Get ready to start your Tricentennial weeks with something to talk about!

During our 300th anniversary year in 2016, the Ethnic and Social History committee of the Natchez Tricentennial will be sponsoring a weekly series of speakers at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays to tell some of the rich, diverse stories that abound in this historic city.

We are calling this weekly series “Natchez Legends & Lore,” and each talk with questions and answer time is expected to last about an hour.

Before we move forward, we need to identify host sites for these events, and we really want to use this occasion to get people meeting up in gathering spots all over Natchez.

So if you have a church, a meeting room, a restaurant with a private room or any place that will comfortably hold 30 or more people – and if you would be willing to offer guests a little hospitality during our Tricentennial year – please submit an application to be a Legends & Lore host site.

There is no cost to the host site other than offering some water or coffee at a minimum – though additional snacks would of course be appreciated! The Ethnic and Social History Committee will provide the speakers.

Locations can state on their application which dates they are most interested in – or which dates they would like to avoid.

There are also eight weeks when Natchez will host Road Scholars in town, so venues for those weeks will have to be larger than on most weeks.

A total of 46 scheduled topics include everything from Natchez Indians to Irish, Italian, English, Spanish, French and Jewish Natchez, with numerous topics also relating to Natchezians of African descent and enslavement, Civil War, Reconstruction, the Rhythm Club and Civil Rights.

Other colorful subjects include Natchez Under-the-Hill, Natchez Mardi Gras, the Mississippi River and the Goat Castle Murder.

Topics also touch on famous people who lived in or passed through Natchez, such as Richard Wright, Ellen Douglas, John James Audubon, and Varina and Jefferson Davis – even Nellie Jackson!

Holidays when Legends & Lore talks will not be held in 2016 include Jan. 18, May 30, July 4, Sept. 5, and Dec. 26.

Host site applications can be picked up in hard copy at the Tricentennial Office at the Natchez Visitor Center, 640 South Canal St., or found in PDF form at the Natchez Tricentennial website (www.natchezms300.com).

Applications are due at close of business on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. They may be hand-delivered to the Tricentennial Office or emailed to info@natchezms300.com.

For more information, call Kelin Hendricks at 601-446-6345, extension 42.

 

Kathleen Bond serves as co-chair of the Tricentennial Ethnic and Social History Committee.