TUPELO, MS -The Natchez Trace Parkway will host an art exhibit by students from the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, and present the Chickasaw Nation’s film, First Encounter, throughout the month of November to commemorate American Indian Heritage Month. The exhibit and film will be available for the public to see from 8 am to 5 pm in the auditorium at the Parkway Visitor Center.
The art exhibit includes pieces produced by students who attended special Chickasaw Nation art programs established to encourage students to explore their artistic talents. The Chickasaw Nation chose the pieces based on their artistic merit.
The Chickasaw Nation produced the 25-minute documentary film First Encounter. This film features reenactments 
and historical experts’ interpretations of the initial encounter between the Chickasaw people and Hernando de Soto’s exploration party. It gives new insights into life and survival in the Tupelo area in the 1500s.
This film and the art exhibit are free to the public. The visitor center is located along the Parkway at milepost 266, just north of Tupelo, Mississippi. For more information about this and other Parkway programs, please visit our website at www.nps.gov/natr, or call 1-800-305-7417.
Media Release/Office of the Superintendent, Natchez Trace Parkway
