On Saturday, Nov. 9, Natchez, Mississippi unveiled the city’s second marker on the Mississippi Freedom Trail, located at Donnan’s Barbershop, the birthplace of the Deacons for Defense and Justice in Natchez in the 1960s. A ceremony was held during the NAACP Mississippi State Convention at the Zion Chapel A.M.E Church, located at 228 North Dr. M.L. King Jr. St., followed by the marker unveiling.
“This marker on the Mississippi Freedom Trail not only honors the legacy of the Deacons for Defense and Justice, but also serves as a powerful reminder of the courage and resilience of those who stood up for community protection in the face of oppression,” said Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage and tourism manager at Visit Natchez. “Natchez’s history is a vital part of the civil rights movement, and this marker allows future generations to draw strength from those who stood for equality in Mississippi. We are grateful to everyone who joined us for the unveiling and look forward to sharing this piece of history with all who visit.”
The Deacons for Defense and Justice first organized in 1964 in Jonesboro, La., in response to increasing violence against civil rights activists and Black communities. The Deacons aimed to provide armed protection for civil rights workers and the Black community against the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacy groups. The Natchez Deacons organized in September 1965.
The event featured remarks from Dr. Akinyele Umoja, author of “We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement” (NYU Press, 2013); Willie Carter, owner of Donnan’s Barbershop; Alderwoman Felicia Bridgewater-Irving, Ward 4; Rev. Dr. Robert James, president of the Mississippi NAACP; Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, president of the Natchez NAACP; John Travis Spann, program and outreach officer for Mississippi Humanities Council; and Mayor Dan Gibson.
The front of the marker recalls the formation of the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice in 1965 at Leon Donnan’s Barbershop, where James “Big Jack” Jackson and other members organized. The back of the marker provides deeper insight into the civil unrest in Natchez in the 1960s, highlighting the pivotal role the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice played in the fight for equal rights. It reflects on how, amid Ku Klux Klan violence and police inaction, the Deacons helped to mobilize the community and enforce boycotts, ultimately achieving lasting social change.
The Mississippi Freedom Trail was established in 2011 to commemorate Mississippi’s pivotal role in the U.S. civil rights movement. More than 40 existing markers throughout the state highlight the people, places and events that were instrumental during this period – from the years leading up to the historic movement to the years Mississippi served as ground zero in the national fight for equality.
The Mississippi Freedom Trail is administered by Visit Mississippi, the official tourism organization dedicated to promoting the state to visitors across the U.S. and the world, in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council. Support for this collaboration is made possible by a State Tourism Grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The EDA State Tourism Grants, issued in 2021, totaled $510 million in direct awards to help states invest in marketing, infrastructure, workforce and other projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business and international travel.
The Mississippi Humanities Council is a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Council creates opportunities for Mississippians to learn about themselves and the larger world and enriches communities through civil conversations about the state’s history and culture.
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