Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/70980
Baptist Church, the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, the Medgar Evers Home Museum, the Margaret Walker Alexander National African-American Research Center, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College and the Old Capitol Museum, which houses the nation's first perma- nent civil rights exhibit. A number of local attractions provide unique meeting ven- ues, including the Mississippi Museum of Art, the Dupree House & Mamie's Cottage, the Mississippi Children's Museum, theMississippi FairgroundsComplex andMississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The city's largest meeting venue is the Jackson Convention Complex, which contains more than 330,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space, including a 30,000-sq. ft. banquet hall, 60,000- sq. ft. exhibit hall, a 33,000-sq. ft. registration lobby, a business center and a 382-seat theater. The convention center is located next to the 74,000-sq. ft. Mississippi TelCom Center. The num- ber of hotel rooms citywide totals approximately 5,500. NATCHEZ Natchez draws thousands of visitors to see the historic homes on tour during the annual spring and fall pilgrimages. Another popular event is the Natchez Bluff Blues Festival, with music venues throughout the city.A Mississippi Blues Trail marker in JackWaite Park pays tribute to theAfrican- American harmonica player Alexander "Papa George" Lightfoot. Statue of Medgar Evers Grand Village of Natchez Indians Pow Wow Don't miss a tour of the NatchezMuseum ofAfricanArt and Heritage, housed in the old Natchez post office onMain Street and operated by the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture. Other local Black heritage sites include Rose Hill Baptist Church, the state's oldest Black Baptist congregation, and Zion ChapelAfrican American Episcopal Church, whose 19th century pastor, HiramR.Revels,became the firstAfrican-American to serve in the U.S.Congress. The area's NativeAmerican history takes the spotlight at the GrandVillage of the Natchez Indians,where free admis- sion lets you tour a reconstructed Natchez Indian house and 52 Black Meetings & Tourism May/June 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com