We Are Mississippi Free Press.

Campaign cover image for We Are Mississippi Free Press.

Right now, every gift is being matched 3-to-1, thanks to two generous donors. That means your gift will go three times as far to support inclusive, ethical journalism that centers Mississippians across 82 counties over power and elected officials.

For 23 years, Free Press journalism has stood firm in Mississippi, first through the Jackson Free Press and now continuing the truth-telling, people-first legacy through the Mississippi Free Press. Through every challenge, we’ve told the stories that others overlook because we live here, we love our state, and we are the Free Press of Mississippi.

Your generosity last year made a difference. You’ve helped us:

Increase our readership by 135% in 2025 because you continue to share the Free Press story with your communities.
Host our first set of Solutions Circles in the Mississippi Delta, where we listened deeply to our Delta neighbors about the issues they face and their ideas for addressing their communities' systemic problems.
Continue our Trusted Elections investigation and correction of lists of voters precincts across the entire state since 2020, with the Pulitzer Center-supported work paving the way for legislation in 2025. (Here’s the latest.)
Draw national attention with our viral investigations of ICE arrests in Mississippi, including a viral ICE investigation by our Youth Media Project teenage journalists.
Support remarkable work by reporters like Illan Ireland, a bilingual reporter who continues to uncover environmental and systemic inequities across Mississippi and beyond, as well as write about the state’s immigrant communities.
Publish in-depth coverage on how Project 2025 could affect Mississippians’ access to education, housing, climate and clean water in Jackson.
Win 108 national and southeastern regional awards since 2020 for our compelling storytelling and investigations, not to mention 8 national awards for YMP teenagers.
Launch multiple regional news bureaus (more ahead!) and continue to grow the most inclusive newsroom in Mississippi.
Bring national attention to the tragic death of Trey Reed, a young Black student found hanging on Delta State University’s Cleveland campus. Our deeply reported coverage and fact-checking, written with care, truth and integrity, spread nationwide because great writing and ethical storytelling still matter.

This is what people-first, truth-driven journalism looks like. It’s what you’ve made possible and what we must continue together.

Every story we tell starts with a belief: Mississippi deserves the full story. Your support today ensures we can keep building local bureaus, mentoring young reporters and student journalists, and publishing stories that challenge power and celebrate resilience.

Thank you for standing with us. Let’s finish 2025 strong.

Gratefully,

Michael Williams

Board Chair

Mike Williams Supports the Mississippi Free Press

By Mississippi Journalism and Education Group

Mike Williams Supports the Mississippi Free Press

Team Members