Jerry Mitchell

1959: 'A Raisin in the Sun' debuted on Broadway - Mississippi Today On this day in 1959, “A Raisin in the Sun" debuted at the Ethel Barrymore Theater.

#OnThisDay in 1959, “A Raisin in the Sun,” the first Broadway play written by a Black woman, debuted. Lorraine Hansberry drew inspiration for her play from a Langston Hughes’ poem: “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?”
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/11/1...

Thanks, MediaBistro, for your praise of "Race Against Time," which tells the story of how courageous families finally found justice for their loved ones, killed in some of the nation's most notorious murders.
www.mediabistro.com/media-news/p...

1903: Arkansas leaders protested streetcar segregation - Mississippi Today On this day in 1903, Black leaders demanded Arkansas reverse its segregated streetcars law.

#OnThisDay in 1903, Black leaders began to boycott segregated streetcars, demanding that Arkansas lawmakers change the law. Black passengers plummeted by as much as 90%.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/10/1...

Thanks, Kristen Hare of Poynter, for picking "Race Against Time" as one of your favorite journalism books!
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...

#OnThisDay in 1912, Charlotta Bass became one of the nation’s 1st Black female editor-owners. Her California Eagle campaigned against racist film “Birth of a Nation” & mistreatment of Black Americans in WWI. She became the f1t Black woman to run for VP.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/09/1...

#OnThisDay in 1977, Henry L. Marsh III became 1st Black mayor of Confederacy's capital, Richmond VA. He inherited a landlocked city that had lost 40% of its retail revenues in 3 years & led the city from “acute racial polarization towards a more civil society.”
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/08/1...

1908: Oseola McCarty was born - Mississippi Today Black philanthropist Oseola McCarty was born in rural Mississippi and grew up in Hattiesburg, where she was raised on a farm.

#OnThisDay in 1908, Black philanthropist Oseola McCarty was born in Mississippi. She saved $150K making other people look nice. Then she gave it all away so that others could get an education.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/07/1...

1857: Supreme Court upholds slavery in Dred Scott decision On this day in 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld slavery in Dred Scott v. Sandford.

#OnThisDay in 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld slavery as an institution. Justices ruled that Black Americans, whether slave or free, had no right to sue. Two months later, Dred Scott won his freedom, setting off celebrations in the North.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/06/1...

On this day in 1770, Crispus Attucks killed in Boston Massacre On this day in 1770, escaped slave Crispus Attucks was among the first killed by British soldiers in the Boston Massacre.

#OnThisDay in 1770, Crispus Attucks, who had escaped slavery, became the first of five killed by British soldiers in the Boston Massacre, a precursor to the American Revolution. Schools, museums and foundations throughout the U.S. now bear Attucks’ name.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/05/o...

1908: Dr. T.R.M. Howard was born - Mississippi Today On this day in 1908, physician and civil rights icon Dr. T.R.M. Howard was born in Murray, Kentucky.

#OnThisDay in 1908, Dr. TRM Howard was born in Murray KY. After the jury acquitted Emmett Till’s killers, Howard spoke at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery. Rosa Parks heard the speech & 4 days later refused to give up her bus seat to a white man.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/04/1...

1960: Vanderbilt expels James Lawson - Mississippi Today On this day in 1960, Vanderbilt University expelled James Lawson for taking part in a sit-in in Nashville.

#OTD in 1960, Vanderbilt University expelled James Lawson for taking part in a Nashville sit-in. A year later, he was arrested in Mississippi for taking part in the Freedom Rides.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/03/1...

To @steelandballast.bsky.social, @jmitchellnews.bsky.social, Mukta Joshi, Nate Rosenfield, Najib Aminy and Steph Quinn of @mississippitoday.org in collaboration with @nytimes.com Local Investigations Fellowship and @revealnews.org for their investigations in one Mississippi county.

#OnThisDay in 1955, 9 months before Rosa Parks, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus. Police jailed her & charged her w/ violating segregation laws, disturbing the peace & assaulting a police officer.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/02/1...

1956: University of Alabama expels Autherine Lucy - Mississippi Today On this day in 1956, the University of Alabama expelled Autherine Lucy, the first Black student ever admitted.

#OnThisDay in 1956, the University of Alabama expelled Autherine Lucy, the first Black student ever admitted after thousands rioted. In 1980, the university overturned her expulsion, and she earned a master’s degree in elementary education at the university.
mississippitoday.org/2025/03/01/1...

2003: Ernest Avants convicted of murder - Mississippi Today Ernest Avants received a life sentence for joining other Klansmen in killing an African-American handyman, Ben Chester White, near Natchez.

#onthisday in 2003, a federal court jury in Mississippi convicted Ernest Avants of murder. Avants received a life sentence for joining other Klansmen in killing Black handyman, Ben Chester White, near Natchez in hopes of luring MLK to the area. The plot failed.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/28/2...

1967: KKK kills Wharlest Jackson Sr. - Mississippi Today On this day in 1967, Korean War veteran Wharlest Jackson Sr. was killed by the KKK.

#OnThisDay in 1967, Wharlest Jackson Sr., a Korean War veteran and NAACP leader, became a KKK target after he was promoted to a "white" position at his job in Natchez, Mississippi. Klansmen planted a bomb inside his truck, which exploded and killed him.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/27/1...

#OnThisDay in 1870, KKK mob lynched Union vet Wyatt Outlaw, 1st Black town commissioner of Graham NC, after he advocated a school for Black students. A state senator was also assassinated. No one was ever prosecuted.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/26/1...

Thank you!

1870: Hiram Revels was elected to U.S. Senate - Mississippi Today Two days after Mississippi was readmitted to the Union, Hiram Revels became the first Black American elected as a U.S. senator.

#OnThisDay in 1870, just two days after Mississippi was readmitted to the Union, Hiram Revels became the first Black American elected as U.S. Senator. He later became the first president of Alcorn University.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/25/1...

FBI investigating Mississippi prison death Involving guards - Mississippi Today Melvin Cancer was killed by guards beating him inside the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, a new report shows.

When Mississippi officials informed Mary Anderson that her uncle died in prison, they told her he had suffered a heart attack. But now, the FBI is investigating the 2025 death of Melvin Cancer at CMCF as a homicide, and the guards as alleged perpetrators.
mississippitoday.org/2026/02/24/f...

#OnThisDay in 1956, U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. coined the term “Massive Resistance” to unite white leaders in VA to preserve racial segregation. VA denied state funds to any integrated school. When courts ordered desegregation, the governor closed schools.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/24/1...

#OnThisDay in 1929, baseball catcher Elston Howard was born in St. Louis. In 1963, the 9-time All-Star became the AL’s MVP, the 1st Black player to do so. Won 4 World Series as a player and 2 more as a Yankees coach, the 1st Black coach in the AL.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/23/1...

On this day in 1898, lynch mob killed S.C. Black postmaster On this day in 1898, a lynch mob killed Frazier Baker, the first Black postmaster Lake City, South Carolina, and his baby daughter.

#OnThisDay in 1898, Frazier Baker, the first Black postmaster of the small town of Lake City, South Carolina, and his baby daughter, Julia, were killed, and his wife and three other daughters were injured when a lynch mob attacked.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/22/o...

Thanks!

2017: 'Hidden Figures' actresses honor Raye Montague - Mississippi Today On this day in 2017, “Hidden Figures” cast honored another hidden figure — trailblazing engineer Raye Montague.

#onthisday in 2017, “Hidden Figures” actresses honored trailblazing engineer Raye Montague. She became 1st female programmer of ships at Naval Ship Engineering Center, creating 1st draft of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate. Her designs continue to be used.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/20/2...

1923: Supreme Court rules in Moore v. Dempsey - Mississippi Today In Moore v. Dempsey, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-2 that mob-dominated trials violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.

#OnThisDay in 1923, the Supreme Court reversed convictions of Black sharecroppers, saying mob-dominated trials violated the 14th Amendment. The trials took place after a white mob killed 100+ Black men, women & children in the Elaine Massacre.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/19/1...

#OnThisDay in 1965, a nighttime protest in Marion AL led to officers attacking protesters. When Jimmie Lee Jackson saw officers beat his mother, he tried to protect his mother, only to be shot and killed by a state trooper. His death inspired the Selma march.
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/18/1...

Ran into Jesse Jackson in 2013 in Jackson. He and I were attending the banquet honoring Medgar Evers, 50 years after his assassination. Hate to hear of Rev. Jackson's passing.