It's Not a PityWhite self-pity has done more to destroy the South than any war or natural disaster.
Transparency for Citizens’ SakeFor the past few days, the Jackson Free Press has been working on a story about Mayor-elect Chokwe Lumumba's transition to officially take the reins at city hall on July 1.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'KKK'Humphrey mentioned monthly Ku Klux Klan marches at the University of Mississippi in several tweets, said he saw "white people in white night gowns" on campus and that Ole Miss picked a black homecoming queen for the express purpose of …
Who's Moral Now?In my last column, I wrote about the importance of Medicaid expansion to our state--and specifically to me. Sometimes we pay a price for publicly sharing a story; my price was being told that I have no right to health …
Dear Dewey,To my mother, education meant the most precious of things: freedom.
Gunn and Graham: Stop the BullyingIn recent months, as Mississippians have debated the pros and cons of Medicaid expansion, the Jackson Free Press editorial board has repeatedly called on Republican state leaders to permit a full, open debate on the issue on the House and …
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Free'Telling taxpayers that they pay for government programs, though, is treating citizens like dumbasses.
Time and the GulagBig Larry Jones: "Broadcasting from the Ghetto Science Public Television studios, I'm Big Larry, Bonqweesha's favorite uncle, sitting in on 'Qweesha Live 2013.' My guest is Scooby 'Angry Black Man' Rastus, Ghetto Science Team community activist and rising literary figure. …
Hope and Loving in MississippiWhen we make a choice, whether about who to marry or what our opinion is of a mayoral candidate, someone won't like it. But if we mean this American experiment, we will battle to keep the government out of those …
Everyday StrugglesWhat we have one day, we may not have the next, so we need to appreciate everything.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Gym'Why it stinks: Palazzo was speaking about his proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution titled "Right to Refuse," which is designed to "kill the health care tax mandate that comes with Obamacare" and close the "Pandora's box where future Congresses …
A Dangerous GameRarely does a two-day period go by that I don't get a Facebook message or email asking about how to apply for Medicaid or where to access free or low-cost birth control and reproductive health care. In Mississippi, we have …
Notes from the FishbowlWaking up to our biases is like popping the red pill—suddenly, the matrix is everywhere.
The Wrong Kind of UnityBy the time you read this, the 2013 mayoral election will be part of our city's history.
You Can’t Have It Both Ways, Gov. BryantGov. Phil Bryant stepped in it Monday. As part of a Washington Post Live event, he was asked how America had ended up so "mediocre" in educational outcomes. He answered: "I think both parents started working. The mom got in …
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Blacker'Wyatt Emmerich, whose (white) grandfather stood up for civil rights when he held an editor's pen, has proclaimed himself up as the arbiter of "all things black."
At a Curbside Near YouBrother Hustle: "Aunt Tee Tee and I have been blessed with the positive attributes of initiative, discipline, and ambition to become successful in business, entrepreneurship, community activism and technology."
Anticipating the BestWithout the facts, people cannot make good decisions for themselves. They cannot come together in social or activist forums; they can't celebrate what's great about their community while tackling what's not so great.
The Right ChoiceA mother’s primary obligation is to create children who will contribute positively to this world.
Time to Get Real About UnityWhat a week. Not only did Chokwe Lumumba come out on top in the Democratic runoff for mayor, but he caused an explosion in racist comments like we haven't seen in these parts in years. Or at least since President …
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Jobs'If a loss of jobs—and a potential subsequent loss of a House or Senate seat—will provide those in need a way to get the adequate medical care they so desperately need, we'll take it.
Rising and FallingNavigating the tricky world of being The Black Person has been my life. I'm a biracial woman who was raised half her life in an almost all-white town and who spent most of her life in majority-white towns.
Redefining SuccessWhat makes one person successful ... when a person of similar intelligence, experience and means is not?
Expose the Dirty TricksIn the waning hours before the polls closed Tuesday, the Jackson Free Press learned that former Melton political operative Bob Hickingbottom was behind Citizens for a Better Jackson, a PAC formed the day after the primary.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Charter Schools'In endorsing Lumumba, Rep. Bennie Thompson linked Republican supporters of Jonathan Lee to people who opened their checkbooks to Mitt Romney in 2012 in an effort to defeat President Barack Obama.
Survival of the PoorestMo'tel Williams: "Rich folk, corporations and the government want the poor to sacrifice more. For example, some politicians want poor workers to sacrifice their overtime pay."
Preschool BenefitsAs a high-school teacher, I have heard countless conversations about what a poor job our middle schools do to prepare our students for high school.
The Future of Jackson Depends on YouThe signs showed up overnight around Ward 1 and parts of Ward 7: "Vote Today: The Future of Jackson Depends On It."