Jackson metropolitan area
Encyclopedia
The Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state
of Mississippi
that covers five counties: Copiah
, Hinds
, Madison
, Rankin
, and Simpson
. As of the 2000 census
, the MSA had a population of 497,197. According to 2007 estimates, the population had risen to 628,817.
of 2000, there were 497,197 people, 180,556 households, and 127,704 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 53.02% White, 45.29% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
trade route.
The city 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
(pictured to the right), 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 park
s 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.
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
.
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 fortification
s 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 chimney
s 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.
-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.
, a large group of Freedom Riders was arrest
ed in Jackson for "disturbing the peace
" after they disembarked from their bus. Although the Freedom Riders had planned to make New Orleans, Louisiana
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, prosecutor
s Ed Peters and Bobby DeLaughter
finally got De La Beckwith convict
ed of murder by a jury. 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 measure was passed during Johnson's tenure, but construction did not begin until recently. The convention center has an anticipated completion date of early 2009. 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.
, with very hot, humid summers and mild winters. Rain is very evenly spread throughout the year, and snow can fall in wintertime, although heavy snowfall is relatively rare. Much of the areas rainfall occurs during thunderstorms. Thunder is heard on roughly 70 days per annum. The Jackson metropolitan area lies in a region prone to severe thunderstorms which can produce large hail
, damaging winds and tornadoes.
, blues
and R&B. Jackson is also home to the world famous Malaco Records
recording studio. Many notable musicians hail from Jackson.
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.
There are two miniature golf courses in the metro area - "The Park" in Flowood (which also has laser tag and go-karts) and "Golfworld" in Jackson. GattiTown Pizza and Games in located in Ridgeland. Chuck E. Cheese's is located in Jackson at its new location near Northpark Mall.
Fondren is a historical neighborhood located just North of downtown Jackson. The district has the ambiance of art-deco style architecture and many fine restaurants and eclectic shops.
, 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 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.
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.
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.
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. 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 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.
U.S. Highway 80
Roughly parallels Interstate 20.
Mississippi Highway 18
Runs southwest towards Raymond
, Utica
, and Port Gibson
; southeast towards Bay Springs
and Quitman
.
Mississippi Highway 25
Some parts of this road are known as Lakeland Drive, which runs northeast towards Carthage
and Starkville
.
, which runs from Natchez
to Nashville, Tennessee
.
(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.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
that covers five counties: Copiah
Copiah County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,757 people, 10,142 households, and 7,494 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 11,101 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Hinds
Hinds County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile...
, Madison
Madison County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
, Rankin
Rankin County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,327 people, 42,089 households, and 31,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 45,070 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile...
, and Simpson
Simpson County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,639 people, 10,076 households, and 7,385 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,307 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the MSA had a population of 497,197. According to 2007 estimates, the population had risen to 628,817.
Counties
- CopiahCopiah County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 28,757 people, 10,142 households, and 7,494 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 11,101 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
- HindsHinds County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile...
- MadisonMadison County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
- RankinRankin County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,327 people, 42,089 households, and 31,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 45,070 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile...
- SimpsonSimpson County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,639 people, 10,076 households, and 7,385 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,307 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
Places with more than 25,000 inhabitants
- JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
(Principal City)- Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the State of Mississippi. It is one of the county seatCounty seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s of Hinds County (RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
being the other). As of the 2000 censusUnited States Census, 2000The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
Jackson's population was 184,256. According to July 1, 2006 estimates, city's population had declined to 176,614.
- Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the State of Mississippi. It is one of the county seat
Places with 10,000 to 25,000 inhabitants
- BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
- CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
- ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
- MadisonMadison, MississippiMadison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, USA. The population was 14,691 at the 2000 census. The population is currently 16,930. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is currently the highest income city in the state...
- PearlPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- RidgelandRidgeland, MississippiRidgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,173 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants
- ByramByram, MississippiByram is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,386 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a census-designated place . It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was incorporated for a second time in its history on June 16, 2009.-History:Byram...
- Crystal SpringsCrystal Springs, MississippiCrystal Springs is a city in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Crystal Springs is located at ....
- EdwardsEdwards, MississippiEdwards is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,347 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- FloraFlora, MississippiFlora is a town in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,546 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flora is located at ....
- FlorenceFlorence, MississippiFlorence is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,396. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Florence is located at ....
- FlowoodFlowood, MississippiFlowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
- HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
- MageeMagee, MississippiMagee is a city in Simpson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,200 at the 2000 census and was estimated to be near 5,019 as of February 2007. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- Mendenhall
- PelahatchiePelahatchie, MississippiPelahatchie is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,461 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.Pelahatchie means "Crooked Creek " in the Choctaw language.-Geography:...
- RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
- RichlandRichland, MississippiRichland is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 6,027 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
- WessonWesson, MississippiWesson is a town in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,693 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Wesson is located at ....
Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants
- BeauregardBeauregard, MississippiBeauregard is a village in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Beauregard is located at ....
- BoltonBolton, MississippiBolton is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 629 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bolton is located at ....
- BraxtonBraxton, MississippiBraxton is a village in Simpson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 181 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Braxton is located at ....
- D'LoD'Lo, MississippiD'Lo is a town in Simpson County, Mississippi, along the Strong River. The population was 394 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- GeorgetownGeorgetown, MississippiGeorgetown is a town in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Georgetown is located at ....
- LearnedLearned, MississippiLearned is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 50 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Learned is located at ....
- PuckettPuckett, MississippiPuckett is a town/village in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 354 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- TerryTerry, MississippiTerry is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 664 at the 2000 census. It is located near Interstate 55, about 15 miles southwest of Jackson, Mississippi and located in Supervisors District Five of Hinds County...
- UticaUtica, MississippiUtica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the URJ Henry S...
Unincorporated places
|
Piney Woods, Mississippi Piney Woods is an unincorporated community in Rankin County, Mississippi . It is the site of the Piney Woods Country Life School, a historically African-American boarding school established in 1909.... Pocahontas, Mississippi Pocahontas is an unincorporated community located in northern Hinds County, Mississippi, on U.S. Highway 49. It is located 5 miles south of Flora, Mississippi and 9 miles north of Jackson, the state capital of Mississippi.Pocahontas has a postal code of 39702.... Star, Mississippi Star, Mississippi, is a small unincorporated community in Rankin County, southeast of Jackson in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Its ZIP code is 39167, area code is 601 and local exchange is 845. The elevation is 423 feet. Star appears on the Star U.S. Geological Survey Map... |
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 497,197 people, 180,556 households, and 127,704 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 53.02% White, 45.29% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
Founding and antebellum period (to 1860)
The area that is now Jackson was initially referred to as Parker'ville and was settled by Louis LeFleur, a French Canadian trader along the historic Natchez TraceNatchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
trade route.
The city 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
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
, had sent Thomas Hinds
Thomas Hinds
Thomas Hinds was a politician from the U.S. state of Mississippi.Born in Berkeley County, Virginia , Hinds would later move to Greenville, Mississippi...
(for whom Hinds County is named), James Patton, and William Lattimore to look for a site. After surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
areas north and east of Jackson, they proceeded southwest along the Pearl River
Pearl River (Mississippi-Louisiana)
The Pearl River is a river in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Louisiana. It forms in Neshoba County, Mississippi from the confluence of Nanih Waiya and Tallahaga creeks. It is long. The Yockanookany and Strong rivers are tributaries. Northeast of Jackson, the Ross Barnett Reservoir is formed by...
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
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, navigable waters, and proximity to the trading route Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
. And so, a legislative Act
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
passed by the Assembly on November 28, 1821, authorized the location to become the permanent seat of the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of the state of Mississippi.
Jackson is named after the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
(pictured to the right), in recognition for his victory in the Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
.
During the late 18th century and early 19th century, the area was traversed by the Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
, on which a trading post stood before a treaty with the Choctaw, the Treaty of Doak's Stand
Treaty of Doak's Stand
The Treaty of Doak's Stand was signed on October 18, 1820 between the United States and the Choctaw Indian tribe. Based on the terms of the accord, the Choctaw agreed to give up approximately one-half of their remaining Choctaw homeland...
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
Checkerboard
A checkerboard or chequerboard is a board of chequered pattern on which English draughts is played. It is an 8×8 board and the 64 squares are of alternating dark and light color, often red and black....
" pattern advocated by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, in which city blocks alternated with park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s and other open spaces, giving the appearance of a checkerboard. This plan has not lasted to the present day.
The state legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
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
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, Raymond, and Brandon
Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. Unlike Vicksburg, Greenville
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, and Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
, Jackson is not located on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, 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
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
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 campaignMilitary campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
which ended in the capture of Vicksburg
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
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
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces to flee northward towards Canton
Canton, Mississippi
Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
. Subsequently, on May 15, 1863, Union troops under the command of William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
burned and looted key facilities in city of Jackson, a strategic manufacturing and railroad center for the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. 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
Battle of Champion Hill
The Battle of Champion Hill, or Bakers Creek, fought May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
in nearby Edwards
Edwards, Mississippi
Edwards is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,347 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. 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
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
there. The Confederate forces in Jackson built defensive fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
s 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
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
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
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
. One of the Union artillery emplacements still remains intact on the grounds of the University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi and is located in Jackson, Mississippi...
in Jackson. Another Federal position is still intact on the campus of Millsaps College
Millsaps College
Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
. One of the Confederate Generals defending Jackson was former United States Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
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 chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s of houses were left standing. The northern line of Confederate defenses in Jackson during the siege was located along a road near downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Jackson, now known as Fortification Street.
Today there are few antebellum
Antebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
structures left standing in Jackson. One surviving structure is the Governor's Mansion
Mississippi Governor's Mansion
The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is a historic U.S. residence in Jackson, Mississippi, located at 300 East Capitol Street. It is the second oldest executive residence in the United States that has been continuously occupied as a gubernatorial residence .On November 25, 1969, it was added to the U.S...
, built in 1842, which served as Sherman's headquarters. Another is the Old Capitol
Mississippi State Capitol
The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Mississippi, housing the Mississippi Legislature...
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
Mississippi State Capitol
The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Mississippi, housing the Mississippi Legislature...
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
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, built in 1846 for less than $8,000. It is said that Sherman, a Mason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, spared it because it housed a Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, though a more likely reason is that it housed an army hospital.
Early twentieth century (1901-1960)
Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning author Eudora Welty
Eudora Welty
Eudora Alice Welty was an American author of short stories and novels about the American South. Her novel The Optimist's Daughter won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous awards. She was the first living author to have her works published...
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
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
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
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
is named in her honor.
Richard Wright (author)
Richard Nathaniel Wright was an African-American author of sometimes controversial novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially those involving the plight of African-Americans during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries...
, a native of Roxie, Mississippi
Roxie, Mississippi
Roxie is a town in Franklin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 569 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Roxie is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
, lived in Jackson as an adolescent and young man in the 1910s and 1920s, and relates his experience in his memoir Black Boy
Black Boy
Black Boy is an autobiography by Richard Wright. The author explores his childhood and race relations in the South. Wright eventually moves to Chicago, where he establishes his writing career and becomes involved with the Communist Party....
(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
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in the early twentieth century.
Jackson's economic growth was stimulated in the 1930s by the discovery of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
fields nearby.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hawkins Field
Hawkins Field (airport)
Hawkins Field is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Jackson, a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States.-Facilities and aircraft:...
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 MovementAfrican-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)
The African-American Civil Rights Movement refers to the movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring voting rights to them. This article covers the phase of the movement between 1955 and 1968, particularly in the South...
, a large group of Freedom Riders was arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
ed in Jackson for "disturbing the peace
Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed Video, can be found on the fictional radio station, V-Rock, on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Weeks on Chart: 7, Peak: #133...
" after they disembarked from their bus. Although the Freedom Riders had planned to make New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
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
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
, civil rights activist and leader of the Mississippi chapter of the NAACP, was murdered by Byron De La Beckwith
Byron De La Beckwith
Byron De La Beckwith, Jr. was an American white supremacist and Klansman from Greenwood, Mississippi who was convicted in the 1994 state trial of assassinating the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963....
, a white supremacist. In 1994, prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s Ed Peters and Bobby DeLaughter
Bobby DeLaughter
Robert "Bobby" DeLaughter is an American Mississippi state prosecutor, judge, and author. He is notable for prosecuting and securing the conviction in 1994 of Byron De La Beckwith, charged with the murder of the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963...
finally got De La Beckwith convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
ed of murder by a jury. A portion of U.S. Highway 49, all of Delta Drive and Jackson-Evers International Airport
Jackson-Evers International Airport
Jackson-Evers International Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located in Jackson, Mississippi, five nautical miles east of the central business district of Jackson, across the Pearl River....
now bear Medgar Evers's name.
The first successful cadaveric lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
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
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. 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
James Meredith
James H. Meredith is an American civil rights movement figure, a writer, and a political adviser. In 1962, he was the first African American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, an event that was a flashpoint in the American civil rights movement. Motivated by President...
, the first African-American to enroll at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. The march, which began in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, 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
Malaco Records
Malaco Records is an independent record label based in Jackson, Mississippi. Malaco is and has been the home of various major soul, blues and gospel acts, such as Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, ZZ Hill, Denise LaSalle, Benny Latimore, Dorothy Moore, Little Milton, Shirley Brown, Marvin Sease, and the...
, one of the leading record companies for gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
in the United States. In January 1973, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
recorded the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Learn How To Fall", found on the album There Goes Rhymin' Simon
There Goes Rhymin' Simon
There Goes Rhymin' Simon is the third solo studio album by American musician Paul Simon rush-released on May 5, 1973. It contains songs covering several styles and genres, such as gospel and dixieland . It received two nominations at the Grammy Awards of 1974, including Best Male Pop Vocal...
, in Jackson at the Malaco Recording Studios.
Two students at Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
(then called Jackson State College) were killed while protesting the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
on May 15, 1970. These murders were part of the evidence cited by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
in its issue of 18 May when it suggested that U.S. President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
faced a new home front
Home front
Home front is the informal term commonly used to describe the civilian populace of the nation at war as an active support system of their military....
.
In 1997, Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr. , is the current mayor and first African American mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.-Biography:Harvey Johnson, Jr. was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and attended the Vicksburg Public Schools, graduating from Rosa A. Temple High School...
became the city's first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. During his term, he proposed the creation of a convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
, in hopes of attracting business to the city. This measure was passed during Johnson's tenure, but construction did not begin until recently. The convention center has an anticipated completion date of early 2009. Mayor Johnson was replaced by Frank Melton
Frank Melton
Frank Ervin Melton was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, United States, from 4 July 2005 until his death on 7 May 2009. Melton, an African American, defeated the city's first black mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. Melton won 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary against Johnson, who had...
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.
Geography and climate
The Jackson metropolitan area possesses a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, with very hot, humid summers and mild winters. Rain is very evenly spread throughout the year, and snow can fall in wintertime, although heavy snowfall is relatively rare. Much of the areas rainfall occurs during thunderstorms. Thunder is heard on roughly 70 days per annum. The Jackson metropolitan area lies in a region prone to severe thunderstorms which can produce large hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
, damaging winds and tornadoes.
| City of Jackson 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 http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-mississippi/jackson-weather.asp | ||||||||||||
Religion
- Many different denominations are represented in Jackson. Jackson is the episcopal seeEpiscopal SeeAn episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of JacksonRoman Catholic Diocese of JacksonThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
and of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.
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 (otcbb: KBAS)
- Parkway Properties, Inc. (NYSE:PKY)
- Trustmark Corporation (NASDAQ:TRMK)
Cultural organizations and institutions
- Ballet Mississippi
- Celtic Heritage Society of Mississippi
- Crossroads Film Society
- Jackson State University Botanical GardenJackson State University Botanical GardenThe Jackson State University Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located on the campus of Jackson State University at 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, Mississippi....
- Jackson ZooJackson ZooThe Jackson Zoo is located in Jackson, Mississippi. The Jackson Zoo has attracted people from across the state and beyond for more than 90 years...
- Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/n_library/departments/ag_museum/index_agmuseum.html
- Mississippi Art Center
- Mississippi Chorus
- Mississippi Department of Archives and History, which contains the state archives and records.
- Mississippi Heritage Trust
- Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance
- Mississippi Hispanic Association
- Mississippi Museum of Art http://www.msmuseumart.org/
- Mississippi Opera
- Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO), formerly the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1944
- Municipal Art gallery
- Mynelle Gardens
- New Stage Theatre http://www.newstagetheatre.com/
- Russell C. Davis Planetarium http://www.city.jackson.ms.us/CityHall/planetarium.htm
- Smith-Robertson Museum and Cultural Center
Colleges and universities
-
- Belhaven University (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeCopiah-Lincoln Community CollegeCopiah-Lincoln Community College is a comprehensive public community college with its main campus located in Wesson, Mississippi, about south of Jackson, the state capitol and north of New Orleans. The Co-Lin District serves a seven-county area including Adams, Copiah, Franklin County,...
(WessonWesson, MississippiWesson is a town in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,693 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Wesson is located at ....
) - Hinds Community CollegeHinds Community CollegeHinds Community College is a community college with its main campus located in Raymond, Mississippi, about five miles west of Jackson, the state capital. The Hinds Community College District includes Hinds County, Claiborne County, part of Copiah County, Rankin County, and Warren County...
(RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
) - Jackson State UniversityJackson State UniversityJackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Millsaps CollegeMillsaps CollegeMillsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Mississippi CollegeMississippi CollegeMississippi College, also known as MC, is a private, Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi. Mississippi College comprises the main campus in Clinton, as well as satellite campuses in Brandon and Madison, Mississippi, and the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson...
(ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
)- Mississippi College School of LawMississippi College School of LawThe Mississippi College School of Law is located in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The law school started out as the Jackson School of Law in 1930, but was acquired by Mississippi College in 1975. The main campus of Mississippi College is located in Clinton, Mississippi.In December 2005, the school...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
)
- Mississippi College School of Law
- Reformed Theological SeminaryReformed Theological SeminaryReformed Theological Seminary is a non-denominational, evangelical Protestant seminary. RTS's first campus remains in Jackson, Mississippi, United States though the school has expanded to include several additional campuses.-Founding:...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Tougaloo CollegeTougaloo CollegeTougaloo College is a private, co-educational, liberal arts institution of higher education founded in 1869, in Madison County, north of Jackson, Mississippi, USA.Academically, Tougaloo College has received high ranks in recent years...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - University of Mississippi Medical CenterUniversity of Mississippi Medical CenterUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi and is located in Jackson, Mississippi...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Wesley Biblical SeminaryWesley Biblical SeminaryWesley Biblical Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate school of theology within the evangelical, Wesleyan-Arminian tradition. The seminary, founded in 1974 and located in Jackson, Mississippi, USA, serves men and women who come from thirty denominations from all across the United States and...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Wesley CollegeWesley College, FlorenceWesley College was a private co-educational Bible college located in Florence, Mississippi. Founded in 1944, it closed in July 2010....
(FlorenceFlorence, MississippiFlorence is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,396. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Florence is located at ....
)
- Belhaven University (Jackson
Public school districts
-
- Canton Public School DistrictCanton Public School District (Mississippi)The Canton Public School District is a public school district based in Canton, Mississippi .-Schools:*Canton High School*Nichols Middle School*Canton Elementary School*McNeal Elementary School*Canton School of Arts and Sciences...
(serves the city of CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
) - Clinton Public School DistrictClinton Public School DistrictThe Clinton Public School District is a public school district based in Clinton, Mississippi .-Schools:In fulfilling desegregation requirements, the district implemented a unique setup in which every student attends each school within the district...
(serves the city of ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Copiah County School DistrictCopiah County School DistrictThe Copiah County School District is a public school district based in Copiah County, Mississippi .The district serves the communities of Crystal Springs, Wesson, Georgetown, and Beauregard.-Schools:*Crystal Springs High School...
(serves Copiah CountyCopiah County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 28,757 people, 10,142 households, and 7,494 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 11,101 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
) - Hazlehurst City School DistrictHazlehurst City School DistrictThe Hazlehurst City School District is a public school district based in Hazlehurst, Mississippi .-2006-07 school year:There were a total of 1,174 students enrolled in the Hazlehurst City School District during the 2006-2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 49% female and 51% male...
(serves the city of HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
) - Hinds County School DistrictHinds County School DistrictThe Hinds County School District is a public school district based in Raymond, Mississippi .In addition to Raymond, the district serves the communities of Bolton, Edwards, Learned, Terry, Utica, and a portion of Byram.-Elementary/Middle Schools:...
(serves Hinds CountyHinds County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile...
outside of the Jackson city limits) - Jackson Public School DistrictJackson Public School DistrictThe Jackson Public School District is a public school district based in Jackson, Mississippi . In addition to Jackson, the district serves a portion of the Byram community.-Superintendent:...
(serves the city of JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Madison County School DistrictMadison County School District (Mississippi)The Madison County School District is a public school district based in Flora, Mississippi .In addition to Flora, the district serves the cities of Ridgeland and Madison, a small portion of Jackson that lies in Madison County, the community of Camden, and most rural areas in Madison County.-High...
(serves Madison CountyMadison County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
) - Pearl Public School DistrictPearl Public School DistrictThe Pearl Public School District is a public school district based in Pearl, Mississippi .-Schools:*Pearl High School Built in 1989; Expansions* in 1997, 2003 and 2005...
(serves the city of PearlPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Rankin County School DistrictRankin County School DistrictThe Rankin County School District is the 3rd largest public school district in Mississippi. The district office is located in Brandon, Mississippi ....
(serves Rankin CountyRankin County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,327 people, 42,089 households, and 31,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 45,070 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile...
) - Simpson County School DistrictSimpson County School DistrictThe Simpson County School District is a public school district based in Mendenhall, Mississippi . The district's boundaries parallel that of Simpson County.-Schools:*Magee High School*Mendenhall High School*Magee Middle School...
(serves Simpson CountySimpson County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,639 people, 10,076 households, and 7,385 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,307 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
)
- Canton Public School District
Private schools
- Hillcrest Christian SchoolHillcrest Christian SchoolHillcrest Christian School is a private school founded in 1971, and stands on South Siwell Road, Jackson, Mississippi, USA. Initially, the current campus was known as Council McCluer which was a separate school opened the same year as Hillcrest....
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jackson AcademyJackson Academy (Mississippi)Jackson Academy is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school in Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson Academy was founded in 1959 on the basis of teaching children phonetic reading. Today, the campus is thriving with nearly 1450 students in grades K3 through 12...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jackson Preparatory SchoolJackson Preparatory School (Mississippi)Jackson Preparatory School , is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school enrolling 820 students in grades six through twelve. Located in Flowood, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson, Prep sits on a 74-acre campus east of Jackson. Prep currently offers one of only two Classical...
(FlowoodFlowood, MississippiFlowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
) - Madison-Ridgeland AcademyMadison-Ridgeland AcademyMadison-Ridgeland Academy is a private, co-educational college preparatory school, located off Old Canton Road in Madison, Mississippi, U.S.A.. MRA offers educational opportunities for students from K-3 through 12th grade. Greg Self is the current principal and Tommy Thompson is the current...
(MadisonMadison, MississippiMadison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, USA. The population was 14,691 at the 2000 census. The population is currently 16,930. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is currently the highest income city in the state...
) - Magnolia Speech School (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Ridgeland -Middle and Upper SchoolsRidgeland, MississippiRidgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,173 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
; Jackson - Lower SchoolJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - St. Joseph Catholic School (MadisonMadison, MississippiMadison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, USA. The population was 14,691 at the 2000 census. The population is currently 16,930. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is currently the highest income city in the state...
) - The Veritas SchoolThe Veritas SchoolThe Veritas School is a private school in Jackson, Mississippi .-History:Conceived in 1994 and officially established in 1998, Veritas is a non-denominational private Christian school serving the greater Jackson area. Until the fall semester of 2009, the campus was located at the former Colonial...
(JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
)
Daily
- The Clarion-Ledger statewide general interest newspaper, at http://www.clarionledger.com
Weekly
- Jackson AdvocateJackson AdvocateJackson Advocate is an African-American weekly newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi founded in 1938 by Percy Greene. Mr. Greene was a veteran of World War I and was a Civil Rights leader in the 1940s and 1950s...
, weekly newspaper and oldest newspaper serving the state's African-American community, at http://www.jacksonadvocate.com - Jackson Free PressJackson Free PressThe Jackson Free Press, referred to often as simply "JFP", is an alternative weekly newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi founded in 2002 by Mississippi native Donna Ladd, author and technology expert Todd Stauffer and a group of young Jacksonians wanting a progressive voice in the state...
- 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 JournalMississippi Business JournalThe Mississippi Business Journal is a statewide weekly business newspaper, located in Jackson, Mississippi.Each issue contains news coverage relating to the Mississippi business world along with regular opinion and freelance columns...
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
- B Fit and Healthy Magazine, Health and Fitness Magazine for Mississippians, at http://bfitandhealthymagazine.com
Historic
- The Jackson Mississippian, circulated during the 19th century
Publishing
- University Press of MississippiUniversity Press of MississippiThe University Press of Mississippi, founded in 1970, is a publisher that is sponsored by the eight state universities in Mississippi:*Alcorn State University*Delta State University*Jackson State University*Mississippi State University...
, 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, WLBTWLBTWLBT, virtual channel 3 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Jackson, Mississippi, and it is owned by Raycom Media. WLBT transmits its signal from an antenna, 624 meters in height, located near Raymond.-History:...
: NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... - Channel 8, WBXK: America OneAmerica OneAmerica One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...
- Channel 10, WBMSWBMS-CAWBMS-CA is an independent TV station in Jackson, Mississippi, operating on channel 10.WBMS began broadcasting in 1994 as W10BD, affiliated with America's Voice. It was owned by Louisiana state senator Louis "Woody" Jenkins and his company Great Oaks Broadacasting. Jenkins owned two stations in...
: independentIndependent stationAn independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
(simulcast of WXMS) - Channel 12, WJTVWJTVWJTV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Jackson, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Raymond. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 13 and in high definition on digital channel 433. Owned by Media General, WJTV has...
: CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... - Channel 16, WAPT: ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
- Channel 23, W23BCW23BCW23BC is a low-power television station in Jackson, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by Jackson State University. The station currently carries some programming from America One....
: independentIndependent stationAn independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
(owned and operated by Jackson State UniversityJackson State UniversityJackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
) - Channel 27, WXMS: independentIndependent stationAn independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
- Channel 29, WMPNMississippi Public BroadcastingMississippi Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting state network in Mississippi, United States. It is owned by the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, an agency of the Mississippi state government that holds the licenses for all of the PBS and NPR member stations in the...
: PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
/Mississippi Public BroadcastingMississippi Public BroadcastingMississippi Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting state network in Mississippi, United States. It is owned by the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, an agency of the Mississippi state government that holds the licenses for all of the PBS and NPR member stations in the... - Channel 34, WRBJ: The CWThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
- Channel 35, WUFXWUFXWUFX is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Jackson, Mississippi licensed to Vicksburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from a transmitter on Thigpen Road in Raymond. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 11...
: My Network TV - Channel 40, WDBDWDBDWDBD is the Fox-affiliated television station for Jackson, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter on Thigpen Road in Raymond. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 6 and in high definition on digital channel 434...
: FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... - Channel 49, WJXF-LPWJXF-LPWJXF-LP is a low-power TV station in Jackson, Mississippi. The station, which operates on channel 49, is owned by Equity Broadcasting.WJXF began carrying LAT TV programming beginning May 30, 2007, as part of a new deal between LAT TV and Equity. It was originally announced that LAT TV would...
: Retro JamsRetro JamsRetro Jams was a music video network that played music videos from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s. Established in 2007, it was owned and operated by now-defunct Equity Media Holdings... - Channel 53, WJMF-LPWJMF-LPWJMF-LP is a low-power television station in Jackson, Mississippi. The station, which currently operates on Channel 53, is owned by Rainey Radio...
: UnivisionUnivisionUnivision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva... - Channel 64, WJKO-LPWJKO-LPWJKO is a low-power TBN affiliate station licensed to Jackson, Mississippi, United States. The station is owned by the Word of God Fellowship, owners of TBN's competitor, Daystar....
: TBNTrinity Broadcasting NetworkThe Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
FM radio
|
WJKK WJKK, better known as Mix 98.7, is a mainstream adult contemporary radio station. Although licensed to Vicksburg, the station serves the Jackson area. The station is currently owned by Meridian-based New South Radio.... : adult contemporary WJMI WJMI is a radio station licensed to Jackson, Mississippi, USA with a Mainstream Urban musical format. The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.-Station history:... : hip-hop WLEZ-LP WLEZ-LP, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 100.1 FM, is a radio station serving the Jackson metropolitan area with a community radio format. Coverage includes Downtown Jackson as well as the cities of Flowood, Pearl, Brandon, and portions of Ridgeland... : adult standards (a low-powered station that does not cover all of the city) WYOY WYOY is a Top 40 station in Jackson, Mississippi. WYOY debuted in September, 1996, and gave the Jackson area its first Top 40 station since 1993.Current on air members6a-10a Y101 Morning Showgram with Nate and Murphy10a-3p Lauren Rae... : top 40 pop WMSI-FM WMSI-FM is a radio station in Jackson, Mississippi, and owned by Clear Channel Communications. WMSI's signal covers a roughly 90 mile radius around the city with an ERP of 100,000 watts.-History:... : country music WYAB WYAB 103.9 FM is a radio station serving the city of Jackson, Mississippi, including Madison County, Yazoo County, Rankin County, and Hinds County... : talk radio Talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live... Urban contemporary gospel Traditional black gospel is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music... WSTZ-FM WSTZ-FM is a classic rock music formatted radio station in Jackson, Mississippi, but is licensed to Vicksburg, Mississippi. WSTZ is owned by Clear Channel. WSTZ serves Jackson and surrounding area with an ERP of 85,000 watts.... : classic rock WKXI-FM WKXI-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to Magee, Mississippi, but its studio is located in Ridgeland. The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, and is an affiliate of the Tom Joyner Morning Show.... : urban AC |
AM radio
- 620 WJDX: Fox Sports Radio
- 780 WIINWIINWIIN is a radio station licensed to serve Ridgeland, Mississippi. The station is owned by The Radio People and licensed to New South Radio, Inc.The station was assigned the WIIN call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on July 31, 1995....
: Christian country-music - 810 WSJCWSJCWSJC is a radio station licensed to serve Magee, Mississippi. The station is owned by Family Talk Radio. It airs a Religious radio format....
: gospel - 850 WQSTWQST (AM)WQST is a radio station licensed to serve Forest, Mississippi. The station is owned by Ace Broadcasting, Inc. Its format is southern gospel.The station has been assigned these call letters by the Federal Communications Commission since September 1, 1986....
: classic country, simulcast with WZQK - 930 WSFZWSFZWSFZ is a radio station licensed to serve Jackson, Mississippi. The station is owned by Sportsrad, Inc. It airs a sports radio format.SuperSport 930 Daily Broadcast Schedule:The Tim Brando Show - 10am-11am...
: Sporting News Radio - 970 WZQK: classic country, simulcast with WQSTWQST (AM)WQST is a radio station licensed to serve Forest, Mississippi. The station is owned by Ace Broadcasting, Inc. Its format is southern gospel.The station has been assigned these call letters by the Federal Communications Commission since September 1, 1986....
- 1120 WTWZWTWZWTWZ is a radio station licensed to serve Clinton, Mississippi. The station is owned by Wood Broadcasting Co. Its format is bluegrass, with some religious programming....
: bluegrass gospel - 1150 WONGWONGWONG is a radio station licensed to serve Canton, Mississippi. The station is owned by Marion R. Williams. It airs an Urban AC and Gospel music format....
: gospel - 1180 WJNTWJNTWJNT is a radio station licensed to Pearl, Mississippi. WJNT is currently owned by Inner City Broadcasting and its sister stations are WJMI, WKXI, WOAD, WZNO and WJQS...
: news-talk - 1240 WPBQWPBQWPBQ is part of the Reb Sports Radio Network based in Oxford, Mississippi]. The station broadcasts at 1240 kHz on the AM dial. Its sister stations are KBUD 102.1 FM in Oxford and WMUT 101.3 FM in Grenada....
: ESPN Radio - 1300 WOADWOAD (AM)WOAD is a radio station licensed to Jackson with an urban gospel format and is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.- History :The 1300khz frequency was assigned the WRBC call letters for several years...
: gospel - 1370 WMGOWMGOWMGO is a radio station broadcasting a Urban Contemporary music format. Licensed to Canton, Mississippi, USA, the station serves the Jackson MS area. The station is currently owned by Wmgo Broadcasting Corp.....
: gospel - 1400 WJQSI: business
- 1590 WZRXWZRX (AM)WZRX is a sports radio station in Jackson, Mississippi. WZRX airs programming from Fox Sports Radio.Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the station was called "W1" . It was a Top 40 rock-and-roll station, but it was not as popular as WRBC-AM...
: Headline News
Points of interest
Tourism and Culture
Jackson is a city famous for its music - including gospelGospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and R&B. Jackson is also home to the world famous Malaco Records
Malaco Records
Malaco Records is an independent record label based in Jackson, Mississippi. Malaco is and has been the home of various major soul, blues and gospel acts, such as Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, ZZ Hill, Denise LaSalle, Benny Latimore, Dorothy Moore, Little Milton, Shirley Brown, Marvin Sease, and the...
recording studio. Many notable musicians hail from Jackson.
Jackson is home to the USA International Ballet Competition
USA International Ballet Competition
The USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC, is one of the world's top competitions for ballet. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this competition is attended by dancers from all over the world to represent their country for bronze, silver, or gold medals in a variety of categories of...
. 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
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(1969); and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(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
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. 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.
There are two miniature golf courses in the metro area - "The Park" in Flowood (which also has laser tag and go-karts) and "Golfworld" in Jackson. GattiTown Pizza and Games in located in Ridgeland. Chuck E. Cheese's is located in Jackson at its new location near Northpark Mall.
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 SouthCellular SouthCellular South Inc., doing business as C Spire Wireless, headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, is the eighth largest wireless provider in the United States. C Spire has approximately 900,000 customers in Mississippi, the Memphis Metropolitan Area, the Florida Panhandle, parts of Alabama...
- 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 MansionMississippi Governor's MansionThe Mississippi Governor's Mansion is a historic U.S. residence in Jackson, Mississippi, located at 300 East Capitol Street. It is the second oldest executive residence in the United States that has been continuously occupied as a gubernatorial residence .On November 25, 1969, it was added to the U.S...
- 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 Children's 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 HouseThe Oaks House MuseumThe Oaks House Museum, also known as The Oaks, located at 823 North Jefferson Street in Jackson, Mississippi, is the former home of Jackson Mayor James H. Boyd and his wife Eliza Ellis Boyd and their family. Having survived the burning of Jackson during the Civil War, The Oaks is one of the...
- 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
- Mississippi Governor's MansionMississippi Governor's MansionThe Mississippi Governor's Mansion is a historic U.S. residence in Jackson, Mississippi, located at 300 East Capitol Street. It is the second oldest executive residence in the United States that has been continuously occupied as a gubernatorial residence .On November 25, 1969, it was added to the U.S...
- Manship House Museum
- The Oaks House Museum/Boyd House
- King Edward Hotel
- Standard Life Insurance Building
- Greenwood CemeteryGreenwood Cemetery, MississippiGreenwood Cemetery is a cemetery located in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. Still in use, it was established by a federal land grant on November 21, 1821. It was originally known simply as "The Graveyard" and later as "City Cemetery" before the present name was adopted in 1899...
Fondren is a historical neighborhood located just North 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)
- OUToberfestOutoberfestOUToberfest is a gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual festival held annually during October in Jackson, Mississippi. It was established in 2005 for several reasons including:*a failure of Mississippi Pride organizers in 2004...
(annual gay and lesbian festival, October) - USA International Ballet CompetitionUSA International Ballet CompetitionThe USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC, is one of the world's top competitions for ballet. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this competition is attended by dancers from all over the world to represent their country for bronze, silver, or gold medals in a variety of categories of...
(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; 200 S. Commerce St. in downtown
- Gators Downtown - 105 E. Capitol St. in downtown
- 930 Blues Cafe - Blues; 930 N. Congress St. in downtown
- Fenian's Irish Pub - Irish music with live bands and DJ; 901 E. Fortification St.
- 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
- La Cotorra Taqueria Mexicana - Mexican music with live bands (often La Sonora Dinamita) and DJs; 1999 Hwy 80 W.
- Jala Jala Night Club - Latin music played by DJs; 2662 Hwy 80 W.
- Fire - Live Music, Rock, Dance Club/BBQ & Sports Bar; 209 S. Commerce St. in downtown
Parks
- LeFleur's Bluff
- Battlefield Park
- Parham Bridges Park
- Sheppard Brothers Park
- Smith Park
- Sykes Park
- Grove Park
- Laurel Park
- Poindexter Park
Sports teams in the Jackson Metro area
- Mississippi BravesMississippi BravesThe Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Liberty Media, which...
-- minor league baseball affiliate (AA) of the Atlanta Braves. The team plays at Trustmark ParkTrustmark ParkTrustmark Park is the home of the Mississippi Braves, Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and is located in Pearl, Mississippi, USA. The ballpark, which opened April 18, 2005, has capacity for nearly 7,500 fans. There are 5,500 chair-back seats in the reserved seating areas. The grass berm...
in Pearl, MississippiPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Mississippi BrillaMississippi BrillaMississippi Brilla is an American soccer club based in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference.The team plays its home games at...
-- minor league soccer team. The team plays in Clinton, MississippiClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
Summer Training Camp
- New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, Jackson's Millsaps CollegeMillsaps CollegeMillsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
is the former summer home for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL from 2006 - 2010
Sports venues in the Jackson Metro area
- Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumMississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumMississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. Veterans Memorial Stadium is the home field of the Jackson State University Tigers. In July 2011, Jackson State University will own and operate the stadium...
-- Concerts, Football (home of Jackson State University) - Mississippi ColiseumMississippi ColiseumThe Mississippi Coliseum is a 6,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Jackson, Mississippi, built in 1962 and located on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds complex...
-- Basketball, Hockey, Track, Rodeo, Concerts - Smith Wills StadiumSmith Wills StadiumSmith–Wills Stadium is a 5,200 seat baseball stadium in Jackson, Mississippi. It is located on Lakeland Drive, less than half a mile east of Interstate 55, in the northeastern part of the city.-History:...
-- Baseball, Softball, Football, Soccer, Concerts - Trustmark ParkTrustmark ParkTrustmark Park is the home of the Mississippi Braves, Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and is located in Pearl, Mississippi, USA. The ballpark, which opened April 18, 2005, has capacity for nearly 7,500 fans. There are 5,500 chair-back seats in the reserved seating areas. The grass berm...
-- Baseball - Parham Bridges -- Tennis
Former professional sports teams
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Jackson SenatorsJackson SenatorsThe Jackson Senators was the name of at least two minor league baseball teams that played in Jackson, Mississippi.-First team:The first known Jackson Senators club competed in the Cotton States League before 1953...
, Independent (2001-2004) - Jackson Diamond Kats of the independent Texas-Louisiana League (2000)
- Jackson Generals, former Texas LeagueTexas LeagueThe Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
AA affiliate of the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1991-1999) - Jackson MetsJackson MetsThe Jackson Mets were a professional baseball team based in Jackson, Mississippi, from 1975 through 1990. As of 2010, they are the longest-tenured club to be based in the Jackson metropolitan area...
, former Texas League AA affiliate of the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1975-1990)
- Jackson Senators
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Jackson WildcatsJackson WildcatsThe Jackson Wildcats were a United States Basketball League team located in Jackson, Mississippi. The Wildcats were originally located in Glens Falls, New York as the Adirondack Wildcats. The new ownership announced the move to Mississippi on 1 December 2006...
, United States Basketball LeagueUnited States Basketball LeagueThe United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:... - Mississippi Rage, World Basketball AssociationWorld Basketball AssociationThe World Basketball Association, often abbreviated to the WBA, is a professional men's spring basketball league in the United States.-History:The WBA was conceived in 2004, with seven teams scheduled to play...
- Mississippi HardhatsMississippi HardhatsThe Mississippi Hardhats are a World Basketball Association franchise in Hattiesburg, Mississippi....
, World Basketball AssociationWorld Basketball AssociationThe World Basketball Association, often abbreviated to the WBA, is a professional men's spring basketball league in the United States.-History:The WBA was conceived in 2004, with seven teams scheduled to play...
- Jackson Wildcats
- HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
- Jackson BanditsJackson BanditsThe Jackson Bandits were a minor league professional ice hockey team and member of the East Coast Hockey League . The Bandits played at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi between the 1999-2000 and 2002-03 seasons...
-- East Coast Hockey League
- Jackson Bandits
- Soccer
- Jackson Calypso -- Women's Soccer
- Jackson Rockers -- Men's Soccer
- Jackson ChargersJackson ChargersThe Jackson Chargers were an American soccer team which played in the PDL....
-- Men's Soccer
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- Mississippi Pride -- Regional Football LeagueRegional Football LeagueThe Regional Football League was an American football league formed to be the self-styled "major league of spring football." The RFL season was designed for spring-summer play with the weekend prior to the Fourth of July designated as the annual date for its championship game.The inaugural season...
- Las Vegas PosseLas Vegas PosseThe Las Vegas Posse was a Canadian Football League team that played the 1994 season as part of the CFL's short-lived American expansion. The Posse was one of the least successful CFL teams, both on the field and off.-On the field:...
-- Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
-- As a historical note, the team almost moved to Jackson, but efforts to relocate the team to Mississippi failed.
- Mississippi Pride -- Regional Football League
Air travel
Jackson is served by Jackson-Evers International AirportJackson-Evers International Airport
Jackson-Evers International Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located in Jackson, Mississippi, five nautical miles east of the central business district of Jackson, across the Pearl River....
, located at Allen C. Thompson Field, east of the city in Flowood
Flowood, Mississippi
Flowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
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
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
leader and field secretary for the Mississippi chapter of the NAACP, Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
. 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
Airport Parkway (Mississippi)
The Airport Parkway is a major highway development project in the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area planned to connect Interstate 55 on the west, High Street in downtown Jackson, Mississippi Highway 25 , and Mississippi Highway 475 in Flowood at Jackson-Evers International Airport in the...
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
Mississippi Highway 475
Mississippi Highway 475 runs north–south from Mississippi Highway 25 in Flowood, Mississippi to Mississippi Highway 468 in Pearl, Mississippi. In Pearl, it dead ends in the area known as Whitfield- Locales on route :From north to south...
in Flowood
Flowood, Mississippi
Flowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
at Jackson-Evers International Airport. The Airport Parkway Commission 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.
Interstate highways
Interstate 55Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
Runs north-south from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
through Jackson towards Brookhaven
Brookhaven, Mississippi
Brookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
, McComb
McComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
state line to New Orleans. Jackson is roughly halfway between New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. 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 20Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
Runs east-west from near El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
to Florence, South Carolina
Florence, South Carolina
-Municipal government and politics:The City of Florence has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and city council are elected every four years, with no term limits...
. Jackson is roughly halfway between Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The highway is six lanes from Interstate 220 to MS 468 in Pearl.
Interstate 220Interstate 220 (Mississippi)
Interstate 220 in Mississippi is a loop around Jackson that provides an interstate connection for Interstate 55 and Interstate 20. The northern terminus for the route is in the northern suburb of Ridgeland, at Interstate 55 exit 104...
Connects 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
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
state line at Lula
Lula, Mississippi
Lula is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 370 at the 2000 census.Lula was the birthplace of Dr. Ransom Myers , a renowned Canadian-based marine biologist/conservationist who published a seminal study on overfishing revealing the dramatic loss of nearly 90% of...
via Clarksdale
Clarksdale, Mississippi
Clarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
and Yazoo City
Yazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
, towards Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
and Gulfport
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
. It bypasses the city via I-20 and I-220
Interstate 220 (Mississippi)
Interstate 220 in Mississippi is a loop around Jackson that provides an interstate connection for Interstate 55 and Interstate 20. The northern terminus for the route is in the northern suburb of Ridgeland, at Interstate 55 exit 104...
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 80Roughly parallels Interstate 20.
State highways
Mississippi Highway 18Runs southwest towards Raymond
Raymond, Mississippi
Raymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
, Utica
Utica, Mississippi
Utica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the URJ Henry S...
, and Port Gibson
Port Gibson, Mississippi
Port Gibson is a city in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,840 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Claiborne County.- History :...
; southeast towards Bay Springs
Bay Springs, Mississippi
Bay Springs is a city in Jasper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,097 at the 2000 census. It is located at the intersection of state highways 15 and 18. The area was settled in the 1880s by Joe Blankenship, who built the saw mill that became the town's industrial base...
and Quitman
Quitman, Mississippi
Quitman is a city in Clarke County, Mississippi, USA, along the Chickasawhay River. The population was 2,463 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Clarke County, it is the hometown of San Antonio Spurs power forward Antonio McDyess and the birthplace of writer Wyatt Emory Cooper.-Geography:Quitman...
.
Mississippi Highway 25Some parts of this road are known as Lakeland Drive, which runs northeast towards Carthage
Carthage, Mississippi
Carthage is a city in Leake County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,637 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Leake County....
and Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
.
Other roads
In addition, Jackson is served by the Natchez Trace ParkwayNatchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service unit in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail....
, which runs from Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
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 RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(formerly the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
). The Kansas City Southern Railway
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
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
Richland, Mississippi
Richland is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 6,027 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, 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
City of New Orleans
The City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. Before Amtrak's formation in 1971, the train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad along the same route . The train currently operates on a 19½ hour...
provides service from Jackson to New Orleans and some points between. The northbound City of New Orleans provides service from Jackson to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, in the state of Illinois, within the Southern Illinois region. It is located at the junction of Illinois Route 13 and U.S. Route 51, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, on the northern edge of the Shawnee National Forest...
, Champaign-Urbana
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, Chicago
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
and some points between. Efforts to establish service with another Amtrak train, the Crescent Star, an extension of the Crescent
Crescent (Amtrak)
The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
westward from Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, failed in 2003.
See also
- Mississippi census statistical areasMississippi census statistical areasThe United States Census Bureau has defined 3 Combined Statistical Areas , 5 Metropolitan Statistical Areas , and 20 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the State of Mississippi. The following table describes these areas with the following information:*The name of the Combined Statistical Area , if...
- List of metropolitan areas in Mississippi
- List of micropolitan areas in Mississippi
- List of cities in Mississippi
- List of towns and villages in Mississippi
- List of census-designated places in Mississippi
- List of United States metropolitan areas