Jxn Kicks Off Bicentennial Year

City officials, executives, committee members, locals, and community leaders gathered to kick off the 200th Bicentennial Celebration celebrating The City With Soul at Thalia Mara Hall. The kick-off event highlighted the moments in time and the people who have impacted the city of Jackson. Other celebrations marking Jackson’s historic milestone will be included in a 13 month-long bicentennial series, celebrating our excellent assortment of city events highlighting Jackson businesses and focusing on the local people will continue throughout 2021 and 2022.

“Like any city, our future is deeply rooted in our past,” said Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. “For a deeper understanding of our history and throughout the bicentennial celebration year, we will continue to focus on the individual stories of Jacksonians.”

At the kick-off celebration, the theme and logo for the Bicentennial was revealed. The “Homecoming” theme encourages Jacksonians near and far to travel back and participate in the celebrations, 200 years in the making. With the help of a group of diverse Jacksonians of every age, zip code, and community in the city, the logo and theme reflect our shared history and what Jackson means to its citizens. It’s a symbol of history, of hope, of home.

A variety of Homecoming bicentennial themed merchandise is now available on the bicentennial web site at 200jxn.com.

“This is a brand that represents all Jacksonians and is designed to be adapted and used by you, so that each of us can uniquely celebrate the bicentennial,” says Rickey Thigpen, President and CEO of Visit Jackson.

The Jackson Planetarium renovation has been deemed the bicentennial special project. The Planetarium recently received a gift of $1,000,000 from The Shackleford Fund - the largest gift from The Shackleford Fund to date.

The kick-off event included the announcement of the return of the Hal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade and The Great Migration project, where Mississippi Department of Archives and History will offer a $2,000 family ambassador stipend to returning families. The event closed with a lively performance by Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South.

ABOUT VISIT JACKSON

Visit Jackson is the official destination leadership organization for the city of Jackson. The bureau serves Jackson by positively impacting the city’s economy through recruitment and procurement of meetings and tourism activities.Created in 1983, Visit Jackson acts as a quasi-independent government agency reauthorized by the state legislature and governed by an independently appointed board of directors with members representing the hotel, restaurant, attraction, art, and education sectors.

Media contact: Yolanda-Clay Moore – ycmoore@visitjackson.com or 601.354.2588 for interviews, statements and story ideas.