Teachers — here is some great news for you. You are eligible to earn up to 2.8 continuing education units (CEUs) in five days during February at a very low-cost, very prestigious event.

This special offer is made by the 19th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. The conference, which will use the theme of “Richard Wright, the South and the World: A Centennial Celebration,” will take place Feb. 20-24.

Among more than two-dozen program participants at this year’s celebration are:

4 The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Alfred Uhry, famed for “Driving Miss Daisy”

4 The American Book Award winner and editor emeritus of Ebony magazine, Lerone Bennett Jr., known for “Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America 1619-1966”

4 The Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters award winner, the poet Brooks Haxton of Syracuse University, who is author of “Uproar: Antiphonies to Psalms”

4 Richard Wright’s daughter, Julia Wright of Paris, France, who will present the keynote address

4 Former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities William Ferris, now eminent professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

4 The Richard Wright scholar Jerry W. Ward Jr., published poet and professor at Dillard University, New Orleans

4 The “Queen of Creole Cuisine” Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant, New Orleans, author of numerous books and a television personality

4 One of the world’s foremost authorities on the blues, Paul Oliver of England, whose published output is standard reference material for blues enthusiasts

4 William F. Winter, former Mississippi governor who has served as master of ceremonies for the Celebration since its beginning; David G. Sansing, chairman of the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award committee; Howell Garner, president of Copiah-Lincoln Community College; John D. W. Guice of The University of Southern Mississippi; and other well-known authors, scholars and conference supporters

In addition to programs, other program components include:

4 A play by Richard Wright and Paul Green, “Native Son,” presented by the Natchez Little Theatre

4 “The Richard Wright Ramble,” a guided tour of sites around Natchez related to Wright, his family and his works, arranged by family historian Charles Wright of Natchez

4 Two meals featuring Richard Wright’s favorite foods, suggested by his daughter, Julia Wright, one hosted by the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture at the Convention Center and another at the Carriage House Restaurant at Stanton Hall

4 Writing workshops, one on film composition by Madison Davis Lacy Jr., producer of “Richard Wright: Black Boy,” and one on Richard Wright’s haiku poetry by Jianqing Zheng of Mississippi Valley State University

4 The premiere of “Richard Wright: A Force for Right,” a documentary produced by Mark LaFrancis of Copiah-Lincoln Community College

4 The showing of several other films, including “Richard Wright: Black Boy,” “Long Black Song” from “Uncle Tom’s Children,” and “Driving Miss Daisy”

4 An open house and reception at the Angeletty House, hosted by the regional chapter of the National Coalition of One Hundred Black Women and “The Southern Quarterly,” a journal of the arts of the South, published by The University of Southern Mississippi

4 A reception hosted by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at The University of Mississippi

4 Special exhibits and so much more.

This award-winning, mostly free conference will begin at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Natchez Convention Center and continue through 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24.

It is sponsored by Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Natchez National Historical Park, Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Mississippi Public Broadcasting. It is partially funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council.

A CEU registration fee of $75 covers cost of CEU verification as well as cost of certain ticketed NLCC events. To get all 2.8 CEUs (28 hours), a person must attend the following:

4 All free events, from 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, until 10:45 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23

4 Certain ticketed events, paid for by the $75 fee. These are the play, “Native Son,” on Feb. 22; the guided tour on Feb. 23; and writing workshops on Feb. 24.

Attendance is not required for a supper Feb. 21, a luncheon Feb. 22; a gala benefit party Feb. 23 and at several receptions.

Teachers who cannot attend all the required events and thus cannot get all 2.8 CEUs may obtain fewer CEUs by paying $65. They will receive one-tenth of a CEU for each hour of attendance, up to 27 hours or 2.7 CEUs.

Those paying $65 are eligible to attend any and all of the free sessions as well as the ticketed sessions, which are the play Feb. 22, the tour Feb. 23, and the writing workshops Feb. 24.

In order to obtain CEUs, a teacher should send name, address, phone number and check (made out to Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration for either $75 or $65) to me, Sturleen Morris, Natchez-Adams School System, P.O. Box 1188, Natchez, MS 39121. For more information, please call me at 601-445-2848.

At the conference, teachers must sign in and sign out. The record of attendance will determine the number of CEUs to be granted.

I am pleased to serve once again as the celebration’s CEU committee chairperson. What a wonderful opportunity for area teachers.

It goes without saying that the celebration has to meet high standards to be able to offer CEUs again this year.

So, get out your checkbook today and sign up for what official evaluators call Mississippi’s most significant annual conference devoted to literature, history, film and culture.

It’s the 19th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. See you there.

Sturleen Morris is the media center coordinator for the Natchez-Adams School District.