The public is invited to attend a meeting on Monday evening at the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture (NAPAC) museum building on Main Street beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Two primary items will be on the agenda: an introduction to the mission of the African American Experience Fund (AAEF), and revision of the city’s African-American heritage tourism brochure.

Gerrard Jolly, Program Director for Park Grants and Strategic Alliances with the AAEF, will make a presentation about the organization and its role in supporting and marketing national parks with primary African-American themes.

Natchez National Historical Park is fortunate to be one of the AAEF-identified parks, and Jolly is coming to town to become more familiar with the park’s mission to preserve and interpret the history of all the peoples of Natchez. This includes the history of the entire community beyond the geographic bounds of the park-owned sites at Fort Rosalie, Melrose, and the William Johnson House.

Jolly will make contact Monday evening with representatives from historical societies and agencies so he can schedule follow-up meetings to visit other sites on Tuesday.

The AAEF is a very young foundation, but it has already made a contribution to this community by underwriting the park’s Junior Ranger history camps that are offered to local children at no cost, as well as curriculum-based education materials for use by school groups.

The AAEF is gearing up for a major TV marketing campaign in the near future. In addition, local not-for-profit organizations can benefit from Jolly’s expertise is in the area of nonprofit organization development and management.

Copies of the City’s currently out-of-print African American heritage tourism brochure will also be available for public review and comment at the meeting.

The brochure is currently being revised through a $20,000 grant from the NPS Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, and public input is requested as to additions, subtractions, or other alterations.