By: Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez
Hundreds of participants marched across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge on Monday, May 25, 2026, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery for the annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. (Photo by William Terrell/The Bluff City Post)
Several hundred people crossed the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge under cloudy skies Monday, May 25, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery in observance of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. The parade, which began in the late 1800s, spans a four-mile route and is one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day traditions in the United States.
During a brief stop at the Natchez Visitor Center on the east side of the bridge, a historical marker commemorating the parade was unveiled across the street at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express.
“The 30th of May Parade” historical marker was unveiled on May 25, 2026, at 639 S. Canal St. in Natchez, to commemorate the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day traditions in the United States. (Photo by Roscoe Barnes III)
Laura Ann Jackson, chair of the Natchez parade committee, said she was elated by the day’s ceremonies and deeply moved by the unveiling of the new marker, acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
“We are proud to honor all of our brave men and women who have served — and continue to serve — in the U.S. military, and we are especially grateful to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” Jackson said. “With the unveiling of ‘The 30th of May Parade’ historical marker, we also recognize the citizens of Vidalia, Louisiana, and Natchez who have participated in this historic parade since the late 1800s.”
Local officials, veterans, and parade organizers gathered for the unveiling of the new historical marker honoring the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. The marker was dedicated on May 25, 2026, the parade’s 160th anniversary, in front of the Holiday Inn Express in Natchez. (Photo by Michael Wilson / City of Natchez)
The unveiling ceremony featured remarks from Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson; Vidalia Alderman Robert Gardner, who is working to secure a historical marker for Vidalia; Holiday Inn Express General Manager Annette Sharp, who authorized installation of the marker on the hotel’s property; and retired Army Lt. Col. Glenn R. Powers, speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony at the cemetery. Powers serves as deputy under secretary for Field Programs and Cemetery Operations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration.
Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, welcomed attendees. He also recognized Jackson for her many years of leadership and James Theres, producer of “The 30th of May” film. Barnes said the idea for the marker originated with Theres.
Gibson praised the participants, noting they have faithfully marched in the parade for 160 years.
“Today, we honor all who have served our country, and we honor all who have given their lives,” he said. “It is fitting that today we reveal this great marker that, now and for many years to come, will tell the story of the Memorial Day Parade, and it will tell the story of our faithfulness as a community, black, white, yellow, red, and brown. It doesn’t matter.”
Over the many decades of its existence, the parade has grown in size and diversity, Gibson said.
“We are all Americans, and today we all bleed the same blood, we all pray to the same Father, and we all celebrate a freedom that has been won for us and earned for us, thanks to our veterans who have served,” Gibson said.
Gardner, whose mother, Sheila Trust Gardner, chairs the Vidalia parade committee, reminded the audience of the parade’s beginnings, saying, “The origin of the parade was to honor our colored servicemen, both alive and dead. The parade carries with it a heavy burden.”
Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express, authorized the installation of the “The 30th of May Parade” historical marker on the hotel’s property at 639 S. Canal St. in Natchez. The marker was unveiled on May 25, 2026.
Sharp, representing the Holiday Inn Express, also reflected on the meaning of Memorial Day. She said the hotel was honored to be part of the day’s ceremony.
“When Dr. Roscoe Barnes first contacted me about placing this marker here, I was so excited. He did not have to ask me twice,” she said.
Sharp highlighted the importance of the occasion: “Memorial Day is more than just the beginning of summer; it is a day of remembrance, reflection, and gratitude,” she said. “This marker stands not only as a record of the past, but as a promise to the future that the stories of courage, duty, and sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
Powers described the parade as a “fantastic tradition” for Memorial Day. “This ceremony here and the one at our Natchez National Cemetery are so important because of this longstanding tradition, which, when you think about it, is so unique and amazing. Congratulations on the marker!” he said.
At the cemetery, Charlotte Taylor, assistant director of the Mississippi National Cemetery Complex at Natchez, told the audience that Memorial Day is not simply a date on the calendar, but a solemn promise. “It is a promise that we will remember the fallen, not just in words, but in the way we live our lives — with gratitude, with purpose, and with a commitment to the ideas they fought to protect,” Taylor said.
In his remarks as guest speaker, Powers commented on the nation’s 250th anniversary of its founding.
“A quarter millennium after the Declaration of Independence, we pause to reflect on the men and women who safeguarded its promises across generations,” he said. Although the American Revolution was a long struggle, “for over 250 years, American patriots have been there to protect our freedom and our way of life,” he added.
Powers said the fight for freedom never ends, adding, “If our nation is to survive for another 250 years, we will need the same caliber of brave service members who have laid everything on the line to keep our country strong.”