Jerry Rice, Issac Lewis, and Richard Schwartz (left to right) pose for a photo with an autographed football for Issac Lewis in a VIP room at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
Jerry Rice (left) signs fan, Issac Lewis (right), jersey in a VIP room at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
Jerry Rice and state Representative Kathy Sykes pose for a photo in a VIP room at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
Stan Branson was the emcee of the night for the gala that honored former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice.
Representative Jim Evans says a prayer at the gala for former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice laughs at one of the guest speakers at the gala for Rice at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
President of Mississippi Valley State University William Bynum Jr., honors former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice as a university alumni at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice speaks at the gala thrown in his honor at the Jackson Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2016.
The governor and State lawmakers honor former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice with Jerry Rice Day at the Mississippi State Capitol on Sept. 30, 2016.

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.