participants will line up at 2 p.m. on Broadway Street on the Bluff.
 
The theme for the parade is, “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” a phrase taken from a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It appears in this excerpt: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
 
The grand marshal was selected because of her leadership and commitment in helping people throughout the community, said Marsaw.
 
She noted that when Posey is not working her regular job, she serves the Natchez community as the director of the Black Mustard Seed Community Service Group. Through the group’s Southwest Diaper Bank of the Miss-Lou, she and other volunteers help single mothers and others in need by donating pampers and milk, said Marsaw.
 
Posey said she is grateful to Marsaw for the recognition. “It’s a surprise and an honor,” she said. “I feel very privileged to do this.”
 
Posey is an administrative assistant at the Adams County Sheriff Office. She also directs the Adams County Sheriff Office Junior Cadet Program through which she works with students ages 10 to 18. In addition to providing them with training, she guides them in community service projects, including the “Stop Gun Violence” program presented recently by Grieving Mothers & Fathers, Positive Impact, and the Natchez NAACP.
 
In regard to the Natchez Deacons, Marsaw said it is fitting to honor them in the parade because of their courage and their contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez. The Deacons provided armed protection for the Black community and civil rights workers against the violence of the Ku Klux Klan.
 
“Their history is very interesting and inspiring,” said Marsaw. “When I was in school, I didn’t know this history. But they were there for our community when it counted.”
 
Marsaw said she interviewed some of the Deacons in 2016 and 2017 for a book project led by Judge Mary Lee Toles and the NAACP. However, Toles died in 2017, and as a result, the book was never published. Still, Marsaw noted, what she and other NAACP members learned was impactful and will not be forgotten.
 
“The Deacons told us that they didn’t hide from the KKK. They got on roof tops and watched the Klan. Sometimes they stayed up all night, taking turns watching the Klan,” she said, adding, 2026 is a good time to honor them.
 
The parade route will start at North Broadway and Franklin streets and will travel along Franklin to N. Dr. M.L. King St., where it will turn left and proceed up to Minor and Spring streets, where it will end.
 
Anyone interested in participating in the parade must register by January 15. Entry fees include $50 “for unlimited entries.” The fee is $10 for a single car or truck and $5 for a single horse. No four-wheelers allowed.
 
First- through Fifth-place awards will be presented for the best floats.
 
For more information, call 601-443-1350.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/12/04/2026-mlk-parade-will-honor-natchez-deacons-for-defense/

 

 

Wreaths Across America ceremony set for December 13

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
December 4, 2025 | 10:46 AM
 

As participants in the Wreaths Across America program, Home with Heroes volunteers placed wreaths on the graves of more than 700 U.S. military veterans in December 2024 at the Natchez National Cemetery.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Home with Heroes will host the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 13, at the Natchez National Cemetery. The annual event is part of a nation-wide program in which millions of people pay tribute to U.S. military veterans by placing wreaths on their graves.

Saturday’s program is free and open to the public.

“As a veteran and the widow of a veteran, Wreaths Across America is more than just a patriotic act—it’s a deeply personal way to honor the veterans who have passed,” said retired Army Major Gabi Crousillac. She is the vice president of Home with Heroes and chair of the Mayor’s Veterans Task Force.

Retired Army First Sergeant Ben Tucker participates each year in the Wreaths Across America program. For him, it is more than a tradition.

“I do it because I am a soldier, a retired soldier,” he said. “I understand the contributions the soldiers have made to this country and the future we all share. It’s more than worth the sacrifice.”

Tucker is a board member of Home with Heroes, and he also serves on the Mayor’s Veterans Task Force. He is the first vice commander of the VFW Post 9573.

Crousillac said the day’s ceremony will be held on the old side of the Natchez National Cemetery at the Committal Service Shelter. It will open with a prayer by Vietnam-era Army veteran Doug McAlister and the welcome by Mayor Dan Gibson.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Herman Curry, Jr. will serve as the guest speaker. Curry is the instructor of the Natchez High School’s AFJROTC program. The ceremony will include a presentation of wreaths by Boy Scout Troop 158.

Crousillac said members of the local Dirt Broke motorcycle group, many of whom are veterans, will also attend the ceremony. “Taps” will be performed by McAlister, who is president of the Point Man International Ministries of the Miss-Lou.

Crousillac will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies.

Following the ceremony, over 200 wreaths will be laid on the graves of the veterans.

This year, Crousillac will place a wreath on the grave of her husband, Brad Cromie, who died in 2024. He served in the Marine Corps. She said the volunteers will also be sure to lay a wreath on the grave of G. Mark LaFrancis, the founder and former president of Home with Heroes — and energetic promoter of the Wreaths Across America program. LaFrancis passed in June 2024 following a long battle with cancer.

Speaking last year, retired Army Lt. Col. Larry Smith, former president of Home with Heroes, praised LaFrancis for his contributions to the Natchez community. “Mark lived his life with purpose, providing support to local veterans and their families, as well as to the broader community, through his writing and his filmmaking, he said. “His example has been an inspiration to us all.”

LaFrancis was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. His wife, Eileen Mary Maher, died in August. Her name appears on the opposite side of LaFrancis’ headstone.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2025/12/04/wreaths-across-america-ceremony-set-for-december-13/