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Over the weekend I had a chance to visit with my cousin and her mother, my aunt. My aunt has retired from 30+ years of Extension work; working extensively throughout the state of Mississippi. During our conversation we happened on the subject of community development. A point to which we both agreed was the need for a spiritual awakening, behavioral changes, a new perspective, and a local dynamic leader. I'd mentioned a town we were both familiar with in the Delta. The overall development of this town was comparable to that of a grossly underdeveloped country. The people, however, were not agitated. They were not happy or pleased, yet, they were not motivated to action. They had seemingly become satiated by the gifts, rather crumbs, bestowed upon them by the few influence-having, power-welding, resource-holding people and/or groups in town.



On one of our earlier trip through the Delta, JR had informed me to look for the houses on hills located throughout the Delta. He indicated that these beautiful, ornate, monolithic houses were once the homes of slave and plantation owners. The houses were build on hills (some man-made) so that the owners could oversee their investments. The houses on the hill represented sight, perspective, status, and control. They were the literal representation of the owner's figurative position.

Upon entering this particular Delta community, a massive plantation home sits greeting each entrant to the town. My introduction to the town came one foggy, damp morning. I was with a small group and we drove up to the house. The house sat empty and is rumored to have been vacant for years. The town is almost completely African-American. The literacy rates, health disparities, and economic indicators make this one of the least developed, poverty entrenched areas in the country. Ironically, the overseer no longer has to be even physically present to exert his domination. Sadly, this house sits as a reminder, in some sense, of the psychological conditioning that needs to be overcome both regionally and culturally.