Margaret Walker Center

In 10 days, we gather to remember. 70 years ago, Emmett Till's murder shook our nation's conscience. His mother's courage to “let the world see” changed history forever. Join us August 28-30 as we honor their legacy and continue the unfinished work. Register at emmett-till.org/70th.

We're feeling inspired this week by a group of hardworking and dedicated students who came together to provide free haircuts and a fun hangout for their campus community this past Sunday at COFO. In addition to haircuts, there was music and even a raffle giveaway!

In this photo, she talks with Margaret Walker during the 1973 Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival.

The background is a black and white photo of two women in dresses talking in an empty hallway next to closed doors. They both carry folders and papers.

Our heartfelt sympathy extends to the Currie family today with the recent passing of Mrs. Alleane Currie.

Among her many accomplishments and important work, Mrs. Currie was Margaret Walker's long-time secretary, and we are grateful for her dedication to the Center and the JSU community.

The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month Taylor's Candy Co.". Below, smaller font reads: 1519 Cox Street, Jackson, MS 39204 (601) 352-3462. Taylor’s Candy Co. is a long-standing Black-owned Jackson business, currently located at 1519 Cox Street. Though it found its home in 1967, the idea had long been in the works; co-owner to-be Walter Lee Taylor always had dreams of owning a business. His first chance to explore this was as a young boy selling grits in Madison County, MS." At bottom left there is a photo of a large sign on a metal post. The sign is white, red, and blue, and reads "Taylor's Candy Company & More est. 1967".

The background is light peach with black font reading "Taylor's Candy Co. He worked under his cousin, Harvey Taylor, who owned a distribution company founded sometime in the 1940s. Walter Lee settled on his idea to create Taylor’s Candy in 1960s with one truck and $200. In 1962, he married his wife and co-owner, Ozie Gross Taylor. The two retired school teachers (Rankin County and Jackson Public Schools respectively) operated the company out of their home until they were able to secure and build up the current location through a Small Business Administration loan in 1967. Since then, Taylor’s Candy Company has operated from West Jackson, serving a dedicated customer base with candies at affordable, wholesale prices. Approximately 5 years ago, the Price family took over the business. The couple, Pamela Price and Greg Price, operate Taylor’s Candy as a family business. On weekdays, you can meet Greg at the register, and on weekends you’ll likely meet Pamela. They have added to the store’s reach by stocking everyday items for their nearby consumer base, who often don’t have transportation to get their essentials. There is also the added struggle of Jackson, and particularly West Jackson, being a food desert. Walking into Taylor’s Candy Company, your eyes are certain to light up at the shelves full of iconic candies and snacks such as bags of Frooties, Banana Planks, hot pickles, Grandma’s cookies, and Faygos. Their selection perfectly encapsulates a bit of Mississippi childhood."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Let's Discuss How have you adapted to your changing environment? How do you continue to be true to yourself and your community? What’s your favorite candy?" Above, there is a photo of the store's interior, with bright blue walls and shelves filled with packages of candy and snacks.

Welcome to this week's #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition!

Taylor’s Candy Co. is a long-standing, Black-owned Jackson business, currently located at 1519 Cox Street. Family-owned and offering a wide array of candy, sodas, confections, and snacks, the store is a fun place to shop local!

A little preview from this week's #HBCURadioPreservationProject!

In this edition, Houston native Devan Wade discusses his talk shows, the city of Houston, the history of KTSU, journalism, lessons learned from football, and more!

Watch the rest here: youtu.be/2gfxksrQDXY?...

Flyer with a half cream, half crimson background. Has the "HBCU Radio Preservation Project in collaboration with 91.3 WYSO" logo in gray and yellow. There are graphics of a black microphone and black radio waves surrounding text that reads "Devan Wade on his talk shows, the city of Houston, the history of KTSU, journalism, lessons learned from football, and more!"

Take a well-earned break and listen to this edition of the HBCU Radio Preservation Project!

Meet Devan Wade, Coordinator of News, Sports, and Podcasts at KTSU in Houston, Texas.

Listen: youtu.be/2gfxksrQDXY?...

Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@mwalkercenter

#HBCU #radio #HBCURadioPreservationProject

ETIC’s Public Engagement and Museum Education Director Benjamin Saulsberry was recently on WLBT to talk about the upcoming 70th anniversary programming. Thanks as always for doing us proud, Benjamin! Watch the segment at muckrack.com/broadcast/sa....

We know it's been a minute since we've posted any #trivia, so enjoy this quiz that we made earlier in the year before joining Bluesky--now, it's your turn to test your knowledge of #Blackhistory!

As promised in the video, we'll shoutout the account who comments the most correct answers.

Good luck!

Two young women sit next to each other inside an exhibit room with informational wall posters with text and photos behind them.

A large group of students, most of whom are wearing gray and orange Home Depot shirts, pose on lawn chairs outside on a green lawn. Trees and tall stadium lights are in the background.

Students sit on dark gray metal lawn chairs placed around a deck and rock pit beside a building. The side of the building has a painted mural depicting several faces on it. String lights hang overhead.

Two young women sit next to each other on a gray-blue couch in front of a photograph collage. They both hold slices of cake and smile at the camera.

Welcome back to school, students! Whether it's your first semester of high school or your last year of grad studies, we wish you the best!

Don't forget to come see us at the COFO Civil Rights Education Center, just down the road from #TheeILove Jackson State University!

We're open M-F, 8am-5pm.

The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month OffBeat". Below, smaller font reads: 109 N State St, Jackson, MS 39201. Despite being called a record shop, OffBeat carries a lot more than just records! One step inside and you'll also see comic books, manga, figures, and artwork. It’s nearly impossible to leave the store without finding something that piques your interest." At bottom left there is a photo of the store front, with the bright blue text logo "OFFBEAT" on large windows next to the store's door.

The background is light peach with black font reading "OffBeat OffBeat has been a Black-owned business in Jackson since its opening in 2014; the store has now celebrated its 10th anniversary as a cultural pillar in the community. In its operation, OffBeat has acted as a one-stop cultural shop, a performance venue hosting local musicians and poets, an art gallery, and a general space in which to hang out and get to know the community. The idea for OffBeat came about because the owner and founder, Phillip Rollins, was invited to take part in the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute (MBLI); there he was tasked to end with a product that positively impacted the community, and out came OffBeat! Since then, OffBeat has continued to serve Jackson with a special care to Black arts and creativity. Now OffBeat even takes to the streets with the OffBeat Skate Crew, representing the still-vibrant subculture of skateboarding in our capital city and pushing us to be more active in ways that both improve our health and our sense of joy and community. OffBeat currently operates at 109 N State St, Jackson, MS 39201, though this is the second location of the shop, which was formerly in the Midtown neighborhood at 151 Wesley Avenue. The iconic OffBeat awning can still be seen at this location."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Let's Discuss How do you plan to bring the community together? How does pop culture impact you? What is your favorite purchase from OffBeat?" Above, there is a photo of the storefront windows, in front of which is a table draped in a black tablecloth with the words "My City" on it. Black and white t-shirts and hats are laid out on the table.

Welcome to this week's #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition!

Despite being called a record shop, OffBeat carries a lot more than just records! One step inside and you'll also see comic books, manga, figures, and artwork.

Check out OffBeat's website: www.offbeatjxn.com?srsltid=AfmB...

This evening, we join with many others in offering our deep condolences after hearing of Robert M. Walker's passing.

We remember his valuable contributions to the programming and research at the Margaret Walker Center, and we are heartened by the incredible legacy he leaves behind.

Internet Archive Wayback Machine Save Page Now

The web changes every day. Sometimes those changes matter...a lot.

With the Wayback Machine’s Save Page Now feature, you can capture the web pages you care about before they’re altered or vanish. 🕳️

Save what’s important to you ➡️ web.archive.org/save/

Two people in a large gymnasium with stands in the background pose in front of large white letters illuminated by light bulbs, spelling "JSU." They smile at the camera and hold up white and blue certificates.

Let's hear it for our hardworking team members! Yesterday, Ms. Angela Stewart (MWC Archivist) and Dr. Robby Luckett (MWC Director) were awarded certificates for their 20- & 15-year anniversaries at JSU, respectively. We're so thankful for their dedication.

Help us give them a round of applause!👏👏👏

Flyer with a half cream, half crimson background. Has the "HBCU Radio Preservation Project in collaboration with 91.3 WYSO" logo in gray and yellow. There are graphics of a black microphone and black radio waves surrounding text that reads "De'Aundrea Kidd on her love of music and writing, working as a program director, on-air techniques, the origins of her interest in media, and more!"

Time for more HBCU excellence! Listen to this week’s edition of the HBCU Radio Preservation Project.

De'Aundrea Kidd talks about her love of music and writing, working as a program director, her interest in media, & more!

Listen: youtu.be/_mcssBAaLmc?...

Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@mwalkercenter

📅 Upcoming Webinar – August 12 | 5pm ET

How did WWII shape US racial politics—and how can educators teach these complex histories today?

🎙️ Part of our US History at 250 series
🗓️ August 12 | 5pm ET
👉 Register now: ow.ly/cr8c50WAn0r

Guess who else is hiring?! Our friends at the Oral History Association!

They are looking for a full-time Program Associate based at Baylor University (Waco, TX).

Send your letter of application & resume to stephen_sloan@baylor.edu.

For more info, visit their site: oralhistory.org/2025/07/25/j...

The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month Marshall's Bookstore". Below, smaller font reads: 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202 (601)-355-5335. Marshall’s Bookstore is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) Black-owned bookstores in the United States. It was founded in 1938 by Louis Wilcher, who was the pastor of Greater Pearlie Grove Missionary Baptist Church, which is also still in operation. Even the location of Marshall’s is historic as it stands on Farish Street, one of many areas across the country where Black businesses thrived before integration took real roots." At bottom left there is a photo of the front of the bookstore, with large windows, a green awning, and a red brick facade.

The background is light peach with black font reading "Marshall's Bookstore Marshall’s is a worthwhile visit as a historic destination and as a bookstore, with a collection that is purposefully curated for the Black experience. The store exists partly as a bookstore and partly as a museum. The current owner, Maati Jone Primm, acts as a beacon of Black history. She champions the subject with a collection of personal history, videos, literature, music, and, of course, books that beautifully illustrate the vibrant African American history of this country. Even the walls are decorated with the faces of Black changemakers in and from Mississippi. As of today, Marshall’s Bookstore has been standing for 87 years. Its existence has been lovingly sustained by Primm’s family, including her mother, Louise Marshall, who is featured in the mural at the COFO Civil Rights Education Center. Marshall’s Bookstore represents a tradition of Black book and cultural shops across the nation, filling an important niche in a community that has been historically denied access to these knowledge bases. You can visit Marshall’s Bookstore yourself at 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202. The store is open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Discussion Questions Have you ever been to Marshall's Bookstore? Do you have any memories of Marshall's Bookstore? Can you think of other Black businesses with a decades-long legacy?" Above, there is a photo of stacks of books sitting atop display cases in front of a wall full of photos, quotes, and other paper memorabilia.

Welcome to our 1st #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition! This week we highlight the long-standing Marshall’s Bookstore, one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the United States.

You can visit Marshall’s Bookstore at 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS. Open 10-5 M-F and 10-2 on Saturdays.

Thanks for sharing!

There is a light blue filter over a photo of people standing on a sidewalk to the right of a large fence and a metal sign with a paragraph on it. A large gray circle in the middle of the graphic contains text reading "Our hours WIll be limited This week on 8/6 and 8/7 due to meetings at JSU. Please contact us via mwa@jsums.edu with any questions or requests."

Our hours will be limited this week on 8/6 and 8/7 due to faculty and staff meetings at Jackson State University.

Please contact us via mwa@jsums.edu with any questions or requests.

Thanks for your understanding!

On September 4 and 6, the 150th anniversary of the 1875 Clinton Massacre will be commemorated through a series of poignant and reflective events throughout the city, including a reflection at the historical marker, an academic panel discussion, and a memorial service featuring witness descendants.

Jubilee Book Club: August Edition Welcome to the second edition of the Jubilee Book Club! This month, we feature an in-depth examination of the protagonist Vyry along with some archival materials, trivia, and more.

Kick off August right with this month's edition of the Jubilee Book Club!

Dive into a character study of the protagonist Vyry, make your voice heard in our polls, enjoy some trivia, and watch a couple interviews!

Don't forget to tell us what you think.

Read now: open.substack.com/pub/margaret...

Flyer with a half cream, half crimson background. Has the "HBCU Radio Preservation Project in collaboration with 91.3 WYSO" logo in gray and yellow. There are graphics of a black microphone and black radio waves surrounding text that reads "Malik Perkins on writing and public speaking skills, his radio inspirations, his time at Central State, learning on the job at WCSU, and more!"

Tired of the Top 40? Listen to the HBCU Radio Preservation Project!

This week we hear from Malik Perkins as he reflects on his writing and public speaking skills, radio inspirations, learning on the job at WCSU, and more!

Listen: youtu.be/kSA14XJmrzw?...

Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@mwalkercenter

We didn't expect anything less than a great time at #AAAM2025, and as always, #AAAM delivered!

Of course, we are very proud of our team members Garrad Lee and Jaylen McDaniels for presenting on their HCAC work for the panel "HBCU’s At the Vanguard: A Model for Black Digital Humanities!"

Though the deadline to add archives to their mapping project has passed, check out the great work being done by the FOCAS (Faculty Organizing for Community Archives Support) group!

Learn more on their website: archivalfocas.org
or email them at focascollaborative@gmail.com

The Margaret Walker Center is hiring! We are looking for a Mellon Visiting Scholar.

The Visiting Scholar is a 3-year position and will entail a 1-1 teaching load as well as 2 digital humanities convenings for the community.

Job posting: shorturl.at/L07jt

Questions? Contact mwa@jsums.edu

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Fannie Lou Hamer was born the youngest of twenty siblings in Montgomery County, Mississippi, on October 6, 1917. By the age of six, she joined her family in the fields to pick cotton and earn a living via sharecropping. By twelve, she left school to work full time, and she had a permanent limp from a bout with polio well before the vaccine's release in 1955. She married her husband at age 27, and the two continued the path of sharecropping that was the only avenue for many African Americans in Mississippi."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Their lives would change forever in 1961 when Fannie Lou Hamer went into surgery for the removal of a uterine tumor; without her consent, her uterus was removed. This forced sterilization was one of many performed on Black women in the state from the 1920s to the 1980s in a practice often referred to as a Mississippi Appendectomy. The couple mourned the loss of possible biological children, though they would later adopt four children. This is not the only physical injustice Hamer would suffer; when she and other activists were jailed in Winona, MS, white officers forced Black inmates to beat her, leaving her with permanent injuries."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month In 1962, the couple’s lives would change again when Hamer, encouraged by a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) meeting, registered to vote as one of two allowed out of a group of 17 African Americans. On her return to the plantation she had called home for nearly two decades, she was promptly fired and driven off the land for refusing to revoke her registration. It was this event that truly propelled her into civil rights activism."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Fannie Lou Hamer is arguably most well known for her quote, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired,” delivered in a speech at a 1964 event with Malcolm X, supporting the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. This quote directly references her struggle as a woman with disabilities. Hamer passed away on March 14, 1977, after continually suffering from the lasting effects of her injuries, stress, and complications arising from hypertension and breast cancer. Over 1,000 people attended her memorial service."

For our final #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth edition, we take an in-depth look at the life and activism of Fannie Lou Hamer.

Let's discuss:
- Have you read or heard any of her speeches?
- What obstacles do activists face today?
- Would you pursue activism if you had her experiences?

Flyer with a half cream, half crimson background. Has the "HBCU Radio Preservation Project in collaboration with 91.3 WYSO" logo in gray and yellow. There are graphics of a black microphone and black radio waves surrounding text that reads "Melva Newsom on her career as a teacher, connecting with students, changes in education, studying social justice issues, and more!"

We’re on air in five, four, three, two…with this week’s edition of the HBCU Radio Preservation Project!

Melva Newsom talks teaching, connecting with students, changes in education, studying social justice issues, and more!

Listen: youtu.be/8qCicMjkxxo?...

Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@mwalkercenter

Background is a light cream color. There is a sepia photo of a woman leaning along a set of carpeted stairs. She looks at the camera half-smiling, with her hand supporting her head. Below the photo is black text reading "Trivia Time! Did you know? Margaret Walker was the first Black woman to win the Yale University Younger Poets Award, which she received for her influential book of poems, For My People."

What goes best with Tuesdays... #trivia!

Stay in the know with the Margaret Walker Center's Trivia Time.

This one's about Margaret Walker being the first Black woman to win the Yale University Younger Poets Award!

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month How much do you know about Brad Lomax (1950-1984), a disability rights activist and Black Panther? As an adult, he was faced with either going into the military or attending Howard University, a difficult choice due to the racism faced by Black soldiers during the Vietnam War. At Howard, anti-war activism drew him in and he soon found himself a member of the Black Panther Party. It was around this time that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the nervous system. This condition can show up in a multitude of ways, but for Lomax it meant that he needed to use a wheelchair to get around."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month After helping establish the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Black Panthers, Lomax moved to Oakland, California, where the Black Panthers’ headquarters were. It was here that Lomax was propelled into disability activism as he faced increasing difficulties as a wheelchair user. He expanded his activism, bridging a gap between the disabled and Black Panther community. In 1977, disability rights activists, Lomax among them, took over a federal building in San Francisco and camped in the building for three weeks. At his request, the Black Panther Party allied with the disability rights activists, providing them with food and other supplies, while also covering the events in their media."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Through this allyship, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was signed into law, making it one of the first legal protections for people with disabilities. Lomax continued to fight for the rights of Black people and people with disabilities alike, contributing to the establishment of both the East Oakland Center for Independent Living and the Black Panther Health Clinic in Washington, D.C. Brad Lomax passed away at the age of 33 years old in 1984 due to complications with multiple sclerosis."

The background is charcoal gray. Graphics of curly lines and circles are at the top right and bottom left corners. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green. A black and white photo at the top of the graphic shows a man in a suit in a wheelchair speaking into a microphone. A color photo at the bottom of the graphic shows a group of smiling people gathered around the same man in the wheelchair in front of white curtains.

This week, for #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth, we highlight Brad Lomax, a disability rights activist and Black Panther whose efforts helped lead to the signing of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Check out this PBS special for more about Brad Lomax: www.pbs.org/wnet/america...