Screening: Roots to Rockets - Fri, May 8, 2026 at 7PM
Bay Saint Louis, MS – The 100 Men Hall will screen Roots to Rockets, a documentary that honors the communities displaced during the creation of the Stennis Space Center. Residents who were directly displaced by the creation of the Space Center, are encouraged to attend. The event is free and please RSVP. Food for purchase by Big Bertha and a cash/credit bar.
The gathering is a tribute to the residents of Pearlington, Gainesville, Napoleon, Santa Rosa, Logtown, and Westonia, who were all relocated in the early 1960s when the U.S. government acquired 125,000 acres of land where these communities stood to build NASA’s main rocket testing facility.
Brehm Bell, who grew up in Pearlington, has long been moved by the stories of these displaced families and is dedicated to preserving their remarkable experiences. “As I get older, I realize how important it is to capture and honor the stories of those who sacrificed so much for our nation’s space exploration efforts,” Bell stated. (BSL Shoofly Magazine)
The “Roots to Rockets” reunion aims to provide a platform for the older generation of displaced residents to reconnect, reminisce, and share their experiences. Attendees are encouraged to bring and display personal memorabilia, contributing to a collective archive of their heritage.
Food for purchase by Big Bertha’s Kitchen and Catering. Her specialty is soul food, which is why flavor is her main ingredient. Bertha does a pop up outside the Hall on Fridays serving up the best catfish in this region as well as other plate lunches, in addition Bertha's catering services Coast Episcopal School as well as other private and public catering.
The historical 100 Men Hall, a famed stop on the Chitlin' Circuit, a Must See Venue by Rolling Stone Magazine, winner of the 2024 MS Governor’s Award for Excellence for Arts in the Community, a rare site on the MS Blues Trail, is maintained and preserved under a 501c3 nonprofit organization (Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association, est. 1894). The Hall is supported by its membership organization 100 WOMEN DBA, as well as from the generosity of sponsors and donors. The 100 Men Hall is the only endowed African American landmark in Mississippi. Additional information about the venue’s history and other activities can be found on https://100menhall.com or by emailing 100menhall@gmail.com.