Jackson Ward today is in transition, from a historically African-American community to one that includes white professionals, students, immigrants, and many others. A walk through this changing neighborhood reveals the individual identities that make communities like Jackson Ward so complex and interesting.
By Fatema Al Darii Sahara Cafe and Grill caught my attention because the owner, Mariam Al Saiyd, is a native of Sudan, and I overheard her speaking with an Arabic accent. Frankly, I was surprised to find an Arab-run business in Jackson Ward. But, this also meant that the food is genuinely authentic. Mariam is Read more about Sahara in Jackson Ward[…]
By Fatema Al Darii The Black History Museum (BHM) on West Leigh Street, in the heart of Jackson Ward, is one of the many symbols that showcase both the history and current dynamics of the neighborhood. On the museum’s glass doors, their hours of operation are printed in a white font; a nearby sign Read more about The Bond[…]
by Chance Evans I am Jackson Ward. I have been here for over a hundred years, vibrant and rich, yet I was cut apart and forgotten and left for dead by the city I live in. While many have left, my numbers today are strong, dynamic, and growing. Some want me to be different, but Read more about I Am the Neighborhood[…]
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 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[…]