Jackson Free Press

Fighting for the Right to Vote

Mississippi state law on who gets to vote after serving time in MDOC's custody appears rather arbitrary. Twenty-two disenfranchising crimes are listed in a 2009 attorney general's opinion that clarifies …

Changing the Culture of Suspension

Juan Cloy remembers being suspended when he was at Provine High School in the 1980s. He and several friends got in a fight with some kids from the neighborhood at …

EDITOR'S NOTE: Media, Cops: Choose Crime Solutions Over Perp Shows

It has never occurred to me to call up the police and ask them to stage a special "perp walk" so I can send someone to photograph someone accused of …

Controversial Bills Sneak By at Capitol

After dispensing with items on the so-called non-controversial calendars, lawmakers in the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives grappled with some of the more contentious pieces of legislation just ahead …

Chokwe Lumumba, 1947-2014

The mayor's legacy is probably cemented; the vision he laid out for Jackson is in doubt.

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Israel Tightens Grip on Heart of West Bank

Israel seeks to keep large chunks of Area C, while the Palestinians demand a near-total Israeli pullout so they can establish a state in the West Bank along with two …

Sine Death for Divorce, Campaign-finance Reform After Lawmakers Go Home Early

An abused Mississippi spouse still can't use domestic violence as grounds for divorce, and lawmakers can continue to spend campaign donations on mortgages, automobiles, clothing, tuition payments or non-documented loans …

UN Imposes Tough New Sanctions on North Korea

The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions Saturday to punish North Korea for its escalating nuclear and missile programs including a ban on coal and other exports worth …

Choose Your Own Lit-venture

Mississippi is known as one of the nation’s literary capitals, so it should come as no surprise that the Mississippi Book Festival brings such a big stable of literary talent …

GOP Discord Might Not Bode Well for Raising Debt Ceiling

Fanning the flames of GOP discord, President Donald Trump is accusing Republican congressional leaders of botching efforts to avoid an unprecedented default on the national debt.

JPS Faces ‘Emergency’ Decision: What’s Next?

The future of Jackson Public Schools is uncertain after a recent audit investigation found the district has hundreds of unfilled and uncertified teacher slots; inconsistent board-to-district policies; and did not …

Trump Weighs Mobilizing Nat Guard for Immigration Roundups

The Trump administration is considering a proposal to mobilize as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants, including millions living nowhere near the Mexico border, according …

Internalized Racism: On the Hunt for Solutions

Byron D'Andra Orey, a JSU political science professor, conducts experiments that represent a burgeoning area of study known as "biopolitics," a field examining the intersection of biology and political behavior.

What Spells Success From the 2017 Legislative Session

Success in a legislative session means different things to different people.

Arts Council’s Future Uncertain, Some Cry Foul

In uncertain financial times for the City of Jackson, some council members worry that the mayoral administration could deploy departmental cuts, such as the defunding of the Greater Jackson Arts …

How Trump’s Health Reform Could Affect Mississippi

Lower- and middle-class Mississippians could have the most to lose from Trump's proposed health-care reforms, including those who benefit from insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace as well …

‘What the Religion Teaches’: Feeding the Homeless in Smith Park

Bilal Qizilbash has been bringing dinner to homeless people in Smith Park every Friday for almost nine months, but he and his fellow volunteers never ask anyone about their housing …

The Dilemma of America’s Dad

If "America's dad" is a rapist, doesn't that mean we've all been living a lie? What other lies have we been telling ourselves? What truths are we afraid to know?

Reforms Ahead for Hinds County Adult and Juvenile Jails

While Hinds County's adult and juvenile detention centers are no strangers to problems, both facilities are especially familiar with the kinds of challenges that attract attention from federal civil-rights watchdogs.

Experts Say Launch Won't Bring N. Korea Much Closer to ICBM

According to many experts, the North's rockets look a lot more like what the North says they are—space launch vehicles, or SLVs—and they aren't necessarily helping Pyongyang get that much …