Photo courtesy park staff

2005 Junior Ranger campers on a field trip to the USS Cairo museum at the Vicksburg National Military Park

We fought the war, discovered archaeological remains and jammed to the blues. However, most importantly, we became Junior Rangers!

Through generous donations from private individuals, over 75 Natchez businesses, the National Park Foundation, the African-American Experience Fund, the Unilever Corporation and the Eastern National Parks and Monuments Association, Natchez National Historical Park presented a free inaugural Junior Ranger History Camp. For three weeks in June, area students ages 8-12 “sailed through time,” immersed themselves in Natchez history and discovered the importance and influence of the Mississippi River.

“The camp was designed to help kids learn about Natchez history and, most importantly, have fun while doing it,” said Park Ranger Tim Van Cleave.

The staff designed the camp in a chronological fashion so students could understand and appreciate how multiple layers of history have shaped the city they live in today. Curriculum-based educational programs, and subsequent craft activities, examined topics such as Native American culture, slavery, the Civil War and the creation of the musical genre known as “blues.” Park staff also utilized local historical sites, including a trip to the Vicksburg National Military Park so students could see first hand how and why the Mississippi River was important.

“The camp really connected the children to the significance of Natchez, and the NPS as a whole. Rangers Angie Lurz, Stacy Speas, Tim Van Cleave, Jessica Coffman, and Nathan Hatfield did a masterful job of engaging the kids. We also created seven new and exciting curriculum-based educational programs that we can present to school groups starting this fall,” said supervisory park ranger Jim Heaney.

Two programs, Unearthing the Truth and Join the Army, received donation monies from the AAEF fund. Unearthing the Truth examined the life of William Johnson, a free black barber and diarist, who lived in antebellum Natchez. The students became architects, historians, archaeologists and detectives who pieced together the life of this unique and significant individual. A CD-ROM of the narrated diary entries as well as a curriculum guide will be produced for the local schools.

The Join the Army program examined what life was like for United States Colored Troops in the Union army. The campers enlisted, drilled and marched as soldiers, and engaged in battle just as the USCTs did. In fact, a small skirmish between USCTs and Confederate soldiers took place just across the river in Vidalia, LA. The USCT’s fired a few volleys and drove the Confederates out of the town. To aid in the authenticity of the program, ranger Kate Morris re-created a flag presented to the USCT soldiers by the citizens of Natchez. 

Through promotional materials and visits to local schools, the Junior Ranger History Camp reached over 60 students in its first year. The staff at the Natchez National Historical Park sees many opportunities to build upon the success of the camp- one goal being to reach a wider audience.

“There was such a demand for something like this and we, unfortunately, even had to turn students away. With the success of this camp, we are looking at ways to expand and continue to increase our numbers. There are so many school-age kids in the area and this is such a great opportunity to educate, inspire and instill appreciation and stewardship in every one,” said park ranger Nathan Hatfield.

NPS Photograph

Jim Heaney, supervisory park ranger, receives award from Fran Mainella

On October 26, 2005 in Washington DC, Natchez National Historical Park was honored with a National Accessibility Award for Design Project Achievement for the exhibits at the William Johnson House. The award is given to an individual, team, or park responsible for the design, construction or renovation of interpretive exhibits that creatively promote the concept of universal access and demonstrate how they meet the needs of people with disabilities.

In February, Natchez National Historical Park contracted, designed and fabricated a universally accessible exhibit for the William Johnson House, the antebellum home of a free black businessman and diarist. This project included many innovative and engaging components, such as:

A wheelchair accessible “Digital Diary” touch screen program which includes both text and dramatic narrations from William T. Johnson’s journals so that all visitors have an opportunity to intellectually and emotionally connect to the writings of William T. Johnson as he shares his insights into business, family life, and the news and politics of his age.

Two audio stations with sound cones were placed overtop of exhibit panels. One two-minute audio track entitled “Main Street Barbershop,” features white southern gentlemen in Johnson’s barber shop talking about elections and other activities in which a free black man like Johnson could not participate. The track includes effective sound effects of scissors cutting hair, the pouring of tonics, and sounds in the street outside the barbershop. The other sound station entitled “A Rich Family Life” highlights sounds of the Johnson household, such as children playing, period piano music, dogs barking, and family members talking, all to give a sense of the family environment in which Johnson penned his thoughts. This station also includes a writing desk that is wheelchair accessible.

Hand-held MP3 players featuring fifty minutes of professional actors reading the exhibit text as essentially a narrated tour. The exhibit panels include a Braille number to key the visitor to the appropriate track.

Large acrylic models of three historic buildings detailing the size and architectural features of the Johnson House, his neighbor’s home and an 1897 kitchen building. The models include a recording for each building, which activates when touched. While the narration plays, there is a monitor behind the model that shows the script from audio track for visitors with hearing impairments. It is an effective “please touch” product that engages everyone.

“The exhibits at the William Johnson House present many options for visitors with disabilities to learn more about Johnson’s life and world.” said National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. She also remarked on how Natchez National Historical Park received a Sustained Achievement in Accessibility Award in 2001, and continues to build on its success.”