FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By: Melvin Brown | May 22, 2025
| Friars Point, MS — In the heart of Mississippi’s Delta, Friars Point is emerging as a beacon of transformation—a community steadily redefining its narrative through authentic engagement, heritage reclamation, and visionary planning. At the forefront of this resurgence is the Friars Point Economic Development Association (FPEDA), founded by the Omicron Pi Foundation, and powered by a dedicated network of community leaders, partners, and residents. Meeting monthly via Zoom and in person, the FPEDA has evolved into a dynamic incubator where bold ideas are translated into actionable plans—restoring culture, revitalizing land, and reigniting the economic spirit that once fueled historic Black communities across America. Melvin Brown, Vice State Director of Black Wall Street Mississippi (blackwallstreet.org/mississippi), spearheading much of this transformative progress, whose leadership has breathed new life into Friars Point’s potential. Brown’s work embodies the enduring principles of Black Wall Street—economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and unity through grassroots organizing. “Melvin Brown’s leadership has redefined what it means to build from the ground up,” said Etherine Mitchell, State Director of Black Wall Street Mississippi. “He is not only organizing meetings—he’s building movements. The work being done in Friars Point stands as a true reflection of Black Wall Street’s legacy and a model for communities across the South.” In the short term, the progress is visible and tangible. Volunteers have banded together to restore the historic Friars Point Negro/African American Cemetery, a sacred resting place whose stories span generations. Through cleanup drives, research initiatives, and digital mapping, the community is reclaiming its ancestors’ narratives, bringing dignity and visibility to lives long overlooked. Equally significant is the transformation of abandoned and underutilized lots into green-space community gardens. These gardens are already bearing fruit—literally and metaphorically. They provide fresh produce to local families, teach sustainable agriculture, and offer a safe space for intergenerational connection and wellness. “These gardens are more than food plots—they are living monuments to self-sufficiency, pride, and healing,” said Rita Hughes, State Administrator for Black Wall Street Mississippi. “They represent what can happen when communities reclaim not just land, but identity.” The community gardens serve as launchpads for educational workshops and cultural programs, drawing in youth and elders alike. The restored cemetery and green spaces together form a powerful synergy—connecting health and history, cultivation and commemoration. The immediate impact is a revitalized sense of place and purpose. “Community revitalization is not just about economic development—it’s about cultural recovery,” emphasized Ethel Cain Russell, Deputy Chief of Staff of U.S. States, Black Wall Street USA – Office of the President. “Friars Point exemplifies what happens when we honor the past while equipping the next generation to build a better future. This is what Black Wall Street is all about.” Looking ahead, the mid-term benefits of the FPEDA’s initiatives are already shaping new dimensions of civic life. The monthly meetings have evolved into forums for innovation, economic literacy, historical preservation, and community empowerment. Residents are learning not only how to plant seeds in soil, but how to grow ideas into lasting institutions. Under Melvin Brown’s guidance, FPEDA has launched heritage tours, small business mentorship circles, youth leadership development, and even early-stage plans for a digital archive that honors the town’s Civil Rights and Reconstruction-era figures. “From Tulsa to Friars Point, there is a thread of resilience running through our people,” reflected Earl Beckett, Deputy Chief of Staff of Global Affairs, Black Wall Street USA – Office of the President. “As we remember Greenwood’s legacy—the heart of Black Wall Street—we also uplift communities like Friars Point, who are reclaiming their space in the American narrative with pride, determination, and vision.” FPEDA’s initiatives are creating deep, layered connections: between young and old, past and future, land and legacy. Youth in Friars Point are not only learning agricultural skills but also interviewing elders for oral history archives. Local entrepreneurs are receiving guidance on developing cooperative business models. Churches, schools, and cultural organizations are aligning with the development vision to ensure wide participation and shared benefits. As Vice State Director of Black Wall Street Mississippi, Brown has amplified these efforts by building partnerships with regional universities, health organizations, agricultural experts, and national heritage nonprofits. These alliances ensure that Friars Point doesn’t just dream of transformation—it executes it, with technical support and measurable outcomes. “This is more than a project—it’s a blueprint,” said State Director for Black Wall Street Mississippi, Etherine Mitchell. “Friars Point is showing how cultural restoration and economic development can walk hand-in-hand, and how every community, no matter its size, can become a model of progress.” The long-term vision of the FPEDA is to secure a lasting legacy that echoes far beyond the borders of Coahoma County. Plans are underway to launch a community heritage museum, develop a cultural entrepreneurship hub, and formalize Friars Point as a site of national interest for African American history tourism. These initiatives will honor Black Wall Street’s foundational principles—ownership, literacy, self-determination—and bring them to life in ways that are accessible, inclusive, and generative. “The history of Black Wall Street is not confined to Greenwood. It lives in the courage of our elders, the imagination of our children, and the determination of our community builders like Melvin Brown,” said Russell. “We are witnessing the rebirth of that spirit in Mississippi, and it is powerful.” The work in Friars Point is already influencing similar efforts in other Delta communities, where residents are now attending FPEDA meetings, seeking guidance from Melvin Brown, and studying Friars Point’s replicable model of engagement. A vision that began in quiet conversations is now resonating across state lines—reinvigorating hope, investment, and solidarity. “This is how we reclaim the legacy that was stripped from us—not through monuments alone, but through movement,” said Beckett. “And Friars Point is moving, fast and forward.” From each weed pulled in the cemetery to each seed planted in a garden bed, Friars Point is turning intention into action. Its people are laying the bricks for a legacy that will endure. And through the guidance of leaders like Brown, supported by the global network of Black Wall Street USA, that legacy is not only being built—it is being broadcast as a call to rise. For ongoing updates, and vibrant community stories, and to become a part of this revitalization journey, follow the Friars Point Economic Development Association on our Facebook page and explore our dedicated website at https://friarspointeda2023.com. Each connection helps sustain this transformative project’s momentum, ensuring that Friars Point’s legacy resonates well beyond its borders. Initiative contact: Melvin Brown, FPEDA |
For more information, please contact:
Angela Patterson
Office of Media & Communications
Black Wall Street USA
communications@blackwallstreet.org
blackwallstreet.org
516.847.2334
