Mississippi’s cultural highlights: A family’s Jackson trip

JACKSON, MS – The scent of the red beans and rice could hit you as soon as you enter the doors of Hal & Mal’s restaurant. An urban oasis of southern food in downtown Jackson, Hal & Mal’s has been in business for decades, serving gumbo, red beans and rice, po’boys, and Mississippi Delta tamales served with hot sauce and crackers.

I took my family on a trip to Jackson this past weekend to discover more than just good food (and the food at Hal & Mal’sand several other restaurants that we ate at was very good indeed). The history of the city and its many Civil Rights era heroes were at the top of my mind when we drove in on Friday night.

Our hotel was in the Fondren Historic District, a growing and trendy couple of blocks of cool restaurants, stores, and attractions within walking distance. It included a bowling alley and the Beacon, an art supplies and creative supply storeowned by Nicole and Jason Jenkins. The old typewriters, vintage comic books, cool stickers, notebooks, and notepads reminded me of the shops we have at home in Atlanta. It was a pleasant surprise to have cool bakeries and coffee shops like The Bean so close to our hotel.

We enjoyed having breakfast, lunch, and dinner at places like Brent’s Drugs, an old-school diner that still has some of the original signage and machinery inside. Opened in 1946, Brent’s Drugs, also known as Fondren’s soda fountain, has all the typical diner menu items, including the “Love Bowl,” a killer grits bowl with cheese, turkey sausage, eggs, and green onions. It was great. Songs from Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald played in the background.

For dinner one night, we went to Zundo, a ramen restaurant also within walking distance of our hotel. After enjoying big bowls of delicious ramen—I had the chicken katsu ramen, and it was delicious—we crossed the street and grabbed dessert at Campbell’s Bakery. Established in 1962, the bakery is small but mighty. The cupcakes and ice cream offerings are plentiful, and the cookies are not only good but inexpensive.

Food aside, the attractions in Jackson are in the heart of the city and, in some cases, on its very walls. The murals around town are colorful and help tell the story of Jackson, in part. But museums truly tell the city’s story.

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum ,a low-slung building on North Street, is well worth the price of admission ($15 for adults, $8 for kids). I suggest taking a deep breath before entering the museum. There are so many pieces of this country’s history that are both shocking and disgusting. How Black Americans were treated in the south can leave you stunned, even if you’re someone like me who studies our history in this country and knew what he was going to see before he saw it. From timelines listing lynchings of Black people in Mississippi to exhibits on how white people stopped Black Americans from registering to vote and ultimately failed at it.

A personal hero of mine, the late Medgar Evers, a Mississippi native and Civil Rights icon, has an exhibit at the museum, and it was a powerful experience spending time there. A short video on his life, work, family, and murder by racist Byron De La Beckwith can be seen on a loop within the exhibit. I sat and watched it twice. I only cried once. We also had an opportunity to visit the Evers’ home, a national historic landmark that still sits in the original neighborhood in which it was built. It is a must-see and must-visit in Jackson, owned by Tougaloo College and managed and maintained by the National Park Service.

The International Museum of Muslim Culture is located downtown and shares the grounds of the Mississippi Museum of Art . The former is a collection of some of the most beautiful artifacts, writings, and art I have ever seen.

Operating under a new Executive Director, Aseelah Rashid, the museum offers guests a walk through the history of the Muslim culture and a direct look at centuries-old artifacts like slave contracts written in Arabic, the jewelry of kings and queens, and even an actual door to a mosque dating back hundreds of years. During our trip, Sundiata, a Jackson native and United States Military veteran, walked us through some exhibits and shared even more insight. Along with visiting the Evers’ home, the Muslim museum was my favorite part of our trip to Jackson.

We will definitely be back. 

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