The Minorville community will reach a milestone today celebrating its 10th annual Minorville Jubilee.

The event that is a tribute to the Minorville heritage attracts both current and past residents.

&uot;Even though they (live) away they come back to show support,&uot; said Burnett Bridgewater, chairman of the Minorville committee.

The event will begin at 9:45 a.m. with its traditional unity march.

The march will begin at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Minor Street.

After marching down Minor Street into the Minorville community, the participants will attend a program with speeches and music.

The purpose of the Minorville Jubilee is to promote unity and Bridgewater considers it successful in that regard.

&uot;It has more or less brought a lot of closeness that had been lost.&uot; he said.

It also serves to remind people of the community’s history, he said.

The Minorville neighborhood was formerly part of an estate called Concord that originally reached from today’s Wilson Road to the bayou between Shadyside and E. Oak streets.

&uot;A lot of people were unaware of the historical connection that we have together,&uot; Bridgewater said.

Especially for young people, Bridgewater hopes the Minorville Jubilee serves an additional purpose.

He hopes &uot;that they realize they have a history to be proud of.&uot;

The event started small but over the past 10-years the Minorville Jubilee has become a mainstay for the African-American community.

&uot;More or less it’s an event they look real forward to,&uot; Bridgewater said.

Judge Mary Lee Toles, who will serve as moderator, has attended almost all 10 of the jubilees.

&uot;Personally I think that people enjoy it,&uot; she said. &uot;I think it’s been extremely meaningful in terms of trying to pull people together.&uot;

She thinks many people look at the jubilee as a way to motivate people to beautify their neighborhood.

As part of the jubilee, the residents pick people to represent their community as Mr. Minorville, Mrs. Minorville and Little Miss Minorville. This year Obedia McKnight, Rosalie Hawkins and Danesha Matthews will hold those titles.

The event will include a talent show, basketball games and a visit from the Natchez Fire Department around noon with a robotic Dalmatian. Firefighters will also turn on a waterfall to entertain the children.

McGruff the Crime Dog will also visit the children.