Dr. Stuart Rockoff to speak at Oct. 25 meeting of Natchez Historical Society
He will talk about Jewish history in Natchez and other parts of MississippiDr. Stuart Rockoff, Executive DirectorMississippi Humanities CouncilNATCHEZ, Miss. — Dr. Stuart Rockoff, the executive director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, will talk…
He will talk about Jewish history in Natchez and other parts of Mississippi
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| Dr. Stuart Rockoff, Executive Director Mississippi Humanities Council |
NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Dr. Stuart Rockoff, the executive director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, will talk about the Jewish history of Mississippi at the Oct. 25 meeting of the Natchez Historical Society.
“I look forward to exploring the fascinating story of how Jews found a home in Mississippi, putting down roots and building institutions that made their communities more diverse,” Rockoff said.
In his presentation, “Shalom Y’all: The Jewish History of Mississippi,” Rockoff will outline Jewish contributions to the historical, economical, and social legacy of Natchez, the region -- and the state, according to NHS member Mike Gemmell.
“In the early 19th century, Jewish immigrants began arriving in the Lower Mississippi River Valley and many settled in towns along the river, such as Natchez, Port Gibson and Woodville,” Gemmell noted in a press statement.
Rockoff’s research on the Jewish community is not only substantial, but well known. The Texas native holds a B.A. in History from Wesleyan University. He completed his M.A. and Ph.D. in American History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he specialized in immigration, race, and American Jewish history.
Rockoff served for more than a decade as the Director of the History Department at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in Jackson, Miss., where he was responsible for creating the Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities.
In addition to giving lectures on the history of Jews in the American South, Rockoff has written widely on the topic.
Rockoff’s lecture in Natchez will take place at 7 p.m. at the Historic Natchez Foundation, 108 S. Commerce St. Social time will start at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting is free and open to the public.
For more information visit: www.natchezhistoricalsociety.organd on Facebook.
