Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration announces 2026 lineup "Stories of American Freedom"

The Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration (NLCC) will return February 26–28, 2026, bringing three days of events, speakers, performances, exhibits, and conversations centered around this year's theme, "Stories of American Freedom." The 2026 celebration brings together nationally recognized authors, historians, scholars, artists, and performers to explore the diverse narratives that have shaped the American experience. The majority of the NLCC is hosted at the Natchez Convention Center.

Thursday, February 26, 2026

The festival opens with a lively and immersive musical event entitled "Raise a Glass to Freedom: Bar Songs from Then to Now" that brings the energy of the American Revolution to life. Taverns were more than watering holes during this era—they were hubs of debate, dissent, and dreams of liberty. This rowdy, spirited program revives the raucous bar songs that echoed through colonial taverns, reimagined for today.

Guests will experience the soundtrack of revolution with a modern twist and step into the soundscape that helped inspire the founding of a nation. Plan to attend this exciting event hosted in partnership with the Natchez Festival of Music at Bowie's Rabbit Hole (100 Main Street) from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at https://www.colin.edu/community/natchez-literary-cinema-celebration/.

Friday, February 27, 2026 | Natchez Convention Center (unless otherwise noted)

From 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Vance Fellows and William Winters Scholars Luncheon will be held at The Carriage House in the Queen's Room, located at 401 High Street. This special luncheon celebrates distinguished scholars and fellows for their academic achievements.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m., art exhibits highlighting "Stories of American Freedom" will be on display throughout the festival in the Natchez Room. These works, presented by local artists, explore themes of identity, liberty, and the evolving American narrative.

At 1:00 p.m., the Opening Ceremony takes place in the Tupelo Room, featuring remarks from Dr. Dewayne Middleton, President of Copiah-Lincoln Community College; Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson; and Dr. Pernell Goodwin, Vice President of Co-Lin's Natchez Campus. The ceremony includes special presentations by the Natchez High Choir, and a video made by local students.

The afternoon continues in the Tupelo Room with a series of author sessions. At 2:00 p.m., Dr. Cynthia Kierner discusses The Tory's Wife, followed at 3:00 p.m. by James W. Miller presenting King of the Gunrunners. At 4:00 p.m., Dennard Dayle shares insights from his book How to Dodge a Cannonball, offering an hour of engaging conversation and literary exploration. A book signing will follow from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the lobby, giving attendees the opportunity to meet the day's featured authors.

Two evening events round out the day. From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Scholar's Mixer will be held in the St. Louis Room, offering an informal gathering space for the William Winters Scholars to connect. At the same time, the Nashville Room will host a screening of Natchez, a powerful documentary that examines how the city's residents navigate and interpret its complex history. The film, which won Best Documentary Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival, provides an intimate and thought-provoking portrait of the community.

Saturday, February 28, 2026 | Natchez Convention Center (unless otherwise noted)

The day begins with the art exhibits on "Stories of American Freedom" in the Natchez Room, open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., offering visitors a chance to explore powerful visual storytelling on the theme of liberty in America.

Author sessions start in the Tupelo Room at 9 a.m., with Dr. Miki Pfeffer presenting Southern Ladies and Suffragists. At 10 a.m., Brian Altobello shares insights from Whiskey, Women, and War, and the morning concludes with Dr. William C. Meadows at 11 a.m., who discusses The First Code Talkers. After the morning sessions, attendees are invited to a book signing in the lobby from 12 to 12:30 p.m.

A special ticketed luncheon event, Food Power Politics: The Food Story of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, takes place from 12 to 2 p.m. at Rolling River Reloaded (406 Main Street). Dr. Bobby J. Smith II, author of the book, leads an engaging conversation on how food shaped Black freedom struggles in Mississippi, from dinner tables to protest lines. Guests will also experience a tasting of dishes inspired by the stories discussed, creating a unique blend of history, culture, and culinary exploration. The cost is $25 per person, tickets can be purchased at https://www.colin.edu/community/natchez-literary-cinema-celebration/.

The afternoon author sessions continue back at the Convention Center in the Tupelo Room, beginning at 2 p.m. with Dr. J. Janice Coleman presenting Three Years in the Life of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, an American Catalyst for Change. Dr. Coleman is a professor of English at Alcorn State University, and she is also a quilter and a storyteller. She will use her Fannie Lou Hamer "Is This America?" Quilt to tell the story of a poor, uneducated sharecropper on a plantation in Ruleville to a powerful voting rights advocate on a national stage.

At 3 p.m., Dr. Erin Grayson Sapp explores themes of racial justice and football as a vehicle for social change in Moving the Chains, and the day's author program concludes at 4 p.m. with Louisiana Poet Laureate Alison Pelegrin discussing Our Lady of Bewilderment. A second book signing follows in the lobby from 5 to 5:30 p.m., allowing attendees to meet the authors and collect signed copies.

The day culminates with a ticketed banquet, Voices of Freedom: An Evening with Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, in the Tupelo Room at 6:30 p.m. This evening of reflection, resilience, and resistance celebrates civic action and the ongoing fight for justice in America. Keynote speaker Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, a legal scholar, playwright, and author, draws from her acclaimed book A Protest History of the United States to explore stories of ordinary people who demanded extraordinary change, from the American Revolution to the present day. Browne-Marshall highlights how protest has shaped—and continues to shape—the soul of the nation. Tickets are $45, and can be purchased at https://www.colin.edu/community/natchez-literary-cinema-celebration/.