On Oct. 2, 1965, in Natchez, more than 500 demonstrators, led by Charles Evers and the local NAACP, were arrested and charged with parading without a permit on Madison Street.

Approximately 250 of the demonstrators were loaded on buses and sent to the state prison farm at Parchman Penitentiary. During their stay at Parchman, they were subjected to very cruel and brutal treatment.

The other 250 demonstrators were booked and held at the Natchez City Auditorium, which was converted into a temporary detention center. The local jails were filled to capacity and could not hold anyone else.

The ages of the demonstrators ranged from nine to 66.

A reunion is planned for Oct. 3 and 4 in Natchez for all participants. Many of the demonstrators are deceased, but family members will be allowed to attend all events.

Participants will get a chance to look back at where blacks in Natchez have come from in the past 50 years and compare it to Natchez today. Hopefully, they will see what improvements have been made and what is needed in our communities now.

Surely we pray that they will find out that all of the turmoil during those turbulent times including the march, which led to their arrest and the time that they spent in that horrible placed called Parchman Penitentiary, was not in vain.

The questions that should be considered for each of us is where are we now, where should we go from here, how are we going to get there and how will we sustain the momentum once we get there? Hopefully, many of the hurts and pain from this ordeal will be healed.

We must not forget the bombing of George Metcalfe, the beating of one of our local morticians, Archie Curtis and his helper, the hanging of Ben Chester White, the bombing and killing of Wharlest Jackson and the bombing of three churches in Natchez and much more, all of which contributed to many of the hurts and pain.

An organizational meeting will be held Friday for all participants and family members of the deceased at Word of Faith Ambassadors Worship Center, 312 S. Shields Lane, Natchez, at 2 p.m. Daryl White from NAPAC will be the guest speaker. He will present information to help answer some of your questions.

For more information, contact me at 601-445-8194 or 601-334-0376.

Betty Baldwin Cade is a retired educator, administrator and coach in the Miss-Lou area. She is co-chair of the Ethnic and Social Committee for the Natchez Tricentennial in 2016. Cade is also executive pastor of Word of Faith Ambassadors Worship Center, Natchez.