Jackson Jambalaya

I made many a trip to Red's sitting beside my granddaddy, at least once a week. This was in the early 1950's. I can drive to the spot to this day.

Besides all of those bad things that Red did, he was really a nice guy. I first met him in about 1958 and knew him until he died. Unfortunately, prohibition caused many people to make and sell shine and import booze from out-of-the country. It started in the depression people did what they had to do. I am not making excuses for Red, just letting you know that there was another side to him.

From reading the articles, Red sounds like a thug and a real piece of shit...

Big Red's daughter, Willie Mae Bradshaw wrote a book about him called "Big Red: A Biography of the Late G. W. 'Big Red' Hydrick". It's an interesting read and a fairly accurate account of the prohibition-era liquor trade in the Jackson area, according to some who lived in that area during that time.

The book was a whitewash and literary trash. Yes, I have a copy. For example, it talked about how he got Christmas presents for the black kids to make him look like a saint while it left out the part of him beating Medgar Evers and some black college girls.

When I was a pre-teenager I worked on a milk truck. One of the places we stopped was the old Airways Inn at the intersection of Old Brandon and Hwy 80. Mr. Red was what he was called then was always at the counter drinking coffee. The guy I worked for would always spend over 1/2 hour talking to Mr. Red. I always complained about the time we wasted, and my boss always talked about the stories Mr. Red would spin while we were there. He was old and wrinkled and always had a lit cigarette in his hand. I never got to hear the stories, but my Boss always enjoyed them.

Can anyone recall his stepson by the name of X.L. downing?

Went to school with him, he was a little older and this was during the 50's had a fair amount of Tat's then.

Lovely work, KF. You are a great historian.

Very interesting. Thanks.

I was in high school in the early 1960's. In Hinds County you could buy whiskey at a small grocery store on Beasley Road, which was outside the city limits at that time. I think it was called the Beasley Superette. You had to be a certain age to buy, maybe 18. I guess a " local option" rule. But, they were very lax on checking id and if you looked old enough they would sell it to you. It enjoyed a better class of people and the prices were higher than "across the river". And, your parent's friends were more likely to see you. In Rankin County, you crossed the Woodrow Wilson bridge. Immediately across on the right was another small store with gas pumps called "Pic and Pay". You drove around back and pulled up to a window and made your purchase. But, if you went down Casey's Lane the liquor was cheaper. The further you went down, the cheaper it was and the darker and seemingly more dangerous. You pulled around in back of all of the buildings and there was either a window or door. I remember at the last place, you could buy a half pint of cheap bourbon for $1.40. The clubs were all gone by that time. When liquor was legalized in 1966, the bootleggers shut down. As a young man, the only time I could not buy liquor was from July 1, 1966, when the law took effect, until I became 21. X L Hydrick was at Duling and Bailey with me. He was older than his classmates and left school while at Bailey. He used the name Hydrick, but his younger brother was Downing. I believe they were raised by the Downings. His younger brother was the opposite of X L. I actually think they were the sons of Little Red Hydrick, not Big Red. Little Red had died by jumping, falling or being thrown off the Mississippi bridge at Vicksburg.

Could someone please provide a translation of the imbecilic redneck-speak on that sign?

Closed closed CLOSED
As of this date
The year of our Lord the 7th & 1st of '66
The Apostle P Saa Go Go GO By Dam Go
We Gone Gone Gone, By Dam GONE
"Us Shall Overcome"
Old Vets Never Die, Just Fade Away
Us See You, Good Bye
to All "BIG RED"

Maybe one of the people who think this guy was just a big teddy bear can understand what the hell he's saying there.

@ April 17, 2017 at 9:30 AM

Thank you for sharing that. Always love to hear about the nooks and crannies about the metro area back in the day.

I never knew anything about "East Jackson and the Mississippi Gold Coast"

You guys have sparked my curiosity talking about how the metro area used to be.

Please keep sharing.

to 9 :30am ,,, i grew up on beasley road and the place was called the BEASLEY ROAD SHOPETTE. IRONICALLY the building is still there and its a legal liquor store. i can't remember the name of the man who ran it for all those years. it was the closest store to wood haven and presto heights. but i do remember vividly about 1972 or 1973 a thug by the name of clem jimpson, murdered the owner in a armed robbery. jimpson got sent to parchman farm but by about 1985 he was paroled and 2 weeks later shot and robbed a woman in jackson. i can't remember the woman name but she hired the BINDER law firm and they sued the MS state parole board and a jury awarded about 2 million in damages. the supreme court later reversed the verdict.

in december 1965 the governor and alot prominent citizens were taken to jail for possession of alcohol during a christmas party at the jackson country club. the story made national news and provided a lot of embarrassment. a month later the legislature in january 1966 voted to repeal prohibition, subject to the county option.

I can remember that my older first cousin was a bootlegger and kept a small sea plane on the river in Vicksburg and would fly to Cuba when the Feds would get after him. He was a very smart man and always felt second class because of how he made his living. When liquor was legalized he became head deacon in the church and President of the Vicksburg Country Club. He also owned a bank. He never forgot or forgave the people that treated him bad before liquor was legalized, those are the hypocrites that sat next to you in church last Sunday.

4:41- probably close enough to correct to qualify as a loyal JJ commentator.

But the raid at the Jackson Country Club was Mardi Gras (not Christmas) in February 1966 (not Dec '65) and although the Governor was there, he was not taken to jail. Several prominent folks were arrested, but not Paul B. The King of the ball was Warren Hood and the sheriff was Tom Shelton, a former chief deputy who had just been promoted when the elected sheriff was removed for being drunk all the time.

The vote to repeal prohibition was passed in May of that year and signed into law effective July 1.

I have a question about Big Red: does anybody know about his relationship with Ross Barnett? Eudora Welty named Big Red as Ross Barnett's henchman in the slaying of Medgar Evans in a poem published just after the slaying. The New Yorker refused to print his name, but a couple of years ago the original was released.

Oh, and what about his dealings with the Pocahontas Nite Club in Little Gold Coast?