Happy Natchez Tricentennial Day to each of you. That’s right, today little old Natchez will be recognized with that special distinction at the Mississippi Capitol.

Thanks go to Natchez Tricentennial Director Jennifer Ogden Combs for thinking of the honor and Sen. Bob Dearing, who created the resolution declaring the special distinction.

Natchez’s celebration of 300 years since the French established a permanent settlement in 1716 has been ongoing since Jan. 1, but today’s distinction will be one of many such that continue to build over the next several months.

Natchez’s Tricentennial celebration will culminate on the actual anniversary of the founding of Fort Rosalie on Aug. 3. But with each passing day and another bit of publicity for Natchez, the result is nothing but good for Natchez’s future.

Natchez must capitalize on the tricentennial, in terms of what it can do for the city in attracting more visitors to the community, but also in what it can do to bring Natchez together and moving toward a unified community.

Like many communities in the country — perhaps like our country as a whole — we remain largely divided along lines of differences. Those lines run the gamut — race, economics, sociological — but in the end, we are all part of the unique fabric of Natchez.

Let’s stand up together today and celebrate Natchez Day and Natchez Tricentennial Day proudly.