As the Lone Star State increases its share in the Electoral College to 40 votes, such gains also bring redistricting, with the government attempting to redraw districts so that they have equal populations. With new lines drawn, Walker County will be split into two districts: rt of Walker County will continue to be represented by the Texas’s 8th Congressional District (currently help by Congressman Kevin Brady) and the northern part will be represented by TX Congressional District 17 (Congressman Pete Sessions).
At the Texas Prison Museum, we had the opportunity to meet our current (Brady) and (likely) new (Sessions) Congressman! Some local and state candidates were also in attendance, and some even took the opportunity to ask Congressman Pete Sessions questions. The LEAP Ambassadors, almost front and center, listened attentively.
An audience member pressed Congressman Pete Sessions on his stance on a bill filed by Congressman Kevin Brady. The bill, also known as the “High-Speed Rail Land Acquisition Assurance Act,” was filed on January 10, 2022. This bill ensures that Texas Central’s high-speed rail and other high-speed rail projects cannot seize taxpayer land for projects that will never be started.
As filed, the High-Speed Rail Land Acquisition Assurance Act will require companies to acquire all the land needed to finish a high-speed rail project before construction can begin.
In his response, Congressman Pete Sessions reassured the citizens that he opposed private interest corporations using eminent domain to take someone’s private property. He plans to work diligently with Congressman Kevin Brady in protecting Texas citizens’ rights.
With the transition of redistricting and his retirement announcement, Congressman Kevin Brady reminded Walker County’s people of his commitment to finish the job until the very end. After serving for over two decades, Congressman Kevin Brady’s absence will be felt in Walker County. To offer just a small example, the LEAP Center has placed more than 20 interns in Congressman Brady’s office, and he has hired eight of them as staff.
With this history in mind, the LEAP Ambassadors are looking forward to similar opportunities in both CD 17 and 8.
To kick off this semester, the LEAP Center and Pre-Law Society hosted the biannual ice cream social, followed by a panel of experts discussing one of the world’s hottest topics: human trafficking. With more than 120 people attending the combined events, we were able, we hope, to kick off the semester on a fun, educational note.
The ice-cream social offered great finger foods, the chance to learn more about LEAP’s many upcoming events, and also the opportunity to win some back-to-school prizes.
We hope the students had a good time, even when they had to address head-palm moments….
Mostly, though, we hope they learned about our upcoming events, such as our workshops with Nancy Bocskor, our planned small-group meeting with former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, our hosting the 10th Court of Appeals on campus, the Citizenship Preparatory Course we offer to local immigrants, our volunteerism at the Wynne Home for the annual Empty Bowls program, and our participation in the upcoming “College Bowl” competition hosted at the Texas City Managers Association Conference.
At the meeting, Heather touched on some housekeeping like the upcoming events, the next meeting, and the last day to pay dues which will be February 16th.
In addition to the panelists, we were honored to have a guests from off campus. Dr. Manis from the College of Osteopathic Medicine in The Woodlands joined us, as did Mr. Ken Holland, a member of the Huntsville ISD School board.
For the main event, Professor Yawn introduced our guest speakers: Dennis Mark, who is a Task Force Coordinator at Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance; Daniella Perez an Outreach Coordinator with Love146; and Sergeant Robert Medel with the Houston Police Department (Vice and Human Trafficking Unit).
L-R: Dennis Mark, Daniella Perez, and Sergeant Robert Medel
Professor Yawn began the session asking where Houston ranks in the nation in terms of trafficking. The answer, sadly, is first–Houston’s access to the border, its transportation accessibility, as well as the number of entertainment options, special events, and its remarkably diverse population, all contribute to its potential for trafficking.
Mr. Mark added that Houston has one of the oldest and most experienced forces investigating trafficking, allowing it to also be one of the most successful agencies at combating trafficking.
Because of the proliferation of trafficking, it is happening everywhere. “Anywhere there are people,” Sergeant Medel noted, “there are people being taken advantage of.” And this, continued Medel, is at the heart of trafficking, which is defined as “the exploitation of someone by means of coercion.”
There is no one definitive type of human trafficking victim, but most victims have had early trauma or “adverse childhood experiences” (ACEs). Many of these women (and it is mostly women) may enter trafficking through drugs, prostitution, or online pornography, but there are many victims outside of the stereotype. Mr. Mark,. for example, shared the story he helped recover: she was a University of Texas student by day, passing her classes and seemingly doing well, but in the evenings and night, she was engaging in online pornography at the behest of a “handler.”
The victims, according to the panel and Professor Yawn, often suffer from either Stockholm Syndrome (when the victim bonds with her captor) or cognitive dissonance (when the victim believes two contradictory elements simultaneously), and this makes it difficult for them to find the strength to leave. Sergeant Medel stated that “It takes a victim seven times to realize they are victims and to leave permanently.”
Ms. Perez highlighted the many problems (“co-morbidities”), physical and mental, associated with trafficking. These include sexually transmitted diseases, broken bones, addiction, depression, even tuberculosis. These problems are cumulative, in part because handlers don’t want the victims going to the doctor’s, which may raise red flags.
The panelists closed–prompted by a question from Ken Holland–with a discussion of how we may be able to identify victims of human trafficking. There are numerous such indicators, but some common ones include malnourishment, avoiding eye contact, allowing others to answer or speak for them, and tattoos.
Possibly the most inspiration words were those Mr. Mark made in closing. “To the ladies, know your self-worth and value, do not let anyone else determine that. And to the men, do not believe the culture of women being objects. Be careful, guard your mind and heart. Be honorable in all you do and how you treat women.”
With Mr. Mark’s words reverberating through our minds, we wrapped up the formal event. But the panelists, graciously, agreed to stay and answer questions, an opportunity many students availed themselves of.
In addition, Professor Yawn and Mr. Mark discussed the possibility of internships, the LEAP Ambassadors offered gifts to the panelists as a “thank you,” and we posed for a final photograph to help us remember a wonderful and educational evening.
To kick off the new year some of the (Republican) LEAP Ambassadors spent the final night of winter break volunteering and attending the annual Reagan Dinner (while other LEAP Ambassadors attended a World Affairs Council event), which featured Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller. We coordinated with the College Republicans and Linda McKenzie to determine our roles, familiarized ourselves with the layout…
… and began welcoming people. With Mario, Erin, and myself signing people in, and Hunter, Jessica, and Yvette escorting, we quickly found a rhythm as the crowd steadily increased.
Everyone seemed to enjoy perusing the silent auction put on by the Walker County Republican Women and placing bids on all the delicious desserts. As people bid, socialized and enjoyed each other’s company, we were impressed by the community spirit found in Walker County.
Linda McKenzie, the County Chair, began the evening by expressing her gratitude for everyone in attendance and introducing all of the Council members and candidates.
Annel Guadalupe led everyone in prayer, and following that, I was honored to say the pledges for the night.
We were all graciously invited to sit with different table sponsors, including Judge Hal Ridley, Linda and Jim McKenzie, and Congressmen Kevin Brady. Hunter, Jessica, Yvette, and I were fortunate enough to sit with Attorney Jack and Choate and District Attorney Will Durham. We had great conversations, and we enjoyed learning from people who excel in their careers.
One of the conversation pieces was how wonderful the food was–food catered by Humphreys American Grill. After the LEAP Ambassadors and College Republicans finished eating, we made our way over to the silent auction table, and we and began distributing the desserts to the highest bidders.
Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller was the guest speaker for the dinner.
He highlighted a few very interesting stories from his career and mentioned all that his department oversees–including, oddly enough, the weighing of ping pong balls!
Commissioner Miller also emphasized the importance of events like these and how important it is to the community. We were even fortunate enough to snap a picture with him!
As the evening ended, all of the councilmembers and candidates posed for a picture with Commissioner Miller, and several thanked him for his time and speech.
To kick off the new semester, Heather Barodi, Jocelyn Vazquez, and I traveled to The Woodlands representing LEAP and Sam Houston State University for the first event of the year hosted by the World Affairs Council (WAC). This event showcased the journey of an immigrant into America featuring Roya Hakakian, an Iranian immigrant and her experience into the “land of the free!”
Upon our arrival to the venue, the LEAP students were greeted by the always-friendly, always-professional staff of the World Affairs Council! In fact, we were given a copy of Hakakian’s book, A Beginner’s Guide to America.
Considering that Ms. Hakakian a Guggenheim Fellow and Lesley Stahl referred to Hakakian as “the most eloquent interpreter of ‘the immigrant'” writing today, this was a real treat.
After introductions from the WAC staff…
…Ronan O’Malley moderated the event, asking questions about Hakakian’s experiences on her journey to–and in–the United States.
At the age of 19, Roya came into the U.S. with the hope of becoming successful in this large and unknown land. Ms. Hakakian explained her perceptions of the differences between the US and Iran and why it was such a cultural adjustments.
These observations spoke to us, particularly since of the three of us, one is a first-generation immigrant, and two are second-generation immigrants. We could all identify with at least some of what she had to say.
Toward the end of the session, the Mr. O’Malley took questions from the audience, and Ms. Hakakian responded to two LEAP questions! The insight into immigration and its challenges opened up many doors to knowledge and allowed us to see this process in a new light!
Roya Hakakian met with the LEAP students after the event and kindly signed our copies of her book A Beginner’s Guide to America. The LEAP students were thrilled to hear from her and learn from her experiences!
With another semester wrapped up, a few of the LEAP Ambassadors headed to Houston for–of course–another World Affairs Council event. We arrived a bit early, as we try to do, and we enjoyed the Christmas ambience.
As with all WAC events, we were learning about foreign affairs, but this time it was from an ex-soldier’s point of view. And not just any former soldier: Dan Crenshaw.
Representative Crenshaw was introduced by WAC Director, Maryanne Maldonado, who welcomed us all to a wonderful lunch and program.
Congressman Crenshaw was a part of SEAL Team 3 that served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was injured while serving, leaving him with only one working eye, an outcome resulting in his ever-present patch–and two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor.
After retiring in 2016 from the military as Lieutenant Commander, Congressman Crenshaw began to consider a political run, and in 2018, he was elected Congressman for Houston’s 2nd Congressional District.
Moderator Ronan O’Malley, the World Affairs Council’s Program Director, asked questions written by the attendees and directed them towards Congressman Crenshaw.
He began by discussing a few issues within our government: specifically, the adverse effects of withdrawing from Afghanistan “too soon.” Another topic discussed was the situation at the border, as the number of undocumented immigrants has increased in recent months.
Congressman Crenshaw spent part of his youth in Ecuador and Columbia, is proficient in Spanish, and he believes the US is currently spending insufficient resources developing relationships with countries in South America. Doing so, he believes, would alleviate some of the current problems, at least in the long term.
On all of the issues discussed, Representative Crenshaw noted that he is grateful for being a veteran, which he believes has given him a different approach when addressing issues.
He also reminded the audience several times about the book that he published, Fortitude: American Resilience in the Era of Outrage, noting, somewhat jokingly, that it would be an excellent gift for a loved one for the holidays.
When asked about his potential future ambitions in the political spectrum, he left the audience with a cliffhanger: “We’ll see what comes.” And, with that, he left for his next event, leaving many in the audience wondering what the future, in fact, holds for Representative Crenshaw.
Seeking another historic home on day four, the LEAP Ambassadors ventured to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. This visit gave us a vivid perspective of the 1800’s lifestyle through his marvelous home and informative museum alongside it. In addition to having a tour of the Hermitage we walked through his personal idyllic garden and the cemetery where Andrew Jackson and his family currently rest.
Former president Andrew Jackson was known as “the People’s President,” because he was the first “frontier” President, and he broadened the voting process, resulting in many changes in society.
Walking through the Museum we saw his accomplishments as an attorney, soldier, and president of the United States. Viewing artifacts, Jackson effectively led the battle of the Creek War in 1801 as Colonel of Tennessee and the battle of New Orleans in 1812. After courageously serving in these wars fighting the British and the Indians, Jackson was elected president, and he is now known as the founder of the Democratic party.
As for Jackson’s day-to-day life he lived with his wife Rachel Jackson and adopted children in a Greek-styled home where he allowed any guest comfort in his home with food and a place to stay.
Jackson was known to receive many visitors, including Sam Houston and former presidents, at his 1,120 acres of land at the Hermitage. Having guests stay made it a hectic household from managing the farm, servants, and attending to important guests.
Each LEAP Ambassador had their own favorite part of the Hermitage Jessica being the massive newspapers in Jackson’s library. Morgan enjoyed the kitchen outside since it was like Sam Houston’s kitchen in Huntsville, Texas. Whereas mine was farther away from the home being the garden. As we all entered the garden I fell in love with the bumblebees flying around the brightly colored flowers that all led up to the tombstones.
The garden and grave site rounded off a nice sentimental testament to our 7th president.
Lunch
Yvette Mendoza
Diving into our first meal in Nashville at the Flat Iron southern fare restaurant ended up being a perfect choice. With the menu full of variety we started off with American classics by ordering whipped goat cheese filled with grilled cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes served with fresh warm pita. For our meals Morgan and Jessica got burgers, one being a tuna-patty burger and the other a grilled chicken burger. As for me, I got a waffle grilled cheese with a complimentary tomato bisque dipper. Each meal was delectable, and everyone had a delicious side of french fries. Our first taste of Nashville made us eager to try more.
Parthenon Tour
Morgan Robertson
After seeing General Jackson’s home, we ventured into a City formerly known as “the Athens of the United States”–Nashville, where the great Parthenon in Athens, Greece is replicated. Initially, the project was supposed to be a temporary attraction like everything else commissioned for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Explosion. However, people were so impressed with its beauty and the cross-cultural connection, the Parthenon was preserved, becoming the focal point in what is now Centennial Park.
While the Nashville Parthenon is a well depicted replica of the authentic one in Athens, there are some major differences. The first difference being the materials in which the structure was constructed. The Parthenon in Greece is made of white marble, which would have been easily accessible at the time. However, in Nashville, Tennessee, there are no quarries of white marble. Using what was at hand, Architect William Crawford Smith designed the structure with wood, brick and stone, giving the Parthenon a yellowish-brown color.
Another interesting feature that I was not expecting was the art museum on the lower floor of the Parthenon. In one of the rooms was an exhibit for artist Lynn Goldsmith whose interesting photography art is printed on metal, with each photo containing up to fifty exposures.
The second space was James M. Cowan’s personal collection of American art, including pieces from Durham, Moran, and Bierstadt, serving as a nice contrast to the first collection.
Keeping with the Greek style and culture, a 42-foot-tall statue of the Goddess Athena resides in the central room of the Parthenon. Standing tall as the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena holds the god Nike in her right hand with a shield and a snake to her left. When entering the central room of the Parthenon, the goddess is visible between the massive Doric columns, with her gold dress and accessories appearing as though they are glowing.
Surprisingly, we found the Parthenon to be a popular picture spot for tourists and natives. There were two Quinceañera parties, a baseball team, and even a wedding set up for pictures. We of course joined the trend and posed for several pictures inside and outside of the Parthenon before heading back to await for what would come next.
Opening Night at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Jessica Cuevas
It is the opening night of the Southern Legislative Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The LEAP Ambassadors were curious to know what to expect at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as they walked to join the line for the trolley across the street. We congregated with the other attendees and waited for our turn to board the trolley. We met two friendly lobbyists from New York, Jonathan and Monisha, and a policy analyst from Ohio who each talked to us about what they do, how they got to their positions, and future advice for young professionals. Our conversations carried on into the short trolley ride on our way to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It was refreshing to meet people so passionate about their work, and who are living what we are actively learning.
Once we arrived we were given the option to go up to the sixth floor for food or start off at the museum on the third floor. We listened to our stomachs, which drove us to the sixth floor to be greeted by live music and lots of people.
The LEAP Ambassadors were able to meet and converse with a Tennessee Senator before making our way to the colorful assortment of a Charcuterie board with different cheese, bread, cold meats, and vegetables.
There was a beautiful view of downtown Nashville…
…and a live band playing covers of artists such as Willie Nelson, The Beatles, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
On the balcony, where families were playing Jenga, Corn Hole, and enjoying the nice weather, the view of the Nashville skyline was amazing.
After dinner, we toured the museum, where there were artifacts such as their costumes and suits….
…cars, guitars, fiddles, drafts of written songs, even a whole wall dedicated to the golden records of many of the singers .
Many of these artifacts were associated with famous acts such as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton (whose statue we saw the night before), and Willie Nelson.
Our night ended with a trolley ride back to the hotel taking in the view of the city after dark. The trolley ride should have been a 4-minute drive back to the hotel, the half mile drive seemed to take twice that time if not longer due to traffic and nightlife. The glowing city was buzzing and alive, as we were full and amazed by the opening night of the conference.
Inauguration Day: The Peaceful Transfer of Power (Kiara Williams)
This inauguration day involved a figurative transfer of power inasmuch as President Trump was not on hand to officially “hand over” the reigns of power. Nonetheless, Joe Biden assumed the Presidency at noon on January 20th, giving an inaugural speech calling on the nation to unify. Biden emphasized the difficulties in our history, particularly regarding equity, but equally emphasized the barriers that have been broken.
As he touched on these topics, President Biden also referred to Vice President, Kamala Harris, highlighting the advances made by women, and to Martin Luther King to highlight progress made in racial equality.
In doing so he indicated how things can change, how the nation has progressed, and how the Vice President of the United States- the first black, South Asian, and female VP in American history- is a living testament to that progression. This momentous event, regardless which side of the aisle one claims, is a statement to women and people of color everywhere that there is power in our voices and we are capable of exceeding our ancestors’ wildest dreams.
In the President’s speech he addresses the societal issues that recently arose: such as the pandemic and its effects on the American people as well…
…as the economy; the attack on the Capitol 14 days prior, and the racial tensions that have plagued this country from its inception. As he addressed these problems, he promised to work to resolve these concerns and advance the nation in his tenure. Biden’s speech continuously emphasized unity and progression of the nation, and with his Vice President, he intends to repair the country for all Americans.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to be there in person, but we made the most of it by watching it in a collective group.
It just wasn’t quite the same as the last time we were there!
Melrose Plantation—Ilexus Williams
After nine days on the road, the LEAP students have come to our final destination: The Melrose Plantation. The Melrose Plantation is located in Natchitoches Parish in north central Louisiana, which is the largest parish in Louisiana. The Melrose Plantation history began in 1742 when Marie Thérèse Coincoin was born a slave into the plantation of Louis Juchereau De St. Denis, who is the founder of the city of Natchitoches. When Marie was approximately 26 years old, St. Denise leased Marie to a French merchant by the name of Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer. Marie and Pierre Metoyer formed a relationship, which resulted in 10 children. Marie never returned to St. Denise. Instead, Pierre Metoyer purchased Marie and their children and granted them their freedom.
After gaining her freedom, Marie began harvesting tobacco, bear grease, and raising cattle. With the help of land grants and the purchasing of slaves, Marie and her sons became known as the most prominent free people of color plantation and slave owners. In 1796, Marie’s son, Louis Metoyer was granted 911 acres of land, with this Melrose Plantation was born.
However, the Metoyer family had financial debts that resulted in losing the prized Melrose Plantation in 1847.
The most notable time period of Melrose Plantation was under the ownership of John Hampton Henry and Cammie Garret Henry. More specifically, Cammie Garret Henry took the Melrose Plantation to new heights by making renovations to buildings on their property and allowing artist and writers to live on her property for free as long as they did their work.
The first structure that we visited on the plantation was the Yucca House, which is a large white home with teal-colored doors and walls made from bousillage, which is a mixture of mud, Spanish moss, and horsehair.
The Yucca House was used as residency for artists and writers while they worked on their books and paintings. The first most significant resident in the Yucca Home was Lyle Saxton, who wrote the book Children of Strangers, which is a novel centered on the lives of the Cain River People of color, Creoles. Additionally, Francis Mignon was a Frenchman, who is well known for his book Plantation Memo: Plantation Life in Louisiana. More importantly, he is the best friend of Clementine Hunter. Clementine Hunter was a self-taught folk artist, whose art depicted life on the plantation.
She created her first piece in 1939 on a lamp shade. Her long-time friend, Francis Mignon, encouraged her to continue painting, which she did until her death in 1988. Because of her persistence in her craft, Clementine Hunter became one of the most two-or-three noteworthy folk artists of the 20th century.
Clementine Hunter’s work is displayed in the most remarkable structure on the plantation, the African House.
This hut-like building is the only one of its kind in the United States. The building is made of African bricks and cypress beams, and its main use was to store tobacco and other lucrative crops. Now the building is home to beautiful murals by Clementine Hunter. The murals cover the walls of the African Houses second story. Although we were not permitted to take photos, we did find some online.
These murals show images of cotton picking, which was an activity that Hunter loved. Also, we recognized that religion was a consistent theme in Clementine Hunter’s work. Through her art, Hunter portrayed church revivals; with people catching the holy spirit, plantation baptisms, and funerals, which showed the importance of religion to the African American community.
Interestingly, Clementine Hunter’s art mostly used women as the subjects in her art because she was not very fond of men. Women were often depicted as hardworking in the field, while the men were depicted enjoying idle tasks such as fishing or drinking.
Next, we viewed the Big House where we saw the living quarters of Cammie Henry and her family. The building also included a library with writings from many of the authors who complete residencies at the Melrose Plantation. Also, the Big House dedicated a room to Clementine Hunter’s art and her Honorary PhD from Northwestern State University.
Lastly, to conclude our tour, we visited Clementine Hunter’s home, where she produced most of her work from 1954-1977. On the front porch, was a sign that read “50 Cents to Look,” which Hunter used to entice people to view and purchase her art.
Hunter never became wealthy from her work, and she never quiet understood the impact of her art. However, she is considered “the most celebrated of all Southern contemporary painters.”
Clementine Hunter’s continuous dedication to her craft is inspiring and is an attribute that LEAP students can use a model and inspiration in their future occupations.
The second day of our LEAP adventures continued to focus on expanding our knowledge of civil rights, and today that began with us visiting the National Battlefield Site of Vicksburg in Mississippi. The siege of Vicksburg was a crucial strategic key point in the Civil War, a part of the Anaconda Plan, which spanned from May 18, 1863 to July 4, 1863. Vicksburg belonged to the Confederates initially, and it was crucial because it is located right next to the Mississippi River, which was very advantageous since it allowed for supplies, goods, and reinforcements to be easily transported. Another strategic advantage of the river is its course; it creates a C-like shape, where a piece of land is surrounded on three of its sides by the river like a peninsula, which allowed whoever had control over Vicksburg to place infantry along the banks and shoot the cannons at any ships or boats from the opposing side.
If the Union could take control of the Vicksburg area, they would have control and access to the river without having to worry about being attacked, and this is what happened. Conversely, for the Confederates, it meant that the Union cut off their supply chain, which left them with three options: fight to regain, retreat, or surrender. After 47 days, General Ulysses S. Grant’s move to strangle them from any resources led General John C. Pemberton to surrender.
While at the battlefield site, we visited two monuments: the Illinois monument and the Texas monument.
The first monument that we stopped to look at was the Illinois monument, which was dedicated in 1906.
It has an ornate Roman-style architecture and somewhat resembles the Roman Pantheon. This monument has 47 steps in its stairway – I counted them as I worked my way up – which symbolic of the 47 days of the battle.
Inside of this building are bronze tablets with the names of 36,000+ Illinois soldiers who fought in this battle.
Another architectural note that I appreciated is the acoustics of the monument, a result of the domelike ceiling, which causes an echo of any noise within the structure.
As a sidebar, it’s worth noting that Ilexus Williams was interviewed by KBTX here.
The second monument was the Texas monument, which was dedicated on November 4, 1961. This monument was in its own unique way very Texan since it was a completely different type of grand as compared to the previous one.
This monument has 11 steps which symbolize and honor the 11 states in the Confederacy. A bronze statue in the foreground displays a Texan soldier, and symbolizes the Texans who helped to seal the breach in the Vicksburg front line.
Both the architecture and the history of this national site have given us a profound new outlook about the impact the Civil War had on paving the way toward Civic/Social equality. Moreover, we discovered that the Texas Monument has an SHSU connection, in that the monument quotes John Thomason, for whom SHSU’s “Thomason Building” and “Thomason Room” in the library are named.
This was a great way to kick off the day, and ranks as one of our favorite parts of the trip thus far!
Sweetie Pies Frying Bird
Ilexus Williams
A day full of travel struck up growing appetites for the LEAP students. For lunch, we traveled to Sweetie Pies Flying Bird to satisfy our hunger with food that is nourishing to the soul: soul food.
We were pleased to see that not only did the restaurant require masks, they also took customers’ temperature at the entry way.
We ordered an assortment of items including fried chicken, neck bone, fried fish, macaroni & cheese, green beans, candied yams, and black-eyed peas.
Favorites of the group were the macaroni & cheese and candied yams.
The staff at Sweetie Pie’s were nice enough to take a photo with us, which we did masked, but still managed to convey the sense of stomachs well satisfied.
And this gave us some needed energy to undertake our tour of the MS State Capitol building.
Capital Tour
Ava Garrett
On yet another of our many stops on our inaugural trip, we visited the Mississippi state capitol which is located in Jackson. The capitol was built in just 28 months from 1901-1903, on the site of the old state penitentiary.
Just like many of the places we have visited on this trip, such as the Starr home and the Vicksburg National Battlefield, the capitol building’s architecture had a Roman and Greek influence, evident in the columns lining the entrance and the magnificent dome above it. The architect, Theodore Link, definitely worked to give the capitol a grand, elegant design appropriate for a state capitol building. Just before entering the building at the south entrance you can’t miss the beautifully crafted stained glass windows, which looked even more breathtaking from the inside when the sun shined through.
After stopping in the rotunda…
…and gazing up at the Italian white and black marble and taking in images of the blindfolded Lady Justice, we took the golden elevator…
…upstairs and made our way to my favorite room in the capitol: The House of Representatives chamber, which was bustling as the legislative session was under way (the bustling activity was just underneath us, and not visible in this photo)…
Just being in that room made me really excited; it was cool to see the room being used and in action. The only other capital I have visited – the Texas capital – was much less active the last time I went.
Sadly, we could not visit the Senate due to COVID-19 restrictions, but I’m sure it would have been just as interesting as the rest of the building, and we did get to see the former Supreme Court….
…and the art in the rotunda, painted as part of the WPA program, and designed to highlight MS history.
On our way out, we were able to pick up some fun souvenirs such as brochures, stickers, and even a pin with the capitol building on it. Finally, to wrap up our self-guided capitol tour we got to take some fun photos of us standing on the capitol steps.
One other thing is worth noting: In November, MS voted to remove the confederate symbol from its state flag. They replaced it with a Magnolia Bloom, fitting for MS, which is the “Magnolia State.” We all agreed it was a much more inviting symbol for the state, and matched the residents’ friendly and charming natures.
Now I can officially say I have been to 2 out of 50 capitol buildings!
Medgar Evers Home
Ilexus Williams
After immersing ourselves in the history of the Mississippi State Capitol, we visited the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, more commonly known as Medgar Evers Home. The home is located in the Elraine Subdivision, which was the first planned middle-class subdivision for African Americans in Mississippi following World War II. Medgar Evers and his wife purchased the home in 1953 and lived in the home until 1963.
Medgar Evers was an influential Civil Rights Activist in Mississippi. Before embarking on his commitment to fighting for civil rights, Medgar Evers served in the United States Army, during World War II from 1943 to 1945. Evers even took part in the D-Day invasion on the shore of Normandy on June 6, 1944 during his service.
Following his time in the military, Evers began his work in civil rights as the president of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership. In this organization, Evers worked to establish measures to impact civil rights. One of the measures taken included a boycott of all gas stations that denied African Americans access to the stations’ restrooms.
To challenge the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on segregated public schools, Evers partnered with the NAACP and submitted a Law School application to the University of Mississippi as a test case. Evers was denied admission solely because of his race. Evers’ effort to desegregate public schools brought him praise from the NAACP, so in 1954, Evers became the first Mississippi state field secretary of the NAACP. As a state field secretary, Evers organized voter registration, demonstrations, boycotts of businesses that had discriminative policies, and investigated crimes against African Americans.
Due to his activism, Evers was the most prominent civil rights leader in Mississippi. Because of this, Evers and his family experienced countless threats. On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers was assassinated in his driveway. Although his life was cut short, Medgar Evers’ contribution to the civil rights movement and the fight for equal treatment for all will never be forgotten.
The evening came to a close as we arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana, where we settled in and sampled some creole cuisine from Creole House Restaurant & Oyster Bar, where we got to try alligator po-boys, muffaletta, blackened chicken jambalaya…
…and some delicious caramel bread pudding and pecan cobbler. We have a full day tomorrow, and we cannot wait to explore New Orleans over the next two days!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 