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Natchez Mayor Gibson proclaims Julyteenth as Natchez’s Day of Freedom

Mayor Dan Gibson issued a proclamation on Monday, July 13, on the front steps of City Hall recognizing Julyteenth — the day freedom came to Natchez with the arrival of the Union Army on July 13, 1863. Pictured (front row, left to right): Thelma Newsom, Alderwoman Valencia Hall, Mayor Dan Gibson, Chesney Doyle, and Vel Robinson. Second row (left to right): historian Jeff Mansell, Norma West, and the Rev. Clifton Marvel Sr. Back row (left to right): Joseph A.C. Smith and Roscoe Barnes III.

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Mayor Dan Gibson presented a proclamation Monday officially recognizing July 13 as Julyteenth, the day freedom for enslaved people came to Natchez with the arrival of the Union Army on July 13, 1863.

The term Julyteenth was coined by Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley, local historian, cultural preservationist, and coordinator of Friends of the Forks of the Roads Society.

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By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson presented a proclamation Monday officially recognizing July 13 as Julyteenth

Natchez High graduate Jayda Myles awarded $1,000 Hugh Green Scholarship

Jayda Myles (center), the 2026 recipient of the $1,000 Hugh Green Scholarship, is pictured with Eva Dunkley and scholarship namesake Hugh Green.

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Natchez High School graduate Jayda Myles received the 2026 Hugh Green Scholarship, a $1,000 award presented by the Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation during a ceremony Thursday, July 2.

“I’m so thankful for this opportunity,” said Myles. “I am very thrilled and honored to have this scholarship.”

Jayda is the daughter of Galaundra Myles. She plans to attend Alcorn State University this fall and major in agriculture.

A standout athlete, Jayda was recognized for her achievements in softball. Although she also played basketball during high school, she said softball was her primary sport.

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By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez Natchez High School graduate Jayda Myles received the 2026 Hugh Green Scholarship, a $1,000 a

Natchez High School senior Jayda Myles received the 2026 Hugh Green Scholarship, a $1,000 award presented by the Hugh Green Scholarship Foundation during a ceremony Thursday, July 2.

Eva Dunkley, who chairs the Foundation committee, presented certificates of recognition from U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson to both Jayda Myles and Hugh Green.

#Youtube

Farewell to civil rights veteran Ed King

I’m pictured here with King, Mulholland, and MDOC Commissioner Pelicia Hall.

We’ve lost another giant of the Civil Rights Movement. The Rev. Dr. Ed King died Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Jackson. I was honored to meet him in September 2019 when he visited the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville, where I served as chaplain. We were hosting a special visit by Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and Loki during a celebration of Anne Moody’s birthday.

I'm featured here with King, Mulholland, and Rep. Angela Cockerham.

Standing (from left): Professor Jim Rosenblatt, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, and MDOC Commissioner Pelicia Hall. Seated: the Rev. Dr. Ed King.

Remembering the Rev. Dr. Ed King: A Champion for Civil Rights

I was saddened to learn of the death of the Rev. Dr. Ed King. He died at the age of 89 on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Jackson, Mississippi. A former professor and chaplain at Tougaloo College, he was a fierce warrior for freedom, justice, and civil rights. He was truly a trailblazer, as well as a mentor and friend to Anne Moody, author of Coming of Age in Mississippi.

I had the honor of interviewing him in December 2017 for my research on Anne Moody. In February 2018, I penned a blog post titled "Farewell to Anne Moody: Rev. Ed King's Reflection on Her Place in History," which you can read at Roscoe Reporting.

In September 2019, when Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and Loki visited the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville, King was one of our guests. He and Mike O'Brien assisted me in preparing the text for Moody's Freedom Trail marker, which was dedicated in September 2025 at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Centreville.

I was honored to know him and was forever changed by his commitment to civil rights. I was inspired by his courage and will always remember his compassion for others. May he rest in peace.

Standing (from left): Deputy Warden of Programs George Castro, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, and Warden Scott Middlebrooks. Seated: the Rev. Dr. Ed King.

Dr. Garry Lewis

Dr. Garry Lewis is a man of exceptional talent and leadership. We are fortunate to have him helping tell and preserve the stories that make Southwest Mississippi so special.

A former NFL cornerback, Dr. Lewis now leads Alcorn State’s Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning, helping communities preserve and share African American history.

Former NFL cornerback Garry Lewis now leads Alcorn State’s Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning, helping communities preserve

#alcornstateuniversity #alcornstate #alcorn

Longwood’s historic quarters to tell story of enslaved families

Douglas Lanfear, a docent at Longwood, stands in front of the historic quarters where enslaved families once lived. A first-floor room in the building will be used to interpret and present the history of those families.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The Pilgrimage Garden Club is transforming a first-floor room in the historic quarters at Longwood, where enslaved people once lived, into an interpretive space exploring the lives of enslaved families. The room is being refurbished with period furniture and artifacts to reflect its 19th-century setting.

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By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez The Pilgrimage Garden Club is transforming a first-floor room in the historic quarters at Lon

Five Natchez leaders honored with keys to the city during Juneteenth event

Photo: Recipients of the Keys to the City stand with Mayor Dan Gibson during the “Kickback at NAPAC” program at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture on June 16. From left are the Rev. Melvin White, Laura Ann Jackson, Angela Reynolds, Kristina Carter, Norma West, and Mayor Dan Gibson.

Mayor Dan Gibson recently honored five community leaders on behalf of the City of Natchez in recognition of their exceptional leadership and service to the Natchez community.

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson recently honored five community leaders on behalf of the City of Natchez in re

Great story by my friend Elizabeth Gail Greer!

How one Natchez woman’s 2,000-tree crepe myrtle campaign helped turn the city into the “Crepe Myrtle Capital of the South” and inspired an ongoing community tradition.

How one Natchez woman’s 2,000-tree crepe myrtle campaign helped turn the city into the “Crepe Myrtle Capital of the South” and inspired an o

Alcorn Alum Dr. John Plump Sings ‘Ol’ Man River’ at 16th Street Baptist Church

While attending the African American Travel Conference in April in Birmingham, Alabama, I had the opportunity to visit the 16th Street Baptist Church on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The church was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1963, killing four young girls and becoming one of the defining tragedies of the Civil Rights Movement.

During my visit, historian Barry McNealy gave a powerful presentation on the history of the church. His friend and colleague, Dr. John A.E. Plump, sang several songs with deep meaning in the Black community. He also performed “Ol’ Man River,” noting that the great Paul Robeson had sung the song in the church many decades earlier.

Plump is a graduate of Alcorn State University, where he studied voice with a concentration in classical music and contemporary opera.

Take a moment to listen to this powerful performance.

#alcorn #alcornstateuniversity #AlcornState #PaulRobeson

Old pink house in Natchez, Mississippi, is now home to The Legacy of Madison interpretive center

Brittany Bell and her mother, Bettye Bell, are the co-owners of The Legacy of Madison, a historic home transformed into an interpretive center dedicated to sharing Natchez’s under-told history.

Through immersive storytelling, music, cultural experiences, and traditional soul food, The Legacy of Madison is helping broaden how residents and visitors experience and understand the city’s rich heritage. For more information, call 601-334-4104.

#Youtube

Legacy of Madison offers immersive look at Natchez’s under-told history

New interpretive center highlights African American history, music legacy, and youth development

The pink house at the corner of N. Dr. M.L. King and Madison streets is now home to The Legacy of Madison, an interpretive center dedicated to sharing Natchez's untold and under-told history. Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

This is great news for Natchez, Mississippi!

A long-vacant pink house on the corner of Madison and N. Dr. M.L. King streets has been reborn as The Legacy of Madison, a new tourism attraction and interpretive center dedicated to sharing the untold and under-told history of Natchez.

Bettye Bell, center, and her daughter, Brittany Bell Surratt, recently opened The Legacy of Madison to share Natchez’s history. They are pictured with Brittany’s daughter, Chozyn Channell Bell. Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

“Natchez has a lot of untold and under-told history,” said Brittany. “While Mississippi is often associated with the blues, Natchez has made significant contributions to jazz and hip-hop as well.”

She said much attention has focused on antebellum homes and the Civil War, while African American history remains underrepresented.

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By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez A long-vacant pink house on the corner of Madison and N. Dr. M.L. King streets has been rebor

Armand Saiia is ArtsNatchez’s Artist of the Month for June!

Come meet him in person and view his stunning sculptures and paintings this Saturday, June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the ArtsNatchez Gallery, 425 Main St.

In this video, Armand shares insights into his sculptures and paintings.

#Youtube

Sculptor Armand Saiia Named Artist of the Month

Sculptor Armand Saiia of Natchez has been named ArtsNatchez Gallery’s Artist of the Month for June, and the public is invited to view his latest work.

Saiia’s artwork will be on display at the gallery on Saturday, June 13, at 425 Main St. He will greet visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The reception is free and open to the public.

Saiia’s exhibition will include medium-sized and small sculptures, as well as paintings he has completed over the past eight months. He describes his paintings as a blend of realism and abstraction.

The gallery is open daily beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-442-0043.

Robert Pernell, chairman of the Proud to Take a Stand monument committee, displays the plaque with the QR code at the monument site.

Did you know you can experience the story of the Parchman Ordeal through virtual reality right here in Natchez?

We first reported on this innovative addition to the monument in 2022. If you haven't experienced it yet, simply scan the QR code shown in the photo at the bottom of the article. Instructions are provided in the story and within the app after it is downloaded.

Technology allows visitors to step into this important chapter of Natchez's Civil Rights history and learn more about the men and women who participated in the 1965 Parchman Ordeal.

Check it out!

QR code now allows visitors to experience story virtually Published by The Natchez Democrat at 11:21 am Wednesday, June 8, 2022 By Staff Re

Chicago, hands off Hound Dog Taylor!

Chicago honors blues legend Hound Dog Taylor, but he was born in Natchez. A local writer recounts his journey north and seeks a Natchez Mississippi Blues Trail marker.

Chicago honors blues legend Hound Dog Taylor, but he was born in Natchez. A local writer recounts his journey north and seeks a Natchez Miss

Natchez, Vidalia observe Memorial Day with parade, new historical marker

Several hundred people crossed the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge under cloudy skies Monday, May 25, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery in observance of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. During a brief stop at the Natchez Visitor Center on the east side of the bridge, a historical marker commemorating the parade was unveiled across the street at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express.

By: Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez Several hundred people crossed the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge under cloudy skies Monday, May 25,

#Memorial Day

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