NLCC receives National Park Service grant for cultural heritage preservation

November 15, 2023

The National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA), announced the award of $795 in grant money to Copiah-Lincoln Community College for the 35th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration (NLCC).

"This grant will allow the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration to share the story of Duncan Morgan, the master brick mason who is responsible for the preservation of the brickwork seen all over Natchez,” said Betty Jo Harris, NLCC Coordinator. “The short film, which will be created by Mark LaFrancis will preserve Morgan's story and educate future generations about his lifelong passion of maintaining the historical significance of this beautiful town."

The LMDI grants fund a variety of projects from building studies and museum exhibits to music heritage and cultural programming. This year’s grants will support projects including the creation of an exhibit highlighting the role of women on the Ozark Frontier between 1800 and World War II; and the restoration of the Beulah Cemetery, a final resting place for members of Vicksburg, Mississippi’s African American community.

Established in 1994, the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative has provided more than $3 million in grants to organizations exempt from federal income tax, such as non-profit organizations, tribal groups, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and state and local governments. Administered by the NPS in partnership with JNPA, LMDI funds may be appropriated by Congress to support the Delta’s cultural entities in their work toward research, interpretation and preservation goals for the region’s cultural resources.

Learn more about the LMDI grant program, including geographic parameters and how to apply for future grants on the program website: https://www.nps.gov/locations/lowermsdeltaregion/what-we-do.htm

The 35th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration will be held February 22-24, 2024, using the theme, “Rites, Rituals, and Religion in the Deep South.” See the agenda at www.colin.edu/nlcc and make plans to attend the NLCC in 2024!