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NATCHEZ — The 32nd annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration will take place this Feb. 22 through 27.

This year’s conference, which will be hosted virtually, includes keynote speakers Robert Kuehnle, the author of a Natchez-based cozy mystery series, “A Bridge to Death and Mystery” under the alias R.J. Lee; and Richard Grant, the author behind such works as “Dispatches from Pluto” and “The Deepest South of All” — a work based entirely on his experience from a visit to Natchez.

Other keynote authors and speakers in the 2021 NLCC include Dr. Ralph Didlake of the University of Mississippi Medical Center; Jay Watson of the University of Mississippi; author Ralph Eubanks; Natchez filmmaker Mark LaFrancis with Melanie Addington, Keith Beauchamp and James William Theres; Carter Burns, Executive Director of the Historic Natchez Foundation; Tammy Greer, professor at the University of Southern Mississippi; author Clifton L. Taulbert; poet Natasha Trethewey; Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of the “World of Wonders” book of nature essays; award-winning filmmaker Zaire Love; and Clemson University professor Drew Lanham along with special presentations for Dr. Alferdteen Harrison, Dr. Billy Thames and winners of the John D.W. Guice Young Writer’s Competition.

Because of COVID-19, all presentations will be hosted virtually, so participants will be able to tune in from the comfort of their homes.

The 2021 NLCC theme “Southern Environments” will welcome a wide variety of virtual presentations exploring environmental justice, southern social environments, nature writing, ecocriticism in southern studies, and so much more.

All presentations will be streamed live via Facebook, where the audience can participate in author question and answer sessions.

Once a presentation has ended, they will also be able to view those videos on the NLCC YouTube channel.

Questions can be submitted early by emailing your question to nlcc@colin.edu.

The NLCC is sponsored by Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Natchez Convention and Promotion Commission, the City of Natchez, Adams County Board of Supervisors, and by generous donations from throughout the Miss-Lou region and beyond.

Details about presentations can be found on the NLCC’s social media accounts on Facebook: facebook.com/NatchezLiteraryandCinemaCelebration; YouTube: Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration; Twitter: twitter.com/NatchezLiterary; and Instagram: instagram.com/natchezliterary.

To view the full schedule and more information, visit NLCC’s website at www.colin.edu/nlcc, call 601.446.1104 or email nlcc@colin.edu.