Monday, April 29, 2024

Smokye Joe Frank’s story published by his alma mater

 
(Click on image to enlarge.)

Retired Archeologist Smokye Joe Frank is featured in the Spring 2024 issue of Alumni Column, the official magazine of Northwestern State University. You can view the magazine here or by following this link: https://northwesternstatealumni.com/columns/

Natchez’s James Wiggins featured on MPB radio

 


Historian James Wiggins recently discussed his new book, “Outliving the White Lie,” on MPB’s Mississippi Edition. He was interviewed by the host, Desare Frazier.
 
The interview begins at 14:36. Visit here or follow this link:
 
https://shows.acast.com/5d892b22719a100a4a0192bd/662a65e2437bd700120c0f61


Sunday, April 21, 2024

84th commemoration of Rhythm Night Club fire slated for Saturday, April 27


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.

————-

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/


Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Wiggins to share his story on MPB Radio

 

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. 


Saturday, April 13, 2024

Historian James Wiggins will discuss his new book at April 23 meeting of Natchez Historical Society

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


Sculptor Bob Willis receives Award of Merit for bust of Hiram Rhodes Revels

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Apr 12, 2024 | 10:33 PM

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:

https://listenupyall.com/2024/04/12/sculptor-bob-willis-receives-award-of-merit-for-bust-of-hiram-rhodes-revels

Friday, April 12, 2024

African descendants of Prince Ibrahima returning to Natchez

By Roscoe Barnes III, Visit Natchez
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
(Apr 11, 2024 | 8:20 AM)


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.

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 1848.

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.

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/


Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Thelma Newsome to speak at 84th commemoration of Rhythm Night Club Fire

By Roscoe Barnes III, Visit Natchez
Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
(Apr 8, 2024 | 9:34 PM)

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.

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.

See more here: https://listenupyall.com/2024/04/08/thelma-newsome-to-speak-at-84th-commemoration-of-rhythm-night-club-fire/


Smokye Joe Frank’s story published by his alma mater

  (Click on image to enlarge.) Retired Archeologist Smokye Joe Frank is featured in the Spring 2024 issue of Alumni Column, the official mag...