Everything about Jackson Mississippi totally explained
Jackson is the
capital and the most populous city of the
U.S. State of Mississippi. It is one of two
seats in
Hinds County,
Raymond being the other. The
2000 census recorded Jackson's population at 184,256, but according to
July 1,
2006 estimates, the city's population was 176,614 and its five-county
metropolitan area had a population of 529,456. The
Jackson-Yazoo City combined statistical area, consisting of the Jackson metropolitan area and
Yazoo City micropolitan area, had a population of 557,385.
The current slogan for the city is
Jackson, Mississippi: City with Soul
.
History
Founding and antebellum period (to 1860)
The area that's now Jackson was initially referred to as Parker'ville and was settled by
Louis LeFleur, a
French Canadian trader along the historic
Natchez Trace trade route. The area then became known as
LeFleur's Bluff. LeFleur's Bluff was founded based on the need for a centrally located capital for the state of Mississippi. In 1821, the Mississippi General Assembly, meeting in the then-capital of
Natchez, had sent
Thomas Hinds (for whom
Hinds County is named), James Patton, and William Lattimore to look for a site. After
surveying areas north and east of Jackson, they proceeded southwest along the
Pearl River until they reached LeFleur's Bluff in Hinds County. Their report to the General Assembly stated that this location had beautiful and healthful surroundings, good water, abundant
timber, navigable waters, and proximity to the trading route
Natchez Trace. And so, a legislative
Act passed by the Assembly on
November 28,
1821, authorized the location to become the permanent seat of the
government of the state of Mississippi.
Jackson is named after the seventh President of the United States,
Andrew Jackson, in recognition for his victory in the
Battle of New Orleans.
During the late 18th century and early 19th century, the area was traversed by the
Natchez Trace, on which a trading post stood before a treaty with the Choctaw, the
Treaty of Doak's Stand in 1820, formally opened the area for non-native American settlers.
Jackson was originally planned, in April 1822, by
Peter Van Dorn in a "
checkerboard" pattern advocated by
Thomas Jefferson, in which
city blocks alternated with
parks and other open spaces, giving the appearance of a checkerboard. This plan hasn't lasted to the present day.
The state
legislature first met in Jackson on
December 23,
1822.
In 1839, Jackson was the site of the passage of the first state law that permitted married women to own and administer their own property.
Jackson was first linked with other cities by
rail in 1840. An 1844 map shows Jackson linked by an east-west rail line running between
Vicksburg, Raymond, and
Brandon. Unlike Vicksburg,
Greenville, and
Natchez, Jackson isn't located on the
Mississippi River, and didn't develop like those cities from river commerce. Instead, railroads would later spark growth of the city in the decades after the
American Civil War.
American Civil War and late nineteenth century (1861-1900)
Despite its small population, during the Civil War, Jackson became a strategic center of manufacturing for the Confederate States of America. In 1863, during the
campaign which ended in the capture of
Vicksburg,
Union forces captured Jackson during two battles—once before the fall of Vicksburg and once after the fall of Vicksburg.
On
May 13,
1863, Union forces won the first
Battle of Jackson, forcing
Confederate forces to flee northward towards
Canton. On
May 15, Union
troops under the
command of
William Tecumseh Sherman burned and looted key facilities in Jackson, a strategic manufacturing and railroad center for the
Confederacy. After driving the Confederate forces out of Jackson, Union forces turned west once again and engaged the Vicksburg defenders at the
Battle of Champion Hill in nearby
Edwards. The siege of Vicksburg began soon after the Union victory at Champion Hill. Confederate forces began to reassemble in Jackson in preparation for an attempt to break through the Union lines surrounding Vicksburg and end the
siege there. The Confederate forces in Jackson built defensive
fortifications encircling the city while preparing to march west to Vicksburg.
Confederate forces marched out of Jackson to break the siege of Vicksburg in early July 1863. However, unknown to them, Vicksburg had already surrendered on
July 4,
1863. General
Ulysses S. Grant dispatched General Sherman to meet the Confederate forces heading west from Jackson. Upon learning that Vicksburg had already surrendered, the Confederates retreated back into Jackson, thus beginning the
Siege of Jackson, which lasted for approximately one week. Union forces encircled the city and began an
artillery bombardment. One of the Union artillery emplacements still remains intact on the grounds of the
University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Another Federal position is still intact on the campus of
Millsaps College. One of the Confederate Generals defending Jackson was former United States
Vice President John C. Breckenridge. On
July 16,
1863, Confederate forces slipped out of Jackson during the night and retreated across the Pearl River. Union forces completely burned the city after its capture this second time, and the city earned the nickname "Chimneyville" because only the
chimneys of houses were left standing. The northern line of Confederate defenses in Jackson during the siege was located along a road near
downtown Jackson, now known as
Fortification Street.
Today there are few
antebellum structures left standing in Jackson. One surviving structure is the
Governor's Mansion, built in 1842, which served as Sherman's headquarters. Another is the
Old Capitol building, which served as the home of the Mississippi state legislature from 1839 to 1903. There the Mississippi legislature passed the ordinance of
secession from the Union on
January 9,
1861, becoming the second state to secede from the United States.
In 1875 the
Red Shirts were formed, one of a second wave of insurgent
paramilitary organizations that essentially operated as "the military arm of the Democratic Party" to take back political power from the Republicans and to drive blacks from the polls. Democrats regained control of the state legislature in 1876. The constitutional convention of 1890, which produced
Mississippi's Constitution of 1890, was also held at the capitol. This was the first of new constitutions or amendments ratified in southern states through 1908 that effectively
disfranchised African Americans and poor whites, through provisions making voter registration more difficult: such as
poll taxes, residency requirements, and
literacy tests. These provisions survived a Supreme Court challenge in 1898. As 20th century Supreme Court decisions began to find such provisions unconstitutional, Mississippi and other southern states rapidly devised new methods to continue disfranchisement of most blacks.
The so-called
New Capitol replaced the older structure upon its completion in 1903, and today the Old Capitol is a historical museum. A third important surviving antebellum structure is the Jackson
City Hall, built in 1846 for less than $8,000. It is said that Sherman, a
Mason, spared it because it housed a
Masonic Lodge, though a more likely reason is that it housed an army hospital.
Early twentieth century (1901-1960)
Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Eudora Welty was born in Jackson in 1909, lived most of her life in the Belhaven section of the city, and died there in 2001. Her
memoir of development as a writer,
One Writer's Beginnings (1984), presented a charming picture of the city in the early 20th century. The main Jackson
Public Library was named in her honor.
Highly acclaimed
African-American author
Richard Wright, a native of
Roxie, Mississippi, lived in Jackson as an adolescent and young man in the 1910s and 1920s. He related his experience in his memoir
Black Boy (1945). He described the harsh and largely terror-filled life poor African-Americans experienced in the South and northern ghettos under
segregation in the early twentieth century.
Jackson's economic growth was stimulated in the 1930s by the discovery of
natural gas fields nearby.
During
World War II,
Hawkins Field in northwest Jackson became a major airbase. Among other facilities and units, the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School was established there, after Nazi Germany occupied
the Netherlands. From 1941, the base trained all Dutch military aircrews.
Civil Rights Movement in Jackson
Since 1960, Jackson has undergone a series of dramatic changes and growth. As the state capital, it became a site for civil rights activism that was heightened by mass demonstrations during the 1960s. On
May 24,
1961, during the
African-American Civil Rights Movement, more than 300
Freedom Riders were
arrested in Jackson for
disturbing the peace after they disembarked from their bus. They were riding the bus to demonstrate against segregation on public transportation. Although the Freedom Riders had intended
New Orleans, Louisiana as their final destination, Jackson was the farthest that any of them managed to travel.
Efforts to desegregate Jackson facilities began before the Freedom Rides when nine
Tougaloo students were arrested for attempting to read books in the "white only" library. Founded as a
historically black college (HBCU) by the
American Missionary Movement after the Civil War, Tougaloo College brought both black and white students together to work for civil rights. It also created partnerships with neighboring mostly white
Millsaps College to work with student activists. It has been recognized as a site on the Civil Rights Trail by the National Park Service.
After the Freedom Rides, students and activists of the Freedom Movement launched a series of merchant boycotts, sit-ins and protest marches, from
1961 to
1963.
In Jackson, shortly after midnight on
June 12,
1963,
Medgar Evers, civil rights
activist and leader of the Mississippi
chapter of the
NAACP, was murdered by
Byron De La Beckwith, a
white supremacist. Thousands marched in his funeral procession to protest the assassination. In 1994,
prosecutors Ed Peters and
Bobby DeLaughter finally obtained a murder
conviction of De La Beckwith. A portion of
U.S. Highway 49, all of Delta Drive and
Jackson-Evers International Airport was named in honor of Medgar Evers. During 1963 and 1964, organizers did voter education and voter registration. In a pilot project, they rapidly registered 80,000 voters across the state, demonstrating the desire of African Americans to vote. In 1964 they created the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party as an alternative to the all-white state party, and sent an alternate slate of candidates to the national party convention.
Mississippi continued segregation and the disfranchisement of most African Americans until after the Civil Rights Movement gained passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Acts of 1965. In June 1966, Jackson was also the terminus of the James Meredith March, organized by
James Meredith, the first
African-American to enroll at the
University of Mississippi. The march, which began in
Memphis, Tennessee, was an attempt to garner support for implementation of civil rights legislation. It was accompanied by a new drive to register African-Americans to vote in Mississippi. In this latter aim, it succeeded in registering between 2,500 and 3,000 black Mississippians to vote. The march ended on June 26 after Meredith, who had been wounded by a sniper's bullet earlier on the march, addressed a large rally of some 15,000 people in Jackson.
Gradually the old barriers came down. Since then, both whites and African Americans in the state have had a high rate of voter registration and turnout.
Recent History
The first successful cadaveric
lung transplant was performed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson in June 1963 by Dr. James Hardy. Hardy transplanted the cadaveric lung into a patient suffering from
lung cancer. The patient survived for eighteen days before dying of
kidney failure.
Since 1968, Jackson has been the home of
Malaco Records, one of the leading
record companies for
gospel and
soul music in the United States. In January 1973,
Paul Simon recorded the
song "Learn How To Fall", found on the album
There Goes Rhymin' Simon, in Jackson at the Malaco Recording Studios.
On
May 15,
1970 police killed two students and wounded 12 at
Jackson State University (then called Jackson State College) after a protest of the
Vietnam War included overturning and burning some cars. These murders followed by 10 days the
National Guard's killing four students in an anti-war protest at
Kent State University in
Ohio and were part of national social unrest.
Newsweek cited the Jackson State killings in its issue of
18 May when it suggested that U.S. President
Richard Nixon faced a new
home front.
In 1997,
Harvey Johnson, Jr. became the city's first
African-American mayor. During his term, he proposed the creation of a
convention center, in hopes of attracting business to the city. This effort wasn't successful during his tenure but his idea did became a reality later when the voters of Jackson overwhelmingly passed a referendum for a tax to build the Convention Center. As a result of this vote, many new development projects are underway in Downtown Jackson.
Mayor Johnson was replaced by
Frank Melton on
July 4,
2005. Melton has subsequently generated controversy through his unconventional behavior, which has included acting as a law enforcement officer. A dramatic spike in crime has also ensued, despite Melton's efforts to reduce crime. The lack of jobs has contributed to crime.
2007 saw a historic first for Mississippi as
Hinds County sheriff Malcolm McMillin was appointed as the new police chief in Jackson. McMillin is now both the county sheriff and city police chief at the same time.
The 14th annual "City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America" ranks Jackson as the 23rd most dangerous city in America.
Geography and climate
Jackson is located on the
Pearl River, and is served by the
Ross Barnett Reservoir, which forms a section of the Pearl River and is located northeast of Jackson on the border between
Madison and
Rankin counties. A tiny portion of the city containing
Tougaloo College lies in Madison County, bounded on the west by
I-220 and on the east by
US 51 and
I-55. A second portion of the city is located in Rankin County. In the 2000 census, 183,723 of the city's 184,256 residents (99.7%) lived in Hinds County and 533 (0.3%) in Madison County. Although no Jackson residents lived in the Rankin County portion in 2000, that figure had risen to 72 by 2006.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 106.8
square miles (276.7
km²), of which, 104.9 square miles (271.7 km²) of it's land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) of it's water. The total area is 1.80 percent water.
Jackson possesses a
humid subtropical climate, with very hot, humid summers and mild winters. Rain is evenly spread throughout the year, and snow can fall in wintertime, although heavy snowfall is relatively rare. Much of Jackson's rainfall occurs during thunderstorms. Thunder is heard on roughly 70 days per annum. Jackson lies in a region prone to
severe thunderstorms which can produce large
hail, damaging winds and
tornadoes. Among one of the most notable tornado events was the F5
Candlestick Park Tornado on March 3, 1966 which destroyed the shopping center of the same name and surrounding businesses and residential areas killing 19 in the Jackson Metro Area.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Rec High °F (°C) | 83 (28.3) |
85 (29.4) |
89 (31.6) |
94 (34.4) |
99 (37.2) |
105 (40.5) |
106 (41.1) |
107 (41.6) |
104 (40) |
95 (35) |
88 (31.1) |
84 (28.8)
|
| Norm High °F (°C) | 55.1 (12.8) |
60.3 (15.7) |
68.1 (20.05) |
75 (23.8) |
82.1 (27.8) |
88.9 (31.6) |
91.4 (33) |
91.4 (33) |
86.4 (30.2) |
76.8 (24.8) |
66.3 (19.05) |
57.9 (14.4)
|
| Norm Low °F (°C) | 35 (1.6) |
38.2 (3.4) |
45.4 (7.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
61 (16.1) |
68.1 (20.05) |
71.4 (21.8) |
70.3 (21.3) |
64.6 (18.1) |
52 (11.1) |
43.4 (6.3) |
37.3 (2.9)
|
| Rec Low °F (°C) | 2 (-16.6) |
10 (-12.2) |
15 (-9.4) |
27 (-2.7) |
38 (3.3) |
47 (8.3) |
51 (10.5) |
54 (12.2) |
35 (1.6) |
26 (-3.3) |
17 (-8.3) |
4 (-15.5)
|
| Precip in. (mm) | 5.67 (144) |
4.5 (114.3) |
5.74 (145.8) |
5.98 (151.9) |
4.86 (123.4) |
3.82 (97) |
4.69 (119.1) |
3.66 (93) |
3.23 (82) |
3.42 (86.9) |
5.04 (128) |
5.34 (135.6)
|
| Source: USTravelWeather.com (External Link) |
Demographics
City of Jackson
Population by year (External Link) |
| Year |
Population |
%± |
U.S. Rank |
| 1850 |
1,881 |
— |
— |
| 1860 |
3,191 |
+69.6% |
— |
| 1870 |
4,234 |
+32.7% |
— |
| 1880 |
5,204 |
+22.9% |
— |
| 1890 |
5,920 |
+13.8% |
— |
| 1900 |
7,816 |
+32.0% |
— |
| 1910 |
21,262 |
+172.0% |
— |
| 1920 |
22,817 |
+7.3% |
— |
| 1930 |
48,282 |
+111.6% |
— |
| 1940 |
62,107 |
+28.6% |
— |
| 1950 |
98,271 |
+58.2% |
— |
| 1960 |
144,422 |
+47.0% |
85th |
| 1970 |
153,968 |
+6.6% |
91st |
| 1980 |
202,895 |
+31.8% |
71st |
| 1990 |
196,637 |
-3.1% |
78th |
| 2000 |
184,286 |
-6.3% |
108th |
| 2006 est. |
176,614 |
-4.2% |
126th |
Jackson remained a small town for much of the 19th century. Before the American Civil War, Jackson's population remained tiny, particularly in contrast to Mississippi's cities located along the commerce-laden Mississippi River. Despite the city's status as the state capital, the 1850
census counted only 1,881 residents, and by 1900 the population of Jackson had only grown to approximately 8,000. It was during this period, roughly between 1890 and 1930, that
Meridian became Mississippi's largest city, though by 1944, Jackson's population had risen to some 70,000 inhabitants. Since that time, it has continuously been the largest city in the state. Large-scale growth, however, didn't come until the 1970s, after the turbulence of the
Civil Rights Movement. The 1980 census counted over 200,000 residents in the city for the first time. Since then, Jackson has steadily seen a decline in its population, while its suburbs have evidenced a boom.
As of the
census of 2000, there were 184,256 people, 67,841 households, and 44,488 families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,756.4 people per square mile (678.2/km²). There were 75,678 housing units at average density of 278.5/km² (721.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 70.6%
Black or
African American, 27.8%
White, 0.1%
Native American, 0.6%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.2% from
other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. 0.8% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 67,841 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were
married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.24.
The age of the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,414, and the median income for a family was $36,003. Males had a median income of $29,166 versus $23,328 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $17,116. About 19.6% of families and 23.5% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 33.7% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.
Jackson ranks number 10 in the nation in concentration of African-American same-sex couples.
In 2006, the Center for Immigrant Studies found Mississippi had the highest immigrant percentage growth rate of all states. The Jackson metro area is one of the South's emerging destinations for immigrants, many of whom are Latino immigrants (both legal and
illegal) from Mexico.
Transportation
Air travel
Jackson is served by
Jackson-Evers International Airport, located at Allen C. Thompson Field, east of the city in
Flowood in Rankin County. Its IATA code is JAN. The airport has non-stop service to 12 cities throughout the United States and is served by 6 mainline carriers (American, Delta, Continental, Southwest, Northwest, and US Airways)
On
22 December 2004, Jackson City Council members voted 6-0 to rename Jackson International Airport in honor of slain
civil rights leader and field secretary for the Mississippi chapter of the
NAACP,
Medgar Evers. This decision took effect on
22 January 2005.
Formerly Jackson was served by Hawkins Field Airport, located in northwest Jackson, with IATA code HKS, which is now used for private air traffic only.
Underway is the Airport Parkway project. The environmental impact study is complete and final plans are drawn and awaiting Mississippi Department of Transportation approval. Right-of-way acquisition is underway at an estimated cost of $19 million. The Airport Parkway will connect High Street in downtown Jackson to
Mississippi Highway 475 in
Flowood at Jackson-Evers International Airport. The Airport Parkway Commission is consists of the Mayor of Pearl, the Mayor of Flowood and the Mayor of Jackson, as the Airport Parkway will run through and have access from each of these three cities.
Ground transportation
Interstate highways
Interstate 55Runs north-south from
Chicago through Jackson towards
Brookhaven,
McComb, and the
Louisiana state line to
New Orleans. Jackson is roughly halfway between New Orleans and
Memphis, Tennessee. The highway maintains eight to ten lanes in northern part of city, six lanes in the center and four lanes south of
I-20.
Interstate 20Runs east-west from near
El Paso, Texas to
Florence, South Carolina. Jackson is roughly halfway between
Dallas, Texas and
Atlanta, Georgia. The highway is six lanes from Interstate 220 to MS 468 in Pearl.
Interstate 220Connects Interstates 55 and 20 on the north and west sides of the city and is four lanes throughout its route.
U.S. highways
U.S. Highway 49 Runs north-south from the
Arkansas state line at
Lula via
Clarksdale and
Yazoo City, towards
Hattiesburg and
Gulfport. It bypasses the city via
I-20 and
I-220
U.S. Highway 51Known in Jackson as State Street, roughly parallels Interstate 55 from the
I-20/
I-55 western split to downtown. It multiplexes with I-55 from Pearl/Pascagoula St northward to County Line Road, where the two highways split.
U.S. Highway 80 Roughly parallels Interstate 20.
State highways
Mississippi Highway 18Runs southwest towards
Raymond and
Port Gibson; southeast towards
Bay Springs and
Quitman.
Mississippi Highway 25Some parts of this road are known as Lakeland Drive, which runs northeast towards
Carthage and
Starkville.
Other roads
In addition, Jackson is served by the
Natchez Trace Parkway, which runs from
Natchez to
Nashville, Tennessee.
Bus service
JATRAN (Jackson Transit System) operates hourly or half-hourly during daytime hours on weekdays, and mostly hourly on Saturdays. No evening or Sunday service is operated.
Railroads
Jackson is served by the
Canadian National Railway (formerly the
Illinois Central Railroad). The
Kansas City Southern Railway also serves the city. The Canadian National has a medium-sized yard downtown which Mill Street parallels and the Kansas City Southern has a large classification yard in
Richland.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Jackson. The Amtrak station is located at 300 West Capitol Street. Amtrak's southbound
City of New Orleans provides service from Jackson to
New Orleans and some points between. The northbound City of New Orleans provides service from Jackson to
Memphis,
Carbondale,
Champaign-Urbana,
Chicago and some points between. Efforts to establish service with another Amtrak train, the
Crescent Star, an extension of the
Crescent westward from
Meridian, Mississippi to
Dallas, Texas, failed in 2003.
Industry
Jackson is home to several major industries. These include electrical equipment and machinery, processed food, and primary and fabricated metal products. The surrounding area supports agricultural development of livestock, soybeans, cotton, and poultry.
Publicly traded companies
The following companies are headquartered in Jackson:
Religion
Jackson is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson.
Cultural organizations and institutions
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which contains the state archives and records.
Celtic Heritage Society of Mississippi
Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO), formerly the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1944
Municipal Art gallery
Ballet Mississippi
Mississippi Museum of Art (External Link)
Russell C. Davis Planetarium (External Link)
Mississippi Opera
Mississippi Chorus
New Stage Theatre (External Link)
Mississippi Hispanic Association
Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance
Mississippi Heritage Trust
Mississippi Art Center
Smith-Robertson Museum and Cultural Center
Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (External Link)
Mynelle Gardens
Jackson State University Botanical Garden
Jackson Zoo
Political structures
In 1985, Jackson voters opted to replace the three-man mayor-commissioner system with a city council. Jackson's city council members represent the city's seven wards, and the body is headed by the mayor.
Jackson's current mayor is Frank Melton, after defeating two-time incumbent Harvey Johnson, Jr. in a landslide election. He is currently serving his first 4-year term as mayor, which began on July 4, 2005, and will end on July 4, 2009.
Education
Jackson is home to the international headquarters of Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for students enrolled in two-year colleges.
Colleges and universities
Tougaloo College (1869)
Jackson State University (1877)
Belhaven College (1883)
Millsaps College (1890)
Hinds Community College's campuses in Jackson are the Nursing/Allied Health Center and the Academic/Technical Center
Mississippi College School of Law (1930)
University of Mississippi Medical Center (1955), health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi
Reformed Theological Seminary
Wesley Biblical Seminary
Public high schools
Bailey Magnet High School
Callaway High School
Forest Hill High School
Jim Hill High School
Lanier High School
Murrah High School
Provine High School
Wingfield High School
Career Development Center
Private high schools
Hillcrest Christian School
Jackson Academy
The Veritas School
Media
Newspapers
Daily
The Clarion-Ledger - statewide daily newspaper
Weekly
Jackson Advocate - weekly newspaper and nation's oldest newspaper serving the state's African-American community
Jackson Free Press - free newsweekly tabloid featuring heavy content on arts and entertainment
The Mississippi Link - weekly newspaper serving the state's African-American community
Mississippi Business Journal - weekly newspaper, with focus on business and economic development
The Northside Sun - weekly newspaper, with focus on the northeastern portion of the Jackson Metropolitan area
Historic
The Mississippian Daily Gazette - also often referred to as The Jackson Mississippian because of its location, circulated during the 19th century, a major newspaper during the Civil War
The Standard - circulated during the 19th century, after the Civil War The Eastern Clarion moved to Jackson and merged with The Standard, soon changed name to The Clarion
State Ledger - circulated during the 19th century, in 1888 The Clarion merged with the State Ledger and became known as The Clarion-Ledger
The Jackson Daily News - originally known as The Jackson Evening Post in 1882, changed the name to The Jackson Daily News in 1907, purchased along with The Clarion-Ledger by Gannett in 1982
Magazines
Mississippi Magazine - people, places and events with emphasis on homes, cooking and entertainment
B Fit and Healthy Magazine - health and fitness magazine for Mississippians
Victories in Metro Jackson - Christian athletics magazine
"PORTICO jackson" - monthly lifestyle magazine about people, places, food, fashion, etc.
Publishing
University Press of Mississippi, the state's only not-for-profit publishing house and collective publisher for Mississippi's eight state universities, producing works on local history, culture and society
Television
Channel 3, WLBT: NBC
Channel 8, WBXK: dark
Channel 10, WBMS: independent (simulcast of WXMS)
Channel 12, WJTV: CBS
Channel 16, WAPT: ABC
Channel 23, W23BC: Colours TV (owned by Jackson State University)
Channel 27, WXMS: independent
Channel 29, WMPN: PBS/Mississippi Public Broadcasting
Channel 34, WRBJ: The CW
Channel 35, WUFX: My Network TV
Channel 40, WDBD: Fox
Channel 49, WJXF-LP: Retro Jams
Channel 53, WJMF-LP: Univision
Channel 64, WJKO-LP: TBN
FM radio
AM radio
620 WJDX: Fox Sports Radio
780 WIIN: Christian country-music
810 WSJC: gospel
850 WQST: classic country, simulacast with WZQK
930 WSFZ: Sporting News Radio
970 WZQK: classic country, simulacast with WQST
1120 WTWZ: bluegrass gospel
1150 WONG: gospel
1180 WJNT: news-talk
1240 WPBQ: ESPN Radio
1300 WOAD: gospel
1370 WMGO: gospel
1400 WKXI: blues
1590 WZRX: Headline News
Points of interest
Tourism and Culture
Jackson is a city famous for its music - including gospel, blues and R&B. Jackson is also home to the world famous Malaco Records recording studio. Many notable musicians hail from Jackson.
(see: List of people from Jackson, Mississippi)
Jackson is home to the USA International Ballet Competition. Founded in 1978 by Thalia Mara, the first USA International Ballet Competition took place in 1979 and joined the ranks of Varna, Bulgaria (1964); Moscow, Russia (1969); and Tokyo, Japan (1976). The International Ballet Competition (IBC) originated in Varna, Bulgaria in 1964. The competition eventually expanded to rotating annual events in Varna, Moscow and Tokyo. In 1979 the event first came to the United States in Jackson, Mississippi, where it now returns every four years. The rotation is currently among Jackson, Varna, Helsinki, Finland and Shanghai, China. These first competitions were given sanction by the International Dance Committee of UNESCO’s International Theater Institute. Today, international ballet competitions flourish worldwide, and the USA IBC in Jackson remains one of the oldest and most respected competitions in the world. In 1982, the United States Congress passed a Joint Resolution designating Jackson as the official home of the USA International Ballet Competition. Jackson held subsequent competitions in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. The next competition is in 2010. The competitions are held at Thalia Mara Hall.
Downtown Jackson Renaissance
Currently, Jackson is experiencing $1.6 billion in downtown development. Among the projects include improvements to or construction of the following:
Old Capitol Green • Pinnacle at Jackson Place • Convention Center and hotels • Mississippi Telecom Center • Union Station • Farish Street Entertainment District • Standard Life Building • Electric 302 Building • Plaza Building • AT&T Building • Jackson Place Residential • State and Tombigbee Lofts • Library Lofts • Towncreek Apartments • Ceva Green • King Edward Hotel • Mississippi History Museum • Festival Park • Old Capitol Museum • Mill Street viaduct and Market • Cellular South • Jackson Police Department Headquarters • New Federal Courthouse • Mississippi Museum of Art
Downtown Jackson Attractions
Alamo Theater (The) • Boddie Mansion (The) • Bronze Statue of Medgar Evers • Mississippi State Capitol • Old State Capitol • Municipal Art Gallery • Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building • Mississippi Supreme Court • Russell C. Davis Planetarium/Ronald E. McNair Space Theater • Oaks House Museum • Sonny Guy Municipal Golf Course • Thalia Mara Hall • War Memorial Building • Smith Park • Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center • Chimneyville Crafts Gallery • City Hall • Mississippi Arts Center • Mississippi Department of Archives and History • Mississippi Fairgrounds and Coliseum • Mississippi Governor's Mansion • Mississippi Museum of Art • Jackson Zoo • Mississippi Farmer's Market
Tallest buildings
| Name |
Height |
Year |
| Regions Plaza (formerly AmSouth) |
97 m |
1975 |
| Jackson Marriott Downtown |
78 m |
1975 |
| Regions Bank Building (formerly AmSouth) |
77 m |
1929 |
| Standard Life Building |
76 m |
1929 |
| Trustmark National Bank Building |
66 m |
1955 |
| Lamar Life Building |
58 m |
1924 |
Museums
Eudora Welty House Museum • Manship House Museum • Medgar Evers Home Museum • Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum • Mississippi Museum of Art • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science • Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum • The Oaks House Museum/Boyd House • Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center • The City of Jackson Fire Museum • The International Museum of Muslim Cultures
Historic sites
Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History • Mississippi Governor's Mansion • Manship House Museum • The Oaks House Museum/Boyd House • King Edward Hotel • Standard Life Insurance Building • Greenwood Cemetery
Periodic cultural events
Mississippi State Fair (annual, held in October)
Crossroads Film Festival (annual, April)
Jubilee! Jam (annual, June)
CelticFest Mississippi (annual, September)
Festival Latino (annual, September)
OUToberfest (annual gay and lesbian festival, October)
USA International Ballet Competition (every four years, June)
Mals St. Pattys Day Parade (annual, on the Saturday of or after March 17, the fourth largest in the nation with over 50,000 people)
Parks
LeFleur's Bluff State Park • Battlefield Park • Parham Bridges Park • Sheppard Brothers Park • Smith Park • Sykes Park • Grove Park
Sports
Summer Training Camp
New Orleans Saints - Jackson's Millsaps College was the summer home for the NFL's New Orleans Saints in 2006 and 2007.
Sports arenas
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium -- Concerts, Football (home of Jackson State University)
Mississippi Coliseum -- Basketball, Hockey, Track, Rodeo, Concerts
Smith Wills Stadium -- Baseball, Softball, Football, Soccer, Concerts
Current professional sports teams
Baseball
Former professional sports teams
Baseball
Basketball
Hockey
Soccer
Football
Noteworthy natives
Jackson has given birth to many notable people. From writers Eudora Welty and Willie Morris and civil rights leaders Medgar Evers and James Meredith to rapper David Banner, jazz legend Cassandra Wilson, and sports stars Fred Smoot and Jim Gallagher, Jr. Actors, artists, authors, cooks, inventors, musicians, painters, sports figures and more, Jackson has contributed significantly to America's culture.
(see: List of people from Mississippi for a more in-depth list)
Trivia
Rap Rocker Kid Rock made a song titled "Jackson, Mississippi" in 2003
Jackson sits atop an extinct volcano and is the only capital city or major population center to have this feature. The peak of the volcano is located 2900 feet directly below the Mississippi Coliseum.
The world's first human lung transplant was performed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, in 1963.
The world's first heart transplant, using the heart of a chimpanzee (man's closest genetic relation), was performed at the Center in 1964. It beat for 90 minutes before it stopped.
"Jackson" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Billy Edd Wheeler about a married couple who find that the "fire" has gone out of their relationship. The song relates the desire of the husband and wife to travel to Jackson, Mississippi, where they each look forward to a new life free of the unhappy relationship. Famous covers of the song include the 1968 Grammy Award winner by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The song was performed by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon (playing Johnny Cash and June Carter) in the 2005 film Walk the Line. (Note: There are some who believe the song actually refers to [Jackson, Tennessee].Further Information
Get more info on 'Jackson Mississippi'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://jackson__mississippi.totallyexplained.com">Jackson, Mississippi Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
