Ser Boxley donates ‘Forks of the Road’ exhibition to Alcorn State University

Public lecture and exhibit set for March 27 in Port Gibson

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com

Mar 23, 2026 | 3:20 PM

 

Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C.M.Boxley

PORT GIBSON, Miss. – Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley has donated his Forks of the Road exhibition to the Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning at Alcorn State University, Lorman Campus, announced the Center’s director, Dr. Garry Lewis.
 
“I am honored to entrust this research to Alcorn State University,” said Ser Boxley. “The Center’s commitment to cultural preservation ensures that the stories connected to the Forks of the Road will continue to educate, challenge, and inspire.”
 
Lewis emphasized the importance of Ser Boxley’s work. “Ser Boxley’s donation strengthens ongoing collaborations between Alcorn State University and regional heritage organizations committed to documenting African American history, preserving sacred sites, and expanding public access to historically grounded scholarship,” he said.
 
To recognize Ser Boxley’s decades‑long contributions as a preservationist and researcher, the Center will host a public lecture and presentation of the Forks of the Road exhibit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 27, at the Claiborne County Welcome & Heritage Center, 210 Walnut St. in Port Gibson. The event is free and open to the public.
 
Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, will participate as a panelist and share remarks during the program.
 
Lewis applauded Ser Boxley for donating “his extensive artifact research and documentation on the historic ‘African/European Roots of the Underground Railroad and Forks of the Road’” to the Center. Lewis said the Forks of the Road slave market site is one of the most important locations tied to the domestic slave trade in the Deep Southwest.
 
For several years, the Forks of the Road exhibition was displayed at the Natchez Visitor Center on Canal Street until 2022, when the facility closed for renovation. The exhibition will have a new home with the Southwest Mississippi Center, according to Lewis.
 
In addition to his research, the donation includes Ser Boxley’s interpretive materials, historical analyses, and cultural documentation that illuminate the lived experiences of enslaved people trafficked through Natchez and the broader Mississippi region, Lewis said. He noted: “Ser Boxley’s work has been instrumental in shaping public understanding of the Forks of the Road as a site of memory, resilience, and truth-telling.”

In Lewis’ view, Ser Boxley’s contribution is more than a collection of research. “It is a gift of truth, legacy, and cultural responsibility. His dedication ensures that future generations can study, honor, and learn from the stories that shaped Southwest Mississippi and the nation.”
Lewis said the Center will preserve, curate, and integrate the donated materials into its educational programming, community partnerships, and student research initiatives.
 
“The collection will support Alcorn State University’s mission to advance cultural literacy, historical awareness, and community engagement across the region,” he said. “Ser Boxley, whose decades of research have helped illuminate the history of one of the most significant slave‑trading sites in the Deep Southwest, will share insights into his archival work, the importance of historical truth‑telling, and the ongoing efforts to preserve African American heritage across Southwest Mississippi.”
 
Lewis encourages Alcorn alumni, community members, visitors, and educators to attend Friday’s program and “engage directly with Ser Boxley’s scholarship and to deepen their understanding of the region’s cultural and historical landscape.”
 
See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2026/03/23/ser-boxley-donates-forks-of-the-road-exhibition-to-alcorn-state-university/