by Jack DeAngelis “I liked it before I moved here.” Marilyn Milio, former president of the Historic Jackson Ward Association, expressed two views of the I-95 highway that bifurcates Jackson Ward. It once acted as a connective corridor that efficiently moved through the city. But Milio realized how disruptive the freeway was after moving into Read more about 1st Street: The Lone Bridge[…]
by Chance Evans A walk down First Street shows a few of the faces of Jackson Ward: churches, houses both abandoned and well-kept, businesses thriving or failing, and vacant lots. School children, old men in wheelchairs, college students. This is the beauty of Jackson Ward and the source of its charm. In a neighborhood marked by transition, you never know who you’re Read more about Vinny[…]
by Chance Evans When Arthur Wilson told me to go inside the noisy, boarded-up business on First Street and meet his cousin, Neverett, another world opened its doors. The scene was one of complete chaos composed by one man sitting at a counter under construction. Neverett Eggleston III was like the conductor of an orchestra, directing the posse of workers building the vegan restaurant and Read more about Neverett[…]
by Lucy Nalen Standing outside Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, Benjamin Ross, church historian, speaks to me through gusts of wind that push and pull at his trademark bow tie. Ross, an impeccably dressed man, has given this spiel before, and it’s apparent in the rushed and rehearsed tone of voice he uses. He knows Read more about From Horse Stable to Historic Landmark: Sixth Mount Zion Church[…]
by Chance Evans Walking east on First Street, away from Broad, can be a bleak beginning. The first block is one abandoned and boarded-up business after another. But then things change. A giant mural announces your arrival in “Historic Jackson Ward” with vibrant colors and a grandness of scale, and there’s nothing bleak about it. The rest of the street continues in this vein, showing the hardships and the Read more about Arthur[…]
by Jack DeAngelis “This is a historic street, you know,” said Jamie. I do know. The Hippodrome Theater was famous for attracting crowds and celebrated musicians. And the old speakeasy next door was one of the only places to buy alcohol during the prohibition era. But that’s not what Jamie meant. Instead of highlighting the Read more about The Deuce: A Street Decapitated[…]
by Sam Craig Mahasin Shakoor watches over her store from a seat in the back left corner. Surrounded by the smell of sandalwood and a kaleidoscope of skirts, scarves and dashikis, she looks perfectly at home. Like she could have been there forever. Mahasin has been on 2nd Street longer than most. She opened Shakoor’s Read more about Movers and Shakoor’s[…]
Anthony Leonard is a bull underneath his soft edges, hiding in plain sight. On most days, the former San Francisco 49ers cornerback plays pick-up basketball with kids at a resource center in Gilpin Court, a government housing project in the heart of Jackson Ward.