The Summer of ‘64The 1960's remains pivotal in Mississippi's bloody road to ethnic equality. Had it not been for a group of college students and a handful of volunteer organizations, though, Mississippi's leap forward may have been postponed for years.
Things we don't knowThe Civil War can be a tumultuous topic. Perhaps because it's the source of anguish for some and shame for others, southerners often avoid talking about it at all. The effects of the deadliest war for American soldiers and the …
Fairytales and Folk ArtA few miles north of Vicksburg on Highway 61 stands a maze of white, red and yellow cinder block towers and hand-painted signs with biblical messages. On top of an old store, a sign reads: "All is Welcome, Jews and …
No Rough Edges"One Came Home," the first feature film from Rolling Fork native Willy Bearden, is about an idyllic rural community in Mississippi called Magnolia, where all the mamas are nice, all the men are handy, and all the grown children live …
Small Town, Big MysteryCritics have hailed Tom Franklin's latest novel, "Crooked Letter Crooked Letter" (William Morrow, 2010, $24), as his best and most accessible work to date.
One Man's JourneyBruce Machart's debut novel "The Wake of Forgiveness" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, $26) is a journey down a path of loss and pain, into the emergence of hope and peace.
Rivaling SlaveryMost dystopian novels are cautionary tales. Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" (The New Press, 2010, $27.95) reads like a dystopian novel, but it's too late for caution.
Fall Arts Preview 2010Four times a year, the Jackson Free Press presents an arts and events preview issue packed with listings of what is happening over the next three months in and near Jackson. The fall issue is one of the biggest: the …
Change is HereChange is a good thing, but it can be a hard thing to do. When you are stuck feeling like you are spinning your wheels, then it is time to do something drastically different.
Time to Make a ChangeIf you know only one thing about Buddhism, it probably has something to do with peace or Zen, and that's perfect. If you know a lot about Buddhism, that's perfect. If you're Jewish, Muslim or don't ascribe to any religious …
The Art of ReadingDespite oil spills, crazy politicians, unemployment and a host of other bad news, this year has been a good one for books on one of my favorite subjects: art. In all its myriad forms and permutations, art thrives, especially in …
Fletcher Cox Negotiates with NatureFletcher Cox is finishing a pair of doors when I visit his shop on a rainy Wednesday. They're the last in a set of 13 pairs that he's been commissioned to make for the new federal courthouse under construction in …
Coast SnapshotsThe end of August marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Coast residents have built new houses and rebuilt businesses and other structures, and, though Mississippi's Gulf Coast looks different than it once did, the doggedness of its communities is …
Southbound, Upward BoundSouthbound may be a new band name, but its members--who hail from Jackson, Philadelphia, Sebastapol and Union--are seasoned musicians who've played all over Jackson, Nashville and everywhere in between for decades. They left the band Santa Fe and formed Southbound …
Four times a year, the Jackson Free Press presents an arts and events preview issue packed with listings of what is happening over the next three months in and near Jackson. The fall issue is one of the biggest: the …