Mental health focus highlights Rhythm Night Club Fire commemoration

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

Addison Kimberly Johnson (center), the 2026 recipient of the $1,000 scholarship from the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum, holds her certificate following the presentation on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Pictured with her are her parents, Kim Johnson (left) and Amy Johnson (second from left), and museum co-owners Betty Sago and Monroe Sago. (Photo by Roscoe Barnes III) Click on image to enlarge.

Natchez residents and visitors gathered Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum for a ceremony focused on remembrance and mental health.

The event marked the museum’s 19th annual commemoration to honor the victims and survivors of the tragic fire that occurred at the 5 St. Catherine St. site on April 23, 1940. A total of 209 people died in the blaze, including bandleader Walter Barnes and many members of his orchestra.

This year’s theme was “Mental Health: Where the Rubber Meets the Road.” About 50 people turned out for the event.

“There are many things within our community that need to be addressed,” said Betty Sago, who co-owns the museum with her husband, Monroe Sago. “We are here not only to reflect on the Rhythm Club fire of 1940, but to bring a message so we can move forward in life. One reason I chose the theme is because the entire Natchez community was affected by this catastrophe.”

A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the annual scholarship to a high school student who wrote a winning essay about the museum and the historic fire. This year’s recipient was Addison Kimberly Johnson, a senior at Cathedral High School, who was awarded $1,000. Johnson is the daughter of Kim and Amy Johnson, both of whom were present for the award presentation.

Diana Addison Hunter was the guest speaker at the Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum’s 19th annual commemoration held Saturday at 5 St. Catherine St. (Photo by Roscoe Barnes III) Click on image to enlarge.

Diana Addison Hunter, human resources supervisor at the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield, served as the guest speaker. She discussed how issues like depression, chronic fatigue, and insomnia can sometimes be linked to mental illness.

“Good mental health is important for daily functioning, and it allows for better productivity and emotional resilience in healthy relationships,” she said. “There is no shame in seeking mental healthcare, such as therapy, or even having a conversation with a loved one about how you’re feeling. That shows a sign of strength, and it’s essential for treating conditions early.”

Hunter encouraged people not to worry about the stigma sometimes attached to mental illness, but instead to seek help early if they are struggling.

Mayor Dan Gibson delivered the invocation and later shared special remarks, expressing concern for young people and calling for better stewardship of mental health resources.

“In moving forward, we need to be better stewards of our gifts to reach out and be a help to others,” he said. “We also need to be better stewards of the young people who have been entrusted to our care.”

Gibson said that while there has been an increase in mental illness, there has also been a decrease in public funding for mental healthcare.

“That doesn’t make sense to me,” he said. “Are we really better off spending millions of dollars in this country every year incarcerating individuals and yet we lead the world in the money we spend on incarceration? Would it not be better to spend that money on mental health? So many of our problems stem from mental illness.”

Gibson concluded by urging action. “It’s time to get real, Mississippi. It’s time to get real all across this country, and it’s time to do that which is right,” he said.

Other participants in Saturday’s program included Stephanie Sago Vivians, who served as mistress of ceremonies, and LaKeria Kaho, the first recipient of the annual scholarship, who presented the welcome.

Dr. Roscoe Barnes III shared remarks about his work as the cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez. Lawrence Winston and Barbara Evans performed special selections. Wilbert Whitley and Muriel S. Vivians presented the door prizes, and refreshments were provided by Linda Birdsong, Martha Gooden, Linda Williams, and Kathy Hayes.

See more at this link: https://www.themississippimonitor.com/mental-health-focus-highlights-rhythm-night-club-fire-commemoration/

Still excited to share our new free Prince Ibrahima self-guided tour brochure!

Photo by Ben Hillyer (Click on image to enlarge.)

Follow the incredible journey of the African prince who spent 40 years enslaved near Natchez before gaining his freedom! This pocket-sized publication features his story and a handy map of the key sites tied to his history in Natchez and Adams County.

Perfect for locals and visitors who want to experience this important piece of Natchez history firsthand.

Free printed copies are now available at the Visit Natchez at The Depot Visitor Center, 200 N. Broadway St. and other locations (see article).

You can also download it directly from our website and take the tour at your own pace! Pick up your copy today!

See full article here:

https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/visit-natchez-releases-new-self-guided-tour-brochure-on-prince-ibrahima-8b093bc2

 

News Report: Ser Boxley featured in the Mississippi Encyclopedia

by Mississippi Monitor | Apr 24, 2026 | Capital/River
By: Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., Visit Natchez

Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C.M. Boxley
Photo courtesy of Kathleen Bond
(Click on image to enlarge.)

The Mississippi Encyclopedia now features a biographical entry on Ser Seshsh Ab Heter‑C. M. Boxley. The entry is a chronological and thematic overview of his life, highlighting his significant contributions to Natchez and Mississippi history as an activist, author, preservationist, and public historian.

The Mississippi Encyclopedia is published by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi and has been funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Dr. Stuart Rockoff, executive director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, said he was pleased to see Boxley featured in the publication.

“It is fitting for Ser Boxley to become part of the Mississippi Encyclopedia,” he said. “His commitment to preserving the story of the enslaved in Natchez and at Forks of the Road has blazed a trail in how we can tell a more honest and accurate story of our past.”

James G. Thomas, Jr., associate director for publications at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, said he and his team were all happy to feature Ser Boxley in the Mississippi Encyclopedia.

The biographical entry focuses on Ser Boxley’s early life and family background, as well as his education and civil rights activism, which includes his role with the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice. It also covers his trips to Africa and the adoption of his African name.

Additionally, the entry features his major achievements as a historian and cultural preservationist. Those achievements include his decades-long work on the Forks of the Road slave market, which is now part of the National Park Service, and his creation of living history programs.

It also underscores his contributions as an author and the donation of his life’s work to the Mississippi Department of Archives and history.

The idea for the entry originated with Michael Morris, director of the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. It can be viewed at: https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/boxley-ser-seshsh-ab-heter-c-m/

Ser Boxley featured in the Mississippi Encyclopedia

(Click on image to enlarge.)

New publication! 

I’m happy to announce my latest entry for the Mississippi Encyclopedia: a profile of the remarkable Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley.

Many thanks to him and to Michael Morris for their invaluable assistance.

Here's an excerpt:

Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley (b. 1939) 

Historian, cultural preservationist, and civil rights activist

Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley, widely known as Ser Boxley, has spent decades fighting for justice, human rights, and the equitable representation of African American history in Natchez. Since 1963, he has successfully advocated for institutional change, often by challenging one-sided historical narratives, particularly within Natchez tourism. His impact is reflected in the historical markers, interpretive programs, National Park Service recognition, and publications that document and interpret African American history in Natchez.

Read more here: https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/boxley-ser-seshsh-ab-heter-c-m/

Mental health theme set for 86th commemoration of Rhythm Night Club Fire

Diana Hunter to serve as guest speaker for the April 25 event

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Apr 14, 2026 | 3:25 PM

Monroe Sago, co-owner with his wife Betty of the Rhythm Night Club (On Site) Memorial Museum, stands at the historical marker in front of the museum. Photo by Roscoe Barnes III (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. – Diana Addison Hunter, longtime employee of the Mississippi State Hospital, will serve as guest speaker at the 86th commemoration of the Rhythm Night Club Fire, which occurred on April 23, 1940. The annual ceremony will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Rhythm Night Club (On Site) Memorial Museum at 5 St. Catherine Street.

The event is free and open to the public. This year’s theme is “Mental Health: Where the Rubber Meets the Road.”

Betty Sago, co-owner of the museum with her husband, Monroe, said mental health is a topic she has wanted to address for many years, in part, because of conversations with the survivors.
 
“So many of the people we’ve talked to over the years, especially the survivors, said they can’t get the fire out of their mind,” she said. “They’ve struggled with the loss of their friends and family members. So many people were affected by this tragedy. We thought it was time to finally talk about these issues in mental health.”
 
Betty Sago said Hunter is the ideal speaker for the occasion because of her professional experience in the mental health field.
 
Hunter, a resident of Jackson, is a human resources supervisor at the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield. She is a graduate of West Point High School and Jackson State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
 
In addition to completing coursework for human resources certification, she is a Certified Public Manager. She has been employed at the hospital since 1993.
 
“This is an opportunity to share and educate people and let them know they have options and a lot of different avenues through which they can maintain mental health. A lot of us focus on our physical health, but mental health is just as important.”
 
Hunter said the theme is fitting. “If our mental health is not in tune or intact, we’re not able to hit the ground running,” she said.
 
Hunter also expressed appreciation for the Sagos and their work. She said the Sagos “are amazing people,” and for her, it has been “a grand opportunity to know them and see the work they’re doing with the museum.”
 
The Sagos have hosted the commemoration each year since 2010 to honor the more than 200 victims who died in the club’s 1940 fire. They also recognize the survivors and their families. Additionally, they award scholarships ranging from $500 to $1000 to local high school students who write a winning essay about the museum and the story of the fire.
 
The 2025 recipient was Octavius Saul Jr, who was a senior at Natchez High School. He was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Betty Sago said he planned to attend Southern University in Baton Rouge.
 
Participants in this year’s ceremony will include Stephanie S. Vivian of Terry, who will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Soloists Lawrence Winston of McComb and Barbara Evans of Natchez will perform special selections. Dr. Roscoe Barnes III will share remarks about his work as the cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez.
 
As a community event, the ceremony is supported by the Natchez Fire Department, which will open the event with a siren blast of a fire engine. Near the conclusion of the program, organizers will distribute door prizes, and refreshments will be served afterward.
 
The Sagos also invite attendees to tour the museum and view recently acquired items in its collection.
 
For more information, call 601-597-0557 or send email to bettysago@rnconsitemm.org.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2026/04/14/mental-health-theme-set-for-86th-commemoration-of-rhythm-night-club-fire/

 

Visit Natchez releases new self-guided tour brochure on Prince Ibrahima

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Apr 10, 2026 | 1:24 PM

The newly released “Prince Ibrahima: A Profile and Self-Guided Tour” brochure was produced by Visit Natchez with a mini-grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council. (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — A new brochure telling the story of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima (1762-1829) — and mapping key sites tied to his life in Natchez and Adams County — is now available free to the public.

The publication, titled “Prince Ibrahima: A Profile and Self-Guided Tour,” was produced by Visit Natchez and funded by a $2,111 mini-grant awarded in 2024 by the Mississippi Humanities Council.

“The Mississippi Humanities Council is pleased to support this project that highlights one of Mississippi’s most remarkable stories,” said Dr. Stuart Rockoff, director of the Mississippi Humanities Council. “This brochure is part of Natchez’s ongoing effort to uplift its full history and challenge simplistic or incomplete accounts of its past.”

The pocket-sized tour guide features a biographical profile of Ibrahima, along with a list of key sites tied to his life in Natchez and Adams County, including places he visited and related gravesites. A map and photographs of the selected sites are included.

The brochure was designed by Dustin Hinkle of Open Market Design Company and printed by Catherine Murray of Murray Printing.

Lynsey Gilbert, interim director of Visit Natchez, said she and her staff are excited about the publication, as are many others in the community.

“This is a beautifully designed publication that meets a real need in our community,” she said. “It tells an important story. At the same time, it is practical in that it allows readers to literally visit the places frequented by Prince Ibrahima. We invite everyone to pick up a copy and start engaging with this vital piece of Natchez’s history.”

Gilbert noted that the prince’s story is published as a convenient, easy-to-use resource for self-guided tours. It is available in print and online at the Visit Natchez website.

Bobby Dennis, director of the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, said the prince’s legacy remains an essential part of Natchez’s history. Among other things, he said, “The story of the prince’s life in Natchez shows the amount of knowledge and skills a man had before his enslavement.”

Mayor Dan M. Gibson welcomed the brochure, saying it aligns with the city’s broader efforts to share its complete history.

“The story of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima is one of the most remarkable stories in all of Natchez history,” he said. “This new brochure not only honors his legacy but also invites residents and visitors to learn more about Natchez as we continue to tell all of our stories.”

Ibrahima, who was Muslim, was a highly educated Fulani prince and military leader, from Timbo, in the Futa Jallon region of present-day Guinea, West Africa. He was captured in 1788 and sold to slave traders. He spent 40 years enslaved on Thomas Foster’s plantation near Natchez before gaining his freedom in 1828 with the help of Andrew Marschalk, known as the “Father of Mississippi Journalism,” and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Clay during the administration of President John Quincy Adams.

Copies of “Prince Ibrahima: A Profile and Self-Guided Tour” are available at the following locations:

* NAPAC Museum, 301 Main St.

* Visit Natchez at The Depot Visitor Center, 200 N. Broadway St.

* Visit Natchez, 500 Main St., Suite 1

* Historic Natchez Foundation, 108 S. Commerce St.

* Natchez City Hall, 124 S. Pearl St.

* Natchez City Sightseeing Tours (in the lobby of The Natchez Grand Hotel), 111 N. Broadway St.

The Prince Ibrahima brochure may also be downloaded at https://visitnatchez.org/wp-content/uploads/website-11×17-Ibrahima-Brochure-2026-FINAL.pdf

For more information, call Roscoe Barnes III at Visit Natchez at 601-492-3004.

Natchez unveils second Prince Ibrahima marker on Silver Street

By Roscoe Barnes III
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Apr 10, 2026 | 7:24 AM

Direct descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima join ceremony participants, Mayor Dan Gibson and Alderwoman Valencia Hall at the new historical marker on Silver Street. The marker was dedicated Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Photo by Michael Wilson (Click on image to enlarge.)

NATCHEZ, Miss. — The City of Natchez unveiled a historical marker honoring Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima (1762–1829) on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, on Silver Street. The marker stands near the site where he arrived as an enslaved man in 1788 and later departed Natchez as a free man with his wife, Isabella, on April 8, 1828.

“This marker ties into the larger story of Natchez, a river city that embraces its full history, even the shameful periods, for the purpose of enlightening its residents, visitors, and tens of thousands of tourists annually,” said Shelia Byrd, guest speaker for the ceremony. “This marker is a reminder to all that a rich history is undoubtedly complicated, complex and uncomfortable.”

Byrd is a former Associated Press reporter who now serves as deputy director of Programs and Communication Division at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. “Nearly 200 years after he sailed from a dock here, we’re gathered to unveil a lasting marker so that, perhaps, in another 100 years, future generations will know the story of Prince Ibrahima, his escape from slavery, and of Natchez Under the Hill,” she said.

Ibrahima was a Muslim prince from Timbo in the Futa Jallon region of present-day Guinea, West Africa. He was captured in battle in 1788 and sold to slave traders. He endured 40 years of enslavement on Thomas Foster’s plantation near Natchez, before gaining his freedom.

Byrd discussed his history through the lens of family and legacy and how it fits into the broader story of Natchez and the United States.

“Prince Ibrahima’s story is unique, but in many ways ubiquitous,” she said. “Though he was an educated man, who was multilingual, he was stripped of any material regality in Natchez, where he was made a laborer. He was among the tens of thousands enslaved in Mississippi at that time.”

Despite his subjugation, Byrd said, “Prince Ibrahima was a husband and a father, who provided stability for his family – as much as possible under the circumstances. When we think about slavery and its many destructive elements, we must remember the extreme toll exacted on Black families.”

In opening remarks, Mayor Dan Gibson said it is good to live in a city like Natchez “where we are not afraid to tell our whole story.” He said there was a time when the whole story was not told here and that even today it is not told in many places across the United States.

“But here in Natchez, we know that this is a story that must be told, because it is a story about a people, and about today, a particular individual who absolutely helped build Natchez,” he said.

Gibson suggested Ibrahima is someone to admire for many reasons. He noted his “brilliant upbringing,” his royalty and education, including his multilingual abilities and leadership.

“The story is the story,” he said. “I’m not here to repeat that story. My job is to say we are telling that story. Not just today but every day, and it’s not just the story of one prince, it’s the story of an entire people.”

Gibson said there is good and bad in Natchez’s history, “but it is our history.” He added:

“It is unconscionable to stand right here on this beautiful river in this oldest city on the mightiest bluff on the mightiest river and to ignore those and their ancestors who came before us and built this city. In fact, it is unconscionable that we would ever fail to recognize those across our country whose ancestors built so much of this country and on whose backs much of this country was established.”

The program included remarks by David Dreyer, local historian and genealogist. He said, “This marker acknowledges the 40-year impact of slavery on one man’s life and family over 200 years ago, but the story remains to be told about the complexities of his family’s attempt to recover from the American experience of slavery and to rectify its injustice and inhumanity.”

Other participants in the day’s program included Vickie R. Green, Mistress of Ceremonies; Rev. Dr. Joan Gandy, who presented the Invocation; Tony Fields, who sang special selections; and Rev. Clifton Marvel Sr., who provided the Benediction.

Ainsley Dupre, student at Adams County Christian School, and Halle Stamps, student at Cathedral High School, both members of the Mayor’s Youth Council, read excerpts from Dr. Terry Alford’s book, “Prince Among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery in the American South” (Oxford University Press, 1977).

The Silver Street marker is the second one erected in the Natchez-Adams County area honoring the prince. The first, funded by the Natchez Historical Society, was unveiled in October 2025 on Highway 61 North near Historic Jefferson College and focuses on Ibrahima’s 1807 meeting with Dr. John Coates Cox. The new riverfront marker highlights his West African roots and the site of his departure to freedom.

See more here: https://listenupyall.com/2026/04/10/natchez-unveils-second-prince-ibrahima-marker-on-silver-street/