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NATCHEZ — BlackNatchez.org invites the public to attend “Community in Conversation” with Dr. Ariela J. Gross, Distinguished Professor of Law and History at UCLA School of Law.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at 1720 Gallery, 227 N. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Natchez, MS. Free dinner entrees will be provided for all registered attendees.

Hosted in collaboration with BlackNatchez.org and its founder Joseph Smith, the conversation will center around the personal experiences of local people to understand how Natchez has changed and to imagine what change remains possible today.

“I’m interested in hearing from local folks how they experienced change (or not) over their lifetimes – in terms of segregation and integration in schools, businesses, and elsewhere; in terms of the stories about the past that live on in the present through monuments, spring Pilgrimage and the tourist industry, and public discussion; and how those stories shape people’s experiences in the present,” said Gross, who’s been studying and researching Natchez for over 30 years.

The information shared during the conversation will be used to support Dr. Gross’s upcoming book called “Erasing Slavery: How Stories of Slavery and Freedom Shape Battles Over the Constitution.”

“I’m excited about the opportunity to have our local community share their personal experiences. Initially, we thought we might just hand-pick a couple of people to share their experiences, but after more consideration, we figured- why not just open it to the public and see what kind of stories emerge. It’s been a few months since we’ve hosted a community conversation, and I’m excited to get these going again,” said Smith, founder and executive director of BlackNatchez.org

Event reservations can be made via BlackNatchez.org.