The Mississippi Center for Justice is still looking to buy the old library building at 301 N. State Street, the site of the historic "read-in" by nine Tougaloo College students during the Civil Rights Movement. MCJ, a nonprofit, public-interest law firm, wants to make the building—which had served as the city's "whites only" library until the read-in—the future site of its offices. MCJ President Martha Bergmark said the role the building played in the Civil Rights Movement made it a fitting location in synch with the nonprofit group's prime agenda of providing equal justice to everybody.
Jackson developer Ted Duckworth bought the building from the city of Jackson last year, after a heated race with MCJ to own the building. The city went with Duckworth's offer, but MCJ said it has offered to buy the building from Duckworth for more than Duckworth paid for it.
"At this time I have no plans to sell it," said Duckworth, who wants to fill the building with condominiums for downtown residents. Duckworth said he would mark the location of the historic read-in with a special exhibit, and wants to make the building a visitation spot on a Jackson historic tour.
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