Jackson Free Press

Crossroads Goes Back to Its Roots

Crossroads Film Festival is going back to its roots this year, Festival Coordinator Michele Baker says.

Celebrating Mississippi Composers

When the Mississippi Chorus began looking ahead to the launch of its 30th season this fall, Artistic Director Mark Nabholz says that the board faced an important question: How should …

Disenfranchised for Life? No Changes, Yet

Stanley Barnes of Claiborne County was convicted of murder in 1990 and received a life sentence, but was paroled in 2000. He is still on unsupervised parole. Sen. Albert Butler, …

State to Reauthorize, Monitor Visitors Bureau

Pending Gov. Phil Bryant's signature, the State of Mississippi is reauthorizing the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau for another year, but with added strings attached.

Mayor Lumumba, Police Out of Sync?

If you walked into Jackson City Hall two weeks ago at just after 7 p.m., you would have seen the mayor's chief of staff, Safiya Omari, in a tense, loud …

Smith Park Grand Reopening, CU at the Zoo and AAF District 7 Spring Convention

Smith Park in downtown Jackson, which has been closed for renovations since November 2017, will reopen on Friday, April 13. A ribbon cutting for the refurbished park will take place …

City Metrocenter Lawsuit Set for Trial this Month

The Metrocenter Mall, a former shopping center and office space hurt by white and economic flight, is now being repurposed as a "Comprehensive One-Stop Center" for workforce training programs, even …

City Announces Officer-Involved Shooting Task Force on Identifying Officers

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba has established a task force to provide recommendations for developing a Jackson Police Department policy that will govern the release of names of officers involved in …

Poor Treatment of Local Media Comes to Head at Sanders, Lumumba Town Hall

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders travelled from one predominantly black city to the next on Wednesday for public appearances in commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

MADDRAMA Wins Awards, Hinds One-Stop Center at Metrocenter and New USM Scholarship

MADDRAMA, a student performance troupe at Jackson State University, recently won nine awards at the 82nd National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts Conference at Dillard University in New Orleans.

Bernie Sanders, Mayor Lumumba Have Campaign-Like Chat on MLK Anniversary

Cries of "Bernie 2020!" accented the conversation between U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba at a town hall on economic justice 50 years to the night since …

'Yes, Dr. King, How Can I Help You?': Black Rights Leaders Recall MLK


Flonzie Brown-Wright, Charles McLaurin and James Meredith spoke at the 2 Mississippi Museums on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King's death and reflect on how his work affected …

OPINION: Mississippi Women's Activist—Bernie Sanders Can't Come to the Cookout

"This town hall isn't special; they are taking the usual Bernie town hall and putting Martin Luther King's name on it. It's glaringly obvious, offensive and frankly it is just …

Best of Jackson, Spring Edition

It's officially spring time, which means it's the season for things like sitting outside, enjoying cold beers and eating more seafood.

Mixed Messages: The JFP Interview with Big K.R.I.T.

Justin Scott, better known as hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T., says that he has always felt like a bit of an anomaly.

OPINION: Tickled to See Teenagers Restarting the Revolution

Writer and champion of social justice Dorothy Day once said that "fighting for a cause is part of the zest of life. ... What we need is a revolution. Each …

It gladdened my heart when I saw young people—including students of mine like Jaz Brisack—marching …

• April 4, 2018

Women, Whiskey, Watchdogs (and Dead Bills) at Session's End

Late in the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, talked about a night that his son broke curfew. His boy had spent his father's money on "whiskey, women and …

Jackson City Council Pays for $1.6 Million Winter Emergency

Last week, the city council ultimately approved the $1.6 million in various emergency contracts for repairs to water lines and other engineering services, but not without some pushback.

Mississippi Outs Legal Immigrants on Drivers' Licenses

Abigail Pina Mandujano had to start carrying her visa with her when she drives because her license is not enough to fend off questions from law-enforcement officials at roadblocks, she …