Page 14 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2025

COAST NOTE
As we reflect on Black History Month, Gulf Coast communities will celebrate African American legacies and culture while reminiscing hundreds of years of history that shaped South Mississippi as we know it.
Events in parks, schools, universities, and communities across the six coastal counties will celebrate the month by finding special places, historic moments, and personal journeys
that have contributed to conversations of African American representation, identity, and diversity along the Coast.
Several key South Mississippi spots will give locals and visitors alike a chance to learn about and honor some of the most notable and unsung heroes of the Coast.
The Biloxi Wade-In Mural
Dedicated to the brave African Americans who participated in the Biloxi Beach Wade-ins during the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, this work of art at the corner of Division and Main Streets
in Biloxi is a must-see stop for travelers and locals alike. The mural is a collaboration between community activists, the Biloxi NAACP, the Steps Coalition, and artist Demetrius Gayden.
Biloxi Visitors Center & Lighthouse
This historical exhibit has many cultural influences to explore including additional information about the Biloxi Wade-Ins. A historical marker is also across the street, detailing the events and celebrating the bravery of local physician Dr. Gilbert Mason, Sr., who organized and led the peaceful wade-ins.
Pleasant Reed House
This exhibition reflects the cultural and segregated history of Biloxi during the post-WWII years. The exhibit, City Within a City: African American Culture in Biloxi at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center in Biloxi has lots of history to unveil to tourists and locals.
story by Cherie Ward
Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum
Origins of the Tuskegee Airmen can be found at the Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum in Gulfport. The museum tells the story of John C. Robinson, a pioneering Black aviator who grew up in Gulfport. He left the Coast to command the Ethiopian Air Force, but later returned to help lay the groundwork for the Tuskegee Airmen.
100 Men Hall
Built in 1922 by the One Hundred Members’ Debating Benevolent Association, the 100 Men D.B.A. Hall in Bay St. Louis promotes blues, jazz, and rhythm, and blues acts. Nearby residents recall performances by Etta James, Big Joe Turner, Guitar Slim, Irma Thomas, Professor Longhair, Ernie K-Doe, Deacon John, and Earl King.
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Bay St. Louis features amazing murals by local artists of two historic icons of the civil rights movement, the late Martin Luther King, Jr. and the late John Lewis.
The Blues Trail
Peppered throughout the Magnolia State are Blues Trail markers with a heavy influence in South
Mississippi. You’ll find these
historical commemorations in
Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Moss Point, and Pascagoula.
Exhibits and Places Exploring Key Moments in African American History
14 | February 2025 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living