Greg Iles to speak at Statehood Day program Dec. 10

New York Times best-selling author Greg Iles of Natchez, who has mined state history and locales for his fiction, will be the featured speaker at the seventh annual Statehood Day celebration in Jackson.

The program will be held at noon Dec. 10 in the House of Representatives chamber in the Old Capitol Museum, often called the most historic space in the state's most historic building. The Old Capitol was the seat of government in the state from 1839 to 1903. The program is free and open to the public.

Iles is steeped in Mississippi past and present. His epic trilogy that started with "Natchez Burning," about an unsolved civil rights-era crime in his hometown, continued with "The Bone Tree." The trilogy's Volume III is in the works. "Natchez Burning" recently won the Barry Award for Best Novel, presented by Deadly Pleasure magazine at Bouchercon, the annual World Mystery Convention.

Production of "Natchez Burning" as a cable series by David Hudgins and Tobey Maguire has been delayed a bit. Showrunner Hudgins ("Friday Night Lights") is busy readying another show for a late fall debut for NBC, Iles said by email. "Once David gets that in the can, he'll transition to 'Natchez Burning.'"

Iles and fellow best-selling author John Grisham drafted the letter in a full-page newspaper ad calling for removal of the Confederate battle emblem on Mississippi's state flag; it was signed by many notable Mississippians.

"It's hard to believe that we're so far behind the rest of the South on this issue," Iles said. "As for whether — or when — the state flag will be changed, I'll tell you this: on the day that the football teams of Ole Miss, Mississippi State and USM say they won't play another game until that flag comes down, we're within five days of the change happening. Same thing if the NCAA refuses to allow other SEC teams to play sanctioned games in Mississippi. The Legislature is probably willing to lose a few $30 million movies over that flag, but this state is all about college football. Football is likely to be the final agent of change."

Iles himself was the agent of change for the annual 'Historic Natchez Tableaux" this past spring, reworking the pageant to include scenes of the reality of slavery and Southern defeat in the Civil War. His daughter, Madeline, was one of the queens in the tableaux. The changes were a "resounding success, both as a production and for racial cooperation and progress in Natchez," Iles said. "My daughter is a senior at Millsaps, and she's just completed a documentary about the experience. I've promised the garden clubs to return for one more year to further refine the show, and to try to ensure that our new and inclusive production will endure for another 80 years."

Natchez celebrates its tricentennial next year.

The greatest dilemma facing Mississippi now, Iles said, "is whether or not we're finally going to let go of the past and join the rest of America in the future.

"The backward-looking focus of our state has always dragged on us, sabotaging our potential.  We must take our cues from our younger citizens and start looking at the rest of America with optimism and not suspicion. Being near the bottom in most measures of quality of life is not something to be proud of. But most days I do find reasons for hope in Mississippi."

The Mississippi Territory was organized in 1798 and included modern day Mississippi and Alabama. On Dec. 10, 1817, President James Monroe signed the resolution admitting Mississippi into the Union as the 20th state. Statehood Day will mark Mississippi's 198th birthday.

Statehood Day celebrations began following the restoration and reopening of the Old Capitol and its new focus as a museum exploring the history of the site when it was the seat of Mississippi government. Past speakers have included former Govs. William Winter and Haley Barbour and former Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck.

Old Capitol Museum director Lauren Miller said, "His fellow Mississippians have watched with pride as Greg Iles’s literary career has developed, We are excited to have this opportunity now to hear him speak.”

Contact Sherry Lucas at slucas@gannett.com or (601) 961-7283. Follow @SherryLucas1 on Twitter.