April 23, 2004
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64 YEARS AGO TODAY
Apr 23 1940
198 are killed when the Rhythm Night Club burns down in Natchez, Mississippi.
The dance hall was located in a corrogated iron building that kept flames inside while the negroes tried vainly to escape through the front entrance - the only exit to the dance hall.
The dance hall was decorated with hanging moss. This caught fire at the front of the building and quickly enveloped the entire hall. The negroes made a mad dash for the front, those who were weak went down under the thundering feet of others.
As the front exit to the building was blocked the negroes turned and thundered to the back only to be met with the corrogated iron side of the building. They piled upon each other and there they died, some due to the flames and others due to suffocation.
The unearthly cry of those who were burning to death could be heard for blocks even before the fire alarm had been sounded.
http://www.natchezsites.com/history/rhythmclub.html
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