I traveled to Mississippi in September 2005 for a couple reasons. R.L. had just passed away and I wanted to attend his funeral. I had also been helping Jessie Mae Hemphill. She was being evicted from her home, and I considered purchasing a house in Clarksdale where she could live. I spent a day with Jessie Mae and another friend, Barbara Blue. We looked at a few houses in Clarksdale and had lunch. Barbara had to get back to Memphis for her regular gig, and I drove Jessie back to her trailer in Senatobia.
Our plan was to wait until Jessie was actually evicted by force. We could get all the media and attention at that time to build more support. Her goal was just to live out the rest of her life at that trailer. As it turned out, she got her wish.
There's another twisted story about the guy Jessie trusted with her money to help with her house. He stole thousands of dollars raised for Jessie Mae. He had money troubles of his own, and kids with medical bills. The poor stealing from the poor. He vanished around that time. I don't think he ever got caught. After Jessie passed, no one seemed to care about justice for that theft.
In Memphis, I had stopped by Xanadu to visit with John and I had purchased a lowebow. On my way out of Mississippi after all these events, I stopped by Richard Johnston's home and he played a bit and recorded some video. Here's a little lowebow lesson and a chat with a neighbor.
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