JFP Editor, CEO and co-founder Donna Ladd is a graduate of Mississippi State and Columbia j-school. As a huge Dak Prescott fan, she is adjusting to her new allegiance to the Dallas Cowboys.
Recent Commentary
City & County
EDITOR'S NOTE: Meet the Mississippi Free Press, Focused on Causes and Solutions
The need for a new moral and cultural compass is why I and my co-founder Kimberly Griffin are announcing a new media project today called the Mississippi Free Press, which, ...
Politics
DOSSIER: Shanda Yates' Win in Mississippi Inspires Voters, Teaches Lessons
If the last week has proved anything, it's that people in the U.S., in Mississippi and especially in the Jackson metropolitan area are excited about a political newcomer, Shanda Yates, ...
Politics
DOSSIER: From Bashing 'Boys of Spring' to Unpacking a Mississippi-Brexit Love Affair
"TV networks may live and die on ratings and people screaming opinions at each other from two "sides," but our democracy really can't take much more of this kind of ...
Politics
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mississippi Women, It’s Your Time to Speak Up, Lead
Election season was tough for Mississippi women as usual. It was a time for broken promises and slights as we watched male candidates, and their women enablers, show little apparent ...
Politics
DOSSIER: Of Corporate Media and Insulting Shenanigans
What a week. The last 10 days saw not only the official demise of the Mississippi Democratic Party, at least the way it's run and strategized now, but it was ...
Politics
Mississippi Democratic Party Needs to Overhaul Strategies, Outreach, Diversity
Prominent novelist Angie Thomas is planning to leave Mississippi due to the toxic politics here, on prominent display in last night’s election outcome. The wildly successful graduate of Belhaven College ...
Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Recovering Out Loud from Loss and Breast Cancer
"We must breathe through it all—the physical pain, anguish, stress, disappointment. We must just be present in our lives and accept and release whatever happens. Honestly, I can't imagine a ...
Civil Rights
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dehumanization Spreads Racism, Destroys Lives
Dehumanizing other human beings, as Trump does with about any person of color who dares criticize him, is ripping our country apart, just like it did during the Civil Rights ...
Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Media: Horse-Race Election Reporting Signifies Nothing
It is vital to stop treating elections like a fun, two-sided thrill ride, which (usually male) political reporters and campaign strategists love—and they're getting paid either way, even if your ...
City & County
EDITOR'S NOTE: None of Us Is Safe from Hate
Each of us must use our gifts to heal our city, our state and our nation. We are kicking off our #MSCitizensAgenda to better understand challenges facing Mississippians through public ...
Recent Stories
Politics
DOSSIER: GOP's Red-baiting Mailer Template, Campaign Lies, Bryant Miffed
Republicans are already sending out glossy mailers warming up the crowd in Mississippi and other southern states to the necessity of electing Trump apologists and enablers—that is pretty much what ...
City & County
DOSSIER: Hinds Doc Destruction Still Threat; Disrespect in Green's Court; N-JAM Club
If you've been reading Seyma Bayram's coverage of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and my previous Friday columns, you know that she was shocked to discover that the county ...
Crime
DOSSIER: Incoming DA Faces Accusations, NBC's Tentacles in Mississippi
Multiple women are accusing Jody Owens, who won the Democratic primary and faces no challenger in November, of inappropriate and sexual behavior and comments from his time as the managing ...
City & County
DOSSIER: Two Faces of Mississippi Powerhouses; Meek Strikes Back
Power brokers like former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott can always find a sympathetic, or least non-questioning, ear back in the Magnolia State.
National
Mississippi Lobbyists, Associates in Thick of Trump’s Ukraine-Russia Web
A key figure in Trump's impeachment inquiry has an ongoing and paid association with lobbying firm BGR Group, started by former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, as well as a paid ...
City & County
DOSSIER: County Documents At Risk, Public Meeting Confusion, No to WJTV
The Jackson Free Press scored a transparency victory this week, at least for now, when the Hinds County Board of Supervisors provided us a list of the documents it plans ...
City & County
UPDATED: Abortion Clinic 'Buffer Zone' Draws Ag Commish, Protesters to City Hall
The City is set to vote on a proposal to limit protest activities outside the state's only abortion clinic.
City & County
DOSSIER: Hitting Transparency Brick Walls, Scolded for Immigration Coverage
"I'm officially launching my new weekly Dossier, which will spotlight our accountability journalism, whether about how ICE raids are conducted or when public officials aren't being transparent or not following ...
Immigration
Caller Demands JFP Not Sully Football Issue with Stories About 'Illegals,' ICE (Listen)
"Y'all get all this crap in there about this damn illegal raid on these illegal aliens that stole jobs from American citizens," he lectured. "I think that really sucks because ...
City & County
Judge Disqualifies Attorneys In Water Lawsuit Against City of Jackson
The City of Jackson, a defendant in a lawsuit over how it is handling the current water-billing crisis, sent out two press statements Wednesday night announcing a victory for its ...
Blog Entries
- UPDATED: Biloxi Mayor Says City Must Change "Great American's Day" in Ordinance to MLK Day
- Natchez Publisher Promotes To-the-death 'Rodeo' for Black Youth, Age 13+
- National Media Diversity Site Features Kimberly Griffin's Promotion to Associate Publisher
- Four 'Blues Crawl' Venues Open Tonight for Marathon Runners, But No Shuttle
- California Ban on Travel to Mississippi Goes into Effect Due to HB 1523
- Updated: Openings, Closings in Metro Jackson; Blues Marathon Cancelled
- Mississippi Picnic in Central Park Cancelled for Good
- Cheers from (Some) Mississippi Trump fans: 'Why did we ever give the vote to women and blacks?'
- Trump Calls Clinton a 'Bigot' While Rallying to Whites in Mississippi
- Southern Living names Saltine a Best New Restaurant in the South
- Gov. Phil Bryant: Trump 'a Chance to Save Our Country,' Unborn Children, Guns, Supreme Court (Verbatim)
- Release: Ministers, Community Leaders Applaud H.B. 1523 Court Decision
- Jackson City Council Approves Landmark LGBTQ-Inclusive Non-Discrimination, Hate Crimes Ordinance
- Report: Brandon GOP Legislator Drafting Legislation to Take Over Control of Jackson?
- Southern Dem Heads, Including Mississippi's, to Bernie Sanders: Stop Mischaracterizing Southern Voters
- UPDATED: Mississippi Picnic in Central Park Cancelled Due to HB 1523, Expected Protests
- CEO of Corporation Started by pro-HB1523 Rep. Bomgar Comes Out Against Bill
- U.S. Rep Bennie Thompson: HB 1523 Backers Paint Mississippi as 'Backwards, Insensitive and Discriminatory'
- Will New Anti-LGBT Laws in Mississippi, North Carolina Block Federal Funds?
- #Tellthewholestory: Clarion-Ledger Lifts Stamps 'Ferguson' Comment Out of Context, Stamps Holds Easter Press (Videos)
- Capitol Street Coalition Unites Against Deadly Police Pursuit of Lonnie Blue, Jr.
- Councilman Stamps: Corrosion Contract is 'Unfunded Mandate' from State
- Just In: Big Freedia to perform at Martin's in Jackson on March 24
- Brilliant SNL, Daily Show Videos Respond to Trump, Racist Supporters—As We All Must
- Dr. Jamal H. Bryant to Help Lead 'Straight Outta Patience: Take Down the Flag' Rally March
- Despite ethics concerns, Senate committee passes Jackson airport "takeover" bill to floor
- Columbus, Miss., police file two different reports in shooting of Ricky Ball
- Breaking: Jackson City Council Passes 'Uber Ordinance'
- David Banner Bringing 'GodBox' Lecture Series Home to Thalia Mara Hall
- Oxford, Home of Ole Miss, Votes to Not Fly Mississippi Flag, Called 'Pansies'
- City of Jackson Calls for Emergency Water Conservation
- West Point Historian Answers the Question: Was the Civil War About Slavery?
- Clinton Takes Mississippi in 2016? Probably against Trump, at least ...
- In 1860 Hinds County, Slaves Outnumbered Whites Nearly 3 to 1
- In 1860, 49% of White Families in Mississippi Owned Slaves, Who Outnumbered White Folks Here
- How Mississippians Voted in 2001 on the State Flag: The Numbers
- Ole Miss: Change the Mississippi State Flag
- Mississippi Speaker Pro Tem Greg Snowden Agrees With Speaker Gunn: 'Reconsider' State Flag'
- AP: Mississippi House speaker: Confederate emblem is offensive, should be removed from state flag
- Confederates Speak: Yes, We Fought the Civil War Over Slavery
- Give Us Your Ideas: How to Be the Change in Jackson
- 10th JFP Chick Ball to Honor Decade of 'Chicks We Love,' Local Heroes, Combatting Violence
- JFP Chick Ball Is July 19; Moves to Arts Center of Mississippi for This Year
- On apathy and not giving a damn: My new column in The Guardian on Senate race 1 comment
- Miso Closing in Fondren; Walker's Owners Opening Wine Bar in Space
- Waveland Approves Anti-Discrimination Measure Supporting LGBT Community
- The Back Story on the Anti-Gay Alliance Attacking Mississippi's "If You're Buying" Campaign 3 comments
- You Can't Make It Up: Gov. Phil Bryant to Deliver Ole Miss Commencement 1 comment
- National HQ Closes Ole Miss Fraternity Embroiled in Meredith Statue Scandal
- Lumumba Explains Approach to LGBT Rights, Human Rights Commission
- Harvey Johnson Accuses John Horhn of 'False Attack' on Him
- Harvey Johnson Responds to JFP HUD Article and Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. 1 comment
- Mayoral Money Race Order Unchanged After Priester, Johnson File Updates
- MIss. Baptist Convention Lauds Gov. Phil Bryant's Signing of SB2681, 'Religious Freedom' Bill
- Who voted for Mississippi SB2681, the 'Religious Freedom' Bill?
- Rally Against SB2681 Noon Thursday at Mississippi Capitol; Prayer Vigil at 5:30 p.m.
- Did Myrlie Evers endorse Sen. John Horhn for mayor?
- Group Wants Public-Education Funding on 2015 Ballot
- Mississippi AG Jim Hood declines interview, sends statement on Michelle Byrom execution
- Couple Records Same-Sex Marriage in Rankin County; First Known in State
- 15 Candidates Filed to Run for Mayor; Qualification Still Under Way
- Lumumbas Welcome Baby Girl
- Margaret Barrett-Simon: 'petty politics and turf battles are over'
- Tate Reeves blasts Mississippi House for voting down teacher pay raise 1 comment
- Coffee and Conversation with Candidate Tony Yarber at Broad Street
- Jackson Chamber and WLBT hosting live mayoral debate March 27
- Field of 8 for Mayor? Horhn announces, Wilson and Swarts file paperwork
- Jonathan Lee: 'I will not seek the office at this time'; Horhn in race
- UPDATE: Antar Lumumba announces mayoral bid at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall 1 comment
- Will Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon run for mayor?
- Harvey Johnson Jr. running for mayor? This letter suggests he is. 12 comments
- Tony Yarber to JFP: 'I'm heavily considering a run' for mayor 4 comments
- Oxford, Miss., Passes Pro-LGBT Resolution, 3rd Mississippi College Town to Do So 1 comment
- After Haggling, City Council Sets Mayoral Special Election for April 8, 2014
- Mayor Lumumba's Son Responds to Accusations that He Was Murdered 36 comments
- AP: Democrat Travis Childers is entering race for Sen. Thad Cochran's seat 2 comments
- What is up with Madison County (and Starkville) police chases?!
- Former Rep. Gene Taylor will run against Palazzo—as a Republican this time
- Add your message to next week's special Lumumba tribute issue 1 comment
- Remarkably, Mayor Lumumba Brought Us Together 2 comments
- Ole Miss fraternity says reaching out to black frats re 'desecration' of Meredith statue
- Ole Miss Police: White Male Freshmen Declining to be Questioned In Statue Incident 11 comments
- Hattiesburg, Miss., Passes Resolution Recognizing LGBT Residents
- After Racist Attack on James Meredith Statue, Ole Miss Offers $25,000 Reward for Info 11 comments
- Barbour Does His Caveman Impression, Disses 'Lady Mayor'
- Pearl Man: Whites need Confederate emblem to balance negative 'black culture' 31 comments
- Surprise, surprise: Tea Party Express to endorse Chris McDaniel over Thad Cochran 1 comment
- Clarion-Ledger Greets Lumumba Win with Negative Front Page 4 comments
- Did a working mother raise you? Tell us about her.
- A Little Thing Called 'Science' Disputes Phil Bryant's Working Mother Claim
- Miss. Chapter of NOW Insists that Gov. Bryant Apologize to Working Mothers 2 comments
- Phil Bryant blames education problems on "moms ... in the workplace" 11 comments
- Why does the Ledger's Brian Eason ooze contempt for so many Jacksonians? 7 comments
- New York Times Finds (Parts of) Jackson Delightful
- Old Canton Road Closed at Crane for Repair of Sinkhole
- Open Letter to Mr. Lumumba from Ward 7 Couple 9 comments
- Open Letter to Jacksonians from Dorothy Triplett 12 comments
- WAPT Poll Shows Lee's Lead Over Lumumba Down Dramatically 1 comment
- Clarion-Ledger and John Horhn Endorse Lee; Norwood Endorses Lumumba
- FACTCHECK: Did Chokwe Lumumba "kill an FBI agent and get away with it"?
- Attorney Herb Irvin's Open Letter to Jonathan Lee 9 comments
- Can you vote in the May 21 runoff if you didn't vote in the primary?
- WAPT: Regina Quinn Endorses Lumumba (Or Not?); Frank Bluntson Backs Lee 1 comment
- Chokwe Lumumba: 'I AM A CHRISTIAN MAN, WITH AN AFRICAN NAME' 16 comments
- This Ain't Cool, DOJ.
- JFP Calls Mayoral Race for Lee and Lumumba in Runoff 12 comments
- FACTCHECK/UPDATED: Jonathan Lee Backers Gave More Than $1.2 Million to Republicans 18 comments
- Lumumba, 20/20 PAC End Week in Campaign Reporting Hall of Shame 5 comments
- Fact Checking the Lee Email, Part 2: The Grants
- Allow Me to Rant About This Campaign for a Minute ...
- Chokwe Lumumba Talks about the 'Jackson-Kush' Plan on 'Solidarity' Site 4 comments
- Clarion-Ledger Disputes Jonathan Lee's Account 2 comments
- Sam Begley Sparring with 20/20 PAC re Jonathan Lee + New Lawsuit Revealed 3 comments
- "Ghosts of Hinds County" to Debut Soon 1 comment
- Shame on Bryant et al for Using Faith in Naked Political Move
- AP Rejects Use of 'Illegal' for Immigrants, Finally 1 comment
- Mayoral Candidate Regina Quinn Praises 'Hal's St. Paddy's Parade'
- Hal White Has Died
- City Praying for Hal White 2 comments
- 10 Years Ago This Week, the JFP Opposed the Iraq War
- Hungry? Jackson foodies share dozens of favorite local dishes 3 comments
- State Government Over-reaching to Protect Concealed Weapon Carriers 14 comments
- My First Encounter with Chokwe Lumumba 16 comments
- What are your questions for mayoral candidates? Help us with interviews! 7 comments
- NOW, Rep. Palazzo Supports Sandy Assistance
- Gabby Giffords' Husband Calls for Gun Reform, Enforcement
- What inspires you?
- Clarion-Ledger Punts on Election Coverage
- Of Jeep Lies and FEMA Dodges: Is Romney Losing Cohesion? 2 comments
- Surprising, and Testy, Comments by Rep. Ryan on Crime, Guns 1 comment
- Looking for a Debate Party?
- Sh*t Politicians Say About Women ... Starting with Todd Akin
- Reflecting on the JFP's Mission As We Turn 10
- Most Women's Job Losses Are Government Jobs 2 comments
- Just Out: New York Attorney General Subpoenas Bain Documents 5 comments
- Nunnelee Wants Rape Definition Changed; Says Planned Parenthood Protects Rapists 3 comments
- Reps. Akin, Ryan, et al, worked together to try to redefine rape
- Are Republicans really trying to redefine rape? Seriously? 8 comments
- Rage Against the Machine Guitarist Rages Against Paul Ryan 1 comment
- Tea Party Patriots Say Ryan Will Restore 'Personal Freedom' to 'National Values'
- Have questions for Jackson mayoral candidates? 2 comments
- Abortion protester Roy McMillan: 'Shoes Are Optional' 2 comments
- Share your craft beer sightings and tastings!
- Clarion-Ledger Executive Editor Needs JFP Nation's Help 7 comments
- Henderson piece was cheap, WAPT, very cheap
- New Ward 3 Election Set for July 24: Stokes v. Jackson, Bout II
- Welcome to the new JFP website! 6 comments
- 10 Easy and Fun Ways to Help the Chick Ball & Fight Domestic Abuse
- JFP Wins Awards for Feature Writing, Public Service, Commentary
- Attend the JFP Chick Ball Happy Hour Thursday, May 31, 6 to 8 p.m.
- BREAKING: JPS Agrees to Overhaul Discipline Policies, Settles Lawsuit
- Awards, Awards, Awards: Cheers to JFP Staff, Freelancers
- WTF, Rep. Nunnelee?!?
- 8th Annual JFP Chick Ball Set for Saturday, July 28, 2012
- Help Lavaree Jones get life-saving surgery
- Note: All posts below this one are for previous Chick Balls!
