On Thursday evening the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration will present “Music of the People,” featuring Alvin Shelby and the acclaimed Holy Family Catholic Choir.

The performance will be at  8:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Pearl Street after the Krewe of Phoenix Mardi Gras Parade.

This “coming together concert” is part of the NLCC’s support of community arts and our honoring of Mississippi’s 200th birthday this year.

Tickets for the performance are $15 per person, and all proceeds will go to these two historic churches. Holy Family was the first African-American Catholic congregation in the Mississippi Valley, and its school has been educating youth since 1890. An example of Gothic Revival style with Queen Anne details, the church itself was built in 1894, designed by architect William K. Ketteringham, and dedicated on July 1 of that year.

Although sources differ as to an exact date, the First Presbyterian congregation was organized around 1817. The building existing today was completed in 1829 and remodeled in 1851 by architect James Hardie, a Scot who also designed St. Mary’s Cathedral. The 1851 church is an example of Federalist architecture, while Stratton Chapel, added in 1901, is in the Romanesque Revival style.

The mission of the NLCC is to bring quality programming to our community, with an emphasis on underserved populations and to inspire in our audience a lifelong commitment to the humanities.

“This is the second of what I hope will be many community concerts presented by the NLCC,” Director Brett Brinegar said. “These concerts are designed not only to entertain and educate but also to bring our community together in efforts to preserve the heritage of Natchez.”

For concert tickets, please call 601-446-1208. You may also buy tickets at the door, but owing to the popularity of the Holy Family Choir, we encourage advance purchase. Please come and join us. You’ll be glad you did.

For more information or to be included in our mailing lists, contact the NLCC at or by telephone at 601-446-1208.

Finally, many thanks to local historian Joan McLemore for providing information about these two important landmarks.
Bonnie Carter is a Natchez resident and former university professor.