Sunday, January 31, 2016

Jackson lost federal $$$ over airport segregation.

Mississippi's segregationist ways cost Jackson federal money it was going to use for airport construction.  Jackson Daily News and State-Times May 4, 1956 articles report that the Commercial Aviation Administration* implemented a new policy that cut federal funding for airports that had segregated facilities. 


Congressman Adam Clayton Powell (NY) had pressed the CAA to adopt the new policy.  However, Jackson dodged a bullet as the planned federal funding for Hawkins Field improvements was cut from $40,000 to $35,000.  The new policy stated that the recipient must agree not to use the funds to build "segregated facilities".

However, the Jackson Daily News article provides a window into the racist past.  It reported

Capt. Turner (Manager of Jackson Municipal Airport) said the Airport Commission had requested $40,000 from the federal government and that the government had knocked off $5,000 partly because of the CAA race policy.

Although Capt. Turner said the airport terminal has always been segregated, part of the improvements money is to be spent on two new rest rooms which will be segregated.  The terminal has no colored rest rooms at this time.

"We don't have many colored passengers" Capt. Turner said.
Kingfish note: This set of news articles turned up in my research on the Jackson municipal airport.  No articles of a similar nature have been found regarding federal funds and segregation at the airport in Rankin County.  The CAA provided $1.5 million to the construction of the new airport.  It isn't known if the new new airport practiced segregationist policies.  However, the Jackson Airport Commission could have spent the federal money on other parts of the project and used its own money to build facilities that were indeed segregated. 


*forerunner to FAA

Earlier posts on history of Jackson municipal airport
The airport opens
How the airport was won.
The new airport's master plan.
Why is the Jackson airport in Rankin County?
Why Jackson built a new airport.





Click on image to enlarge

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

with the expensive fares at the airport now, the passage could be revised to "we dont have any passengers anymore"

Anonymous said...

With the mandatory 20% minority participation requirement strongly embedded into any and all of Jackson's contracts, it no wonder nobody with a good reputation for projects finishing on time, within budget and with quality work will even bid a job anymore. The Jackson leadership is so "color oriented", they don't realize the good work crews from top top companies contain many workers of color, all colors.

Anonymous said...

LOL at 8:17 pm who imagines that in an all white world projects were ever always finished on time, within budget and good bids or didn't have workers of " all colors"!
Just like with everything, race and professed religion is not now and never was a good predictor of single person or single group competence and honesty since every race and religion has their incompetent and dishonest!

Anonymous said...

6:13- Thank you. It's refreshing to hear that you believe minority participation mandates are no longer needed as everyone has the same problems. Now we need to express those views to the City of Jackson and Hinds County.

Anonymous said...

Minority participation is a joke if you have any dealings with the construction and bidding process. Many "minority contractors" are just that on paper, get the job, then sub it out to a legitimate contractor. This isn't a racial post at all, but rather what happens. The majority aren't doing their own work. That costs the project owners more money in the long run which is then passed down to the tax payers. Some of these contractors are also the wives(yes Caucasian) of the bigger contractors just running a paper business. Then you have those that are actually trying to be a contractor themselves on the gravy train and way underbid the job, cant finish the work, and it has to be rescued by the bond company and sent back out to rebid.

Anonymous said...

What's really needed are GOB and friends and family set asides.

Then everything would get done and under budget.

Anonymous said...

What is really needed is to take the lowest bid and make the contractor actually do the work according to the contract. Noel idea, I know. Call me racist but isn't giving the contract to a person for the color of their skin the sort of thing people were fighting against?



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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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