Fun Facts about Midtown

Many people don't know where Midtown is, or what area is included within it's borders.

Here is a beautiful map of the area. The borders are: West Street > Woodrow Wilson > Mill Street > Fortification

There are close to 2,000 residents in the Midtown area.

Medium Household Income is $20,000.

The average person in Midtown is classified as:
"Urban single parents. These single parents are making ends meet with moderate income. Some went on to college, while others finished high school or lower. Most work in service, management, or professional occupations."

Schools are: Midtown Head Start, Brown Elementary, Rowan Middle School and all feed into Lanier High School.

I recently found this article that was published in the Jackson Free Press in December of 2013. Just to give you some perspective of the area, and what it is becoming.

A North Midtown Miracle
By Brett Potter Wednesday, December 15, 2004

What do you think of when you drive through North Midtown—the area between West and Mill streets and Woodrow Wilson and Fortification? In past years, you might have thought only of danger—that the neighborhood was one of those places where you double-check your car door locks and watch anxiously in your rear-view mirror at stoplights. Today, however, North Midtown is a family-oriented neighborhood just like other respected communities in Jackson. It's a place where mothers let their children play outside, and the elderly sit out on the front porch just taking in the world.

But getting to that place was not easy.

Ten years ago, drug trafficking and loud noise filled the streets of North Midtown. Crack addicts clustered in the many rundown, boarded-up "shotgun" houses. Today, most of the drug problems are gone. Although some problems linger, just like in other neighborhoods, the current levels are nowhere near what they used to be. If you look around today, you can see well over a hundred newly painted, three-bedroom Habitat for Humanity homes sitting right where those crack houses once were. North Midtown is turning itself around.

Althea Collier and her husband, Kenneth Collier, who now live at 335 Duncan Ave., were some of the people who helped stem the tide of the neighborhood's drug problem. The intersection of Blair and Roosevelt streets is where the tumor of drug problem was in darker times. The Colliers, though, were determined to see their community fix the problem; they joined many residents to have "sit-outs" against drugs and violence in the area.

I made a promise to myself that (after) seeing everything that happened on Roosevelt, I would help," Althea Collier says. "When the opportunity came for me to do my part, it was truly a blessing. Maurice Canard and my husband went from door to door, and then they met with City Councilwoman Margaret Barrett and decided to make signs and clean up all the trash out in the streets."

Collier describes the past: "There used to be gunshots all the time. People were hungry in the streets. The thing that opened my eyes was when I saw my kids walk through those same streets on their way to school. It was the fear of seeing my children get hurt."

The area was one of Jackson's worst hotbeds for drug activity before the neighborhood banded together. "I bet 90 percent of the calls to the police were from the Roosevelt/Blair area, but when they came you never knew what was going to happen. Back then, I would see an armed policeman running after a bare-footed man on the sidewalk, or once a man had run through our house trying to run from the cops." Collier says.

'Thank You, Lord'

Today, Dorothy Jones lives at 212 Roosevelt, and she, too, was a witness to all the changes in this area. Jones was born in 1952 at 1535 Blair St., and she has lived here all of her life.

"I remember all those juke joints and hole-in-the-wall places where they used to sell all the drugs, but those came down when Habitat for Humanity came in here," she says. Her street used to be a dead-end gravel road. "Then, Habitat came in and they [along with North Midtown CDC and the City] bought some of the lots and put houses on both sides, and I said 'Hallelujah, thank you, Lord.'"

Today, Jones says: "I can sleep with my front door open and the screened door unlatched if I want. I can sit on my front porch and watch neighbors take out each other's garbage and mow each other's lawns in this very neighborhood that used to be so bad."

Between Jones' house and the corner, there used to be seven houses crammed next to each other. Now, there are only two normal-sized houses there.

The neighborhood even has a new name. Since it began in the 1950s, the region was known as the Factory Hill Subdivision; however, it was recently renamed North Midtown when the community decided to turn around and put a new face on itself.

Help, and Be Helped

Dorothy Jones and her daughter Amberia have been very active in the turn-around. In fact, they live in a Habitat for Humanity house themselves. Jones recalls that when she moved, "I left all my old roach-infested furniture over there in my old house. After moving into the Habitat House, I got a financial blessing, and I got new furniture. It was wonderful. From this I have learned that you help other people, and they will help you."

Jones says she realizes that some of the problems will always be there—just like any other inner-city neighborhood, but she is willing to take a leadership role and make a change. She and many other residents are working to help improve things today, especially for the schools. Jones says she is always attending meetings and learning new ways to help through North Midtown Community Development Corporation. She also asserts "With the help of good Rev. Willy Varnado, if someone slips through the cracks at school, we'll try and get them at the church. We are all working together to make things better."

Like Jones, the community as a whole is banding together to improve their schools. The area has two schools—Brown Elementary and Rowan Middle School, which feed Lanier High School, Murrah High School and Bailey High School. M.C. Burkes, director of the North Midtown Community Development Corp., says: "The residents and families are not satisfied with the schools in this area, but we are working on it. Currently, both of our schools here are a Level 2, but our goal is to get to Level 5." They are referring to the achievement label required to be placed on the schools by the federal "No Child Left Behind" act, based on their students' yearly improvement in test scores.

According to the Mississippi Accountability System, a Level 2 School is one that is underperforming, failing to meet growth expectations and achievements. "There is no reason why our schools can't be a Level 5, too," Dorothy Young says. Brown is improving, though. This year, it met the federal "adequate yearly progress" requirements for reading and math.

Developing Community

The North Midtown CDC (Community Development Corp.) is working to improve the education levels in the neighborhood. The nonprofit organization seeks to redevelop Midtown through housing restoration, education, improved quality of life and economic development. They have a GED Center where adults can get tutoring, learn how to make a resume, fill out job applications properly and learn computer skills that are helpful in the job market.

North Midtown CDC also has an Enrichment Center at 215 McTyere Ave that helps about 50 children each afternoon. They offer tutorial services and teach manners and behavior modification, while the kids have fun playing together. Burkes says the program is working so well for the children that they haven't had a fight there in over two years, when all you used to see the kids do is fight. The kids can get help at the Enrichment labs for math, science, reading and computers.

M.C. Burkes has lived in this neighborhood for nine years. Today, he happily resides at 311 Alexander St. When asked about the area's history, he replies, "At one time, it was very vibrant. Look at the houses. People could afford very nice houses a long time ago."

A Segregated Past

Burkes is right. Observing the architecture there, one will notice that from McTyere Avenue to Woodrow Wilson, almost all the houses are brick. However, from Livingston Street to Fortification, most of the older homes have wooden frames and wood siding.

Why is this? Like every other place in Jackson prior to the Civil Rights Movement, North Midtown was fairly segregated. The white people lived mainly where the brick houses are today and from Lamar Street eastward. The blacks lived where most of the wood-siding houses are today in the southwestern corner of the neighborhood. Ironically, Lamar, the street separating the sections, used to be called Greyson Street. (white+black=grey).

So what happened to this vibrant place of the '50s? "It was white flight and neglect from the city," Burkes says. "Absentee landlords are milking property for all it is worth, while providing no maintenance for their tenants. That is why many of the houses were run-down."

Fortunately, help was on the way. Today Habitat for Humanity is building new homes all over North Midtown. There are around 180 Habitat Homes in the area. In fact, two are now being built on McTyere Avenue and Millsaps Avenue. These homes have changed the lives of many families.

When asked why he lives in North Midtown now, Burkes replies: "I would have to say convenience, because we are very near downtown. Some other advantages are that we live less than a mile from three major hospitals (Baptist, UMC and St. Dominic's Hospitals) and two major colleges (Millsaps College and Belhaven College)—they are good sources for jobs and are close enough that one can walk to work. We are also very close to the interstate, and don't forget that because of our past reputation and the landlords, our homes are a bit more affordable than some of the comparable areas around like the Belhaven area and the Fondren area."

Burkes says of crime in the area, "It varies now. The noise of the neighborhood has gotten much better, but some of the crime is still there. There will always be drugs here to some extent." In North Midtown there have been nine total crimes since the beginning of October. Seven of these crimes were crimes of property theft and the other two were violent crimes: an aggravated assault and a rape. Midtown is located in Precinct 4, headquartered at 3304 State Street. Most of the crimes in North Midtown are auto burglary. Burkes' comments are consistent with this. He says: "The majority of our problems are car break-ins and auto theft. There are not many home break-ins here. The perception of crime here is a little higher than reality."

What Do the Kids Do?

North Midtown is so densely populated with families that one can't help but wonder what all the kids in the neighborhood do. M.C. Burkes answers this well: "They mostly hang out in the streets and in the parks. They play basketball and kickball after school and on the weekends. However, it troubles me with them in the streets. We need a center for them. We need to have something positive for the children to engage in."

The two parks Burkes is referring to are Benjamin Bryant Park and Wightman Park. Wightman Park has been the talk of the neighborhood lately because North Midtown CDC raised funds to renovate it. "It was lying dormant before, with just some patches of grass and asphalt," Burkes says. "The basketball goal was 11 feet tall back then. Now after the renovation and the addition of the playground, the pavilion and the new basketball goals, it is buzzing with activities on the weekend. You see family reunions and picnics there all the time. It is definitely being utilized now."

Dorothy Jones remembers during the 1960s when Wightman Park was just a big, tall grass field on Livingston: "I just get so happy when I think about all the children that are playing there now. I remember when I was a little girl, and on the second day of school I was playing over there with all my brothers. I was running real hard when I cut my foot on a piece of glass. My mama said, 'I told you not to be playin' in that field with those boys.' So she wrapped a piece of red meat up in a white rag soaked in turpentine and put it on my foot. Then she said, 'A ha, get your bad ass back out there now."

When Dorothy Jones reminisces about all the ups and downs of her life in Midtown, I can't help but listen attentively. Ms. Jones truly has nothing less than a home for her heart, a tomb for her troubles and a spark for her soul in North Midtown.

An Artistic Integration

Andy Young, the owner and artist of Pearl River Glass Studio at 142 Millsaps Ave., comments about the Millsaps Arts District and how the street artistically integrated itself into Midtown. His was the first studio to move there in 1976, and then in 1980 Susan Ford bought a studio on Wilson Street around the corner. He then recalls, "In the mid-80s Debra and Chip Billups formed the 121 Millsaps Corporation and bought four buildings to renovate and rent out as artists' studios. That really pushed the district over the edge."

Debra Billups was also the woman that lobbied the city to name Millsaps Avenue as the Arts District. This led to the inclusion of many new, wonderful local artists, such as Chris Porter, Susan Ford and Gretchen Haines.

"The creation of such an area has led to wonderful collaborations," says Young. "For example it has given me a chance to work together with Ed Millet on a commissioned work. He did the metal work, and I did the glass work."

Unfortunately, the Arts District has never reached the point where it is massive enough to attract restaurants and the like. It's always been kind of struggling. However, Young says, "Recently, a medical company that makes prosthetic body parts bought the old Mori Luggage Warehouse on the corner of McTyere and Wilson St., and that says a lot for the area. It obviously has attracted some type of commercial activity, which has led to increasing all the property values around it."

Movin to Midtown

I am excited to share some news with you about where God is leading me. I have been living as an intern at We Will Go for a little over 3 years. I remember when I first moved here thinking “what the heck am I doing!” and I anticipated that I would stay for no longer than 1 year. God has obviously changed my plans, and my heart, to align up with His desires and dreams for me.

About 2 years ago I started feeling a stir in my spirit for the area across Fortification, Midtown. I would go over and visit with some friends that lived on Keener Street, ride in the vans to pick up kids for our Sunday WOW kids service, and stop by Livingston Park to visit with some of the boys I knew. All the while, God was calling out others for this area too, and through some conversations, I began intentionally praying for Midtown and what role the Lord would have me play in His plan.

As time went on, I continued to pray, but nothing was really changing for me to move forward. I began to spend more time in the community by getting involved at Brown Elementary with some different things, met more people that live in the community, and started driving through and praying more. This only intensified my love for Midtown, as well as the burden for those that are living in darkness.

Early this year I knew that God was about to move me from just praying about it, to stepping out in faith to actually moving me there. Around April I was at a big block party that Millsaps was hosting for the Midtown community. I had taken several of the kids with me and as we were leaving, I walked out of the back entrance of the school, across West Street to where I had parked the car. The Lord stopped me right in the middle of West Street and gave me such a hard, but beautiful picture. I saw all of His children walking back into Midtown and He said to me “here are all of my children, walking across.” I literally stood in the middle of the street overwhelmed with the vision, as well as the confirmation that God was indeed calling me to this area.

Several months later, I started looking at houses in the area and after seeing one after another, I pulled up to 317 McTyere Street and my spirit man rose up from deep inside me and I knew that was the house God was going to give me. As I stood in the front yard looking at the house, I turned to my left and looked down the street – it was the very street that God had given me the vision of back in April!

The Lord started speaking to me about the number of the house, that it was not just some random number, but He was so strategic that He was placing me in that house, with that number, for a reason only He could craft and design. I started in the book of Genesis and was going to go through each book to pull out chapter 3, verse 17, to find out what His word said about it. It didn’t take long for me to discover what His promise for me, and His house was.

Joshua 3:17 “And there they stood; those priests carrying the Chest of the Covenant stood firmly planted on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground. Finally the whole nation was across the Jordan, and not one wet foot.”

God gave me a passion in my heart for the area. God gave me a vision of His children walking across to something. God gave me a connection for the house He wants me to live in. God gave me His word to confirm and affirm His promise for me, and more importantly, for His children.

I carry the same presence of the living God deep inside myself that was in that chest. It is my responsibility to stand firm in the middle of that ground, carrying His presence, as He calls His children to himself and they walk across from darkness, despair, hopelessness, into love, hope, grace, mercy and freedom. There were over 2 million people that crossed the Jordan, and it took about 30 days for them to all get across. That means that the priest stood there, with their arms lifted above their heads, holding on to presence of God, until every single person made it across. I know they got tired, they wanted to quit, they wanted to sit down, give up – but they stood firm and God gave them the strength they needed to hold that ground.

God has given me a promise of his provision for every step of the way. I will be buying the house and restoring it to make it livable, as a house used for ministry, a place to love people and share the beauty of His word. My first step is simply to buy the house, which will cost around $12,000. It will take close to another $20,000 - $30,000 for the restoration. I get very overwhelmed when I think about those numbers, and the work ahead of me, but the Lord says “this is MY idea, not yours.”

I am fully trusting that He will provide for every step of the way. All He has asked of me is to say YES to every step.

Ways you can join me in praying:

Pray for me as I transition out of We Will Go and into Midtown. There are many fears the Lord is pulling out of me that I didn’t even know I had. It is not fear of men, or getting robbed, but fear of doing this alone, and fear of getting there and settling back into my own time and losing the intentionality that I am used to. I have been living in rich community and it will be a big adjustment to break away from that. While my We Will Go family will be close by and support me, I am walking into a new season on my own.

Pray for provision for the house. I would like to be living in His house by the end of the year. That seems impossible to me, but Joshua probably thought it was impossible to get 2 million people to the other side of an overflowed river too, and it only took 1 month!

Pray for Midtown. There is a lot going on in the community and I am excited about the honor to be a part of God’s plan for this area. I have been able to connect with so many people already, but there are so many more that God is preparing to hear His word and experience His love.

More stories to come of people experiencing the love of Jesus in Midtown....

processing

There are moments in this life that I just have to sit down and process. Many nights I crawl in my little bed and lay there staring at the ceiling, processing. So many things happen in this downtown area. So many things on the street where I live. So many things on my porch. Lord help me process all of this. Living a life where you are available, and living a life where you are interruptible = living a life serving Jesus. I really just wanted to go to spin class. I had driven home from New Orleans and met a friend at the park over in midtown and was planning on going to the y. When I got home Patrick was sitting on my porch. I had already passed him walking down the street earlier and he looked away from me, not wanting me to see him. But here he was. He starts talking, rambling, crying, repenting, crying, talking, rambling. Crying over the guilt from a past life of murder, gangs, violence, drugs, on and on and on. He stinks really bad, not sure how long it's been since he has bathed. He has breath soaked with alcohol. I am just standing on the porch listening, in my clothes ready for spin class. I give him a ride to the store, where he might convince someone to help him find a place to stay for the night. On the way we stop at the end of the street to talk to some of the guys that live down there, they start talking in a language I do not understand - gang talk. He continues to ramble and cry and confess and cry and ramble. He listens to me, when I can get a word of truth in. Truth that Jesus suffered for him, died for him, rose for him, endured for him, loves him. He doesn't know how to forgive or love himself, that is the lie satan has him believing. Gosh it is so hard sometimes. I leave him at the store, stop in the parking lot and begin to process. No spin for me, other than Jesus spinning my heart to love Patrick even more, see him redeemed, set free. If I ever get to the point where I don't have to stop and process moments like this, I need to check myself. Something is wrong with my heart if I become immune to this. Interrupted, inconvenienced, and even a little irritated. I don't want this to ever be easy. I'd give up spin for the rest of my life for this moment with Patrick, and the processing that comes after.

waited almost two years for this day

I thought I had written a particular day almost two years ago down in my journal, but it is not in there. However, it is embedded in my mind and my heart so I can't ever forget it. Especially after today. Shortly after I moved downtown to WWGO, I was in Biloxi for work one day having lunch at Lil Rays. I was sitting at a table by myself enjoying a poboy when an older couple came in and sat next to me. They ordered fried pickles. For some reason I asked them if they were good. That sparked a conversation that further confirmed I was not crazy by moving to Congress Street when every day since moving there I thought I was. As we talked I found out the couple lived in Jackson and had a home on the coast as well. She worked part time at the Fairview Inn and had a daughter named Mary that was a prostitute and crack addict in Jackson. I told her that I didn't know Mary but I would look for her. I started praying for Mary that day and just asked Jesus to send her right to us. That he would literally bring her to my door one day. When I got in my car to leave Lil Ray's, I just cried, at how strategic God is. That's not coincidence, that is his perfect plan. He sat down for lunch at the exact place, at the exact time, for a specific reason that day. Today I got to see the other side of that. Sure, over the course of two years I have not prayed for Mary every day, but every time I thought about her mother and how desperate she was for her daughter to walk in freedom, I prayed prayed prayed for her. Several months ago, before I moved to Cohea Street, Mary Ellen appeared at the rooming house behind us. We quickly bonded and became friends. Prayed for her a lot. Over the last month she has gone from singing in the choir at a near by church, back into the darnkess that she was delivered from. Today I was driving circles around Farish Street looking for my friend David, but never saw him. When I got to the corner of Monument and Farish, I saw Mary Ellen walking. She got in the car and I gave her a ride to the end of Capitol Street. We can't save everybody, but we can sure give them a ride somewhere and share truth with them. In the middle of Capitol Street, through the course of our conversation, I realized THIS was the Mary I have been praying for, for TWO years! I had no clue months ago when I met her that Jesus literally did bring her to my door. I mean, WOW. If he can do something small like that, I am going to be shocked with his goodness at the big big big he can do with Mary. That's the king I serve.

thank you for billy

this morning i went for a run and as i left congress street i saw billy. he has not been around here in several months and even as much as he tested our patience, i have missed him. so i am glad he is back. he keeps our fruit trees pruned. he had just been given a plate that was leftover from our dinner last night. every sunday after worship we have a meal together. someone brings the food and everyone gets to eat together. you don't have to do anything to earn the meal, it is free, and we share it with each other. when i got finished running and got back to congress street i didn't see billy but i saw the plate on the sidewalk. it had just been thrown down, food everywhere. just left there in a mess. my first thought was "i can't believe he just left this mess here after we gave it to him!" in the same instant that i suppose God appeared to moses in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush and heard him say "moses, moses, take your shoes off you are standing on holy ground" i bent down to pick the mess up and heard God say "jamie, jamie, you do the same thing to me". yep, i heard it loud and clear. we are given much freely from jesus. we are forgiven much freely too. we don't have to do anything to earn his love, thank goodness for that because i would be in debt forever to him. he gives all of himself freely to us. and what do we do? we take it freely, but often we just decide it is not what we want so we just throw it away. left as a mess for someone else to clean up. left for the one that loves us with no regrets to pick up. but in his pure white hands he scoops down and picks us up out our our mess, our dirt, our gross sin. with no hesitation, ever. billy will be back. and he will probably stretch me like he has done in the past. but when you stretch, you grow. i will continue to love billy, even when he makes it hard, even when he makes a mess. why? because i do the same thing to jesus, and he continues to love me.

two men, two needs, one jesus

we will go is not just about workdays on saturday or service on sunday. it is a an everday being available to share jesus with anyone that you meet. two knocks on the door. one is george. he lives in the rooming house behind us. doesn't have a lot of teeth, dirty a lot of the time, isn't working. he usually comes by for a glass of water or a snack bag. today he needed to use the phone. the other is a very well dressed, clean cut, driving a nice car, man from madison with a donation for the clothing closet. george uses my phone and we talk about a few things he has going on, he's pretty good today. he let me pray over him. then he headed back to his room. the other man and i unload the donation, have small talk, then i ask about his family. next thing i know he is telling me about his college age son who recently had the courage to admit he had some addictions and needed help and is now in a treatment facility. he said "i don't know why i am telling you this", but i know why. in the midst of that hurt i saw in the dad's eye, i saw lots more love. he let me pray over him and for his family. two knocks. two different men. two different worlds. two different needs. but the same ONE gracious, loving, forgiving, all sufficient, merciful jesus.

never underestimate the power of a fried chicken tender

as i sit in my big white robe and pink fuzzy house shoes and unbrushed out of control hair from a night of incredible rest on the back porch of the wwgo faith house, secured in my little nook i have decorated with bright spring flowers and hummingbird feeders, i am quickly reminded what a miracle this is. i can see the vibrant green of the trees that surround us peeking over the roof of the hope house. i have a perfect view of the banner that hangs on the side of the fence around the love house with john 10:10 on it. i can hear friends walking down barksdale street and don't even have to look, i know who it is by their voice. once a house full of complete darkness, sin, filth, greed, you name it....it now is home to three of us single ladies that get to sleep peacefully in the presence of a restored mess. but the miracle i really see, is me. i don't understand how i got here, why jesus picked me, why he gave me another chance, how he loves me, but i know miracles make him smile, so i am just imagining him smiling at me right now, in my robe and slippers and crazy hair.

yesterday i ended up with 700 fried chicken tenders in the back of my truck. (thank you jeff redding for thinking of us). i have learned here that if god gives us something to share, he will give us the people to share it with.

the first two pans went to 809, the senior high rise on state street. a lot of our friends live there so we share things with them when we can. as i was dropping them off an ambulance pulled up because one of the residents had fallen and they were taking him to the hospital. in the middle of the chaos, the manager, whom i have never met, was very overwhelmed and just needed a hug. so we had a big hug in the driveway and a good prayer.

another pan went to the OC, our beloved opportunity center where lots of our friends hang out. it was about 9:00 by now and there were three people sitting outside. the first face i saw was renee. she has just gotten out of jail after being locked up for 6 months. i wish i could bottle up the smile that i saw on her face when she realized it was us. she is a completely different person sitting there than she was the last time i saw her. so full of hate and violence and hardness, she was sitting there so calm and meek, i was taken aback at how different her demeanor was. i am praying that whatever jesus did in her heart while she was sitting, it stays there. two other guys were there and there is a house across the street where several guys sleep behind so we left that pan to be divided up between them.

the last pan. wow. i had no idea jesus was going to use a pan of fried chicken tenders to wreck me on a thursday night at 10:00. we found ourselves in the parking lot of southside baptist church looking for our friend toxie. walking up to what he calls home, before he even came out of the tent, the holy spirit just sat right down. i can't even explain how the conversation went, but i know this - jesus was right in the middle of it. it was so real. it was so beautiful. it was one of the highlights of my life. laying hands and praying for what seemed like hours over our sweet friend, i am still begging jesus to never let me be the same after that.

what did jesus teach me yesterday? it's not about the 700 fried chicken tenders, it's about the manager at 809, it's about renee at the oc, it's about toxie in his tent. he just used the chicken to get me to them.