Elraine Subdivision

Text adapted from Medgar Evers Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

In many ways, the development of African American residential neighborhoods in Jackson parallels the experiences of African Americans in other southern states. Following the Civil War, freed blacks moved to the cities seeking economic opportunities. They were relegated to certain areas of the city, often less desirable than developing white neighborhoods. After World War II, when white Jacksonians were moving into newly constructed suburban subdivisions, both inside and outside the city limits, the African American home buyer was excluded. With their economic status improving, many African Americans also sought new homes with the modem amenities found in the post-war housing market. Winston J. Thompson and Leroy Burnett recognized this desire and mobilized to provide a development that would meet it. The Elraine subdivision was the result.

Author and educator Margaret Walker Alexander purchased the first home in the subdivision in 1955. She recalled purchasing the home for $9,500.

Neighborhood Development by Black Entrepreneurs

Previous landowners had parceled the Elraine land, but never cleared and developed it. African American developer Winston J. Thompson purchased the land in 1955. Thompson and fellow Mississippi native Leroy Burnett became partners in the development and construction of the Elraine subdivision. Both men were veterans and secured financing from the Veteran's Administration.

They completed thirty-six similarly scaled homes with similar floorplans between 1955 and 1957. The Ranch style was the predominate design. Thompson and Burnett advertised their businesses in the Jackson Advocate, the African American newspaper in Jackson.

Thompson's firm was recognized as the largest African American real estate business in the state. Between 1952 and 1956, Thompson was credited with building over 250 homes for African Americans in Jackson, Meridian, Greenwood and Forest. The firm was the first black-owned business authorized to originate and service FHA and GI loans.

The Elraine subdivision was directly adjacent to white neighborhoods. Although original resident Mrs. Grace Sweet recalled that "the idea of a predominantly black neighborhood was not welcomed," there are no contemporary reports of violence or legal efforts to prevent the construction of the subdivision. Mrs. Sweet stated further:

These homes were welcomed by the Afro-American community because this was the first complete street of homes of this caliber built in Jackson for Afro-Americans. Three bedrooms, nice large bath, central heat, attached storage room and beautiful landscaped lawn were the features advertised, and the homes sold like hotcakes.

Segregated Residential Neighborhoods

As a black neighborhood adjacent to white residences, the Elraine subdivision was on the front line of the Jackson strictly segregated society. Myrlie Evers-Williams, in her autobiography, described how that affected the daily life of the community:

A block away from our house was a section of white homes. The unwritten law of the neighborhood was that our children never played with theirs. It was not that we didn't want them to know white children, we did. It was just that in Jackson, Mississippi, it was too dangerous. An altercation, a childish fight could be magnified into race war. We all knew who would win such a contest.

A drive down the surrounding streets bolsters the impression that Elraine residents not only occupied a higher economic class than nearby African American neighbors but also had more substantial houses than nearby white neighborhoods, where smaller tract houses predominate. The fact that Elraine homes lay adjacent to predominately working-class white neighborhoods is significant and probably explains how this middle-class black neighborhood was able to gain a foothold in northwest Jackson. Meanwhile, middle- and upper-class white neighborhoods were coalescing in northeast and south Jackson, leaving the northwest section of the city open for African Americans and working-class whites.

Forming a Community

Many of the families that purchased houses in the Elraine subdivision were teachers and other white-collar workers. Margaret Walker Alexander remembered that buyers had to have an income of $5,000 to qualify.

Most of the recollections of life in the Elraine subdivision recall a close-knit community with neighborhood and family celebrations, garden club, and a Christmas pageant.

Before they moved in, Mr. and Mrs. Evers heard rumors that some residents of the Elraine subdivision were concerned about having them move onto the street, concerned that violence would follow. These concerns lessened over time. Alexander later said, "Our children played together. We carpooled together. We visited each other…Medgar was a wonderful person, a congenial neighbor who would lean over the fence and talk to people." Mrs. Grace Sweet, another neighbor, also noted Evers "kindness and humanity." She recalled that Evers "would get up at twelve midnight to light heating systems in the cold weather when the only access to the heating unit was under the crawl space. He would crawl under the house to light the pilot light."

When a sniper gunned down Medgar Evers in his driveway, it was neighbors that came to his aid and transported him to a hospital. Understandably, the assassination’s effect on the neighborhood was profound.

Designation as Historic District

In 1994, the State of Mississippi designated the Elraine subdivision as the Medgar Evers Neighborhood Historic District, the first neighborhood historic district in the city of Jackson. The District contains 44 buildings, primarily of residences in the Ranch style typical of a 1950's suburban development. The majority of the houses in the district retain their architectural integrity, with modern windows and enclosed carports being the most common alterations over time.

Though the neighborhood is considered historic, it is very much alive. It has changed since the Everses lived there, but still remains a predominantly black community.

If you visit the Evers home and historic district, please respect the residents’ privacy. Do not park in driveways or yards. Leave no trace.