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.
Comments