NATCHEZ — Natchez’s Tricentennial celebration and a handful of notable residents are featured on five Mississippi Public Broadcasting television shows airing this month and in early November.

The Natchez Tricentennial is the subject of an episode of “Mississippi Roads,” hosted by Walt Grayson, airing at 7 p.m. Thursday and again at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

In the episode, Grayson tours Emerald Mound, visits with New York Times best-selling Natchez author Greg Iles about the city’s history. Grayson also explores how the Mississippi River made Natchez one of the richest cities in America, as well as the location of country’s second-largest slave market, the Forks of the Road. The episode also features Natchez Tricentennial Director Jennifer Ogden Combs speaking about the tricentennial’s impact on unity in the community and the city’s legacy.

Combs and four other Natchez natives are guests on award-winning editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey’s show, “Conversations.”

Combs’ episode covers her career as an Emmy-award winning film and television producer and her decision to return to Natchez and ultimately lead the city’s tricentennial efforts.

Combs’ episode has aired once and is available to view online at mpbonline.org. The episode airs again at 10 p.m. Thursday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Also featured on “Conversations” this month will be:
-Charles Wright, one of the few surviving relatives of Natchez author Richard Wright. Charles Wright  serves as the Wright family historian and guides tours of the various sites associated with his famous cousin.
Wright’s episode airs at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 10 p.m. Oct. 13 and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 16.
-Regina Charboneau, chef, author and owner of Twin Oaks Bed and Breakfast and King’s Tavern restaurant.
Charboneau’s episode airs at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 16, 10 p.m. Oct. 20 and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 23.
-Glen Ballard, a six-time Grammy-award winning music producer and songwriter. Ballard is best known for producing and co-writing Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” album, which won a Grammy for Best Rock Album and Album of the Year and was ranked by the Rolling Stone as one of the 500 greatest albums of all-time.
Ballard’s episode airs at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23, 10 p.m. Oct. 27 and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30.
-Chesney Doyle, executive producer of the award-winning documentary series “Great Museums.”
Doyle’s episode airs at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30, 10 p.m. Nov. 3 and 11:30 a.m. Nov. 6.

Combs said the Tricentennial Commission is thrilled to have the city and its people highlighted on MPB programs.

“It’s not just one particular aspect of Natchez history or culture being featured,” she said. “The people … and the coverage will be about a lot of different aspects of Natchez.”

For more information or to view programs once they air, visit mpbonline.org.