NATCHEZ &045;&045; New York youth took at step into the history of Natchez this week on their tour of Civil Rights sights.

The Civil Rights Connection involves a group of high school youth from Syracuse, N.Y., who travel to Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee every summer to get a first hand glimpse of the history and stories of the South’s struggles and accomplishments.

This year had some hard hits for the Civil Rights Connection. Former Sen. Nancy Hoffman didn’t receive grant money from Congress like previous years after she was not relected for another term.

Most of the money to support the trip came from private business donations raised by students.

There were 30 to 50 students in the program for the three years the church has been involved, Rev. Leroy White said at Mount Plain Baptist Church where students spoke to residents involved in the Civil Rights Movement in Natchez. Only 12 students this summer are participating in the Civil Rights Connection.

Stories like Thomas Campbell and other Natchez residents told their stories of arrest and protest during Civil Rights in Natchez during the meet and greet Tuesday at Mount Plain.

&uot;It’s been a huge road and a long struggle,&uot; Campbell said.

Mayor Phillip West welcomed and entertained the students and supervisors on Monday with his own tale of overcoming oppression in Mississippi.

&uot;I had a passion to change Natchez, Mississippi,&uot; West said.

As students and supervisors scrunched in the mayor’s office, they questioned the mayor on his stance on Civil Rights in the South and where Natchez stands as far as other area in the United States.

&uot;Mississippi and Natchez are not where it ought to be, but they’ve come a long way,&uot; West said.

Students visited museums, plantations, and stayed with host families who told their stories of the Civil Rights movement in Natchez.

Ankit Bhatia, 17, said his parents helped with the Indian Civil Rights movement and can take what he learned in Mississippi back to his own family struggles for rights.

&uot;By knowing the history we can prevent it from ever happening again. The young are knowledgeable,&uot; Bhatia said.

Brian Walker’s visit to a Natchez Plantation found more than a textbook lesson.

&uot;One hundred and fifty years ago I could’ve been a slave in that Plantation,&uot; the 17-year-old said.

Seeing the history of both slaves and wealthy black society in Natchez, he’s taking a sense of pride back with him to New York, Walker said.

The program will continue Wednesday in Louisiana in Vidalia and with a tour of

Frogmore Plantation in Concordia Parish.