Jackson Free Press

[Parks] Mississippi: America's Africa

Before New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and I left on our trip to Africa in September, WNYC's Brian Lehrer interviewed us on his radio show. A caller asked us …

[Stiggers] Health Care a la Mode

Boneqweesha Jones: "It's 'Qweesha 2009 TV, the show with news and views you should use in your critical thinking process. My guest is Chef Low Fat Meat, the Galloping Gourmet …

For Louis

Last week, my husband, JP, was leaving our house to go to work when he saw something huddled in the bushes. Just as soon as I had heard his key …

[Mott] Not One More Victim

The bad economy and shrinking budget is not an excuse for failing to add teeth to laws protecting women.

[Balko] How to Record the Cops

This summer the issue of recording on-duty police officers has received a great deal of media attention.

Close Columbia Training School

This Tuesday, the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Mississippi House of Representatives heard testimony from families and experts about abuse at Columbia Training School, where eight girls were allegedly shackled …

[Collier] And the Nominees Are

Natalie A. Collier

I own and proudly wear a T-shirt that declares, "I Love Black People." Once, when I was wearing it, a white guy told me—with an inquisitive inflection at the end …

The Art of Denial

I was a junior in high school when my mom came into my room visibly shaken. "I can't keep doing this. There is going to come a time when we …

[Kamikaze] Running The Marathon

Today is my birthday. For the first time in many years, I'm excited. Not because of my "here and now" but because of the anticipation of my future.

Lost in Translation

"He is like a prodigal son, pondering whether he should return to his native soil." So wrote now-freelance Clarion-Ledger columnist Eric Stringfellow this week in a hand-wringing column about the …

Real-Life Horror Stories

John Grisham says Haley Barbour should sign a moratorium on executions in Mississippi. "Absolutely. If I had my way, we'd stop all of them," Grisham said.

[Stiggers] I'm Not Black!

Motel Williams: "Welcome to the first B.I.D. (Blacks in Denial) conference. Before I begin my brief speech, I want everyone to know that I'm not black; I'm Scandinavian!

Proposed Work Program a Bust

This week, the U.S. Senate is considering comprehensive immigration reform that includes the creation of a new temporary worker program.

[Stiggers] Same Process, New Taste

Bill "Munchie" Wilson: "Greetings, Crunchie Burga World customers. I'm Crunchie Burga World's head dietician, here to introduce you to our new fall processed-foods menu. The dietary staff and I worked …

Hosemann, Commit to Fair Elections

In recent years, the role of the secretary of state was handled in a fair-handed and relatively apolitical way by Eric Clark, a conservative Democrat who seemed to focus on …

Breaking the Pipeline

It's graduation season in Jackson, and it's an excellent time to reflect on what it takes to do the best for the future of our state: our kids.

The Truth Can Hurt

A reckoning happened last week in the James O. Eastland Federal Courthouse in Jackson. A lot of truth came out before anyone ever took the stand to testify in the …

[Stiggers] Gotta Bang, Bang the Boogie

Lifetime Sista Gurl Women's Television Network presents the Ghetto Chick Flick of the Week: "The Adventures of Nurse Tootie McBride: Medicine Woman, LPN, certified Tahitian Total Health Elixir distributor and …

[Stiggers] Shafted by the Shift?

Grandpa Pookie: "Greetings, members of the Illumi-Nappy-Headed, Sausage Sandwich Sisters Electric Slide for World Peace and Rent Money, Stop the Ham Hocks and Decrease the Pork Grease Coalition, Women in …

Health Care: Access or Reform?

Perhaps one of the more effective openings that Sen. Barack Obama has had for criticizing his opponent, Sen. John McCain, has been in the contrast of their health-care policies.