Jackson, Mississippi

The Heartbeat of the South: Jackson, Mississippi -- The City with Soul

I plan on arriving to Jackson on Monday May 5th and spending the next to days there. On this day I will have finally reached my ultimate destination and explore Wright's hometown. My first stop will be at the Smith Robertson Junior High School, which is currently a museum and cultural center. This was the first school in Jackson for African American children and also school to Richard Wright. While attending school here, he was the valedictorian or his junior high class and while being a student here, in 1923, his first short story was published: "The Voodoo's Hill's of Half-Acre". This museum currently showcases the history and achievements of African-American Mississippians.

My next stop would be Civil Rights Activist Medgar Evers' home. This location is considered to be among the Top 10 places to visit in Jackson. He and his wife, Myrlie were very influential in their help to establish several local chapters of the NAACP along the Mississippi Delta. Mr. Evers worked as a full time state secretary in 1954 collecting date concerning civil rights violations. His is an inspiration because despite threats, he continued to dedicate his life and work towards insuring equal rights for all. It is currently owned by Tougaloo College, so I'll have to make sure to call in and make a reservation before visiting.  Although it is unfortunate that his life was cut short when he was shot in the driveway to his home in 1963, the museum is still very moving and a great piece of history. 

 After visiting these two great museums, I plan on heading to Chimneyville Smokehouse, since its one of my favorite style of dining. They are well known for their unique recipes of smoked meat and home-style veggies, which vary depending the season, since everything is grown locally. They also have Mississippi farm-raised southern-fried catfish, perfect since I want to keep my experience as local as possible. They have been operating out of an old train depot across from the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. So not only will the food be great, but there will also be an awesome view. 

I plan on staying at the Old Capitol Inn, whose motto is: "Where style meets the South." I will average about $99 per night if I stay in the Shuqualak II 24. This room has a corner balcony which overlooks the garden, perfect to wind down from the long days of exploring. Although it is a bit pricey, I think I will be able to afford it since I have been saving so much on the cost admission to the museums and exhibits. 

On my second day I will visit the State Capitol, I've only ever visited our State Capitol, so I thought it'd be an interesting stop. This building served as the state for about 70 years from 1832-1903 and later was converted to a State Historical Museum. It exhibits and traces the city's history, which I think could be very insightful, not to mention the beautiful architecture that went into building it. 

My next stop for the day would be the Farish Street Historical District. This historic neighborhood would allow me to wander and do some exploring of my own. This street was also home to Trumpet Records, that even though it was short lived, only survived five years, ist brief existence had a lasting impact on music history. Although it was time of extreme racial segregation in the US, a white woman was able to get together with a handful of some of the most talented Blues performers in Mississippi, to create a sound that still resonates til this day.  I would be able to see old homes and shops, many of which were built by former slaves. It is interesting that many of their descendants still live and work in the surrounding area, this would be the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation and learn about how things have changed and where they see their community going.

I plan on having dinner at Peaches on Farrish Street. Their specialty has been Soul food since their opening in 1961 and they continue to serve home cooking style of food. Even President Obama stopped by on his last presidential campaign. I will have to save room for their famous peach cobbler, which I'm sure will ensure for a good night's sleep.

So after this I will definitely be heading back to the Old Capitol Inn and resting for my 9 1/2 hour drive back to Austin tomorrow morning.