Official of Miss. Humanities Council visits Natchez in support of three local museums

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African American Museum

John Spann, left, the program and outreach officer for the Mississippi Humanities Council, is pictured here with Bobby Dennis, executive director of the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture.

NATCHEZ, Miss. – An official of the Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC) recently came to Natchez to offer support for three of its local museums.

John Spann, the program and outreach officer for MHC, spent Tuesday, Aug. 24, meeting with representatives of The Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, The Dr. John Banks House and the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture. He was joined by Roscoe Barnes III, the cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez.

While touring the museums, Spann praised the museum staff for the work they’ve done and assured them that MHC is ready to “partner with them” for the long term. He asked each of them about their specific needs and their goals for telling their story. He also spoke with them about funding through various grant programs.

“This past trip to Natchez was the first of many for the humanities council,” said Spann. “We hope to work with more museums and historical sites that uplift stories essential to Natchez and Mississippi in the future.”

Monroe and Betty Sago, who own and operate the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, said they were very pleased with Spann’s visit.

“He was right on time with what he was saying,” said Monroe. “This was the first time that someone from the state came to the museum and offered to help us. He was very positive and very clear about the things we can do to grow and to receive funding and other support for various projects.”

Spann said he was impressed by the museums and what they have to offer. “The evidence of resilience, affluence, and freedom within the African American Community of Natchez is shown within the museums and historic sites I visited during my trip,” he said. “I was happy to know that these stories are being preserved and uplifted by local people and the humanities council desires to help them continue doing that in various ways.”

Rhythm Night Club

John Spann, right, program and outreach officer for the Mississippi Humanities Council, is pictured here with Monroe and Betty Sago, owners of The Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum.

According to Bobby Dennis, the executive director of the African American museum, his meeting with Spann was enlightening, as well as encouraging. “It gave us the opportunity to allow one of our partners to visualize the direction of where our museum is going,” he said.
Spann’s contributions will undoubtedly help the museum succeed in giving “a more complete history of the African Americans in Natchez,” Dennis said.

When Spann visited the Dr. John Banks House, he met with three of the museum’s staff members: Dora C. Hawkins, Jacqulyn B. Williams and Thelma Newsome.

“It was our pleasure to welcome Mr. John Spann and Dr. Roscoe Barnes when they visited the museum,” said Hawkins. “It was apparent that tremendous research had been done by both parties, and they were able to bring very valuable information and resources about the museum to which we were not aware.”

The museum staff asked questions of Spann, which he gladly answered. They said they were delighted to receive the tips he gave about attracting tourists and improving their exhibits. They also appreciated his talk about grants. Hawkins noted the meeting was especially timely, as “we are preparing to introduce the world to this well-researched history.”

Spann looked back on his visit to Natchez as time well spent. He noted the city’s rich cultural heritage and suggested this town on the river is bursting with potential.

“Having successful and meaningful outreach trips, like what I experienced in Natchez, is why I love my position,” he explained. “The relationships established by the humanities council will be built on trust and understanding that hopefully encourage local museums across the state to continue telling their stories.”   

According to MHC Executive Director Stuart Rockoff, the council has been serving Mississippi for 49 years. “We take pride in working with museums and humanities organizations across Mississippi to help them preserve and share our state’s vital stories,” he said.

Dr. John Banks House

John Spann, program and outreach officer for the Mississippi Humanities Council, recently visited Natchez to offer support for three of its local museums. He is pictured here with staff members of The Dr. John Banks House. From left: Dora C. Hawkins, Thelma Newsome and Jacqulyn B. Willliams.

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Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Manager at Visit Natchez.