NATCHEZ, Ms. (AP) — Jeremy Houston, the founder of the Miss-Lou Heritage Group and Tours, recently released volumes four and five of his ongoing black history series on people from Natchez.
In 2016, Houston began writing true stories about black people from Natchez who achieved great things in their lives, called “Straight Outta Natchez.”
His goal in doing so, he said, is to preserve history and tell African Americans about their heritage, not stories about “people picking cotton,” but free people who have influenced history, art and culture.
It was a year after the release of the movie “Straight Outta Compton”, centered on the lives of famous NWA rap artists Dr. Dre, Easy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella.
At the time, “They were putting ‘Straight Outta’ everywhere,” Houston said. “I wanted to use that, so I took it and ran with it.”
Less than six years later, he has published the fourth and fifth books in the series.
He published “Straight Outta Natchez Volume IV: Women of the Black Natchez” and “Straight Outta Natchez Volume V: Leaders of the New School” last month.
As the name suggests, the former focuses on black women who lived through Jim Crow, the civil rights movement, and beyond.
Among them are Daisy Newman, renowned opera singer and founder of the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra; Nellie Jackson, best known for owning an illegal brothel in Natchez and contributing to multiple charitable causes; and Artimese West, Natchez’s first black councilwoman.
“They were important to the core of what Natchez is today,” Houston said.
Volume V takes a more modern twist, spotlighting six people who are still alive and continue to do “good work,” Houston said.
Among them is Jamar White, one of the youngest people to run for political office in Natchez history. In 2020, White ran for Natchez Alderman Ward 1 as an independent against his former teacher, Joyce Arceneaux Mathis, at the age of 21. Though he lost the election, Natchez hasn’t seen the last of him. Since then, he has founded a summer camp for young men, Restoring Manhood, which will take place in June at Bob M. Dearing Natchez State Park.
Another man featured in the book is Barney Scoby Jr., who was honored as the National Park Service Ranger of the Year in 2015. The book also talks about Justin Hamilton, a defensive linebacker from Natchez who graduated and went on to play in the NFL. for the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.
The modern women of Natchez also appear in the fifth volume, including Chantel Marsaw, founder of the organization “It Still Takes a Village”, which aims to help young people who have lost a parent. It also highlights Jackie Marsaw, who started a “Bereaved Mothers and Others” social group for parents who lost a child and leads many other social and charitable causes.
Houston said it also plans to launch a children’s coloring book this summer called “Color the Heritage of Natchez.”
“I hope that these books will inspire and motivate the youth of Natchez,” said Houston. “I hope to get into the schools and let the kids know about these great people who also grew up here. … Some helped change not only Natchez and Mississippi, but the United States and the world.”
The books are available for purchase on amazon.com and may soon be on sale at Natchez locations this summer, he said.