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B M & T ••• March/April 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 59 of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi" because of the fundamen- tal principles of freedom, equality, jus- tice and America's promise. • • NATCHEZ • • Mississippi teams with history, and cultural currency. Natchez, founded in 1716 and named for the Natchez tribe of Native Americans, is home of the historic Alcorn State University. Between 1835-1865 Natchez was home to 185 millionaires, made wealthy through forced labor. With The Natchez Convention Center (which boasts 32,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art meeting/exhibit space) and the 119-room Grand Hotel right at the river, and other options in the down- town for smaller meetings, Natchez not only provides multiple opportunities for conventions and smeetings, but at the same time, provides many, many oppor- tunities to better understand the impor- tance of the contributions made by Africans and African-American people who are a vital and significant part of the story of Natchez. The cultural contributions of African-Americans are at the heart of the history of Natchez. Whether artis- tic contributions through the crafts- manship that allowed the creation of the stately mansions that survive today, to the rich sounds of blues music, to foods that mean "Southern," or the suffering and struggles so many faced during both the Civil War, as well as the Civil Rights movement, Natchez is home to extraordinary stories of African- American people who have made a tremendous difference in the world. Alexandria International Airport, 70 miles from Natchez, serves the area. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Natchez – (800) 647-6724 www.visitnatchez.org Movie posters on a the wall in a cafe, Natchez, from back in the day. Copyright: quasargal