by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
May 19, 2025

CLARKSDALE – J’s Grocery opened its doors in Clarksdale, marking a turning point for a community lacking access to fresh produce. Located in the Eastgate neighborhood, a historically underserved area, the store brings not only convenience but also a vital resource for those facing food insecurity. 

Tyler Yarbrough, a local advocate and director of Mississippi Delta programs at Partnership for a Healthier America, has deep personal ties to the neighborhood. He grew up just a few blocks away in Eastgate, where he witnessed firsthand the struggles families faced in accessing fresh food. 

“I grew up in this neighborhood, and it was difficult to find healthy food options,” Yarbrough said. “I’m proud to be part of this effort to bring a neighborhood corner store back to life, where residents can walk a few steps and find fresh produce.”

Before the opening of J’s Grocery, many neighborhood stores had closed, and those still open primarily offered shelf-stable snacks. Yarbrough and other partners have worked to revitalize this corner of Clarksdale by reconnecting the community with local farmers and providing fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats. 

“This isn’t just about food; it’s about connecting people to their roots and building a healthier future,” Yarbrough said.

The Jones family has served the Clarksdale community for over 27 years by providing essential groceries and community services, including a laundromat and barber shop. After J’s Grocery closed for several years, the family took the lead in its recent reopening, working closely with local advocates and organizations — such as Yarbrough’s Partnership for a Healthier America and the nonprofit Rootswell — to renovate the space and refocus the store on fresh, healthy food options. This collaboration reflects their commitment to continuing the family’s legacy of service while addressing food insecurity in the neighborhood. 

“We want to give the community a better way to eat,” said Alshun Jones, the son of store owner Al Jones.  “It’s about supporting the neighborhood and providing healthy options that have been missing for so long.”

Store owner Al Jones expressed his gratitude for the support and partnerships that made the store’s opening possible. “This is just the beginning,” Al said. “We want to see more stores like this across the city, helping communities thrive.”

The store’s reopening on May 2 also signals the beginning of a larger community revitalization effort, which includes plans for murals and safer sidewalks to connect the store to the nearby schools and residences.

With its focus on fresh food, community involvement, and local partnerships, J’s Grocery is more than just a store — it’s a beacon of hope for the Eastgate neighborhood, offering a fresh start for residents and a model for revitalizing food access in rural communities.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post J's Grocery brings fresh food to Clarksdale appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article about the reopening of J’s Grocery in Clarksdale is primarily a neutral, fact-based report focused on community revitalization and the improvement of food access. It highlights the involvement of local advocates and partnerships without promoting any particular political ideology. The tone remains respectful and informative, centering on the positive impact of the store’s reopening for local residents. There are no significant ideological leanings or biases in the language, framing, or tone, making it a centrist piece that simply reports on an important local event.

by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
May 19, 2025

MAY 19, 1925

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was 14, a teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he answered that he wanted to be a lawyer. The teacher chided him, urging him to be realistic. “Why don’t you plan on carpentry?” 

In prison, he became a follower of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. In his speeches, Malcolm X warned Black Americans against self-loathing: “Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin? Who taught you to hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet? Who taught you to hate your own kind?” 

Prior to a 1964 pilgrimage to Mecca, he split with Elijah Muhammad. As a result of that trip, Malcolm X began to accept followers of all races. In 1965, he was assassinated. Denzel Washington was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the civil rights leader in Spike Lee’s 1992 award-winning film.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post On this day in 1925. Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska. appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article provides a factual recounting of the birth and legacy of Malcolm X, focusing on key moments in his life such as his early aspirations, his prison transformation, and his split from Elijah Muhammad. The tone of the piece remains neutral, largely offering a historical overview rather than an ideological stance. It doesn’t promote a particular viewpoint or engage in political argumentation, instead highlighting significant milestones in Malcolm X’s life. While it presents important historical facts, it refrains from any clear ideological bias, making it a centrist presentation of events.

by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
May 18, 2025

MAY 18, 1896

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-1 in Plessy v. Ferguson that racial segregation on railroads or similar public places was constitutional, forging the “separate but equal” doctrine that remained in place until 1954. 

In his dissent that would foreshadow the ruling six decades later in Brown v. Board of Education, Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote that “separate but equal” rail cars were aimed at discriminating against Black Americans. 

“In the view of the Constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens,” he wrote. “Our Constitution is color-blind and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law. The humblest is the peer of the most powerful. The law … takes no account of his surroundings or of his color when his civil rights as guaranteed by the supreme law of the land are involved.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post On this day in 1896. Supreme Court upheld 'separate but equal' appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a historical recount of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, with a focus on the dissenting opinion by Justice John Marshall Harlan. The tone remains factual and neutral, emphasizing the legal perspectives at the time without taking a clear ideological stance. It merely reports on the event, offering Harlan’s dissenting view on racial equality. There is no discernible political bias in the presentation of the events or the quotes, allowing for a balanced historical account. The article aims to inform without promoting a particular viewpoint.