1887

As a Black-only community, Mound Bayou became a symbol for hope—“The Jewel of the Delta.” Inspired by Booker T. Washington’s call for Black “self-sufficiency,” some 800 families (4,000 people) made their homes in and around Mound Bayou, owning a total of 30,000 acres of land. 

Pictured: Black and white photograph of Booker T. Washington addressing a crowd at Mound Bayou. Washington is standing on a platform, holding a white sheet of paper, and is wearing a black suit. The crowd makes a full circle below him, most dressed in black suits and dresses. In the background is a white building, likely used for Mound Bayou’s agricultural production.

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-