Mississippi Edition: Hosted by Desare Frazier

10/02/2025

Ann Ford, producer of the documentary WZZQ and MPB’s Bill Ellison, host of the award-winning radio show “Grass Roots, joined me to talk about the film. This was in May of 2024.

WZZQ was a free form, counterculture, FM radio station in Jackson, that became a hit with young listeners in the mid-South. The format ran from 1973 to 1981.

MPB held a special viewing and discussion about WZZQ, the radio personalities and its cultural impact on radio in the south.

The documentary was picked up by American Public Television in August of this year and is available on public television stations coast to coast. It can be streamed at PBS.org and the PBS app.

09/19/2025

Adding to our gallery of guests we've interviewed for Mississippi Edition.

I had a conversation with the founder of the Jackson Free Press, now the Mississippi Free Press, Donna Ladd in November 2024.

She discussed growing up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the trajectory of her life/career including, attending Columbia University in New York City, where she received her master's degree in journalism and why she returned to the state to start a weekly newspaper.

Mississippi Free Press is online.

The conversation aired in two parts.
Here are the links.

https://shows.acast.com/5d892b22719a100a4a0192bd/673f7ab85eb1556c52b6016a

https://shows.acast.com/5d892b22719a100a4a0192bd/673f7b451ecce96407d223f3

08/29/2025

Today is the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Before, during and after the massive tropical cyclone hit the state, former Governor Haley Barbour was tasked with leading Mississippi through the disaster.

Hurricane Katrina ties with Hurricane Gustav which hit Louisiana in 2008 for the costliest damages of any storms in the country at
$125 billion dollars.

The massive storm packing some 124 mile per hour winds and 30 feet surges directly hit Waveland and leveled coastal communities as it moved inland.

We had an opportunity to sit down with the former governor to hear his reflections about that horrific time, how he kept going, and the untold number of Mississippians and nearly one million volunteers he said came from across the nation to help us rebuild.

We have a 2-part conversation with Governor Barbour on our Mississippi Edition podcast and the videotaped version which aired on MPB TV Thursday is at mpbonline.org/katrina.

08/29/2025

Caleb Bedillion with the Marshall Project discussed his investigative reporting about the lifetime voting ban for certain crimes in the state. The felony offenses are listed in Mississippi's 1890 Constitution. Several other crimes have been added since then.

08/29/2025

Catching up on sharing photos of some of the wonderful people we've interviewed for Mississippi Edition. The program airs weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Here's John Spann, Program and Outreach Coordinator with the Mississippi Humanities Council. We shared a humorous moment
before talking about a serious subject.

A marker was unveiled in McComb, to commemorate a school walkout.

August 30, 1961, three students held a sit-in at the Greyhound bus station. They were arrested and remained in jail until October 3rd, after which they learned they were expelled.

The next day, 115 students at Burgland High School in McComb walked out to protest the students' expulsion and the murder of local civil rights activist Herbert Lee, a month earlier in September.

07/25/2025

Dr. Kevin Sullivan of the MIND Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center explains the difference between Alzheimer's Disease and dementia; how accidents involving the body can impact the brain later in life; and seeking an evaluation to know your probability of developing or having dementia.

07/25/2025

Reporter Drew Hawkins with the Gulfstates newsroom talks about the shortage of trauma-informed care nurses to help r**e victims.
The Gulfstates newsroom is a collaboration among public radio stations in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

07/25/2025

Mississippi Edition interviews a cross-range of Mississippians and beyond, focusing on issues that affect the state.
Our conversations include talks with MPB's executive director, political figures, healthcare providers, educators and community leaders. Here are snapshots of a few of our guests.

05/24/2025

Mississippi Chair of the Republican Party Mike Hurst joined me in the studio May 20, for an interview to air on Mississippi Edition.

He discussed the expected call for a special session by
Governor Tate Reeves to pass a state budget before the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Hurst also talked about state and national issues impacting Mississippians including a congressional House bill that cuts Medicaid spending to the states.

Also, on this episode, a conversation with State Health Officer
Dr. Dan Edney about creating a new comprehensive approach to care for moms and babies to reduce the high incidence of infant and maternal mortality rates.

Plus, SNAP benefits and the possibility of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for low-income families and children.
https://www.mpbonline.org/news/mississippi-edition/

04/24/2025

In March, the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters recognized
Mississippi Public Broadcasting with 12 awards in 10 categories.

The bulk were presented to the news department. We are a close-knit team committed to providing our audience with the latest news about a range of topics that include education, healthcare and politics.

It's a job we feel privileged to have and take very seriously. We strive to earn your trust and be a resource you can turn to for information.

We could not do this work without the support of the Mississippi legislature and our many listeners and viewers who give us "shout outs" and donate to this worthy cause. We thank you!

First Row, left to right: Shimara Muhammad, Desare Frazier, Michael McEwen

Second Row, left to right: Kobee Vance, Will Stribling, Teresa Collier, Galean Stewart

04/08/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9Owpkv6hU

Today we aired an interview with Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the former State Health Officer during the COVID pandemic. Five years have passed since then.

Dobbs is now Dean of the School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

The infectious disease expert reflects on the public health crisis, what worked, what didn't, and being prepared for the next public health emergency.

On a special Mississippi Edition, former state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs reflects on the early days of the pandemic and how life has changed Five years...

04/04/2025

Monday, I was blessed to join my mother to celebrate her 102 birthday. I moved her to Mississippi from Alabama in 2017 to live with me. In March she transitioned to a nursing home.

According to AARP, about 470,000 Mississippians provided an estimated 400 million hours of caregiving worth $4.7 billion dollars in 2017, o parents, spouses, partners and friends. Those numbers have likely increased since then.

In an on-going series Mississippi Edition on MPB, will share my interviews with a business that employs in-home caregivers, those who do the work, families that are providing care and services the State of Mississippi provides.

For me, caregiving is a labor of love, hard work coupled with commitment. It can feel daunting too. Clearly the numbers show I am not alone. Hundreds of thousands of you in Mississippi, just like me, are providing care.

Despite the challenges I celebrate the opportunity to be a caregiver for my mother and kudos to every one of you who has been a caregiver, provided support to a caregiver or is one now.

There is comfort in knowing you do or have done the best you can for a loved one or friend.
And…just think, if you’re not a caregiver now, you may be one in the future or need one yourself.

We all need each other.