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| Monroe Sago is pictured with the historical marker that tells the story of the Rhythm Night Club Fire. Monroe and his wife, Betty Monroe, are the owners of the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum. |
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NATCHEZ, Miss. – The 84th commemoration of the Rhythm Night Club fire of April 23, 1940, will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Rhythm Night Club (on site) Memorial Museum at 5 St. Catherine Street, Natchez. It is free and open to the public.
Thelma Newsome, a retired educator and former member of the Natchez-Adams School District Board of Education, will be the guest speaker. A $500 (or more) scholarship will be presented to a student who has written a winning essay about the Rhythm Night Club fire. The program will include music, prizes, and refreshments.
For more information, call 601-597-0557 or send email to bettysago@rnconsitemm.org. Visit the official website at https://www.rnconsitemm.org/
James Wiggins will be interviewed this morning (4/16/24) by Desare Frazier of MPB's Morning Edition, which is aired Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Wiggins will talk about his new book, "Outliving the White Lie," and his April 23 lecture at the meeting of the Natchez Historical Society. I will post a link to the interview whenever it airs.
The meeting is free to the public and will be held at Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce St. It will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m. and the presentation at 6 p.m. Wiggins' book will be available for purchase at the meeting.
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| Historian James Wiggins |
NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Historian and retired educator James Wiggins will discuss his new book, "Outliving the White Lie: A Southerner's Historical, Genealogical and Personal Journey" (University Press of Mississippi, 2024), at the Tuesday, April 23 meeting of the Natchez Historical Society.
The meeting is free to the public and will be held at Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce St. It will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m. and the presentation at 6 p.m. Wiggins' book will be available for purchase at the meeting.
"I am very much looking forward to my talk at the Natchez Historical Society," said Wiggins. "I certainly want to promote the book, but more, this is a vitally important topic that cries out for more discussion and greater understanding. I hope we can advance those goals on April 23rd."
Wiggins said his talk will focus on the lies often told about slavery and race in the nation's history, from colonial times to the present.
Wiggins will discuss the "lies of commission, omission, and willful ignorance," while acknowledging his own "ancestors' participation in that process over time, as well as his own."
Wiggins is a retired instructor of History at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. He has published columns in The Natchez Democrat. Wiggins has spoken for the society in the past.
The April 23 program is funded in part by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information, visit natchezhistoricalsociety.org or call 601-492-3004. Emails may be sent to info@natchezhistoricalsociety.org
Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, right, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez, recently presented Oklahoma sculptor Bob Willis with the Award of Merit on behalf of the Mississippi Historical Society. Barnes, who is vice president of the society, said Willis was honored for the bust he sculpted of Hiram Rhodes Revels for Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church in September 2023.
NATCHEZ, Miss. — Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez, recently presented sculptor Bob Willis with the Award of Merit on behalf of the Mississippi Historical Society. Barnes, who is vice president of the society, said Willis was not able to attend the society’s annual meeting in February, where the award was formally announced.
“Willis’ work as a sculptor is simply amazing, and his talent is extraordinary,” said Barnes. “We could have mailed the award to him, but we thought it best to make a personal presentation. I was honored to make the presentation at the Visit Natchez office.”
Awards of Merit are presented annually by the society to individuals or organizations for their outstanding archival, museum, or media interpretation work. Willis was recognized for the bust of Hiram Rhodes Revels that he sculpted for Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church in September 2023.
Brother Rogers, the society’s secretary-treasurer, said Willis’ bust of Revels “is significant not just in Mississippi history, but in American history.”
Revels was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress. He also was an early pastor of Zion Chapel and the first president of what is today Alcorn State University.
Willis, who lives in Oklahoma, accepted the award with his wife, Lynn, by his side. He said he was “truly humbled” to receive it and that he was grateful to honor the legacy of Revels.
See more at this link:
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| A group of elders from Timbo in West Africa met with Princess Karen Chatman of Natchez during her visit to the country in 2022. They are all descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori. |
NATCHEZ, Miss. — Twenty West African elders, all descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori, are planning a return visit to Natchez in May, according to Princess Karen Chatman, who is coordinating the event.
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| Princess Karen Chatman, a descendant of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori, is pictured here with Elder Elijah Moody Berry in Timbo, Guinea, in West Africa, in December 2022. |
The elders are from Timbo, Guinea, in West Africa. They
are of the Official Royal House of Sori, said Chatman. They will be
in Natchez from Wednesday, May 8, to Saturday, May 11.
Their ancestor, Abdul Rahman (1762-1829), was an African
prince from Timbo, who was captured in 1788 at the age of 26 and shipped to the
United States where he was sold in Mississippi as a slave. He spent 40 years
toiling on the plantation of Thomas Foster before he gained his freedom in
1828.
Abdul Rahman returned to Africa in 1829, but he died of yellow fever in Monrovia, Liberia, before he reached his home in Futa Jallon (now Guinea). He was 67.
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| Portrait of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori by Henry Inman and engraved by Thomas Illman. Available through U.S. Library of Congress. |
Abdul Rahman’s story is told in Terry Alford’s book,
“Prince among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery in
the American South” (Oxford University Press). It is also dramatized in the
film, “Prince Among Slaves” (Unity Productions Foundation), which is based on
Alford’s book.
The Timbo elders visited Natchez for the first time in
May 2023. During their stay, they met with their local relatives, also
descendants of the prince, according to Chatman. On their next visit, they plan
to meet with local leaders, historians, and dignitaries for the purpose of
building and strengthening relationships, Chatman said.
“Now we’re looking for sustainable interaction,” she
said, noting they hope to meet with changemakers, representatives from the
Natchez Historical Society, Historic Natchez Foundation, African American
Museum of History and Culture and Visit Natchez, among other groups,
“We want to experience the places that Prince Sori
visited and review records related to his history and the people who knew him,”
she said.
The theme for the next visit is “Walking in the Footsteps
of a Prince.”
The elders of Timbo will hold a symposium on
Thursday, May 9, at the Natchez Convention Center. In addition to leading
discussions about the life history of Abdul Rahman, Chatman said she will debut
the film “From PRINCE TO SLAVE” that was a collaboration between the
elders of Timbo and the U.S. Embassy in Guinea. Its purpose is to share
historical information about the prince’s departure from Guinea and the latest
research on his life, Chatman said.
Additionally, Chatman said, the elders of Timbo are
hoping to work alongside the community and the mayors’ office to have a
road or street in Natchez “on the path to the Thomas Foster property” named in
Abdul Rahman’s honor. It was on Foster’s land where the prince spent 40 years
enslaved.
Chatman said her organization, The Natchez to Timbo
Connection, has opened a local office in Natchez to facilitate ongoing efforts
in the areas of research, culture, education, and cultivation of
relationships. The office is managed by Darrel White, the mayor-appointed
volunteer liaison, and Kerri Lewis, the organization’s director of
History and Culture.
The elders of Timbo envision having university students
from Timbo coming to Natchez and working with Alcorn State University and other
universities within the United States. “We’re interested in collaborations that
allow for shared experiences and the introduction of diverse cultures” Chatman
said.
Chatman, a native of Natchez, is a direct descendant
of Abdul Rahman and his wife, Isabella. She said her
great-great-grandmother was the couple’s daughter. In recent years, her work on
her ancestor has been supported by Mayor Dan Gibson and others in Natchez.
“Mayor Gibson is a catalyst for the sharing of culture,”
she said. “He’s an advocate for inclusion. He’s also a leader, an innovative
thinker, and a champion when it comes to democracy. He’s shown that every
single time I’ve spoken with him.”
Gibson will join the delegation when they travel to
Hartford, Conn., and Washington, D.C.
“I am honored to represent Natchez in these activities
that highlight this significant chapter in American History,” Gibson said. “The
story of Prince Rahman is like no other. His is a noble tale of tragedy
intertwined with both the best and worst of humanity. I am so grateful to see
his legacy being given the recognition so very much deserved.”
Elders’ Itinerary
May 8: Welcome Lunch Meeting for the delegation
hosted by Mayor Dan Gibson and the Natchez Board of Aldermen from 11 to 2 p.m.
at NAPAC museum.
May 9: A symposium with the theme “Walking in the
Footstep of a Prince” at the Natchez Convention Center with guest speakers from
the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, along with Trinity College and
Center Church of Hartford, Conn. The elders will also meet with Natchez leaders
and history organizations, including representatives of the Grand Village of
the Natchez Indians.
May 10: Tour of Natchez, including visits to
antebellum homes and other historic sites.
May 11: Meeting with local family members. Meeting
with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is also planned.
May 12: Travel to Hartford, Conn., the home of
Thomas Gallaudet (1787-1851), developer of American Sign Language, who assisted
Abdul Rahman in raising money for his return home. The elders will also visit
Trinity College.
May 16: Travel to Washington, D.C., where Abdul
Rahman briefly stayed and gained the support of President John Quincy Adams.
May 21: They leave the United States and return to
Africa on Tuesday, May 21.
See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2024/04/11/african-descendants-of-prince-ibrahima-returning-to-natchez/
Thelma Newsome is the guest speaker for the April 27 ceremony commemorating the Rhythm Night Club Fire of 1940.
NATCHEZ, Miss. – Thelma Newsome, a retired educator and former member of the Natchez-Adams School District Board of Education, will be the guest speaker for the 84th commemoration of the Rhythm Night Club fire of April 23, 1940.
This year’s event will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Rhythm Night Club (on site) Memorial Museum at #5 St. Catherine Street, Natchez. It is free and open to the public.
Monroe and Betty Sago, the museum’s owners, have been holding the annual ceremony for the past 16 years. The theme this year is “Your Journey, Your Success.”
According to Betty Sago, the commemorative event honors
the 209-plus victims that died in the club fire in 1940, as well those who
survived that “went on with their lives and made a life for themselves, even
though they carried a burden for a number of years.”
The victims of the fire included Walter Barnes and
members of his band. Woodrick McGuire, band director of Brumfield School, also
died in the fire.
In addition to Newsome and the Sagos, this year’s program will feature soloists Janice Bernard Sago and Tonie Hunt, who will join others in providing music. Roscoe Barnes III will serve as master of ceremonies.
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| Monroe Sago is pictured with the historical marker that tells the story of the Rhythm Night Club Fire. |
Monroe Sago said they are delighted to have Newsome as
the guest speaker. Newsome is one of the managers of the Dr. John Bowman Banks
Museum and the project director for the recently published booklet, “St.
Catherine Street, Natchez, MS: Yesteryear through Today.”
During the ceremony, a $500 scholarship will be presented
to a student who crafted a winning essay on the museum.
“We present a scholarship every year,” said Monroe Sago.
“Last year the scholarship was matched by a donation of $500 from Magnolia
Bluff Casino and Hotel. So we awarded the student a $1,000 scholarship.”
Last year’s winner was Charnecia Green, a student of
Natchez Early College at Co-Lin, who plans to attend Alcorn State University
School of Nursing in Natchez.
The ceremony will open with the siren blast of a fire
engine from the Natchez Fire Department. As in previous years, door prizes will
be given away, and refreshments will be provided.
At the end of the program, visitors are encouraged to
tour the museum, which has acquired several new items in its collection. Those
items include an Acrosonic piano, telephone, a Coca-Cola sign, a vintage tin
Coca-Cola lunch box that advertises a six bottle carton for 25 cents, and a
“Rhythm Nite Club” sign.
For more information, call 601-597-0557 or send email
to bettysago@rnconsitemm.org.