As I read Janna Hoops’ very fine interview with William Ferris about his book and work, located on the “Mississippi Books” page in the Sunday Clarion Ledger, I became moved to write about our Jackson newspaper.

I’m not sure how many cities, especially in the South, have a weekly “Real Book” section in their local newspaper. Few, I suspect. However, our city and statewide newspaper makes such a statement showing care and concern for Mississippi’s literary presence and heritage.

Over the last 1 1⁄2 years, under the guidance of Steve Yates, of the University Press of Mississippi, and Annie Oeth of the Ledger, a legitimate Bookpage has grown. Mississippi Bookstores report weekly sales of our state’s top reads. Book signings happening all over the state are also listed. Jana’s interviews are thoughtful, with a variety of questions that are precise and revealing. Lisa Newman’s short, concise and interesting column features the unusual aspects of Mississippi writing, publishing and book collecting. It’s a rare weekly treat and I suggest her work is unique for any community newspaper in the USA.

How lucky we are to have this well-earned page by the folks mentioned above. For over 30 years, I’ve requested in every way for the Clarion Ledger to support our writers. With this statewide page we have the opportunity to feature not just our locals but all the fine authors that visit our state. Oddly, in my opinion, with the “Mississippi Books” page, Gannett has made our paper more local than it has ever been before.

What’s next for the “Mississippi Reads”? I hope interest and support grows. Mayhap more type and space can be added for our literary happenings. Can we hope for 2 full pages and photography?

My dream paper: Has a Sunday section each week featuring “Books and Blues”. A combined effort to support, encourage and advertise Mississippi’s Culture featuring the realities of reading and music.

Written by John

Jackson: photographs by Ken Murphy is available now for purchase. To order a copy, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619 or visit us online at lemuriabooks.com. Please join us in celebrating Jackson on August 5th at 5:00 in Banner Hall!

Written by Coleman Lowery

If you grew up in Jackson in the 1940’s and 1950’s you thought the city had only two parts, one was North Jackson with the main drag of North State Street and the other was West Jackson with main drag of West Capitol Street.

The number 2 bus went from downtown out to North State to Council Circle, where it turned around and went back down North State to Capitol Street and West Capitol. It then turned at the city limits where West Capital became Clinton Blvd and the bus went back downtown.

North Jackson people went to Bailey Junior High and West Jackson people went to Enochs Junior High and we hated each other. The Bailey-Enochs annual football game was the highlight of the year. Little did I know then that 20 years later I would fall in love and marry I.C. Enochs’ great granddaughter!

In the 10th grade, we all came together at Central High School and became classmates and good friends. Built in the 1920’s, CHS had a military fort architecture style and an outstanding faculty. Generations were taught math by Miss Spann and Mrs. Latta, English by Miss Breland, Miss Hutchinson, Miss Musselwhite, and Mrs. Russell. Speech was taught by Miss Patton, Latin by Miss Johnston, and French and Spanish by Miss Tizon. Biology by Mrs. Harris and Physics and Chemistry by Miss Fletcher, History by Mrs. Sykes, Miss Ruff and Chief Taylor, and Miss Carter and Mr. Weems were the counselors. There were many other great teachers but these are the ones that I had and knew. For many years the principal was Mr. McEwen and his assistant was Mr. Holiday, who later became principal. The Big Eight Football championship was brought in many years by Coach Doss Fulton.

After school every day we went to Primos on Capitol Street where the fried cinnamon rolls were a dime and then we boarded the bus with our school tokens, which were 2 for a nickel and went home.

Central High School is now closed but in a great example of historic preservation the building is now the office for the State of Mississippi Department of Education. The CHS alumni association is very active to this day and each May has a picnic in the front yard of the building which is still well attended by all the graduating classes; and memories of being a CHS Tiger are shared and laughed over.

Jackson: photographs by Ken Murphy is available now for purchase. To order a copy, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619 or visit us online at lemuriabooks.com. Please join us in celebrating Jackson on August 5th at 5:00 in Banner Hall!

Written by Vijay Shah

From Ohio, I never thought that I would visit Mississippi, let alone live here. But last summer I took a promotion at the University Press of Mississippi in Jackson!

Upon my move here from Illinois, where I also worked in publishing, Mississippi was commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Medgar Evers’ assassination, the New York Times ran a positive travel account of Jackson, and Mayor Lumumba was just taking office. Indeed, within my first few weeks here, I attended the inaugural ball. It felt like everything was converging with my arrival.

Since then, I have delved into the local arts’ scene. I attended Faulkner’s literary festival in Oxford, and literally live around the corner from Eudora Welty’s house. Besides Faulkner and Welty, I have been finding out about all their literary precursors and successors from Mississippi, including Jesmyn Ward and Kiese Laymon.

At Gallery One, near Jackson State, I checked out Mississippi native John Jennings’ vivid illustrations of blues musicians. Downtown, Jackson’s own Scott Crawford exhibited an imaginative vision of his city in Legos. Despite the issue of gentrification that we must confront, I remain excited about all the artistic activity in the Midtown neighborhood. There the laid-back club Soul Wired offers quite a creative venue.

Over the last year, I have also learned much about segregation and civil rights. Upon the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington, I attended a panel of valiant Mississippians who risked travel to the capital for that historic event. Sure, I could have heard those potent testimonies elsewhere, but somehow it felt more meaningful here. Even today I have witnessed dedicated local people struggling mightily for justice.

Actually, I have been working with some advocates who are trying to improve public transit in Jackson. I could not believe that JATRAN’s buses halt at seven p.m., for this limit seems unhelpful to workers with later schedules and inconvenient to young adults and others who simply want to enjoy the city at night. So we intend to extend the service into the evening. Actually, I managed to raise the issue in the recent mayoral campaign. As a result, I feel very involved in Jackson, such a powerful feeling!

I have met some fine drivers and passengers on the bus, learning a lot more than if I had merely driven around in my own car. When telling people that I ride the bus, they look at me like I have a hole in my head. Yet, I believe that Jackson needs much better public transit truly to become a city of the future.

Despite the many regional differences, somehow Jackson reminds me of my native Cleveland as neither are destination cities. During my first year in Mississippi, a veritable southern adventure, I have mainly heard about how Jackson is changing, for the better. This process of becoming reminds me of that children’s story about the caterpillar that miraculously turns into a butterfly. Will Jackson ever transform into that splendid butterfly? Only we will determine if that Monarch will ever fly skyward.

Jackson: photographs by Ken Murphy is available now for purchase. To order a copy, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619 or visit us online at lemuriabooks.com. Please join us in celebrating Jackson on August 5th at 5:00 in Banner Hall!

Mississippi in the summer time:  let that roll over you for a minute.   Let’s face it, in the summer time this place is hot, humid, sticky, and one step closer to the sun, but I adore it.

You see, summer is a special time for me.  Yes, summer is special for any kid growing up, but I am a teacher’s kid; therefore, summer was a pinnacle for my family.  Just like any aspect of Jackson, there are a few special places that are near and dear to my heart, one of those being the farmer’s market.  Filling up the old Ford Taurus and making the trip down to the farmer’s market stands meant that summer had actually begun.

I can still remember the heat from the pavement on my flip-flopped feet and trying not to run to Miss Doris’ stand to see the colors of the summer.  Vibrant reds, greens, purples, and yellows were something to behold and be treasured.  Purple hull, green bean, snap bean, tomatoes, okra, peppers, bushel, and hot pepper jelly were jargon that were as common to me as breathing.   I remember watching my mother carefully inspect each vegetable as she put them into the large brown paper bags, wrap them up, and place each one at the counter.  It seemed like my mother had always come to this farmer’s market because Miss Doris knew her by name but called her “Hon.” Miss Doris knew me too.  Each time we came to the farmer’s market she would always tell me, “Make sure you get a fresh peach!”  I would know this before her even telling me, and I would have scoped out the biggest, softest, and the most heavenly smelling one that I could.

We would load back into the car, peach in hand, and drive through Jackson as my mother accounted where old friends lived, where she lived as well, all of the banks my grandfather managed, and where she taught.  I did not know at the time how much those trips would become ingrained in my person.

I never feel as Southern as when I go to the farmer’s market with the same discerning eye that my mother used and say the same words that she did.  Miss Doris now calls me “Hon,” even though she knows my name, and reminds me to make sure I take a peach for the trip home.

Written by Laura

Jackson: photographs by Ken Murphy is available now for purchase. To order a copy, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619 or visit us online at lemuriabooks.com. Please join us in celebrating Jackson on August 5th at 5:00 in Banner Hall!

Written by Kathy Potts

When Ramey management apprised the agency of our relocation options in 2008, the group made it no further than the location boasting “rooftop access”.  Forget cost per square footage; visions sprang immediately of cool late-afternoon soirees and a Fondren perch to observe those less fortunate souls below with no such perks.

At least that was my vision.  Turns out other ideas were spawned reflecting the diverse nature of the shop that is Ramey.

A traffic manager saw a rooftop urban garden.  We formed a group sharing that interest and have produced quite a bounty of heat-loving flowers and vegetables … but mostly banana peppers.

Our musically inclined, of which there are many, saw it as a venue resulting in a variety of sessions with local musicians.  One particularly lively night ended with the Delta Mountain Boys treating us to hours, beyond their agreement, of bluegrass delights and a shared bottle of bourbon.

Our more competitive set immediately jumped into action creating a space for win-at-all-cost corn hole. (Come to think of it, there has not been a game in quite a while due to some unattended ill will.)

However, the best times on the Ramey Roof have been spontaneous.  Releasing a leftover “wish lantern” with clients at the end of a productive day embedded a fond memory for all. On any given (cooler) day, you might find a group enjoying lunch or having an update on a creative project.  However, I have personally noticed that, yes, late afternoon will bring a gathering to enjoy a cold beverage while perching to watch those without perks below.

Jackson: photographs by Ken Murphy is available now for purchase. To order a copy, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619 or visit us online at lemuriabooks.com. Please join us in celebrating Jackson on August 5th at 5:00 in Banner Hall!