Council Votes to Rename Airport | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Council Votes to Rename Airport

The Jackson-Evers International Airport will now be called the Jackson Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport after Jackson City Council members voted to rename the airport this week.

Council members decided to rename the airport to make clear that it is named after slain civil rights activist Medgar Wiley Evers.

WAPT reports that the name change will cost the airport approximately $100,000 for new signage.

Previous Comments

ID
165220
Comment

The $100,000 for signage... does that include all branding (badges, letterheads, business cards, forms, etc.) or, literally, just signs?

Author
vince
Date
2011-10-20T09:09:55-06:00
ID
165221
Comment

I am sorry, but this does not appear to be a wise use of tax money. The airport is already named for him. Spending $100,000 for new signage seems foolhardy when the money could probably be invested elsewhere in the airport for improvements. If the airport were still named for Thompson, I would have more sympathy for the idea of spending money to change it. The name has been changed and the change in nomenclature, while possibly significant to many, is not of such grave importance that it is immediately necessary.

Author
tombarnes
Date
2011-10-20T09:19:24-06:00
ID
165222
Comment

I think this is a good thing. I just wish they had gotten it right the first time.

Author
Tre
Date
2011-10-20T10:11:42-06:00
ID
165223
Comment

Agreed. They compromised to please the bigot contingent the first time; it should have been this all along. I applaud it. Better late than never. (I assume y'all remember that horrible prize-winning column against naming the airport after Evers in the Northside Sun. Here's a column I wrote about it then.) I also recall that prominent African Americans used that prize-winning column to keep Mr. Emmerich off the airport board. You can see why.

Author
DonnaLadd
Date
2011-10-20T10:25:40-06:00
ID
165224
Comment

Far be it from me to be on the side of bigotry. Too bad they didn't get the full name in the first time.

Author
tombarnes
Date
2011-10-20T10:56:23-06:00
ID
165226
Comment

For it to be a waste of money has nothing to do with bigotry. It was already named for him,to add Megar Wiley is a waste of money for taxpayers of Jackson. Why didn't they add Andrew too? $100,000 would fill alot of pot holes or fix water pipes. Lot more important than what the name of the airport is. The city of Jackson can waste more money of stuff like this than any city I have ever known of. Renaming streets,buildings, doing worthless studies,anybody with half a brain cell already knows they outcome of before hand.

Author
BubbaT
Date
2011-10-20T13:57:32-06:00
ID
165230
Comment

When was the last time you heard someone say "I'm flying in to Ronald Reagan National in D.C." or "I have a layover at Moss Lee Love in Dallas"?

Author
bill_jackson
Date
2011-10-20T19:46:28-06:00
ID
165233
Comment

CAN YOU IMAGINE LANDING IN AN AIRPORT 'NOT' NAMED AFTER A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER? WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE!!!

Author
jbreland
Date
2011-10-21T09:31:17-06:00
ID
165238
Comment

"For it to be a waste of money has nothing to do with bigotry." I guess you are (incorrectly) referring to this comment: "They compromised to please the bigot contingent the first time..." I remember when this happened like five or six years ago and even then I was thinking, 'yeah,they barely named it after him.' His name is Medgar Wiley Evers. Not "Jackson Evers" or even "Jackson Medgar Wiley Evers." The airport in Washington is the "Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," and in my opinion,the proper way to name our airport should be the "Medgar Wiley Evers Jackson International Airport," but I guess they were close enough. Maybe we can change it again in a few years to finally get it right. There is no doubt they are compromising to please the bigot contingent. Even now. By putting "Jackson" first, they can still just call it the "Jackson Airport" for short... just like folks call the DC airport the "Ronald Reagan Airport."

Author
Tre
Date
2011-10-23T10:34:39-06:00
ID
165239
Comment

Tre- You guessed wrong, was not referring to Donna's comment. It doesn't matter who the airport is named for or what they are changing it to, spending $100,000 to rename it(when it's already named for Evers)is a waste of tax money,plain and simple. Like I said before there are alot more important things to spend $100,000 dollars on.

Author
BubbaT
Date
2011-10-24T01:20:35-06:00
ID
165248
Comment

"...there are alot more important things to spend $100,000 dollars on." Like elections for voter id and 'personhood' amendments, and the cost that will follow when people fight them? Hell, it costs ten times that much to put traffic signals up at an intersection.

Author
Tre
Date
2011-10-25T08:15:50-06:00
ID
165292
Comment

Well the name of the airport surfaces again. The city council has yet again proven that they do not have the ability to make educated decisions for the citizens in this city! If those of you supporting this truly wanted to honor his name, how about using tax dollars to name and support something like the Stewpot. I'm sure that wouldn't get the media attention that some of you are seeking though!

Author
js1976
Date
2011-10-31T09:04:43-06:00

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