Natchez, the birthplace of Mississippi, is known internationally as a quaint Southern town with a rich culture and heritage shaped by the contributions of people of African descent.

Shortly after French settlers joined the Natchez Indians on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, they brought people from western Africa as slaves to provide labor for development. These members of the Bambara tribe—whose name means “those who accept no master”—were the first Africans in what would become the State of Mississippi. Known for their abilities to cultivate the earth, the Bambarans contributed greatly to the economic growth of the region and the nation.

As the settlement grew, French then English and Spanish residents increased their dependence on enslaved labor from western Africa to support cotton cultivation and other agricultural and industrial pursuits. These involuntary immigrants—working as farmers, builders, craftsmen, machinists, blacksmiths, cooks, soldiers and more—made an invaluable contribution that’s often overlooked, forgotten or ignored.

Today, the legacy of these original African settlers lives on in the historical sites that enrich Natchez and its surroundings—including the churches of the state’s oldest Black-Baptist and Catholic congregations—and in the lives of the area’s vibrant African-American community.

Visitors to Natchez can explore the community’s cultural, economic and political growth through the Natchez Visitor Center, the Natchez National Historical Park, the museum of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American History and Culture, and Natchez Pilgrimage Tours. These fascinating learning opportunities are complemented by celebrations and events throughout the year, including the Juneteenth Celebration, the Black History Month Parade, the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Luncheon and Parade, the Decoration Day March and the Blacks in Blue Civil War Re-enactment.