Sculptor Armand Saiia Named ArtsNatchez’s Artist of the Month for June

Reception set for Saturday, June 13, in downtown Natchez, Mississippi
 

Armand Saiia, ArtsNatchez’s Artist of the Month for June, displays photographs of his sculptures at the gallery. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Sculptor Armand Saiia says he’s been a “lone wolf” in the world of art, and it’s a status he holds with pride.

During the 1960s, when people were partying and many were protesting the Vietnam War, Saiia found peace in the arts. “My refuge was the museum, and I still exist in that space,” he says, adding that art springs from a sense of integrity.
 
“Art is the most honest thing a person can do,” he explains. “It’s like dancing naked in front of people -- all the time. I just feel that honesty is the best policy. We live in a time where things are not very honest.”
 
Saiia has been named ArtsNatchez Gallery’s Artist of the Month for June, and the public is invited to view his latest work at the gallery on Saturday, June 13, at 425 Main St. His reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
 
Saiia’s exhibition will include medium-sized and small sculptures, as well as paintings he has completed over the past eight months. He describes his paintings as a blend of realism and abstraction. Saiia signed the series "Fortunate Thomas," combining his given name, Fortunato, with the surname of his late friend Joan Thomas, who painted the backgrounds featured in the works.
 
“The work is collaborative. That’s one of the distinctive aspects of this show.”

Sculptor Armand Saiia, ArtsNatchez’s Artist of the Month for June, poses with his large sculpture “Subjugation” in front of the gallery. The mixed-media work features wood carved to resemble bone, forged metal, chains, and solar-powered lighting. (Click on image to enlarge.)

As with any good artist, each piece of Saiia’s work tells a story. For instance, one of his larger sculptures is designed with a log that resembles a large bone on one side and stacked metal and chains resembling anchors on the other. He calls it “Subjugation,” a work that reflects themes of suffering.

 
Discovering Art
 
Saiia, who is of Sicilian descent, grew up in Buffalo, New York. Although he has lived “all over the country,” he says, he absolutely loves his hometown. “I’m a proud Buffalonian,” he says.
 
It was in Buffalo that Saiia discovered his love for art.
 
Saiia attended McKinley High School in Buffalo, where he trained to become a commercial art director.
 
Saiia says he was not only a good student but also among the top students in his class. “I started doing sculpture out of a 2,000-pound log. As a kid, I used to make snow sculptures, igloos, and stuff. That was my calling. I fell in love with shapes, spaces, and forms.”

Sculptor Armand Saiia poses with his large bone-like sculpture “#2 Wing Section” at ArtsNatchez Gallery in downtown Natchez. (Click on image to enlarge)

While Saiia enjoys drawing and painting, he is first and foremost a sculptor. “I draw well, but up until eight months ago, I hadn’t painted since college.”

 
Saiia graduated from Buffalo State Teachers College, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture.
 
Saiia credits much of his artistic development to time spent at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. After winning a workshop scholarship around the age of 10, he became a familiar face at the museum and spent countless hours studying the works of abstract artists.
 
“The security guards got to know me. They let me hang out in the art museum unsupervised. From age of 10 until I went to college, I would hang out with the works of abstract artists.”
 
Discovering Natchez
 
Saiia moved to Natchez about two years ago after living in Baton Rouge.
 
“I was familiar with Natchez,” he says. “I love history, and Natchez is like the birthplace of everything in the South.”
 
Saiia found a home at a good price that provided adequate space for his studio and outdoor garden, where he grows fruits and vegetables. Canning vegetables is one of his favorite pastimes.
 
Saiia was particularly pleased to find that his home is only minutes from the Blues Highway. “Blues is my favorite thing,” he says. “It touches my soul and is very honest. I’m happy to be where I am, and I’m happy to be working. There’s so much to discover here.”
 
Saiia says he’s excited about the upcoming reception, where the public can see his creations. He views the show in part as an introduction of himself to the Natchez area.

Artist Armand Saiia with his paintings on display at ArtsNatchez Gallery. (Click on image to enlarge.)

A quick review of his collection shows multiple sculptures with chains, which he admits is a recurring element in his work because of what they represent.

Saiia also likes working with old, forged metal. One of his creations, titled "Jack the Humorist," incorporates the car jack from a Model T Ford mounted on a wheel hub and stone base. The piece also features a skull cast in plaster.
 
An overview of his work over the years may be summed up in the title of his popular series, “Steel, Stone and Bones.” As with the chains, he has used creative ways to sculpt wood into structures that look and feel like actual bones.
 
Saiia believes he has spent a lifetime creating art because it is what he was meant to do.
 
“I can’t do anything else,” he says. “I wanted to be a doctor but knew I’d never fit. I’d rather hold tight to my poetic license.”
 
The gallery is open daily at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-442-0043.

Armand Saiia displays a photograph of his sculpture “Jack the Humorist,” which incorporates a Model T Ford car jack, wheel hub, stone base, and a plaster skull.

Chicago, hands off Hound Dog Taylor!

Top of the Morning column published in The Natchez Democrat (Wednesday, May 3, 2026, page 4A) 

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Top of the Morning
 
Chicago, hands off Hound Dog Taylor! 
 
By Brandon McCranie

Attention citizens, government officials, and tourists alike: The City of Natchez has been robbed, and nobody’s even noticed.

All the way up in Chicago, they’re celebrating and honoring something they have no claim to. They stole a dog — a Hound Dog, to be more specific.

Now, I’m not talking about the kind of hound dog with long, floppy ears. No sir, this is a very special kind of hound dog. What makes him special? All sorts of things. But here’s the problem: Chicago is running around, acting all high and mighty like they have some kind of claim to this music legend. He’s even an inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame.

I guess I can’t blame them. But what really makes Hound Dog Taylor special to me — and I mean really, really special — is the fact that he was born right here in little old Natchez. That’s right, a Natchez Native Son.

Hound Dog Taylor was born here in 1915… or maybe 1917. It depends on who you ask. He was known for trying to throw folks off his trail. Imagine that. A hound dog trying to keep folks off HIS trail for a change. He even told interviewers he was born in Lounder, Mississippi. Y’all, there ain’t no such town, city, village, or borough in Mississippi.
 
There’s a whole lot of unknowns when it comes to Mr. Taylor, but here are a few facts, just so you understand a little bit about the man and the incredible life he lived. He earned the name Hound Dog because his friends said he was “always on the hunt!” On the hunt for what? Why, the ladies, of course! He was a notorious ladies' man.

In fact, that’s why he left us. It’s always a woman, ain’t it? The story goes that he was romantically involved with a white girl, the news of which was not well received by a group of fellas who scampered around in white sheets and pointy hats. One night, those fellas put on their silly-looking outfits and went to Hound Dog’s house. They even put a big wooden cross in his front yard. I don’t believe they were planning to have a Bible study, as they set that big cross on fire.
 
I guess Hound Dog didn’t feel much like company that night because he slipped out his back door, hid in a ditch all night, decided he was done with Mississippi for good, and joined the Great Migration north.
 
When he got to Chicago, he realized he’d left his piano all the way back down south. Instead of going back to get it, he got himself a cheap guitar and a blown-out Sears amplifier. He turned the volume ALL the way up and started banging on that thing with a tempo and rhythm as loud and as fast as the train that carried him up to his new home. The people there heard him and started tapping their feet and clapping their hands.

Before you knew it, just about everyone in Chicago was dancing to the music of Theodore Roosevelt Taylor…the Hound Dog. And that’s the truth.

Ain’t that something? Chicago may have made the legend, but Natchez made the man. I think Natchez, and Mississippi as a whole, owe the man a long-overdue, restorative, karmic debt.
Along with Dr. Roscoe Barnes III and Visit Natchez, I’m leading the effort to have a Mississippi Blues Trail marker erected here in Natchez in Hound Dog’s honor. It’s the very least we can do, the way I see it. He deserves to be recognized and remembered as another reason there’s no place like Natchez, and also as a reminder of our city’s unique and sometimes indefensible past.

I hope you enjoyed learning just a little bit about Hound Dog Taylor. There’s way too much to put in a newspaper article. So, I’m writing a book. Coming soon: Six Finger Blues: The Almost True Story of Hound Dog Taylor by Brandon McCranie.
 -------
BRANDON MCCRANIE is a Natchez resident.

Natchez, Vidalia observe Memorial Day with parade, new historical marker

by Mississippi Monitor | May 28, 2026 | Capital/River
By: Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez

Hundreds of participants marched across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge on Monday, May 25, 2026, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery for the annual Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. Photo by William Terrell/The Bluff City Post (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — Several hundred people crossed the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge under cloudy skies Monday, May 25, traveling from Vidalia, Louisiana, to Natchez National Cemetery in observance of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade. The parade, which began in the late 1800s, spans a four-mile route and is one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day traditions in the United States.

 
During a brief stop at the Natchez Visitor Center on the east side of the bridge, a historical marker commemorating the parade was unveiled across the street at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express.
 
Laura Ann Jackson, chair of the Natchez parade committee, said she was elated by the day’s ceremonies and deeply moved by the unveiling of the new marker, acquired through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
 
“We are proud to honor all of our brave men and women who have served — and continue to serve — in the U.S. military, and we are especially grateful to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” Jackson said. “With the unveiling of ‘The 30th of May Parade’ historical marker, we also recognize the citizens of Vidalia, Louisiana, and Natchez who have participated in this historic parade since the late 1800s.”
 

“The 30th of May Parade” historical marker was unveiled on May 25, 2026, at 639 S. Canal St. in Natchez, to commemorate the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day traditions in the United States. Photo by Roscoe Barnes III (Click on image to enlarge.)

The unveiling ceremony featured remarks from Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson; Vidalia Alderman Robert Gardner, who is working to secure a historical marker for Vidalia; Holiday Inn Express General Manager Annette Sharp, who authorized installation of the marker on the hotel’s property; and retired Army Lt. Col. Glenn R. Powers, speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony at the cemetery. Powers serves as deputy under secretary for Field Programs and Cemetery Operations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration.

 
Dr. Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez, welcomed attendees. He also recognized Jackson for her many years of leadership and James Theres, producer of “The 30th of May” film. Barnes said the idea for the marker originated with Theres.
 
Gibson praised the participants, noting they have faithfully marched in the parade for 160 years.
 
“Today, we honor all who have served our country, and we honor all who have given their lives,” he said. “It is fitting that today we reveal this great marker that, now and for many years to come, will tell the story of the Memorial Day Parade, and it will tell the story of our faithfulness as a community, black, white, yellow, red, and brown. It doesn’t matter.”
 
Over the many decades of its existence, the parade has grown in size and diversity, Gibson said.
 
“We are all Americans, and today we all bleed the same blood, we all pray to the same Father, and we all celebrate a freedom that has been won for us and earned for us, thanks to our veterans who have served,” Gibson said.
 
Gardner, whose mother, Sheila Trust Gardner, chairs the Vidalia parade committee, reminded the audience of the parade’s beginnings, saying, “The origin of the parade was to honor our colored servicemen, both alive and dead. The parade carries with it a heavy burden.”
 

Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express, authorized the installation of the “The 30th of May Parade” historical marker on the hotel’s property at 639 S. Canal St. in Natchez. The marker was unveiled on May 25, 2026. Photo by Roscoe Barnes III (Click on image to enlarge.)

Sharp, representing the Holiday Inn Express, also reflected on the meaning of Memorial Day. She said the hotel was honored to be part of the day’s ceremony.

 
“When Dr. Roscoe Barnes first contacted me about placing this marker here, I was so excited. He did not have to ask me twice,” she said.
 
Sharp highlighted the importance of the occasion: “Memorial Day is more than just the beginning of summer; it is a day of remembrance, reflection, and gratitude,” she said. “This marker stands not only as a record of the past, but as a promise to the future that the stories of courage, duty, and sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
 
Powers described the parade as a “fantastic tradition” for Memorial Day. “This ceremony here and the one at our Natchez National Cemetery are so important because of this longstanding tradition, which, when you think about it, is so unique and amazing. Congratulations on the marker!” he said.
 
At the cemetery, Charlotte Taylor, assistant director of the Mississippi National Cemetery Complex at Natchez, told the audience that Memorial Day is not simply a date on the calendar, but a solemn promise. “It is a promise that we will remember the fallen, not just in words, but in the way we live our lives -- with gratitude, with purpose, and with a commitment to the ideas they fought to protect,” Taylor said.
 
In his remarks as guest speaker, Powers commented on the nation’s 250th anniversary of its founding.
 
“A quarter millennium after the Declaration of Independence, we pause to reflect on the men and women who safeguarded its promises across generations,” he said. Although the American Revolution was a long struggle, “for over 250 years, American patriots have been there to protect our freedom and our way of life,” he added.
 

Powers said the fight for freedom never ends, adding, “If our nation is to survive for another 250 years, we will need the same caliber of brave service members who have laid everything on the line to keep our country strong.”

See more at this link: https://www.themississippimonitor.com/natchez-vidalia-observe-memorial-day-with-parade-new-historical-marker/

Historical marker commemorating the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade in Natchez, Miss.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III is pictured here with Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express. She authorized the installation of the marker on the hotel property at 639 S. Canal St. We unveiled the marker this morning in honor of the Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

The Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade: A Historic View of a Living Tradition

Photo courtesy of Historic Natchez Foundation (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade is one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day traditions in the United States, dating to the late 1800s. The parade, which has roots in the African American community, was previously known as “The 30th of May Parade,” reflecting its origins in early Decoration Day observances.

This historic postcard image offers a glimpse of the landscape that shaped the parade’s route. It gives an idea of where the participants marched from Vidalia, across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge, to the toll plaza in Natchez, where they stopped before continuing to the Natchez National Cemetery. The scene predates the construction of John R. Junkin Drive, which today carries both U.S. Route 84 and U.S. Route 425. The image also shows the toll plaza (at the bottom) at the site that is now the Natchez Visitor Center on Canal Street.

The parade’s beginning
 
Historian Cheryl Wilkinson noted the earliest days of the parade can be documented to at least 1884, though the tradition may be even older. “Newspaper accounts of the earliest events emphasize that it is the Black community holding the observance,” she said.
 
Before the bridge was built, members of the Parson Brownlow Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Post No. 23 and other participants began their journey in Old Town Vidalia, according to Wilkinson. “At some point after the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the post's headquarters was moved to its current location on Magnolia Street,” she said.
 
Participants crossed the Mississippi River by ferry to Silver Street, where they joined members of the General John A. Logan Post No. 24 of Natchez. Together, they marched to the Natchez National Cemetery, where a ceremony was held to honor the deceased military service members.
 
After the bridge was built in 1940, participants began their trek at the Vidalia GAR Post No. 23's headquarters on Magnolia Street and marched to the Louisiana side of the bridge, where they crossed over to Natchez. They met up with the Natchez GAR members at the toll plaza and proceeded to the cemetery.
 
The tradition now includes a stop at the Natchez Visitor Center at 640 S. Canal St. -- near the site of the historic toll plaza -- before proceeding to the cemetery. The full route spans about four miles.
 
This year’s parade
 
This year’s Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade is set for Monday, May 25, and will feature an unveiling ceremony for a Mississippi state historical marker commemorating the parade. Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson will serve as the Vidalia grand marshal, while Mayor Dan M. Gibson will serve as the Natchez grand marshal.
 
The unveiling ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express. It will be followed by an 11 a.m. ceremony at Natchez National Cemetery. The guest speaker will be Glenn R. Powers, deputy under secretary for Field Programs and Cemetery Operations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade returns May 25 with historic marker unveiling

Mayor Dan M. Gibson
(Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Ms. — This year’s Miss-Lou Memorial Day Parade, set for Monday, May 25, will include an unveiling ceremony for a Mississippi state historical marker commemorating the parade, according to Laura Jackson, chair of the Natchez parade committee, and Sheila Trust Gardner, chair of the Vidalia parade committee.

 
The parade, which has roots in the African American community, dates to the late 1800s and is one of the oldest Memorial Day traditions in the country. It was previously known as the “30th of May Parade.”

Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson
(Click on image to enlarge.)

Sgt. Anita R. Washington Jackson will serve as the Vidalia grand marshal, and Mayor Dan M. Gibson will serve as the Natchez grand marshal.
 
The unveiling ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. at 639 S. Canal St., in front of the Holiday Inn Express. The program will feature presentations by Roscoe Barnes III, cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez; Mayor Dan M. Gibson; Robert Gardner, Vidalia alderman for District 2; and Annette Sharp, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express.
 
The unveiling will be followed by an 11 a.m. ceremony at Natchez National Cemetery. The guest speaker will be Glenn R. Powers, deputy under secretary for Field Programs and Cemetery Operations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
 
Lineup for the parade will begin at 7:30 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church, located at 601 Magnolia St. in Vidalia. From there, the procession will travel to the foot of the Louisiana side of the bridge, cross into Natchez, and continue to the Natchez Visitor Center at 640 S. Canal St. Shuttle service will be available at the Visitor Center and the cemetery.
 
From the Visitor Center, participants will proceed north on Canal Street to Franklin Street, continue to Pearl Street, then travel from Pearl to Oak Street before proceeding to Maple Street and continuing north to Cemetery Road.

Dr. Artemus Gaye, descendant of Prince Ibrahima, tours site of historical marker honoring the prince

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Dr. Artemus W. Gaye of Liberia, a seventh-generation descendant of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori, visited the new Mississippi state historical marker honoring the prince on Silver Street on Friday, May 8, 2026. He was in Natchez for a special commemorative event.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Dr. Gaye is the author of "Dr. Isabella Rahman and the African Prince of Fouta Djallon" (Forte Publishing International, 2023).

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The group photo features Mayor Dan Gibson, center, Vel Robinson (on my left), and other descendants of the prince.