Faculty and staff in Mississippi’s schools are eligible to earn 2.3 Continuing Education Units (for 23 contact hours) by attending the 25th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration Feb. 20-23 in Natchez.

The award-winning conference’s 2014 theme is “60 Years and Counting: Voices of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Among those speaking during the conference include:

• James Meredith, internationally known for racially integrating the University of Mississippi in 1962 and author of “A Mission from God.”

• Kathryn Stockett, author of the blockbuster novel, “The Help.”

• Tate Taylor, screenwriter and director of “The Help.”

• William R. Ferris, former director of the National Endowment for the Humanities and author of a new book, “The Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists.”

• Clifton Taulbert, highly publicized motivational speaker and author of a new book, “The Invitation,” as well as “Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored.”

• Gerald McRaney, a Mississippi actor on Broadway and in films and television shows.

• Civil Rights leader and retired Episcopal Bishop Duncan M. Gray Jr. and his biographer, Araminta Stone Johnston, University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

• David G. Sansing, noted historian author of a new Mississippi history book adopted by schools in the state.

• Robert Khayat, retired Chancellor of the University of Mississippi and author of a new book, “An Education of a Lifetime.”

• Charles Reagan Wilson of Ole Miss, an authority on the music of the Civil Rights era.

• The Natchez novelist Greg Iles.

• The Pulitzer Prize nominee Jerry Mitchell of The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson.

• The Pulitzer Prize nominee Stanley Nelson of The Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday.

• State Senator David L. Jordan, author of a new autobiography.

• Gene Dattel of New York, an authority on why “The Help” has such widespread appeal.

Enhancing the lecture series will be a film premiere screening of “The Toughest Job: William Winter’s Mississippi,” a documentary by the University of Mississippi, a screening of “The Help” with discussion afterward and a premiere screening of a documentary about the NLCC’s first 25 years by Mark LaFrancis of Natchez.

In addition to the lectures and films, there will be book signings, live music by Holy Family Catholic Church Choir and Tougaloo College Choir, an open house at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, a writing awards ceremony and a festive, free Silver Anniversary reception honoring the NLCC at the Natchez Visitor Center.

The NLCC, an award-winning, mostly free conference, will begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at Trinity Episcopal Church. It continues Feb. 21-22 at the Natchez Convention Center, and ends Feb. 23 with free tours of four historically Black downtown churches, all of which were involved during the Civil Rights Movement.

A CEU registration fee of $55 per person covers the cost of CEU verification and includes a ticket to a Carriage House luncheon and a ticket to the Tougaloo College Choir concert, both on Feb. 22.

To register for CEU credit, please send your name, address, phone number and email address along with a check for $55, made out to Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Attention: Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. The check should be mailed to Brendan Chella, CEU Chairman, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, 11 Co-Lin Circle, Natchez, MS 39120.

More information about CEU credit is available by contacting myself at 601-446-1103 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays or by emailing Brendan.Chella@colin.edu.

Information about the entire conference is available by calling 601-446-1289 or toll-free, 866-296-NLCC (6522), by visiting colin.edu/nlcc or by emailing NLCC@colin.edu.

Brendan Chella is CEU Chairman at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.