Jackson Mississippi History & Facts

Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. State of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at the 2020 census, down from 173,514 at the 2010 census. Jackson's population declined more between 2010 and 2020 (11.42%) than any major city in the United States.Jackson is the anchor for the Jackson, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, the largest metropolitan area completely within the state. With a 2020 population estimated around 600,000, metropolitan Jackson is home to over one-fifth of Mississippi's population. The city sits on the Pearl River and is located in the greater Jackson Prairie region of Mississippi.

Founded in 1821 as the site for a new state capital, the city is named after General Andrew Jackson, who was honored for his role in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 and would later serve as U.S. president. Following the nearby Battle of Vicksburg in 1863 during the American Civil War, Union forces under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman began the siege of Jackson and the city was subsequently burned.

During the 1920s, Jackson surpassed Meridian to become the most populous city in the state following a speculative natural gas boom in the region. The current slogan for the city is "The City with Soul".It has had numerous musicians prominent in blues, gospel, folk, and jazz. The city is located in the deep south halfway between Memphis and New Orleans on Interstate 55 and Shreveport and Birmingham on Interstate 20. Being at this location has given the city the nickname the "crossroads of the south".

The city has a number of museums and cultural institutions,including the Mississippi Childrens Museum, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississppi Civil Rights Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art, Old Capital Museum, Museum of Mississippi History. Other notable locations are the Mississippi Coliseum and the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, home of the Jackson State Tigers Football Team.

The Jackson metropolitan area is the state's second largest metropolitan area overall, due to four counties in northern Mississippi being part of the Memphis metropolitan area.In 2020, the Jackson metropolitan area held a GDP of 30 billion dollars, accounting for 29% of the state's total GDP of 104.1 billion dollars.

Famous Peoples From Jackson Mississippi

Percy Greene

Percy Greene (1897–1977) travelled the United States spreading awareness of the mistreatment blacks endured at the polls. Greene created the Jackson Advocate, Mississippi's first and oldest black-owned newspaper.

Percy Greene was born on September 7, 1897 in Jackson, Mississippi. He was one of twelve children born to George Washington Green and Sarah Stone. At the age of 17, Greene joined the army. Greene studied law under black attorney-physician Sidney D. Redmond and attended Jackson State University. Greene is in the Jackson State University Hall of Fame for his football talent.

Greene was denied a career as a lawyer because the State bar refused to recognize his high exam scores. His other early jobs included mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, magazine salesman with Tuskegee Institute, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. On June 16, 1921, Greene married Frances Lee Reed. The couple had two children: Frances Lorraine and Gwendolyn Louise.

Greene claimed he advocated for equal rights, justice and opportunities and apoke about the Mississippi poll tax and the intimidation blacks suffered at the polls. He spoke all over Mississippi and was recognized in the Pittsburgh Courier for being on their "Top Ten Honor Roll" two years in a row. Eventually he began speaking in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C.

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