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LEST WE FORGET! August 16, 2024, I wrote in this paper of a remarkable woman who would have been 100 years of age, who embarked on a mission in the 1950s and 1960s to help fight for the rights of Black men, women and children during the Civil Rights Era in Natchez and across Mississippi.

 

This White woman, Marjorie Rushing Baroni, risked her life and the lives of her husband and children to bring to awareness the atrocities inflicted upon those being oppressed because of the color of their skin.

Mrs. Baroni brought the depth of this indignity not only to Governor Ross Barnett of Mississippi, but to President John Fitzgerald Kennedy at the U.S. Capitol. Mrs. Baroni challenged Governor Barnett to help with a memorial fund for the family of slain Civil Rights Activist, Mr. Medgar Evers, brother of Mr. Charles Evers.

LEST WE FORGET! Mr. and Mrs. Baroni, too, and their family were oppressed, not because of the color of their skin, but because of the content of their character!

Mrs. Baroni participated in sit-ins. Mrs. Baroni asked to be jailed to be in solidarity with God’s people for whom she was fighting. Mrs. Baroni, along with Father Morrisey, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Mr. George Metcalf, President of the NAACP, and Mr. Charles Evers led the way to Freedom Summer in 1964. Mrs. Baroni and Father Morrissey led voter registration in Holy Family Parish Hall, where the NAACP held their meetings under the leadership of Mr. Metcalf.

LEST WE FORGET! Mrs. Baroni led the effort to form a community action program which evolved into the local Head Start Program which was developed out of the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act!

Under the charter it was Systematic Training and Redevelopment Inc, Natchez center, known as STAR. STAR became the first state sponsored poverty program with support from the Catholic Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. Because the Catholic Church sponsored it, Father Morrisey became the Natchez Coordinator and Mrs. Baroni became his secretary. This program was housed in the basement of Holy Family Catholic School.

Mrs. Baroni became a board member and assistant director of Adams Jefferson Improvement Cooperation, also known as AJFC. Mrs. Baroni hired Dr. Lamar Braxton Sr. as director of AJFC who served over 42 years. From 1969-1979 Mrs. Baroni was the assistant to Mayor Charles Evers.

LEST WE FORGET! Mrs. Baroni championed the integration of the White public library. Mr. and Mrs. Baroni and their family became targets of the KKK, the White community, and her Church ostracized them. They received violent threats, bomb threats. She was viewed as an agitator, a traitor, and Mr. and Mrs. Baroni were thought to be subversive to the Southern way of Life.

LEST WE FORGET! Mrs. Baroni died March 3, 1986. On April 5, 2025, our symposium on race will honor the legacy of Mrs. Baroni and others who have fought for the dignity and integrity of all God’s children, regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, nationality. We cannot tell our complete story until we tell the story of all who were oppressed, including White people who fought for the rights of Black people.

On April 5, 2025, there will be four panels for our symposium:

Panel 1:  Race Relation in the Past in Natchez Moderated by the Reverend John W Scott Jr. Pastor of Christian Hope Baptist Church in Natchez with panelists Alderwoman Valencia Hall, Mr. Philip Baroni, son of Mr. and Mrs. Baroni, and Former Mayor Tony Byrne.

Panel 2:  Spiritual Influences on Race then and Now Moderated by Mr. Philip Baroni with panelists the Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D., Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson, the Reverend Joan Gandy, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Natchez, the Reverend Clifton Marvel, Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Natchez, and Sweet Home Baptist Church in Rosetta. The Reverend Marvel has also served as President of the NAACP

Panel 3:  Story Telling Through the Arts moderated by Dr. Luis Miron, son in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Baroni and Rose Ann’s husband with an extensive academic career as university professor and dean, also prolific author/writer. Panelists are Mr. YZ Ealey musician, Mr. Stanley Nelson, author and writer; Mrs. Josie Camper, founder of Natchez Association for the Preservation of African American Culture (NAPAC) and retired school counselor; Mrs. Rose Ann Baroni Miron, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Baroni, whose career has been spent in university administrations of UC Irvine and the University of Illinois, also careers in the arts as leading an arts education non-profit in New Orleans, Dr. Devi Miron Murphy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luis Miron. Child Psychologist and Tulane faculty member committed to social justice and anti-racism inspired by her grandparents.

Panel 4:  Voices of the Future Moderated by Ms. Elise Baroni, Public Defender in Northwest Arkansas, daughter of Mr. Philip Baroni, and is driven by her grandmother’s legacy to advocate for the most vulnerable. Panelists Ms. Chelsea Hall, niece of Alderwoman Valenci Hall. Senior Radiation Protection Technician at Entergy Operations, Inc; holds advanced degrees in Curriculum and Education Administration and Supervision. Committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Reverend Robbie Cade-Furdge, Executive Senior Pastor of Word of Faith Ambassadors Worship Center, business entrepreneur, first Black business owner on Main Street, Natchez; Ms. Annalisa Miron, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Luis Miron. Federal Public Defender for over twenty years and has worked on behalf of marginalized communities in New York City and now in her hometown of New Orleans. Annalisa is continuing her grandmother’s fight for civil rights. Mr. Lamar Braxton, Jr., son of Dr. Lamar Braxton Sr., an engineer and community advocate. He has led programs promoting interracial dialogue and community improvement. Mr. Damien Baroni, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Baroni. Former U.S. Marine and is now pursuing his passion in art and education.

This event is free and open to the public. Box lunch will be served during lunch. Call Alderwoman Valencia Hall at 601-443-1265 for any questions. The event is April 5 at the Natchez Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Valencia Hall of Natchez serves as Ward 1 alderwoman for the city.