We’ve all been there: mindlessly scrolling through Facebook only to be caught completely off-guard by a disturbing photo, a shocking headline, or an ignorant comment. It’s pretty common these days to interact with social media a bit like a minefield, but it’s rare for those “explosions” to produce laughter and “amen.” Susannah B. Lewis is one of these unique Facebook-dwellers, and I’ll never forget the day I first stumbled across this striking blonde with a smart mouth speaking some things that needed saying. I was a little mesmerized, I must admit.

Gather: October 2019

It’s finally fall! Well, almost. Join us as we gear up for arguably the most beautiful time of year in Jackson as we celebrate with drinks, music, and all kinds of outdoors fun.

A Stone of Remembrance

George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Like any place, Jackson, Tennessee, has its fair share of history, some things worth celebrating and others worth mourning, but all are worth remembering so that we can move forward in hope for change. One of those historically significant events for our community (and hundreds of others across the U.S.) is the brutal lynching of African Americans—not just one, but three. Jacksonians Jesse and Mary Chandler Wooten gave birth to a daughter in 1883.

StoriesGuest ContributorMarch 8, 2019Jackson TN, Tennessee, Cindy Boyles, Jackson-Madison County Community Remembrance Project, racism, reconciliation, George Santayana, lynching, murder, African American, Eliza Woods, Jesse Wooten, Mary Chandler Wooten, Rev. George Hinkle, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Civil War, slavery, poison, Sheriff B.A. Person, Hu Anderson, Robert Cartmell, white supremacy, The Tennessean, New York Times, Ida B. Wells, J.R. Rushing, Eastside Cemetery, Centennial Park, John Brown, Frank Ballard, Equal Justice Initiative, EJI, justice, equality, Indivisible Jackson, Jackson State Community College, Legacy Museum, Montgomery AL, National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Maya Angelou, memorial, Mayor Jerry Gist, courthouse, Black History Month, Lauren Kirk, Women's History Month, Melanie Taylor, Mike Booth, A Night of Storytelling, A Night of Storytelling Spring 2019

Stay 731: A New Beginning

Standing in the center of the walkway, I found myself staring anxiously at the building before me: the University of Memphis at Lambuth. It was my first day back to college since graduating from Jackson State Community College a little over a year before, and I reluctantly confessed to myself that I was a bit nervous. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for this nervousness; I had been through the “first day of school” more times than I could count, yet I still felt the same anxiety as I had in previous years.

EssaysGuest ContributorDecember 6, 2017Jackson TN, Tennessee, Jordan Anderson, education, college, writing, English, University of Memphis Lambuth, Jackson State Community College, community, introvert, Stay731, Women's History Month, Black History Month, woman of color

Stay 731: A Network of People

I have always felt some connection with Jackson, Tennessee—possibly because my grandfather was the first chiropractor in Jackson. (For those who might of known him, he was located off 45 down from the Red Cross building.) So in part you could say my roots are here in Jackson.I was born and raised in Lexington, Tennessee. Growing up, my mom, twin sister, and older brother would load up into a red station wagon and head out to Jackson, listening to Neil Diamond’s “Cracklin’ Rosie” cassette tapes.