African-American History in Natchez

Enslaved people from Western Africa were first brought to the Natchez area by the French in 1719. By 1723, the number of inhabitants at the French settlement in Natchez had risen to 303, with over a third of them being of African origin. The English and Spanish, controlled the Natchez area following the French, continuing the expansion of slavery in the area well into the 1700's. The Forks of the Road in Natchez was the site of the second largest slave markets in the South, behind only the Algiers market outside of New Orleans.

Natchez also had the largest population of free people of color in the state of Mississippi. Some free people of color were born into slavery and then set free, and some were born to freed slaves. Free people of color in Natchez worked a variety of jobs, from barbers and dressmakers to cooks and nurses. Some, such as the well known William Johnson, became slave owners themselves, living comfortably, and educating their children. However, they could not vote, hold office, serve on juries or testify against whites. They also could not walk around without written proof of freedom or operate taverns or grocery stores.

When the Civil War broke out, the following years would be an intense period for African Americans in the Natchez area. Many of them seized the opportunity for self emancipation, and fled to Natchez during the Union occupation of the town after the fall of Vicksburg in July 1863. Natchez became a large refugee camp for former slaves. Freedmen were hired to work on fortifications or abandoned plantations. They were also recruited into the U.S. Army. By 1864, four regiments of black soldiers were garrisoned in Natchez with over 3,000 black Union soldiers throughout the war.

During the beginning of the Reconstruction period, African Americans had a brief period of political power and civil rights in Natchez, and throughout the South. African Americans gained political office for the first time, a feat unthinkable only a few years before. Natchez' very own Hiram Revels became the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. Black men opened businesses and women taught in the first public schools for African American children. New churches sprang up across town.

In Natchez, African Americans were elected to the U.S. Congress, Adams County School Board, Board of Alderman, as well as many other elected county positions. Natchez was also the only town in Mississippi to elect an African American mayor during Reconstruction.

Unfortunately, strides in equality of civil rights and political power were short-lived. Through voting fraud, and much intimidation, white resistance began to succeed and by 1890, a new state constitution virtually ended political power for African Americans. "Jim Crow" laws were passed one after another, requiring the separation of blacks and whites in public places. In spite of this, Natchez managed to boast a well educated class of businessmen, professionals, and educators during what was a very difficult era for African Americans across the South.

The Jim Crow era lasted through the first half of the Twentieth Century and beyond. After World War II, the economy in Natchez was booming with new industries, but the job opportunities for African Americans became stagnant as segregation remained in place. Many workplaces served as hotbeds for Ku Klux Klan activities and the leading proponents of white supremacy. The Civil Rights Movement challenged the beliefs of white supremacy and racial segregation in Natchez and across the South. The efforts by African American leaders during integration were met with massive resistance often leading to violence. Violence spiked across the state as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction.

In 1964, the year President Johnson signed the major Civil Rights Act forcing integration in public places, violence reached its peak. Kidnappings, beatings and bombings were commonplace toward the African American community. Even the home and business of white Natchez mayor Joe Nosser was bombed. In 1965, through economic boycott, marches and rallies led by Charles Evers, local whites in Natchez began making concessions. Local black churches and businesses served as hubs for Civil Rights gatherings and activities, and within a generation, African Americans in Natchez had achieved full voting rights, desegregated schools and public places, and began being elected to public office once again.

The influence of African Americans in Natchez is immeasurable. As the cultural contributions of African Americans are fundamental to the history of Natchez. The words and music of Natchez writers and musicians span the globe. From the blues of "Hound Dog " Taylor to the acclaimed writings of Richard Wright, the words and songs of Natchez natives have been heard in classrooms and concert halls across the country. Heritage tourist sites and historical markers bring the history and significance of African Americans in Natchez into the experience of visiting Natchez.