The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month Taylor's Candy Co.". Below, smaller font reads: 1519 Cox Street, Jackson, MS 39204 (601) 352-3462. Taylor’s Candy Co. is a long-standing Black-owned Jackson business, currently located at 1519 Cox Street. Though it found its home in 1967, the idea had long been in the works; co-owner to-be Walter Lee Taylor always had dreams of owning a business. His first chance to explore this was as a young boy selling grits in Madison County, MS." At bottom left there is a photo of a large sign on a metal post. The sign is white, red, and blue, and reads "Taylor's Candy Company & More est. 1967".

The background is light peach with black font reading "Taylor's Candy Co. He worked under his cousin, Harvey Taylor, who owned a distribution company founded sometime in the 1940s. Walter Lee settled on his idea to create Taylor’s Candy in 1960s with one truck and $200. In 1962, he married his wife and co-owner, Ozie Gross Taylor. The two retired school teachers (Rankin County and Jackson Public Schools respectively) operated the company out of their home until they were able to secure and build up the current location through a Small Business Administration loan in 1967. Since then, Taylor’s Candy Company has operated from West Jackson, serving a dedicated customer base with candies at affordable, wholesale prices. Approximately 5 years ago, the Price family took over the business. The couple, Pamela Price and Greg Price, operate Taylor’s Candy as a family business. On weekdays, you can meet Greg at the register, and on weekends you’ll likely meet Pamela. They have added to the store’s reach by stocking everyday items for their nearby consumer base, who often don’t have transportation to get their essentials. There is also the added struggle of Jackson, and particularly West Jackson, being a food desert. Walking into Taylor’s Candy Company, your eyes are certain to light up at the shelves full of iconic candies and snacks such as bags of Frooties, Banana Planks, hot pickles, Grandma’s cookies, and Faygos. Their selection perfectly encapsulates a bit of Mississippi childhood."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Let's Discuss How have you adapted to your changing environment? How do you continue to be true to yourself and your community? What’s your favorite candy?" Above, there is a photo of the store's interior, with bright blue walls and shelves filled with packages of candy and snacks.

Welcome to this week's #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition!

Taylor’s Candy Co. is a long-standing, Black-owned Jackson business, currently located at 1519 Cox Street. Family-owned and offering a wide array of candy, sodas, confections, and snacks, the store is a fun place to shop local!

The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month OffBeat". Below, smaller font reads: 109 N State St, Jackson, MS 39201. Despite being called a record shop, OffBeat carries a lot more than just records! One step inside and you'll also see comic books, manga, figures, and artwork. It’s nearly impossible to leave the store without finding something that piques your interest." At bottom left there is a photo of the store front, with the bright blue text logo "OFFBEAT" on large windows next to the store's door.

The background is light peach with black font reading "OffBeat OffBeat has been a Black-owned business in Jackson since its opening in 2014; the store has now celebrated its 10th anniversary as a cultural pillar in the community. In its operation, OffBeat has acted as a one-stop cultural shop, a performance venue hosting local musicians and poets, an art gallery, and a general space in which to hang out and get to know the community. The idea for OffBeat came about because the owner and founder, Phillip Rollins, was invited to take part in the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute (MBLI); there he was tasked to end with a product that positively impacted the community, and out came OffBeat! Since then, OffBeat has continued to serve Jackson with a special care to Black arts and creativity. Now OffBeat even takes to the streets with the OffBeat Skate Crew, representing the still-vibrant subculture of skateboarding in our capital city and pushing us to be more active in ways that both improve our health and our sense of joy and community. OffBeat currently operates at 109 N State St, Jackson, MS 39201, though this is the second location of the shop, which was formerly in the Midtown neighborhood at 151 Wesley Avenue. The iconic OffBeat awning can still be seen at this location."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Let's Discuss How do you plan to bring the community together? How does pop culture impact you? What is your favorite purchase from OffBeat?" Above, there is a photo of the storefront windows, in front of which is a table draped in a black tablecloth with the words "My City" on it. Black and white t-shirts and hats are laid out on the table.

Welcome to this week's #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition!

Despite being called a record shop, OffBeat carries a lot more than just records! One step inside and you'll also see comic books, manga, figures, and artwork.

Check out OffBeat's website: www.offbeatjxn.com?srsltid=AfmB...

The background is peach and orange, with large font reading "Black Business Month Marshall's Bookstore". Below, smaller font reads: 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202 (601)-355-5335. Marshall’s Bookstore is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) Black-owned bookstores in the United States. It was founded in 1938 by Louis Wilcher, who was the pastor of Greater Pearlie Grove Missionary Baptist Church, which is also still in operation. Even the location of Marshall’s is historic as it stands on Farish Street, one of many areas across the country where Black businesses thrived before integration took real roots." At bottom left there is a photo of the front of the bookstore, with large windows, a green awning, and a red brick facade.

The background is light peach with black font reading "Marshall's Bookstore Marshall’s is a worthwhile visit as a historic destination and as a bookstore, with a collection that is purposefully curated for the Black experience. The store exists partly as a bookstore and partly as a museum. The current owner, Maati Jone Primm, acts as a beacon of Black history. She champions the subject with a collection of personal history, videos, literature, music, and, of course, books that beautifully illustrate the vibrant African American history of this country. Even the walls are decorated with the faces of Black changemakers in and from Mississippi. As of today, Marshall’s Bookstore has been standing for 87 years. Its existence has been lovingly sustained by Primm’s family, including her mother, Louise Marshall, who is featured in the mural at the COFO Civil Rights Education Center. Marshall’s Bookstore represents a tradition of Black book and cultural shops across the nation, filling an important niche in a community that has been historically denied access to these knowledge bases. You can visit Marshall’s Bookstore yourself at 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202. The store is open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays."

The background is off white with orange text reading "Discussion Questions Have you ever been to Marshall's Bookstore? Do you have any memories of Marshall's Bookstore? Can you think of other Black businesses with a decades-long legacy?" Above, there is a photo of stacks of books sitting atop display cases in front of a wall full of photos, quotes, and other paper memorabilia.

Welcome to our 1st #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth edition! This week we highlight the long-standing Marshall’s Bookstore, one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the United States.

You can visit Marshall’s Bookstore at 618 N Farish St, Jackson, MS. Open 10-5 M-F and 10-2 on Saturdays.

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Fannie Lou Hamer was born the youngest of twenty siblings in Montgomery County, Mississippi, on October 6, 1917. By the age of six, she joined her family in the fields to pick cotton and earn a living via sharecropping. By twelve, she left school to work full time, and she had a permanent limp from a bout with polio well before the vaccine's release in 1955. She married her husband at age 27, and the two continued the path of sharecropping that was the only avenue for many African Americans in Mississippi."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Their lives would change forever in 1961 when Fannie Lou Hamer went into surgery for the removal of a uterine tumor; without her consent, her uterus was removed. This forced sterilization was one of many performed on Black women in the state from the 1920s to the 1980s in a practice often referred to as a Mississippi Appendectomy. The couple mourned the loss of possible biological children, though they would later adopt four children. This is not the only physical injustice Hamer would suffer; when she and other activists were jailed in Winona, MS, white officers forced Black inmates to beat her, leaving her with permanent injuries."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month In 1962, the couple’s lives would change again when Hamer, encouraged by a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) meeting, registered to vote as one of two allowed out of a group of 17 African Americans. On her return to the plantation she had called home for nearly two decades, she was promptly fired and driven off the land for refusing to revoke her registration. It was this event that truly propelled her into civil rights activism."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Fannie Lou Hamer is arguably most well known for her quote, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired,” delivered in a speech at a 1964 event with Malcolm X, supporting the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. This quote directly references her struggle as a woman with disabilities. Hamer passed away on March 14, 1977, after continually suffering from the lasting effects of her injuries, stress, and complications arising from hypertension and breast cancer. Over 1,000 people attended her memorial service."

For our final #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth edition, we take an in-depth look at the life and activism of Fannie Lou Hamer.

Let's discuss:
- Have you read or heard any of her speeches?
- What obstacles do activists face today?
- Would you pursue activism if you had her experiences?

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month How much do you know about Brad Lomax (1950-1984), a disability rights activist and Black Panther? As an adult, he was faced with either going into the military or attending Howard University, a difficult choice due to the racism faced by Black soldiers during the Vietnam War. At Howard, anti-war activism drew him in and he soon found himself a member of the Black Panther Party. It was around this time that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the nervous system. This condition can show up in a multitude of ways, but for Lomax it meant that he needed to use a wheelchair to get around."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month After helping establish the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Black Panthers, Lomax moved to Oakland, California, where the Black Panthers’ headquarters were. It was here that Lomax was propelled into disability activism as he faced increasing difficulties as a wheelchair user. He expanded his activism, bridging a gap between the disabled and Black Panther community. In 1977, disability rights activists, Lomax among them, took over a federal building in San Francisco and camped in the building for three weeks. At his request, the Black Panther Party allied with the disability rights activists, providing them with food and other supplies, while also covering the events in their media."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Through this allyship, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was signed into law, making it one of the first legal protections for people with disabilities. Lomax continued to fight for the rights of Black people and people with disabilities alike, contributing to the establishment of both the East Oakland Center for Independent Living and the Black Panther Health Clinic in Washington, D.C. Brad Lomax passed away at the age of 33 years old in 1984 due to complications with multiple sclerosis."

The background is charcoal gray. Graphics of curly lines and circles are at the top right and bottom left corners. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green. A black and white photo at the top of the graphic shows a man in a suit in a wheelchair speaking into a microphone. A color photo at the bottom of the graphic shows a group of smiling people gathered around the same man in the wheelchair in front of white curtains.

This week, for #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth, we highlight Brad Lomax, a disability rights activist and Black Panther whose efforts helped lead to the signing of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Check out this PBS special for more about Brad Lomax: www.pbs.org/wnet/america...

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month This week, we highlight the Black Panthers’ support of the “504 Protests.” The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 included the first federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities in section 504; this section prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal funding, but this was not enforced due to its lack of regulations determining details like enforcement procedures and timelines. On April 5, 1977, activists initiated protests and sit-ins to demand the signing of such regulations. These “504 Protests” occurred across the U.S. and included a 26-day-long occupation of a San Francisco federal building."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Protesters like Dennis Billups, a Black man with blindness and a member of the Black Panthers, both fueled the morale of other protestors and involved their communities. Because of these connections and the Panthers’ moral stance against discrimination, the Black Panthers stood with the disabled community, providing hot meals to the protesters throughout their occupation. Eventually, the desired regulations were signed on April 28, 1977. The protests not only achieved their primary goal, but also brought national attention to the inequalities faced by people with disabilities."

The background is charcoal gray. Graphics of curly lines and circles are at the top right and bottom left corners. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green. Two photos of yellowed newspaper pages are present, from "The Black Panther Intercommunal News Service." They detail the 504 Protests and the results and feature several photos with the article.

Background is charcoal gray. Long swirls of red, white, blue, yellow, and green are at the top right and bottom left corners. White text reads: "Discussion: How does your community make you stronger? What other instances can you think of in which different groups worked together for the same cause? How has language changed since the time of the Black Panther article?"

This week, for #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth, we highlight the Black Panthers’ support of the “504 Protests" of 1977, which successfully sought to improve federal protections for people with disabilities and spread awareness about inequalities faced by communities across the U.S.

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month Let’s examine the Disability Rights Movement (DRM). This movement is often viewed as entirely separate from the Civil Rights Movement (CRM). In truth, the era of the CRM was explosive with the work of many oppressed people as they worked simultaneously and sometimes harmoniously to pressure the United States government into passing legal protections and rights for all. The two seemingly separate movements also share catalysts; much of the momentum of the movements were thanks to WWII veterans coming home disillusioned and dissatisfied with the country to which they were returning."

The background is charcoal gray. Five stripes run from the top left corner diagonally to the bottom right corner. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue, and green, respectively. In the center of the graphic, a white box contains black text reading: "Disability Pride Month For the Civil Rights Movement, African American veterans returned to racism that denied them dignity in the country for which they fought; for the Disability Rights Movement, many veterans were left permanently disabled and changed, only to be denied resources upon their return. In contrast, much of the momentum for specific activism for disabled people came after the CRM showed the possibilities for change through the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After the 504 Protests, which were supported by the Black Panthers, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was passed. In the act were the first federal legal protections for disabled people."

The background is charcoal gray. White text at the top reads "What do the colors of Disability Pride Month represent?" Below, five circles are in a vertical line. They are faded red, yellow, white, blue and green, respectively. White text corresponds to each circle: "Red: physical disabilities Yellow: cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities White: invisible disabilities and undiagnosed disabilities Blue: disabilities arising in association with a mental health diagnosis Green: sensory disabilities"

Background is charcoal gray. Long swirls of red, white, blue, yellow, and green are at the top right and bottom left corners. White text reads: "Discussion: Were you taught about the history of people with disabilities and their rights? What kind of activism do you usually associate with the Black Panthers? What other forms of activism intersect?"

Welcome to our first #WalkerWeeklyWisdom #DisabilityPrideMonth edition! This time, let's examine the Disability Rights Movement and its intersection with the Civil Rights Movement.

Did you know? The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 carried the first federal legal protections for disabled people.

The background is light tan. The text and graphics are brown. Trios of music notes appear in the top left and right corners. In between is "African American Music Appreciation Month" in bold text. Below, a play button symbol is in between two skip arrow symbols. There is a graphic of an ipod with headphones to the left, and a guitar to the right. Below, text reads "The details of Muddy Waters’ early life are unclear, but he was born McKinley Morganfield sometime around April 4th, 1913 to 1915, somewhere in the Delta around Sharkey or Issaquena County. He was raised on Stovall Plantation by his grandmother, who gave him the nickname “Muddy” due to his love of the nearby muddy Deer Creek. “Waters” came as a later addition as he began performing. Inspired by the sound in the Black southern Baptist church, Waters’ took the moaning of the gospels and testimonies, combining it with his self-taught harmonica and guitar, as well as the sound of other Delta blues musicians; with this combination, he was able to use his cabin as a juke house on the weekend and perform at other venues to supplement his pay as a sharecropper."

The background is light tan. The text and graphics are brown. Trios of music notes appear in the top left and right corners. In between is "African American Music Appreciation Month" in bold text. Below, a play button symbol is in between two skip arrow symbols. There is a graphic of sheet music with lines and music notes to the left, and a microphone on a mic stand to the right. Below, text reads "After being recorded for the Library of Congress and seeing his music officially pressed in 1941, Muddy Waters was inspired to pursue music full time and moved to Chicago in 1943 along with many other African Americans in the Great Migration. The move to Chicago was transformative for Waters in many ways. For one, the louder clubs forced him to change from acoustic to electric guitar, forcing him to work with a new sound. The result would be described as aggressive, perfectly accompanying his impassioned vocals, and placing Muddy Waters at the forefront of Chicago Blues. Muddy Waters’ music was recently featured in Ryan Coogler’s film, Sinners, which is set in Clarksdale, MS."

The background is dull yellow. There are trios of black music notes in the top left and right corners, as well as notes amongst several long black lines swirling across the middle of the page. Top left is a photo of a man in a suit singing into a microphone. Bottom right is a photo of an album cover. It depicts a man in a suit playing a guitar by white steps, with a blue sky visible in the background. Text reads "Stereo Stereo Stereo Muddy Waters at Newport 1960"

Background is pale tan. A large graphic of black music notes surrounded by yellow, blue, and pink outlines and circles is on the right half of the page. On the left, black text reads "Let's Discuss! What is your favorite Muddy Waters song? Do you have any other favorite Blues artists? Describe the Blues in 3 words. Have you seen any Blues artists perform live?"

We can't end #AfricanAmericanMusicAppreciationMonth without highlighting Blues legend Muddy Waters! #WalkerWeeklyWisdom

Whether combining church singing and the harmonica in the Delta or in Chicago perfecting his sound with the electric guitar, Waters' Blues changed the music scene forever.

The background is light tan. The text and graphics are brown. Trios of music notes appear in the top left and right corners. In between is "African American Music Appreciation Month" in bold text. Below, a play button symbol is in between two skip arrow symbols. There is a graphic of an ipod with headphones to the left, and a guitar to the right. Below, text reads "Margaret Walker’s journals illustrate the joy that music instilled in her. In a journal from 1943/44, Margaret Walker writes about seeing and meeting Marian Anderson, a famous African American contralto singer. Marian Anderson was brought into the spotlight of racial integration politics in 1939, when she was blocked by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) group for attempting to perform at Constitution Hall, which they owned. Shortly after her attempt, the hall updated their rules to state that only white performers could be seen in concert there, with the manager of the location stating, “No Negro will ever appear in this hall while I am manager.""

The background is light tan. The text and graphics are brown. Trios of music notes appear in the top left and right corners. In between is "African American Music Appreciation Month" in bold text. Below, a play button symbol is in between two skip arrow symbols. There is a graphic of sheet music with lines and music notes to the left, and a microphone on a mic stand to the right. Below, text reads "This caused outrage across the country, including in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who left DAR and helped Anderson perform for an integrated audience on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in an open-air concert after the NAACP called publicly for a new, government-sanctioned performance. In 1943, she would finally perform in the hall she was barred from, and she called for a suspension of the segregated audience for the night of her performance. Anderson would continue her career as a classical musician, but also as a community activist, continually speaking out against injustice internationally. In this journal, Margaret Walker appears starstruck by her interaction with Anderson, even after seeing her perform at multiple venues."

The background is dull yellow. There are trios of black music notes in the top left and right corners, as well as notes amongst several long black lines swirling across the bottom of the page. At the bottom left is a photo of a journal filled with cursive handwriting. At the bottom right, a black text box contains white text reading "Journal 20, p. 72". Inside a centered white text box, black text reads "There were at least a dozen people in the room and I was sitting almost in the door when she opened it and entered the room. Before I could get on my feet those big eyes of hers dilated in surprise and she recognized me, taking my hand and saying, 'My dear Margaret Walker' and stooping she KISSED ME ON THE CHEEK! Well Lord have mercy, my heart leaped in my throat and my cheek tingled. She still held my hand and was saying she knew I was South but she had no idea I was in the house. I told her again how I meant to hear her every time I was in the same city and then tried to tell her how magnificent she was."

The background is pale tan. A large graphic of black music notes surrounded by yellow, blue, and pink outlines and circles is on the right half of the page. On the left, black text reads "Let's Discuss! What Black musicians would you be starstruck to meet? What Black musicians do you like to see play live music? Do the musicians you listen to infuse social justice work into what they do?"

#WalkerWeeklyWisdom #AfricanAmericanMusicAppreciationMonth edition! This time we highlight a page from Margaret Walker’s journal which illustrates the joy that music instilled in her, such as when she met Marian Anderson.

Read the entry: cdm17311.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

The background is light tan. The text and graphics are brown. Trios of music notes appear in the top left and right corners. In between is "African American Music Appreciation Month" in bold text. Below, a play button symbol is in between two skip arrow symbols. There is a graphic of an ipod with headphones to the left, and a guitar to the right. Below, text reads "In Journal 92 on page 119 (swipe to see the page!), Margaret Walker writes about the origin of African American music. As stated in the journal entry, African American music came to be through a history as old as the group itself. During the Transatlantic slave trade, African people captured from various groups and tribes across Africa carried their musical traditions across the ocean and to the “new world.” Despite attempts to erase cultural traditions and modes of the enslaved, these traditions proliferated and morphed as they were brought into new physical and cultural contexts. For example, the banjo, a stringed musical instrument that is considered to be a cultural touchstone of American music, was created at the intersection of West African and European musical traditions as they came together on American soil."

The background is dull yellow. There are trios of black music notes in the top left and right corners, as well as notes amongst several long black lines swirling across the middle of the page. Center is a photo of a journal filled with cursive handwriting. At the bottom right, a black text box contains text reading "Journal 092, p. 119".

Background is pale tan. A large graphic of black music notes surrounded by yellow, blue, and pink outlines and circles is on the right half of the page. On the left, black text reads "Let's Discuss! What is considered Black music? What other musical innovations were inspired by Black traditions? What genres, artists, or songs mean the most to you? Is there an important musical tradition within your family?"

Margaret Walker writes about how African American music originated. As stated in the journal, African American music came to be through a history as old as the group itself.

Read the entry
cdm17311.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

#WalkerWeeklyWisdom #AfricanAmericanMusicAppreciationMonth #music

Background is mint green. A small stamp at the bottom right reads '19 May 25'. A beige rectangle at the top left contains text reading 'World Family Doctor Day: Celebrating Dr. Robert L. Smith'. In the center, with torn edges, is a photograph of a smiling man in a blue suit leaning on a pew.

Background is mint green. A graphic of a blue stethoscope is in the bottom left, and a blue cross is in the top right. A beige rectangle with torn edges is in the center and contains text reading 'Dr. Robert L. Smith was born in Terry, Mississippi, in 1936. He knew very early on that he wanted to make a change in his community. He went to a local HBCU, Tougaloo College, to earn his Bachelor’s in Chemistry before going to a Georgia HBCU, Howard University, to earn his MD from the school of medicine. He completed his training at Cook County Hospital in Chicago before being asked to return to Mississippi as a General Practitioner due to national conscription during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. It was during this time that he befriended Medgar Evers and other civil rights activists and then found himself included in the work.'

Background is mint green. A graphic of a blue stethoscope is in the bottom left, and a blue cross is in the top right. A beige rectangle with torn edges is in the center and contains text reading 'During the height of the civil rights movement in Jackson, he served as the point of contact for the Medical Committee for Human Rights, which was a coalition of doctors and medical workers who serviced civil rights workers. He cites this experience as one that deeply characterized his understanding of living as an underprivileged person, particularly in Mississippi. This committee was able to successfully push medical facilities across the South to expand their healthcare services to the Black community. For a long time, Dr. Robert Smith was one of the only Black doctors who was servicing Black people in the Jackson, Mississippi, area. He has served the Black community for multiple generations.'

Background is mint green. A graphic of a blue stethoscope is in the bottom left, and a blue cross is in the top right. A beige rectangle with torn edges is in the center and contains text reading 'The Jackson Metro Parkway was renamed in 2011 as the Dr. Robert Smith Parkway in order to honor his legacy and work. Dr. Smith is also the current president of the Margaret Walker Center Board. Follow the link in the caption to listen to an oral history with Dr. Smith!'

Learn about longtime community member and current president of the MWC Board, Dr. Robert L. Smith, who is one of the oldest and longest-operating Black doctors in Jackson, MS.

Hear an oral history interview with Dr. Smith: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkYf...

#WalkerWeeklyWisdom #WorldFamilyDoctorDay

Background is a pattern of beige squares, like graph paper. Two graphics of paper airplanes trailing dotted lines are at the top and bottom. Green text reads "Weekly Wisdom '...a dream should set us to doing, should be the delicately rich pattern and framework from which purpose and ambition are made. But a dream regardless to its outcome is always a precious thing.' (Journal 007, p. 144-145, 1935/36)"

In this week's #WalkerWeeklyWisdom, we take a look at an inspiring quote from one of Margaret Walker's earlier journals about ambitions and dreams.

Tell us what you think in the comments, or tag us when you share!

Read more in our digital archive: cdm17311.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

The background is a dark peach color. Purple words at the top read 'National Poetry Month.' There is a black and white photo of a woman looking at the camera with her hand holding a pen above a piece of paper on a desk. Above the photo is her name in dark blue text, 'L. C. Dorsey.' In the bottom right corner is a graphic of a stack of books.

The background is off-white, and there is an orange square border around the text, which takes up most of the space. The black text reads 'About L. C. Dorsey L. C. Dorsey (1938 - 2013) was born in Tribbett, Mississippi, where her family made a living sharecropping. Her mother would read to her from the Chicago Defender, which inspired her interest in social justice. Her work towards that goal would bring her to work as a community organizer during the Civil Rights Movement; as a teacher in Head Start; then at Operation Help, where disadvantaged people were given resources and jobs; and even the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Dorsey would go on to earn a master’s degree and doctorate in social work from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and Howard University, respectively. Upon her return to Mississippi, she worked as Director of Social Services for the Head Start program and began to advocate for the reform of prisons, even serving as the associate director of the Southern Coalition on Jails and Prisons.'

The background is off-white, and there is an orange square border around the text, which takes up most of the space. The black text reads 'About L. C. Dorsey continued Later in her career, she’d even serve on Jimmy Carter’s National Council for Economic Opportunity due to her extensive knowledge of the prison systems, which lead to her founding the Mississippi Office of Economic Opportunity. In her collection, Cold Steel, Dorsey combines poetry with community education, focusing on the plight of prisoners, particularly with Mississippi’s infamous Parchman prison, which is often regarded for its violence and mistreatment against prisoners. Her work is a wonderful example of the infusion of African American poetry with the push for social and civil reform.'

The background is light brown paper. Black text reads: ""FREEDOM" from Cold Steel" "A body may be put in a cell-- Behind bars-Drugged, restrained, conditioned by force and chains. But a dream has the power to keep one free To let one be- To seek love, To find peace, To be strong, To survive-in a prison is hell."

Hi everyone! On Mondays, we highlight material from our digital archive and/or cool figures from history and culture through our #WalkerWeeklyWisdom posts.

This week, we're spotlighting L. C. Dorsey, a poet, activist, advocate, and vital community member!
#NationalPoetryMonth #poetry #writing