Jackson Free Press logo

This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

File Photo/Jackson Free Press

Mzprettyred Shanetta Crisler My family and life, health and strength.

LaToria Lee My family, friends old and new, my life. “So many have gone before me, and wisdom, knowledge and understanding that He gives me daily.

Tricia Johnson Day My family and my children and grandchildren’s good health.

Marika Gunnels Cackett Getting out of debt, saving and buying my first house!


Marie Jenkins My life. My family. My friends. Life with my partner

Mississippi Library Commission Books!

Colendula Green I give thanks for my health, family’s health, job & people I wake up to make a difference for each day!

Caroline Crawford Only having 1 semester of school left! And of course the coolest, sweetest sons and an uncomparably compatible husband who still makes me laugh every day.

Tonja Robinson-Murphy I’m thankful for my children. The oldest is a mirror, the middle child is a counselor, and the youngest is definitely his own person.

Lauren Collins I give thanks for being alive and healthy as well as having an amazing family! Oh yeah and a great experience at JFP even though I was only there for a short spell.

Keisha Real Talk Varnell Family and health and also I’m thankful to be able to serve my community.

Tommy Greer That because of President Obama’s re-election, I am thankful that I will not be placed in a liberal internment camp anytime soon.

Carolyn Griffin Price Health and family.

Bryan Flynn That I have a healthy wife and baby after child birth today.

Michael Kennedy Music.

Diann Irving Alford Loyal patrons/friends, healthy family (and healthy me!), good friends.

Linda Albin McMurtrey Obama’s re-election on a national level; getting a new knee on personal level; getting to have some of my family here on family level.
 I’m thankful for a President who cares about people, who puts the interests of those who are struggling in this economy first, not the millionaires and billionaires of the country.

Amy Barnes My husband is home for Thanksgiving. Last year Chris was deployed to the Middle East. He had only seen our daughter through pictures and Skype as she was born a few months after he deployed. This Thanksgiving we will all be together for our first Thanksgiving as a family. My cup overfloweth.

Natalie Maynor The election results, my dogs, my friends, and being alive and healthy.

Richard Perry For the sun rising again and again.

Emma French Connolly That the election is over!

Jennifer West I’m thankful to be surrounded by God’s chosen ones for my journey. I’m thankful for my family and the “village” that helps me raise my child.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.