I arrived in Jackson with an inexplicable itch to see the sights and sounds of the Mississippi capital. The last and only time I visited the Magnolia state was Starkville to tour the John C. Stennis Institute in Starkville. Since then I’ve only heard and read bad things from the media about poverty, healthcare and sub-par education. Many people derided Mississippi as one of the most miserable states.
I walked the two miles from the Petrol Truck Stop to downtown. The state capitol building and civil war memorials looked silent and majestic
The building decor with its parched white facade looked stunning in the nighttime. There was not a sight of a single soul or sound of movement save for the chattering of squirrels and the rustling of birds.
Surely there were restaurants and night life. I decided to walk towards the historic King Edward Hotel, long a downtown eyesore and a reminder of the city’s blight and decay. The hotel is now owned by the Hilton. It’s hard to believe that the building sat vacant for over 40 years.
I stumbled upon the art deco style of the Mayflower Cafe. I peered inside and watched multi-generational families relishing a festive family-style meal. I chose the booth over the table and ordered the broiled redfish with oysters.
As I munched down on my salad, I overheard a table of elderly diners swapping stories about life’s experiences and about the fish that got away. Slow and steady in the deep south was the name of the game.
Then something struck me. The diners were all white, mostly middle-aged. Jackson is a city that is predominantly Black. I had a nice chat with my waitress Trish and the cashier Annie.
“This is the oldest restaurant in Jackson, if not the entire state of Mississippi.”
The restaurant has thrived despite the decline of the downtown from the 70s-90s.
After a hearty meal, I was ready for a nightcap.
Luckily a few blocks east, I stumbled upon a new lounge called Names and Faces.
As soon as I walked in, the clientele was more in line with the demographic of Jackson which is 80% Black. Two middle-aged men at the bar turned towards me and signaled me to come closer.
Met the owner Terrance known as TP. “What are you drinking?” he inquired. I was offered a free shot of Absolut Vodka Citron.
“We at Names And Faces Lounge are the new bar where everybody knows your names ,” said TP.
“So how was your week?”
“Pretty exciting for Jackson. Yesterday we had Jay-Z and Yo Gotti were here.”
“For real.”
“Yeah we had a huge protest in front of the Capitol. There’s been several deaths at the State Penn in Parchment in the last couple of months.”
“It’s really bad. The prison is plagued with violence. There’s rats running all over the place, the sewage has backed up and some of the guards have gang affilation.”
