Freedom Riders 50th Anniversary Celebration begins on Farish Street

On Thursday, November 11, the Farish Street Historic District was the site of the reception and movie screening honoring the Freedom Riders.  It was an awesome event highlighting progress, opportunity, challenges and diversity. 
Peaches Cafe hosted a reception attended by a standing room only, diverse crowd excited by the opportunity to screen excerpts of the new documentary film on the Freedom Riders.  The Alamo Theater was also filled with energized individuals who savored the opportunity to meet actual Freedom Riders. 
The events also highlighted another opportunity, the revitalization of Farish Street.  The much delayed revitalization project is finally gaining momentum at the Amite Street corner of Farish Street, but as I passed gutted out facades closer to Peaches Cafe and the Alamo Theater, I realized that there is still a lot more work to be done. 
Farish Street represents the best and worst of Jackson.  Once a thriving economic, religious, cultural corridor in the heart of downtown Jackson, it has fallen victim to urban decay and blight.  Farish Street runs north and south with its southern terminus being Pascagoula Street and its northern terminus Fortification Street. 
The Farish Street Historic District borders include North: Fortification Street, South: Amite Street, East: Lamar Street and West: Mill Street.  The Farish Street Entertainment District currently consist of Farish Street from Amite to Griffith Streets. 
When the Freedom Riders arrived in Jackson in 1961 Farish Street was the hub of the African American religious, economic, cultural, lives.  There were doctors' offices, funeral homes, churches, restaurants, night clubs, record companies, movie theaters, attorney offices, etc.  Richard Wright writes memorably about Farish Street and downtown Jackson in his books, Black Boy and Uncle Tom's Children.  I currently attend church at the historic Farish Street Baptist Church located there since 1893.  Stalwarts of Farish Street preservation and revitalization, Dr. Alferdteen Harrison, Col. James Talmadge Anderson, Ms. Nettie Stowers and others attend Farish Street Baptist Church.  Other churches and businesses such as New Hope Baptist Church-Hamilton Street, Mount Helm Baptist Church, Central United Methodist Church, Collins Funeral Home, Peoples Funeral Home and many others work to save Farish Street.