A Visit to Indianola

One of the projects the Institute for Community-Based Research is working on is an assessment of the food systems throughout the Mississippi Delta. JR (Brother Love) and I are working on the initial research and reporting of this project on two levels: JR on the macro level and me on the micro level. JR will perform a general assessment collecting data from the 12 counties in the Delta while my research will be more pointed -- focussing specifically on the city of Cleveland. The two of us, however, have found so much interest in local food, local markets, and their advocates that we decided to work together during interviews, surveys, and focus groups. The last two weeks have been spent laying much of the groundwork for this assessment. Surveys, interview questions, and focus group preparations have consumed most of my workdays. Friday, however, brought about some of the first relationship-building, roll-your-sleeves-up, grassroots kind of research we were anticipating. After a coffee and a granola bar JR and I headed out to Indianola for our first interview. There we met with Kate, a project director at the Indianola Chamber of Commerce, and Maggie, the Indianola Farmers' Market manager. The interview went well and was followed by a pleasant exchange of ideas and encouragement. Back in the car JR and I both noted the amazing dynamic in the room and the potential that it had if harnessed and exported. We also noted that that same dynamic was probably noted by Kate and Maggie as well. So there you have it -- a meeting on an 80 degree, Mississippi Friday morning between blacks & whites, men & women, political conservatives & liberals (guess which one was me!?!), Mississippi natives & newcomers -- engaging in grassroots work to increase social and economic access and foster advancement.



*** On a side trip, JR & I visited the BB King Museum which just opened in Indianola. The museum's home is the former site of the cotton gin where BB once worked. Unbeknownst to me, JR is a huge BB fan and attended the museum opening the week before. This weeks pics are from that site. Enjoy!

Constitution Day

Short entree: This past Thursday Delta State University hosed a presentation for its annual Constitution Day. The speaker was Douglas A. Blackmon author of 'Slavery by Another Name'. While I was in Minneapolis, working downtown at the YMCA, I would often find myself wondering around in the 30-minutes to an hour I had between work and catching my bus. One Monday (the Library is closed on Monday's) a book at Barnes & Noble caught my eye. The cover was catching so I walked back to see the title. My interest was only in the design but in pulling it from the shelf I noticed the subtitle, 'The Re-enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to WWII'. I read the description then perused the pages. The pictures were amazing so I had to start reading. Everyday I would go to the book store and read the book. When I saw the posters around town I ordered the book and cleared my schedule. Here are some pics taken after the presentation. Mr. Blackmon was kind enough to sign my book and take a photo with me.

I'll pass on a idea Mr. Blackmon shared during the presentation and take time here to suggest reading the book.
-- When one considers that Lincoln did not end slavery, the arguments that 'blacks should move on' or 'get over it -- it's been 150 years' must be re-examined. Slavery did not end 150 years ago. At its earliest, slavery ended in the 1940's -- 60 years ago. When you also consider that equal rights were not recognized and/or protected by law until the 1970's with equal housing rights and protections, the advancement of blacks can be put into context. It is not longer a frustration with how much catching up must be done, rather an amazement at the velocity of achievement.

Brother Love!

This morning I attended the Spangled Banner Church -- upon invitation. The Spangled Banner is a white-framed gem situated in the bend of a gravel road in Pace, Mississippi. The church sits on a picturesque seat canopied by huge old trees. I actually missed the church initially. The church van was parked in someone's driveway. It wasn't actually a driveway, rather the front on someone's trailer. I thought to myself, 'there is no way I'm going in if church is in this trailer'. Luckily, I man on the street gave me directions and it wasn't to the trailer. The church was much as I had imagined a small, black, country, Baptist church would be. The building was short and narrow with windows lining the longer walls. The initial white outside double doors led to a small foyer which proceeded another set of brown plywood double doors. Of course I got caught in the foyer during a prayer -- a small, black, country, Baptist church prayer. Fifteen minutes later the doors opened and I found my friend and colleague Mr. JR Love waiting in a pew for me. The story ends here -- at least the story of the Spangled Banner. The Spangled Banner is the third church in the Delta that I've visited. It's special, as all of the churches have been, but this story is more about Brother Love. JR and I are working on similar projects for the Institute for Community-Based Research. Six weeks ago one could not have convinced me I'd be sitting in the Spangled Banner with Brother Love. JR hails from rural Mississippi -- born and raised. He's a Mississippi State grad and, I think, a Republican. He's also white. And not 'down-with-the-homies' white either. One day at work, while we were talking about churches, JR mentioned the Spangled Banner. Now, in my mind I knew that sounded like a black church (and so do you) so I sort of snickered. He picked it up right away and acknowledged that is was indeed an all black church and he invited me. I didn't know how serious he was about the invitation but over the next couple of weeks he kept mentioning the Spangled Banner. He went to church on Sunday, sunday school, Wednesday night prayer meeting.... I kept thinking 'who is this white boy' and, simultaneously, 'how interesting'. Of course, he couldn't escape the wise cracks which is where he got the nickname 'Brother Love'. So here I am, in the Mississippi Delta, home of some of the nations most tension-filled racial relationships, attending this small, black, rural church with my brother -- Brother Love. How picturesque.

A Slow Week

As time progresses and I grow more comfortable in both my position as a VISTA and as a resident of Cleveland my weeks become more and more "normal". This week certainly qualified as "normal". Of course "normal" doesn't preclude learning. I had an opportunity to attend a conference in Tunica, MS on Monday. Most of my learning from Tunica centered around the piecing together of an effective board and networking. Beyond that -- it was business as usual. I was scheduled to attend a two-day conference in Jackson, MS however Ike postponed that meeting. On Saturday I served as a "Friend of the Farmers' Market" here in Cleveland. The farmers' market is an important element of my work and should be considered work however I frequently find myself looking forward to market days for both the insight and the comaraderie. I've included some pics from the Cleveland Farmers' Market.

Go Away Gustav!

It's been awfully rainy here in the Delta. Mississippi avoided a direct hit to the gulf, however, rain bands from the system have radiated to greet us. Though it's been wet I can't complain. I would much rather deal with showers than floods. It did dry up just in time for the weekend here in Cleveland. From 8 am until 10 am, starting in June and running through November, Cleveland hosts a farmers' market. Because the focus of my work here is food security, I try to make it to the market to gauge community support, converse with my Institute co-workers, and mainly, to fellowship with the vendors. It's interesting that something as simple as a farmers' market can have such an impact on community. Two weeks ago I missed the market and felt genuinely out of touch. The market, as I've found, is also a great place for poor VISTA's like myself to pick up some free food items. My first week out Jesse, a vendor and colleague, gave me some pesto. This week Miss Holland let me take home an entire pecan pie! Following this week's market I attended a children's literacy fair. The fair was held in Mound Bayou, Mississippi which holds claim to being the first black founded and governed municipality. The town has quite a history -- check it out on-line. Unfortunately, the rich history of the town is muted by the painfully evident decay that has taken place. Before the fair, I had visited the town with one of its former residents. He left out the encyclopedic history and told me his own. However, it was clear from the towns aesthetic that something both great and tragic had taken place here. The fair was more work than I'd anticipated. My plan was to pass out books and chill but, smelling my newness, I was lassoed into face painting. Now granted, this was a children's event. But are kids allowed to critique the volunteer "artist"? Your name in bubble letters outlined in alternating colors offset from a whimsical rainbow background is not exactly a request for a volunteer. Nevertheless, I had fun and came away with a book of my own.


Work remains interesting and full. I had the wonderful opportunity to travel with my boss and his colleague to Mississippi State University to attend a presentation at their community research facilities. I was also introduced to the director of this group, Dr. Cosby, who was incredibly energetic and impressive in both his work and his generosity to me. The facilities devoted to community research and MSU were incredible.

Other than that, much is the same. I continue to enjoy the Delta and all of the new people I am meeting. Take care and see you next week.

PICS: (above) closed hospital in Mound Bayou; (center) literacy fair; (bottom) historic signage in front of hospital introducing town

Finally, some pics!

Here are some pictures of my new home town -- Cleveland, Mississippi! Enjoy. The pics begin with some shots of 'downtown', segue into some notable buildings, and end with an 'every-town' staple. Enjoy the video & the audio. However, the quality is better if you go to youTube and search Cleveland Slide Show. Make sure to click just below the video on "watch in high quality". Again, enjoy!

Cradle of American Culture

Last Tuesday we had our staff retreat at The Center.  The previous week we were sent an email indicating our placement on one of three teams.  I lucked onto the orange team with Helen (uh hmm, I forgot I wasn't in Minneapolis anymore -- retraction: Miss Helen), Ryan, Cherylynn, Chiquikta, and Miss Moore.  We weren't given any instructions other than to meet at The Center at 8 a.m. sharp.  At 8 all three teams gathered for instructions.  We were told we would be spending the day competing in the "Great Delta Race".  Each team was assigned a driver, a journal keeper (me), and a photographer and then told to grab a collectable Delta Heritage Calendar and their first three clues.  I grabbed the calendar and my team headed to Chiquikta's car.  From there we picked up our official team van.  However, my team had a handicap: Miss Moore, the Director of The Center, was in a meeting and we had to wait twenty minutes for her.  At 8:30 we finally got on the road -- 30 minutes behind the blue team and 10 minutes ahead of the red team that had to wait on teammate also.  Our first clue lead us to the grave site of Fannie Lou Hamer in Ruleville, MS.  About 15 minutes into the drive I realized I had forgotten the calendar in the first car.  As the new person this was the last thing I needed.  Ryan, however, remembered he had seen a calendar at a nearby restaurant.  We made a small detour and grabbed the calendar.  Our second clue took us to Glendora, MS, the death place of Emmitt Till and home to a bed and breakfast that housed famous bluesmen.  The game changed for all of us in Glendora.  There we met the owner of the B&B and the town's mayor.  We visited the shack where Till's killers lived and the gin where they stole the 70 lb fan used to weigh his body down.  From there we traveled to the nearby town were the trial was held and visited the courthouse.  

Our next clues had to picked-up somewhere on some county road.  I started to get a little nervous as we approached Parchman Prison.  Luckily, we didn't stop there.  Somewhere in between a cotton field and a soybean field we picked-up our last three clues.  Part of the "Great Race" took us to a lecture at Mississippi Valley State with a professor and blues authority.  My orange team picked up some extra credit here.  Apparently, during the Vietnam War, Valley students protested.  The state police arrested every protester and sent them all to the notorious Parchman Prison.  The then university president had to use university funds to bail all of the students out of Parchman and then bought them all one-way tickets out of town.   Clue #4 took us to Greenwood.  I fell in love with the architecture of the town.  Outside of Greenwood was one of the three alleged gravesites of blues legend Robert Johnson.  Under the tree of this tiny Baptist church was the headstone with plane ticket stubs etc. from visitors.  At 1 p.m. all three teams met at the Viking test kitchen which is headquartered in Greenwood.  We cooked and ate pork, biscuits (of course), and pecan pie.  Next we stopped at the Alluvian Hotel.  Who knew Mississippi, let alone Greenwood, had a world-ranked hotel (top-100, that is).  After the Alluvian we hit our final stop: Brownsville.  Apparently this town, Brownsville, was named after several former slaves and sharecroppers moved in (ain't that a mess).  The town's claim to fame is its well which was dug for the purpose of providing the black school children clean drinking water in the new community-built school. 

After fulfilling clue #6 all three teams had to return their van and have all of their clues, facts, and photos in by 4:30.  The orange team, which has slid into last place by lunch., slipped into the door and exactly 4:30 with the other teams waiting (and laughing) at us.  Unbeknownst to them, we had collected all of the clues and both extra credit points.  The next day when the winners were announced guess who came out on top!?!  Slow and steady wins the race.  

This ended up being one of the best staff/team building retreats I have ever participated in.  I got an opportunity to know my office mates.  I also got a chance to see Mississippi unlike I'd seen it in any of the previous 40+ trips I've made in my life.  Mississippi certainly holds its own as its claim as the birthplace of American culture.