For the second consecutive year, Vicksburg’s Memorial Day program will take place in a virtual format.

“I think we will go back next year with the parade and the whole nine yards,” said Willie Glasper, a member of the Vicksburg-Warren County Memorial Day Committee.

Glasper said the decision to go virtual an extra year was made several months ago.

“At the time we made the decision, it wasn’t as open as it is now,” he said. “We discussed it and decided we best stay where we are for one more year. We wanted to be safe and not put anybody in harm’s way. At the same time, we didn’t know if any of our organizations were going to be able to participate — how they might feel.

“We wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.”

Glasper said Memorial Day events, like the mayor’s proclamation recognizing Memorial Day, a speech recognizing the area’s war dead and a wreath-laying ceremony at the city’s rose garden will be pre-recorded and broadcast on Memorial Day through the city’s Channel 23 (VTV) and shared through the city’s Facebook page. The broadcast begins at 11 a.m.

The speaker for this year’s event is Charlie Tolliver of Vicksburg, a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and a Purple Heart Recipient. He is a retired teacher and administrator with the Vicksburg Warren School District.

He is a member of American Legion Post 213 where he serves as judge advocate; commander, Military Order of The Purple Heart; a member of the River City Rescue Mission Board of Directors and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, president of the Mississippi Valley State University National Alumni Association and president of the Vicksburg Warren Chapter of the MVSU National Alumni Association.

He attends Mount Calvary Baptist Church where he is a greeter and a trustee.

The annual Memorial Day observances are sponsored by American Legion posts 213 and 3, the Vicksburg-Warren County Memorial Day Committee and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Last year, the organizers canceled the Memorial Day events in May 2020 out of concern for the COVID-19 pandemic and all events were pre-recorded and broadcast over Facebook.