Roscoe Barnes Media

Armand Saiia is ArtsNatchez’s Artist of the Month for June!

Come meet him in person and view his stunning sculptures and paintings this Saturday, June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the ArtsNatchez Gallery, 425 Main St.

Sculptor Armand Saiia of Natchez has been named ArtsNatchez Gallery’s Artist of the Month for June, and the public is invited to view his latest work.

Saiia’s artwork will be on display at the gallery on Saturday, June 13, at 425 Main St. He will greet visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The reception is free and open to the public.

Saiia’s exhibition will include medium-sized and small sculptures, as well as paintings he has completed over the past eight months. He describes his paintings as a blend of realism and abstraction.

The gallery is open daily beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-442-0043.

Robert Pernell, chairman of the Proud to Take a Stand monument committee, displays the plaque with the QR code at the monument site. 

Did you know you can experience the story of the Parchman Ordeal through virtual reality right here in Natchez?

We first reported on this innovative addition to the monument in 2022. If you haven't experienced it yet, simply scan the QR code shown in the photo at the bottom of the article. Instructions are provided in the story and within the app after it is downloaded.

Technology allows visitors to step into this important chapter of Natchez's Civil Rights history and learn more about the men and women who participated in the 1965 Parchman Ordeal.

Check it out!

Chicago honors blues legend Hound Dog Taylor, but he was born in Natchez. A local writer recounts his journey north and seeks a Natchez Mississippi Blues Trail marker.

Several hundred people crossed the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge under cloudy skies Monday, May 25, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery in observance of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. During a brief stop at the Natchez Visitor Center on the east side of the bridge, a historical marker commemorating the parade was unveiled across the street at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III is pictured here with Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express. She authorized the installation of the marker on the hotel property at 639 S. Canal St. We unveiled the marker this morning in honor of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade.

The Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade: A Historic View of a Living Tradition

This historic postcard image offers a glimpse of the landscape that shaped the route of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, formerly known as “The 30th of May Parade.”

It gives an idea of where the participants marched from Vidalia, across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge, to the toll plaza in Natchez, where they stopped before continuing to the Natchez National Cemetery. The scene predates the construction of John R. Junkin Drive, which today carries both U.S. Route 84 and U.S. Route 425. The image also shows the toll plaza (at the bottom) at the site that is now the Natchez Visitor Center on Canal Street.

Photo courtesy of Historic Natchez Foundation

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Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson

Mark your calendar!

This year’s Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, set for Monday, May 25, will feature an unveiling ceremony for a Mississippi state historical marker commemorating the parade. Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson will serve as the Vidalia grand marshal, and Mayor Dan M. Gibson will serve as the Natchez grand marshal.

Mayor Dan Gibson

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Dr. Artemus W. Gaye of Liberia, a seventh-generation descendant of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori, visited the new Mississippi state historical marker honoring the prince on Silver Street in Natchez on May 8, 2026. He was in Natchez for a special commemorative event.

Dr. Gaye is the author of Dr. Isabella Rahman and the African Prince of Fouta Djallon (Forte Publishing International, 2023).

Dr. Gaye is the author of Dr. Isabella Rahman and the African Prince of Fouta Djallon (Forte Publishing International, 2023).

Reception is 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in downtown Natchez, Mississippi

Local author and journalist Joe Curtis has announced the release of his new book, Dr. Dill’s Antique Shop For Tohopkas, a Southern adventure story filled with mystery, imagination and unforgettable characters.

Set in historic Natchez, Mississippi, the novel follows three adventurous pre-teens, Zack, Pickle and Rose, as they uncover one of the city’s oldest secrets: the Tohopkas. As the quiet Southern spring turns into an extraordinary adventure, the young friends must protect a hidden world that has existed for generations.

His art exhibition is set for Saturday, May 9, in downtown Natchez 

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Follow the incredible journey of the African prince who spent 40 years enslaved near Natchez before gaining his freedom! This pocket-sized publication features his story and a handy map of the key sites tied to his history in Natchez and Adams County.

Perfect for locals and visitors who want to experience this important piece of Natchez history firsthand.

Free printed copies are now available at the Visit Natchez at The Depot Visitor Center, 200 N. Broadway St. and other locations (see article).

You can also download it directly from our website and take the tour at your own pace! Pick up your copy today!

Photo by Ben Hillyer

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