Natchez Historical Society awarded $2,400 grant by Mississippi Humanities Council
By ROSCOE BARNES IIISpecial for The Natchez DemocratPublished 12:49 pm Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023
Jessica Fleming Crawford, southeast regional director for
The Archaeological Conservancy, spoke at the May 23 meeting of the Natchez
Historical Society….
By ROSCOE BARNES III
Special for The Natchez Democrat
Published 12:49 pm Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023
Special for The Natchez Democrat
Published 12:49 pm Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023
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Jessica Fleming Crawford, southeast regional director for
The Archaeological Conservancy, spoke at the May 23 meeting of the Natchez
Historical Society. She talked about an archeological site related to the
“Natchez Massacre” and chattel slavery in Natchez.
NATCHEZ — Mississippi Humanities Council recently awarded
a $2,400 grant to the Natchez Historical Society in support of the society’s
monthly speakers’ program.
Specifically, the funding will cover the speakers’
honoraria of $2,400, said Alan Wolf, who serves as a director of the society
and chair of its program committee. Wolf said that the society’s board of
directors is all grateful to the council for the grant.
“It’s an endorsement of the importance and value to the
civic life of the NHS’s programming about Natchez’s history,” Wolf said. “The
idea is that by understanding the circumstances, people, and issues of our past
we can better address the challenges and opportunities of the present.”
In other words, he added, “The award recognizes the NHS’s
seriousness of civic purpose.” Wolf said the recent grant application was the
first one submitted to the council.
“The Mississippi Humanities Council is excited to support
the Natchez Historical Society’s outstanding programming,” said Dr. Stuart
Rockoff, executive director of the council. “This year’s series offers speakers
on a diverse array of topics that explore the richness and complexity of
Natchez history.”
The society was organized in 1954 to collect and
disseminate historical material about Natchez and Adams County. The nonprofit
is dedicated to the historical study of Natchez and the surrounding area.
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“The local history spans an exceptionally long timeline
from the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians to the present day city atop the
high bluffs of the Father of Waters, the mighty Mississippi River,” the society
notes on its website. “The contributions of Native Americans,
African-Americans, and European settlers, have combined to form a rich local
tapestry important to the understanding of the larger regional and national
historical record.”
The society meets twice a month at the Historic Natchez
Foundation. A formal meeting of its board of directors is held on the second
Monday; on the fourth Tuesday, a public forum is held where recognized experts
and historians give lectures and lead discussions on diverse topics related to
Natchez’s history.
Since the creation of the program, speakers have included authors, university professors, independent scholars, community leaders, and elected officials.
The society also hosts an annual dinner in January that includes a speaker and presentation of its Historic Preservation Award. The award honors individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to historic preservation or the study of history within the Natchez area.
Read more at:
https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2023/09/13/natchez-historical-society-awarded-2400-grant-by-mississippi-humanities-council/
Since the creation of the program, speakers have included authors, university professors, independent scholars, community leaders, and elected officials.
The society also hosts an annual dinner in January that includes a speaker and presentation of its Historic Preservation Award. The award honors individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to historic preservation or the study of history within the Natchez area.
