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  • Smith inducted into prestigious Morehouse College Board of Preachers & Scholars

    Smith inducted into prestigious Morehouse College Board of Preachers & Scholars

    Thursday, Oct 2nd, Joseph A.C. Smith, founder of Black Natchez.org, was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers & Scholars. As part of the 2025 Class of Inductees, Smith now holds the distinction of being a  member  of Morehouse’s 40th class of the College of Ministers and Laity.

     

    Each year, Morehouse selects ministers and scholars from across the country whose ethical, spiritual, and moral example has helped change the world. Inductees are those who embody and espouse the ideals of the social gospel tradition started in 1867 by William Jefferson White, later enhanced by W.E.B DuBois, Benjamin Mays, & Howard Thurman, & widely acclaimed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. Past inductees include former US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King Sr., current US Senator Raphael Warnock (GA)  and a pantheon of other nationally significant leaders. Smith was recommended for the honor byThe  Rev. Dr. Quincy James Rinehart, Associate Dean of the Martin Luther King  Chapel at Morehouse.

     

    In an invitation to friends and family, Smith wrote:

    “In 2022, I started Blacknatchez.org to be a beacon of light in my hometown-Natchez, MS. Having spent all of my childhood in church and most of my adult life doing church work, I wanted an innovative approach to impact my community in ways I could see, feel and measure. I wanted to change the world!. Just three short years later, I am thrilled to have the results of those efforts recognized and acknowledged by Morehouse’s Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers & Laity by inducting me into the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers. What an honor to now share a distinction held by so many of the spiritual teachers I have long revered and respected. For me, it is also affirmation of my commitment to fearless authenticity, living with intention, and proof of why following God is better than following the rules!

     

    The ceremony was held in the Benjamin E. Mays Crown Forum, on the campus of Morehouse in Atlanta, GA. The keynote address was delivered by Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC  Mariann Budde, who was also inducted as part of this year’s class. Budde received national acclaim for a homily delivered in January 2025 during the presidential inauguration interfaith prayer service during which she called on the president to show compassion to marginalized groups.

  • Mississippi grand jury clears officer in fatal shooting

    PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi grand jury has cleared a police officer in the fatal shooting of a felony suspect.

    News outlets report a Jackson County Grand Jury on Tuesday found no criminal conduct on behalf of a Moss Point police officer in the Aug. 8 death of Toussaint Diamon Sims. The police department has not released the officer’s name.

    The grand jury said in their report that they “engaged in a full and deliberate consideration of all the facts and circumstances surrounding” the shooting. They also noted that Sims was wanted on three felony and three misdemeanor charges, was running from police and had a “firearm with an extended magazine in his hands.”

    Sims led police on a chase from Pascagoula into Moss Point before he ditched the vehicle and ran. Moss Point Police Chief Brandon Ashley says during the foot pursuit, Sims displayed a firearm in a threatening manner, causing the officer to fire his weapon.

    “I never had any doubt as I saw the video,” said Calvin Taylor, the officer’s attorney. “I have great confidence in grand juries.”

    Footage from the body cam video showed a weapon found next to Sims after the shooting was a Taurus 9mm with an extended clip capable of firing 30 rounds of ammunition. The gun’s chamber also was loaded.

    Taylor said early-on that his client’s actions were justified.

    Brian Dunn, the chief attorney for the Sims’ family, said Sim’s family “is disappointed by the grand jury’s determination that the officer’s conduct did not rise to the level of criminal wrongdoing when he shot and killed him.”

    “We will continue our pursuit of justice for the family which will include a civil lawsuit against the officer and Moss Point Police Department,” Dunn said. “Now that the grand jury process has concluded, we are hopeful that the body camera video at the center of this case will be released to the public. The community deserves to see for themselves the clear evidence in this case.”

    Ashley called what happened “a tragic event.”

    “I have confidence that the investigation was thorough and complete on behalf of MBI,” Ashley said Tuesday, adding that “the District Attorney’s Office presented every witness available who came forward.”

    “I want to commend the community for having patience to allow this case to come to a resolution,” he continued. “It was a tragic event for all parties involved, but I knew from the beginning our officer acted in a justifiable manner in accordance with state law and Moss Point Police Department policy.”