Inside today’s edition, The Natchez Democrat celebrates a recent and historical milestone — its 150th anniversary.

Thinking back over that period of time and all of the events of world, national and local importance is a bit mindboggling.

When one begins to think about the biggest news items across such a long span of time, typically items of global importance and note come to mind first — America’s involvement in wars including the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the first Gulf War and most recently the War on Terror fought principally in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But this small, community newspaper has covered thousands of other stories, too, from national stories on America’s great successes — putting the first human on the moon — to our great tragedies including Pearl Harbor, Sept. 11 and a myriad of other natural disasters.

For many of us, the most important of those stories are the ones that marked milestones in our lives. Who among us old enough to understand the gravity of Sept. 11 can forget the images? The same can be said for other huge news.

For me The Democrat, and Natchez, has been home — aside from two small stints when I left briefly — for the past 22 years. It has become home to me more than any other place in the world.

In that time, our staff has covered all of the joys and triumphs, stumbles and downright falls this community has experienced as well as any other newspaper our size.

You, dear readers, are why we exist, both literally and figuratively. You’ve opened your homes, your hearts and your pocketbooks to help support this newspaper, and we are truly and humbly grateful for the continued support.

Through it all, our staff (and certainly yours truly) has made more than our share of mistakes.

But our tiny staff has never allowed its size to prevent it from taking on big stories and tackling corruption and wrongdoing whenever necessary.

Our staff has for decades and continues to make me proud.

Natchez felt like home from the very beginning.

I’ll never forget the day that then Managing Editor Joan Gandy offered me my first full-time job as staff photographer at the newspaper.

Nor will I ever forget the utter confusion I had getting to and from my early assignments as I learned Natchez’s streets.

Joan was a blessing to this newspaper, as have been countless others who worked here in the past along with the amazingly talented people who work there today.

I’m talking about people such as our current department heads, Ben Hillyer, Sam King, Nona Colombo, Cassie Strickland, KO Bennett and Rita Brooks. I’d also be remise not to acknowledge the strong editorial experience that my wife, Julie, provided for the seven years she led the newsroom.

Some members of our staff are widely known by readers. The photographers are usually quick to be recognized as their gear gives them away, then some reporters, editors and advertising sales personnel become quasi-public figures over time.

But others are extremely valuable, but often miss the spotlight. Two of my favorites are business office worker Martha Gray and pre-press coordinator John Lees. Both are top-notch people who have dedicated most of their adult lives to their work at the newspaper.

Our staff produced a special section that appears inside today’s edition to commemorate our history by looking at each decade of it and attempting to touch on at least some of the biggest news from that period.

Throughout the section, you’ll note the newspaper — like Natchez — changes slightly over time. The look and feel morphs, the writing styles and language changes, but what remains steadfast is the newspaper’s conviction to serve its audience and never forget that readers and customers come first.

This is your newspaper, and we hope to never lose sight of that.

Recent independent surveys showed 8 out of 10 Natchez area residents regularly look to The Democrat for news and information. That’s a staggering figure that reminds us why we do what we do each day — for each of you.

Thanks for your dedication and commitment, and we look forward to serving you for decades and decades more.

 

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.