''
'Jackson' is the
capital and the most populous city of the
State of Mississippi. As of the 2000 census, Jackson's population was 184,256. As of
July 1,
2006, the census estimates that the
Jackson Metropolitan Area (MSA), including its suburbs in
Hinds,
Rankin,
Madison,
Copiah, and
Simpson counties, has a population of 529,456, more than one-sixth the population of the state. Jackson is one of the
county seats of
Hinds County;
Raymond is the other county seat. Jackson is also a part of the
Jackson-Yazoo City Combined Statistical Area (CSA). The current slogan for the city is
"Jackson, Mississippi: City with Soul".
Frank Melton is the current
mayor of Jackson. The city is home to the international headquarters of
Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for the students enrolled in two-year colleges.
History
Founding and antebellum period (to 1860)
The area that is now Jackson was first settled in 1792 by
Louis LeFleur, a
French-Canadian trader. 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.
The city, originally known as
LeFleur's Bluff,
[1] 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,
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
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 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 has not lasted to the present day. The state
legislature first met in Jackson on
December 23,
1822. It is named for the seventh President of the United States,
Andrew Jackson, in recognition for his victory in the
War of 1812 in the
Battle of New Orleans.
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 is not located on the
Mississippi River, and did not 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. Subsequently, on
May 15,
1863, Union
troops under the
command of
William Tecumseh Sherman burned and looted key facilities in city of 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. The constitutional convention of 1890, which produced
Mississippi's Constitution of 1890, was also held there. 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, died there in 2001, and lived most of her life in the Belhaven section of the city. She wrote a
memoir of her development as a writer, ''
One Writer's Beginnings'' (1984), which gives a charming picture of the city in the early 20th century. Today, the main Jackson
public library is 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, and relates his experience in his memoir ''
Black Boy'' (1945). He describes the harsh and largely terror-filled life most African-Americans experienced in the South and the rest of the United States 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
Holland. From 1941, the base trained all Dutch military aircrews.
Civil rights era and afterwards (1961-present)
Since 1960, Jackson has undergone a series of dramatic changes and growth. On
May 24,
1961, during the
American Civil Rights Movement, a large group of
Freedom Riders was
arrested in Jackson for "
disturbing the peace" after they disembarked from their bus. Although the Freedom Riders had planned to make
New Orleans their final destination, Jackson was the farthest that any of them actually managed to travel.
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. In 1994,
prosecutors Ed Peters and Bobby DeLaughter finally
convicted de la Beckwith of murder. A portion of
U.S. Highway 49, all of Delta Drive and
Jackson-Evers International Airport now bear Medgar Evers's name.
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.
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 the Civil Rights movement and was accompanied by a 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.
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.
Two students at
Jackson State University (then called Jackson State College) were killed while protesting the
Vietnam War on
May 15,
1970. These murders were part of the evidence cited by ''
Newsweek'' 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 was not successful during Johnson's tenure but is currently being planned. 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 promises to rid the city of its crime problem.
[2]
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.
[3]
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 276.7
km² (106.8
mi²). 271.7 km² (104.9 mi²) of it is land and 5.0 km² (1.9 mi²) of it is 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 very evenly spread throughout the year, and snow can fall in wintertime, although large dumpings of snow are relatively rare.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F | 83 | 85 | 89 | 94 | 99 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 104 | 95 | 88 | 84 |
|---|
| Norm High °F | 55.1 | 60.3 | 68.1 | 75 | 82.1 | 88.9 | 91.4 | 91.4 | 86.4 | 76.8 | 66.3 | 57.9 |
|---|
| Norm Low °F | 35 | 38.2 | 45.4 | 51.7 | 61 | 68.1 | 71.4 | 70.3 | 64.6 | 52 | 43.4 | 37.3 |
|---|
| Rec Low °F | 2 | 10 | 15 | 27 | 38 | 47 | 51 | 54 | 35 | 26 | 17 | 4 |
|---|
| Precip (in) | 5.67 | 4.5 | 5.74 | 5.98 | 4.86 | 3.82 | 4.69 | 3.66 | 3.23 | 3.42 | 5.04 | 5.34 |
|---|
| ''Source: USTravelWeather.com [1]'' |
Demographics
'City of Jackson
Population by year [2]' |
| '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, did not 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 44,503 families residing in the city. The
population density was 678.2/km² (1,756.4/mi²). There were 75,678 housing units at average density of 278.5/km² (721.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.83%
Black or
African American, 28.79%
White or Caucasian, 0.13%
Native American, 0.57%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.19% from
other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. In 2006, the Center for Immigrant Studies found Mississippi had the highest immigrant percentage growth rate all of states. The Jackson metro area is one of the South's emerging destinations for immigrants, many of which are Latino immigrants from Mexico.
There were 67,841 households out of which 33.7% 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.
In the city, 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.
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:
★
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM)
★
EastGroup Properties Inc. (NYSE:EGP)
★
Knobias, Inc. (OTC:KNBS), Ridgeland, Mississippi
★
Parkway Properties, Inc. (NYSE:PKY)
★
Trustmark Corporation (NASDAQ:TRMK)
★
Cellular South
Cultural organizations and institutions
★
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which contains the state archives and records.
★
Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi
★
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 [3]
★
Russell C. Davis Planetarium [4]
★
Mississippi Opera
★
Mississippi Chorus
★
New Stage Theatre [5]
★
Mississippi Hispanic Association
★
Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance
★
Mississippi Heritage Trust
★
Mississippi Art Center
★
Smith-Robertson Museum and Cultural Center
★
Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum [6]
★
Mynelle Gardens
★
Jackson State University Botanical Garden
★
Jackson Zoo
★
Mississippi Teacher Corps
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,
Frank Melton, who was inducted into office on
July 4, 2005.
Council members
★ Jeff Weill, Ward 1
★ Leslie Burl McLemore, Ward 2
★ Kenneth I. Stokes, Ward 3
★ Frank Bluntson, Ward 4
★ Charles Tillman, Ward 5
★ Marshand K. Crisler, Ward 6
★ Margaret C. Barrett-Simon, Ward 7
Jackson-area educational institutions
Colleges and universities
★
Mississippi College (
Clinton) (1826)
★
Tougaloo College (1869)
★
Jackson State University (1877)
★
Belhaven College (1883)
★
Millsaps College (1890)
★ Two campuses of
Hinds Community College (1917)
★
Mississippi College School of Law (1930)
★
University of Mississippi Medical Center, health sciences campus of the
University of Mississippi (1955)
★
Reformed Theological Seminary
★
Wesley Biblical Seminary
Public high schools
Main articles: Jackson Public School District
(All these high schools compete interscholastically in the
Mississippi High School Activities Association or MHSAA)
★
Bailey Magnet High School
★
Brandon High School (Brandon)
★
Callaway High School
★
Career Development Center
★
Forest Hill High School
★
Jim Hill High School
★
Lanier High School
★
Murrah High School
★
Wingfield High School
High Schools that compete in the Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA)
★
Hillcrest Christian School
★
Jackson Academy
★ The Veritas School
Media
Newspapers
Daily
★ ''
The Clarion-Ledger'' statewide general interest newspaper, at
http://www.clarionledger.com
Weekly
★ ''
Jackson Advocate'', weekly newspaper and oldest newspaper serving the state's African-American community, at
http://www.jacksonadvocate.com
★ ''
Jackson Free Press'' - alternative newspaper, with focus on politics, entertainment and culture; blogs and discussion at
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com
★ ''
La Noticia de Mississippi'' - Voz de la Comunidad Latina - The Mississippi Hispanic Newspaper at
http://www.lanoticianewspaper.com/
★ ''
The Mississippi Link'' weekly statewide general interest newspaper, focusing on the African American community, at
http://www.mississippilink.com
★ ''
Mississippi Business Journal'' weekly newspaper, with focus on business and economic development, at
http://www.msbusiness.com
★ ''
The Northside Sun'' weekly newspaper, with focus on the northeastern portion of the Jackson Metropolitan area, at
http://www.northsidesun.com
Historic
★ The Jackson ''
Mississippian'', circulated during the 19th century
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
Online news and weblogs
★
Jackpedia: The User-Generated Guide to Jackson
★
''Jacktown Live! We itemize what you need to know'', a community portal that contains local and national news with links to everything you need to have the time of your life. Serving Jackson and the globe.
★
''The New Southern View'' - a statewide general interest
e-zine currently in its sixth year
★
''The Jackson Progressive'', an online alternative news journal covering greater Jackson
★
''metroJackson'', a community portal, featuring a discussion forum, serving the Jackson metro area
Television
★ 'Channel 3,
WLBT':
NBC
★ 'Channel 8,
WBXK':
America One
★ 'Channel 10,
WBMS':
independent (simulcast of WXMS)
★ 'Channel 12,
WJTV':
CBS
★ 'Channel 16,
WAPT':
ABC
★ 'Channel 27,
WXMS':
independent
★ 'Channel 29,
WMPN':
PBS/
Mississippi Public Broadcasting
★ 'Channel 34,
WRBJ (CW34)':
The CW
★ 'Channel 35,
WUFX (My 35)':
My Network TV
★ 'Channel 40,
WDBD (Fox 40)':
Fox
★ 'Channel 49,
WJXF-LP':
LAT TV
★ 'Channel 53,
WJMF-LP':
Univision
FM radio
★ 88.5 WJSU: jazz; National Public Radio
★ 89.1 WMBU: Moody Bible Radio
★ 90.1 WMPR: blues, black gospel, talk, variety
★ 91.3 WMPN: classical music; National Public Radio
★ 92.5 WQST: American Family Radio
★ 93.1 WYAB (B93): oldies
★ 93.5 WHJT (Star 93.5): Christian contemporary
★ 93.9 WRXW (Rock 93-9): modern rock
★ 94.7 WWJK (94-7 Jack FM): adult hits
★ 95.5 WHLH (95.5 Hallelujah FM): black gospel
★ 96.3 WUSJ (US 96.3): country music
★ 97.3 WFMN (Supertalk Mississippi): talk |
★ 97.7 WRBJ-FM (Hot 97-7): hip-hop
★ 98.7 WJKK (Mix 98.7): adult contemporary
★ 99.7 WJMI (99 Jamz): hip-hop
★ 100.5 WRTM (Smooth 100-dot-5): urban AC
★ 100.9 WJXN: Christian contemporary (K-Love)
★ 101.7 WYOY (Y101): top-40
★ 102.9 WMSI (Miss 103): country music
★ 103.7 WLEZ-LP (EZ 103.7): adult standards
★ 105.1 WQJQ (Q105.1): oldies
★ 105.9 WOAD-FM (Power 105.9): black gospel
★ 106.7 WSTZ (Z106.7): classic rock
★ 107.5 WKXI-FM (Kixie 107): urban AC |
AM radio
★ 620 WJDX (The Score): Fox Sports Radio
★ 780 WIIN: country-and-Western music (simucasts with 96.3-FM)
★ 810 WSJC: Family Talk Radio
★ 930 WSFZ (SuperSport 930): Sporting News Radio
★ 970 WZQK (Real Country 970): classic country
★ 1120 WTWZ: Christian country-music, secular bluegrass
★ 1150 WONG: urban AC, gospel
★ 1180 WJNT (NewsTalk 1180): news & talk
★ 1240 WPBQ: ESPN Radio
★ 1300 WOAD-AM: gospel
★ 1370 WMGO: gospel
★ 1400 WKXI-AM (Blues 1400): blues
★ 1590 WZRX (News Plus 1590): Headline News
Points of interest
Tourism
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 famous musicians hail from Jackson, including Rapper
David Banner.
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 Capital Green
★
Pinnacle at Jackson Place
★
Convention Center and Hotels
★
Mississippi Telecom Center
★
Events Center/Sports Arena
★
Union Station
★
Farish Street Entertainment District - The
Farish Street Entertainment District is on the horizon for downtown Jackson and will have a BB King Blues Club,
Wet Willie's Daiquiri Bar, King Biscuit Cafe, Funny Bones Comedy Club and other attractions.
★
Standard Life Building
★
Electric 302
★
Plaza Building
★
AT&T Building
★
Jackson Place Residential
★
State and Tombigbee Lofts
★
Library Lofts
★
Towncreek Apartments at Farish
★
Ceva Green
★
King Edward
★
Mississippi History Museum
★
Festival Park
★
Old Capital Museum
★
Mill Street Viaduct and Market
★
Cellular South
★
JPD 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
★ 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 / City Auditorium
★ 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 Complex
★ Mississippi Governor's Mansion
★ Mississippi Museum of Art
★
Jackson Zoological Park is located on the cusp of downtown Jackson and is one of the finest zoological parks in the South.
Tallest buildings
| Name | Height | Year |
|---|
| AmSouth Plaza | 97 m | 1975 |
| Jackson Marriott Downtown | 78 m | 1975 |
| AmSouth Bank Building | 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 Museum was rated the 8th best Museum for American Baseball History in the United States by an ESPN writer - ranking ahead of the Negro League Museum in Kansas City and the St. Louis Cardinal's Museum in St. Louis.
★
The Oaks House Museum/Boyd House
★
Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center
★
The City of Jackson Fire Museum and Public Fire Safety Education Center
★
The International Museum of Muslim Cultures
Historic sites
★
Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History
★
Governor's Mansion
★
Manship House Museum
★
The Oaks House Museum/Boyd House
★
King Edward Hotel
★ Standard Life Insurance Building
★
Greenwood Cemetery
Fondren is a historical neighborhood located on the fringes of downtown Jackson. The district has the ambiance of art-deco style architecture and many fine restaurants and eclectic shops.
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 LGBT 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)
Entertainment Venues
★ Hal and Mal's - Blues, R&B, Soul, variety; Downtown
★ 105 Capitol (Gators) - 105 E. Capitol St.
★ 930 Blues Cafe - Blues; 930 N. Congress St.
★ Subway Lounge - Blues; (scheduled to make it's reemergence in the Farish St. Entertainment District)
★ B.B. King Blues Club - Blues; (scheduled to open in the Farish St. Entertainment District)
★ Fenian's Irish Pub - Irish music with live bands and DJ; 901 East Fortification Street
★ Freelon's Bar and Groove - R&B, Hip-Hop; 440 N. Mill St.
★ El Jardin de las Aves - Latin music featuring live bands and DJs; 1075 South Frontage Road Exit 45A Gallatin Road Interstate 20, 601-906-6942, 601-974-6535
★ La Cotorra Taqueria Mexicana - Mexican music with live bands (often La Sonora Dinamita) and DJs; 1999 Highway 80 W, 601-355-7166, 601-316-5790
★ Jala Jala Night Club - Latin music played by DJs; 2662 Highway 80 W, 601-421-9697
★ W.C. Dons - Indie / Alternative; 216 South State Street
Parks
★ LeFleur's Bluff
★ Battlefield Park
★ Parham Bridges Park
★ Sheppard Brothers Park
★ Smith Park
★ Sykes Park
Sports
Sports teams
★
Mississippi Braves, AA Affiliate of the
Atlanta Braves, member of the
Southern League.
★
Mississippi Brilla, professional soccer team, member Premier Development League of USL
Summer Training Camp
★
New Orleans Saints, Jackson's Millsaps College is the summer home for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL from 2006 - 2010
Sports arenas
★
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium -- Football; home of Jackson State University
★
Mississippi Coliseum -- Basketball, Hockey, Track, Rodeo
★ Smith-Wills Stadium -- Baseball, Softball, Football, Soccer, Multipurpose (Has synthetic surface)
★ River Hills Club -- Tennis
★ JSU Athletics and Assembly Center -- Basketball, Track
★ Tougaloo College Wellness Center
Former professional sports teams
★ Baseball
★
★ Jackson Senators, Independent (2001-2004)
★
★ Jackson Diamond Kats of the independent
Texas-Louisiana League (2000)
★
★ Jackson Generals, former
Texas League AA affiliate of the
Houston Astros (1991-1999)
★
★
Jackson Mets, former Texas League AA affiliate of the
New York Mets (1975-1990)
★ Basketball
★
★
Mississippi Hardhats -- World Basketball Association
★
★
Jackson Wildcats,
USBL
★ Hockey
★
★
Jackson Bandits -- East Coast Hockey League
★ Soccer
★
★ Jackson Calypso -- Women's Soccer
★
★ Jackson Rockers -- Men's Soccer
★
★ Jackson Chargers -- Men's Soccer
★ Football
★
★ Mississippi Pride -- Regional Football League
★
★ Mississippi Headhunters -- afl2 team that never played
★
★ Jackson CFL Team -- Canadian Football League entry; moved from Las Vegas to Jackson, but never played
Famous Jacksonians
★
William Wirt Adams,
Confederate Army officer and member of the
Mississippi House of Representatives.
[4]
★
Margaret Walker Alexander, writer
★
Milton Babbitt, composer
★
David Banner, southern
rapper/
producer
★
Jeff Barlow, professional golfer
★
Lerone Bennett, Jr., Editor, ''
Ebony'' magazine
★
Juliet Dobbs Blackburn-Beamon, educator
★
Barbara Blackmon, attorney/politician/television personality
★
Don Brodie, professional wrestler
★
Dee Brown,
NBA guard playing for
Utah Jazz
★ Pat Brown, blues singer
★
Edward Cohen, writer
★
Harry A. Cole, Sr., chemist, inventor of
Pine-Sol
★
Eddie Cotton, Jr., blues musician
★
Erick Dampier, professional basketball player
★
Anne Davis, folk musician
★
Monta Ellis,
NBA guard playing for the
Golden State Warriors
★
Charles Evers, civil rights activist/radio personality
★
Medgar Evers, civil rights leader
★
Vic Fleming, writer
★
Richard Ford, writer
★
M. C. Gainey, actor
★
Jim Gallagher, Jr., professional golfer
★ Alice Haining, stage and television actress
★
Othella Harrington, professional basketball player
★
Beth Henley, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright
★
Randolph M. Holder,
World War II naval hero
★
Lindsey Hunter, professional basketball player
★
Stacia Hunter, Gospel Broadcaster/Announcer
★
Laurel Isbister, folk musician
★
Kamikazee (Brad Franklin), southern
rapper
★
Fern Kinney,
rhythm & blues and
disco music entertainer
★
Papa Charlie McCoy, blues musician
★
Leslie McLemore, civil rights historian
★
Gilbert R. Mason, civil rights activist
★
John Maxwell, playwright
★
James Meredith, civil rights leader
★
Dorothy Moore,
gospel singer
★ , rap artist, member of the Oakland, California-based Hieroglyphics crew.
★
Darby Ray, feminist theologian
★
James Robinson, professional basketball player
★
Doug Russell, American radio personality
★ Laurie Smith, (aka Laurie Hickson-Smith), co-host of TLC's ''
Trading Spaces''
★
Fred Smoot, professional football player
★
Otis Spann, blues musician
★
Pearl Spann, educator (namesake of Spann Elementary School in Jackson)
★
Lake Speed,
NASCAR driver
★
H. C. Speir, blues talent scout
★
Savante Stringfellow Olympic and World Champion Long Jumper
★
Ash Taylor, actor/director
★
Don Terry Thigpen, sheet music/songbook transcriber and arranger
★
Eudora Welty, writer
★
Carson Whitsett, keyboardist and songwriter
★
Tim Whitsett, Music publisher/producer/author/consultant
★
Cassandra Wilson,
jazz singer and songwriter
★
Joseph Opara-Nadi, Also known as Josip, young rapper under SIP RECORDS.
★
Brian Opara-Nadi, CEO of the rap label Southern International Players and lead rapper.
Trivia
★ Rap Rocker Kid Rock made a song titled Jackson,Mississippi in 2003
★ Jackson sits atop a dead volcano
★ Is mentioned in the opening lines of the
Stevie Wonder song
Living for the City
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.
Ground transportation
Interstate highways
20 px
'
Interstate 55'
Runs 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.
20 px
'
Interstate 20'
Runs 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.
25 px
'
Interstate 220'
Connects Interstates 55 and 20 on the north and west sides of the city and is four lanes throughout its route.
U.S. highways
20 px
'
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
20 px
'
U.S. Highway 51'
Known 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.
20 px
'
U.S. Highway 80'
Roughly parallels Interstate 20.
State highways
20 px
'
Mississippi Highway 18'
Runs southwest towards
Raymond and
Port Gibson; southeast towards
Bay Springs and
Quitman.
20 px
'
Mississippi Highway 25'
Some 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.
References
★
1. LeFleur's Bluff State Park
2. Mayor of US city failing the hard test of crime prevention Associated Press
3. Subcounty population estimates: Mississippi 2000-2006
4. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896, , , , Marquis Who's Who, ,
External links
★
Official city website
★
The Jackson "City with Soul" Campaign
★
The Clarion-Ledger
★
The Jackson Advocate
★
The Mississippi Link
★
Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau
★
History of Jackson's Jewish community (from the
Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
★
metroJackson.net
★
Star 93.5
★
The "Mississippi Believe It" Campaign
★
Mississippi Teacher Corps
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