The Art on Jackson's Walls: A Self-Guided Mini Mural Tour

Jackson's murals stretch far beyond a single arts district, covering hotel walls, museum facades, neighborhood grocery stores and miles of trail.

This walking tour guides you through several standout stops, including the city's newest murals, from downtown's JXN Icons to Belhaven's tribute to Eudora Welty.

Ricardo Moody's wildlife mural on Commerce Street
Credit: Ansley Crabtree/TREE Urban Design Studio

Downtown's Core Mural Stop

Start downtown, where the "Welcome to Jackson" mural by Scott Allen sits near State and Pearl streets. It has become one of the city's most recognizable public art stops, a bright introduction to the capital city for people coming into downtown. Allen, owner of A+ Signs, has also painted traffic signal boxes and other public art across Jackson.

From there, head toward the Old Capitol Inn on North Street for "JXN Icons." Created by Reshonda Perryman, the mural features Medgar Evers, Eudora Welty, Thalia Mara and David Banner. Together, the four figures trace a line through civil rights, literature, dance and music, offering a snapshot of the people who helped shape Jackson's identity.

Perryman is also behind a new mural under the Pearl Street bridge, behind Hal & Mal's – "JXN Wild," – featuring colorful depictions of native wildlife. In the same spirit, Ricardo Moody has painted a colorful wildlife-inspired piece on Commerce Street between Court and South streets, both projects in support of the Museum Trail Capitol Connector expansion.

Near the Mississippi Museum of Art, look for William Goodman's "Subconscious View Matter" on the museum's north wall. Goodman's graffiti style is easy to recognize, and the mural pulls from pop culture and personal inspiration. It is a piece that has become part of the museum's identity, which makes sense. It does not feel separate from the building. It feels like the building has learned to speak.

On Congress Street, between Capitol and Amite Streets, tucked away in an alley on the east side of the street, artist Andrea Kostyal has completed a full wall, turning the Jackson Episcopalian Diocese's 200-year history into a public mural.

"Justicia" by Chris Windfield
Credit: Ansley Crabtree/TREE Design

Downtown has also added "Justicia," a newer mural by Chris Winsfield across from the Jackson Convention Complex. The piece reimagines Lady Justice through the eyes of a Black girl and is part of Winsfield's Magnolia Experience series. The mural was funded by 'Sipp Culture through its TBD Fund, with support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. It gives visitors entering downtown a new place to stop, look and think.

Justicia and the Wall of Voices

A few blocks away, Farish Street carries another kind of memory through Adrienne Dominick's "Mama Rose Kitchen." The mural was created in support of the City of Jackson's Fertile Ground Project and uses images from Dominick's early childhood to explore food, family tradition and the shared experience of cooking. It is a strong stop because it connects public art to something every visitor understands: the way food carries memory.

From downtown, move toward Capitol and Monument streets, where Cooperation Jackson sponsored a group of murals during its 2019 Mural Fest. The project brought together Black artists to paint the side of a shopping center in the city. The work includes historical African American figures, Native American imagery, spiritual themes, Black empowerment, strength and unity. It is not one mural so much as a wall of voices.

The Museum Trail featuring the Gavin Bird Mural “A Journey Through Jackson.”

The Museum Trail to Belhaven

For a longer stop, take the Museum Trail toward Belhaven Heights Park and find Gavin Bird's "A Journey Through Jackson." The mural stretches 478 feet along the trail and is described as the longest mural in Mississippi. Bird designed it to capture Jackson's beauty, landmarks and character, using the trail itself as a long canvas. It is best experienced slowly, on foot or by bike, with enough time to follow the wall as it unfolds.

End in Belhaven with Laurin Stennis' mural of Eudora Welty on the side of "her Jitney," the neighborhood grocery store Welty frequented. It is one of the city's most fitting murals because it places a literary giant back inside the everyday geography of her life. Belhaven is still one of the best neighborhoods in Jackson for walking, and this stop gives the tour a strong finish close to Belhaven Town Center where you can celebrate your mural hunt with a cold pint from Fertile Ground, a latte from Cultivate, or a darn good meal from one of Jackson's MICHELIN-recognized restaurants.

More Murals to Discover

This route does not cover every mural in Jackson, and it can't.

But these stops give visitors a strong first look at the city's walls and what they hold. If you want to explore Jackson's murals and public art, we have curated a broader Google Map to help guide your exploration.

Beneath the paint, you find memory, pride, protest, hospitality and the people who tell Jackson's story and live Jackson's story.

Peter Kelly

Author

Peter Kelly

Peter Kelly is a storyteller who moves between film, writing, and business strategy to capture ideas with clarity and imagination. His creative work spans documentary filmmaking, narrative development, and photography shaped by years of exploring cultures and adventures from the American South to the far reaches of the globe. His work is guided by curiosity, a love of wild places, and a commitment to stories that unravel human connection. In his free time, Peter can typically be found rappelling, scuba diving, or reading.