NATCHEZ — The curators of the Rhythm Night Club museum said while a terrible tragedy occurred 76 years ago, the community ignored race to come together and support one another.

When a fire broke out at the St. Catherine Street club on April 23, 1940, 209 people died. The museum was founded in 2010 to commemorate the fire.

People gathered Saturday at the museum to remember the tragic fire.

Speakers told of how Natchez — despite being heavily segregated at the time — came together after the fire.

White doctors treated black patients and white morticians helped with funerals of black victims, something that was a bit taboo at the time.

When the club caught fire, so many people died or were hurt, that it overwhelmed the city’s resources.

Monroe and Betty Sago, curators of museum and organizers of the annual event, decided the theme would be Blest Be the Tie That Binds.

The crowd of more than 50 sang the song of the same name.

The couple had their son, Byron Sago, give the keynote. “Brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers and sons and daughters all died,” he said. “The future was also there, future doctors, future lawyers, future athletes, future politicians and future musicians were all there.

“So why did it happen?”

Byron said it happened because God has a purpose for everything.

“That purpose goes beyond what we can and will ever know,” he said. “It made no sense at the time, and for many, it makes no sense now.”

Byron said many people find it difficult to comprehend why so many young people died, but it made perfect sense to God.

“Change was made not just in Natchez, but around the globe,” he said. “The fire brought a paid fire department to Natchez and other areas. Capacity rules were put into place for buildings. Rules on how doors open and closed changed.”

Byron said it led to the number of entrances and exits buildings must have, and it added proper marking of exits rules. Fire extinguishers and sprinklers also became more commonplace.

The fire not only changed building codes, but it also brought together people from all walks of life, Byron said.

“Even though it was not the best of situations and it cut deep in people’s hearts, people came together to love on one another,” he said. “If you take away anything today, I want it to be for the great purpose that people come together.”

Pat Washington of Natchez said she comes to the event every year, which started in 2008. If she had been young back in the 1940s, Washington said she would have likely been at the club because she liked to party in her youth.

“I think this is a great event — the Sagos do a wonderful job with it,” she said. “It is good what they do to uplift our spirits about this tragedy.”