The history of Juneteenth in Natchez

Published 6:36 pm Tuesday, June 15, 2021

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To the editor:

Rumors are claiming that a certain person is saying something about being the one person who brought Juneteenth to Natchez. This person is supposed to be in cahoots with the Great White Hope mayor of Natchez who is a key highjacker of Juneteenth, the Forks of the Roads enslavement markets site conveyor belt, the U. S. Colored Troops honoring with monument to be erected in the city’s confederate memorial park and citations of modern civil rights movement history.

The first Juneteenth celebrations by Natchez based African Americans Community Committee happened 26 years ago come June 19. One Niecy Franklin of Natchez Tourism agency in conjunction with Commission members Royal Hill and Jamjes West organized plans to host Juneteenth in Natchez. From my then residence in California, Niecy Franklin invited my person to help with that Juneteenth planning and program once my person reached my home in Natchez which was my destination on my way to live in Africa. With Royal Hill ash chairperson and James West as Treasurer plus a number of us other local community persons serving on the Natchez Juneteenth committee, we held the first Juneteenth in Natchez at Sadie V. Thompson School grounds and the Forks of the Roads enslavement markets site. My person conducted the first public libation ceremony at the Forks of the Roads has part of Natchez first Juneteenth. Thereafter The same Hill-West led Juneteenth Committee went on to host Juneteenth celebrations at a number of Natchez locations and each time including the history of chattel slavery by including a program at the Forks of the Roads enslavement markets site. Now please share and distribute this truth on any media source ya want. But please post it on the City of Natchez media and collaborators media sources.

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Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-Clifford M. Boxley