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It was with tremendous sadness that we learned of the untimely passing of Stanley Nelson, a community hero and important journalistic voice.

As the organizers of the recent symposium “Natchez Together” at the Convention Center just two months ago on April 5, we are so grateful and honored that Stanley was willing to join one of our panels to discuss his work with LSU grad students to investigate unsolved cases of murder of (mostly Black) local citizens by Ku Klux Klan members in the 1950s and 60s and beyond.

Although we are confident there will be numerous tributes to come for this courageous and exemplary journalist and human being from those who knew him much better than we did, we are moved to share our grief with the readers of this newspaper.

Those fortunate enough to have encountered Nelson at some point must have immediately recognized that he was a unique individual. Stanley Nelson spent a lifetime, sometimes — there is no doubt — at great physical risk to himself, exposing on a global stage the ugly truth about racism in our tiny corner of the world. His several decades as reporter and editor of the Concordia Sentinel, as well as his books like “Devils Walking: Klan Murders Along the Mississippi in the 1960s” and his work with local author Greg Iles on novels such as Iles’ Natchez Trilogy brought to light an environment of horrendous crimes against our citizens in Natchez and nearby Louisiana.

Just as importantly, Stanley’s work served to encourage the voices of those among us who objected to the existence of this hateful underbelly of violence, and his work provided a jumping off point for conversations among many Natchez area residents, pointing the way to reconciling the past while creating a kinder, more productive future going forward.

A case in point, one of our group, Philip Baroni, recalls reaching out to Stanley in early 2017 after reading “Devil Walking…”.  After a lively discussion about his book, Stanley enthusiastically encouraged Philip to write about his own experiences growing up in Natchez amid the violence and turmoil. He generously provided writing advice and shared several sources for background information. Philip left their meeting feeling as if he had made a friend and they kept in touch sporadically throughout the years.

Being fervently committed to the role of the media as the “fourth pillar” of government, in his remarks on the Storytelling Panel at the Natchez Together event, he stressed the rapid-fire speed by which the publishing of investigating accounts, was quickly fading to the detriment of society.  Although in his remarks he didn’t call out names — his ethical standards forever enduring — he did mention the rise of misinformation on social media platforms like “X” and the devolution of the broadcast news medium into a more profitable entertainment industry. He concluded by making the point that it would be up to us, the participants of our festival and the population at large, to insist on integrity in journalism. The question is: Will we as citizens of the currently last remaining Republic form of “government of, by, and for the people rise to the challenge Stanley Nelson laid out?

Stanley Nelson was the epitome of great investigative journalism, marked by an unflinching ethos and ethical compass. There may be no one like him in the generations to come, if indeed printed newspapers and magazine endure. Nelson will be sorely missed in the local, and indeed the global community. His spirit will continue to encourage us to be courageous in calling out injustice and man’s inhumanity to man.

We plan to honor Stanley’s legacy by doing just that in whatever ways we can. We believe Stanley would expect that from those he left behind. Rest in Peace, Stanley Nelson, you will be missed.

Natchez Together: A Festival of Ideas Members:

Philip Baroni

Valencia Hall

Luis Mirón

Rose Ann Mirón