A Swahili rallying cry meaning “all for one,” organizers say one word — harambee — is the essence of this month’s Natchez Tricentennial African culture celebrations.

Tricentennial events are planned throughout February to commemorate Black History Month, including lectures and Civil Rights Movement commemorations.

The month’s celebrations are highlighted by a three-day celebration titled Traditions Made Modern: A Celebration of African Culture in Natchez through Food, Music and People. Events begin Friday and wrap up Sunday. The celebration is a partnership of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture, the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Park Service and Natchez Pilgrimage Tours.

The celebration will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Friday with an opening reception and a meet-and-greet with panelists from the first Natchez Hip-Hop Summit at the Natchez Museum of African-American Culture. The event will also include after-hours guided tours of the museum and is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, the Natchez Museum of African-American Culture will host a Sankofa lecture. Museum Director Darrell White said sankofa is an African phrase that means to take what is good from the past and bring it to the present in order to make positive progress. Sankofa is represented by a bird with its head turned backwards taking an egg off its back

“The lecture will take a look at some of the strengths of the community from the past in an effort to inspire folks to move forward on that same plane,” White said.

The lecture will begin at 10 a.m. at the museum and is free and open to the public.

The first Natchez Hip-Hop Summit will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Natchez High School Multi-purpose Room.

Organizer Jeremy Houston said the summit will include a tribute to hip-hop music and recognition of local artists with performances.

A panel will also discuss the current state of hip-hop and how it related to issues of racial identity in modern America.

“Hip-hop is a universal language, just like music is a universal language,” Houston said. “Hip-hop, in some form or fashion, is something you see or hear every day, old or young,” Houston said.

Panelists include B-Down, James McCullen, Mr. D-Meezy, Natchez Alderman Tony Fields, Koretta Kobain, Ashley Bell, Jarita King, Kristina Jacobs, Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis and the Rev. Robert Cade.

The summit will also include music by DJ Rock Ya Body and DJ Buzz and will be emceed by Houston and Big Hen.

The summit is free to attend and open to the public.

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, tours of downtown African-American churches will be offered. Churches on the tour are Holy Family Catholic Church, Beulah Baptist Church, Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church and Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church

Harambee: Gathering in Celebration of Food, Music and People will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

Organizer Nikki Ware-Norman with Natchez Pilgrimage Tours said the word harambee perfectly sums up the celebration’s purpose.

“No matter race, religion or anything else … we want everybody in Natchez to get together and celebrate,” Ware-Norman said.

Natchez’s Harambee will include African-inspired food, a cash bar and live music by The Black Suns of Natchez.

“What better way to learn about history than through food, music and people,” Tricentennial Director Jennifer Ogden Combs said.

Southern Road to Freedom, a musical tribute to the African-American experience in Natchez, will be presented by local performers at 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Family Catholic Church .

Harambee tickets are $25, and Southern Road to Freedom tickets are $15. Tickets may be purchased at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours in the visitor center, by calling 800-647-6742 or online at natchezpilgrimage.com.

Weekend celebrations are planned throughout the rest of the year to celebrate Natchez’s various ethnic cultures.

“We want to take a look at sharing history of earlier cultures, while also looking at what that means and what it is to us today,” Combs said.

The weekend will conclude with worship services at downtown historic churches, including Holy Family, Zion A.M.E. and Beulah Baptist.