J. Mack Moore was born in Vicksburg in 1869 and lived his entire life here until he died in 1954. He was the epitome of river town eccentrics, continuing to use glass negatives long after technology had advanced. Moore made his own light-sensitive paper, and he used only natural sunlight, never artificial light.

Most of the people involved with the cookbook never knew J. Mack  Moore, but many knew Bob Pickett’s father-in-law, this newspaper’s Executive Editor Emeritus Charlie Faulk, who was entrusted with Moore’s collection of photographs. Eventually, Faulk gave the glass negative collection to the Old Court House, but it was his son-in-law, Pickett, who developed images from the glass negatives and continues to be the most knowledgeable person about the techniques Moore used.

Pickett contributed his time and talent to the project, guiding Martha Whitaker and those who worked with her in choosing the best color as well as interpreting the photos. And Pickett also worked on a cover to complement the collection.