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Tom Wince

Mary Louise Nosser. (Submitted photos)

Vicksburg was incorporated in 1825, and for 200 years  it has been shaped and molded by all who have lived here. And while  contributions have been made by many — sometimes even unbeknownst to others — in celebration of Vicksburg’s bicentennial, a committee was asked to comprise a list of 200 individuals and/or groups and organizations they feel played a role in sustaining this city by the river. Nominations were taken from the public in order to help compile the list.

From now until the end of the year, The Vicksburg Post will highlight those groups and individuals chosen.

Newitt Vick — Founder of Vicksburg

Newitt Vick was born in 1766 in Virginia. A Methodist minister and planter who purchased land in the area, he erected a log cabin for worship near his plantation “Open Woods.” He then purchased 612 acres and laid out town lots, the birth of plans for Vicksburg.Vick died in 1819 from Yellow Fever at the age of 53. On his headstone read the words, “Jesus smiles and says, Well done, Good and faithful servants ye.” Vick’s family continued his vision and Vicksburg was officially incorporated in 1825.

Mary Louise Nosser — Founder of the Lebanese dinner

“Mary Lou” Nosser, born in 1930 in Vicksburg, was a prominent figure in preserving and sharing Lebanese culture within her community. Her parents, “J.M.” and Effie, immigrated to Vicksburg through New York’s Ellis Island from the Mount Lebanon region of Syria (now Lebanon) shortly after World War I. In 1924, her father established a small grocery store on Washington Street, contributing to the vibrant Lebanese community in the area. Mary Lou was deeply involved with St. George Orthodox Church in Vicksburg. She was instrumental in turning the church’s annual Lebanese dinner, which began to raise funds for a new building, into a major cultural event, leading the charge for 56 years. She played a crucial role in its success, passionately sharing Lebanese culinary traditions with the broader community. Mary Louise Nosser died in 2019 at the age of 88.

Tom Wince — Blue Room

Tom Wince Jr., was born in 1910 and is best known for establishing and operating The Blue Room, a renowned nightclub on Clay Street. The club began in 1937 as a modest one-room establishment selling beer and Coca-Cola, but eventually expanded into a multi-purpose complex featuring a ballroom, restaurant, gambling casino, guest rooms, and living quarters for Wince and his family. Wince’s Blue Room became one of the most storied nightspots in the South, attracting legendary performers such as Ray Charles, Fats Domino, B.B. King, Dinah Washington, Louis Armstrong, and Little Milton. The club was known for its inclusive atmosphere, welcoming both Black and white patrons during a time of segregation, provided they left their prejudices at the door. Wince was recognized for his flamboyant personality and community involvement. He was a teetotaler who neither drank nor smoked and was known for his sharp dressing style, often seen wearing riding pants and a notable 10-carat diamond ring. After more than three decades of operation, The Blue Room closed its doors in 1972. Tom Wince Jr. died in 1978 at the age of 68.

William Jefferson — Mississippi’s first Black funeral director

William Henry Jefferson, along with his wife Lucy, founded W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home in Vicksburg in 1894. This gives it the distinction of being Mississippi’s first African-American-owned funeral home — and William Henry Jefferson being the first African-American funeral director — and it is recognized as the state’s oldest Black-owned business. The funeral home has been at its current location on Monroe Street since 1909. Jefferson died in 1922 and his wife continued to operate the business for another 30 years. The Jeffersons had no children, but their legacy was carried on by their nieces and nephews, ensuring the funeral home remained a family operated business.

Fannie Willis Johnson — Funded two YMCAs 

Fannie Willis Johnson, born in 1855, built – along with her husband – the commercial property that houses Catfish Row Museum and their residence, now Oak Hall. She also contributed property to All Saints College and deeded Duff Green Mansion for an orphan boys home. But she is best known as a pivotal figure in the history of the YMCA during the era of segregation. Her work in deeding buildings and land to the YMCA as a memorial to her husband Junius Ward Johnson in 1923 was followed the next year by her half-million dollar donation to build the Jackson Street YMCA to serve African American men. This was significant during a time when racial segregation deeply divided public and social spaces. In the early 20th century, the YMCA, as a national organization, had segregated branches and many African Americans had limited access to services provided by these organizations. Johnson saw the need for a space that would support the social, educational, and spiritual needs of African Americans in Vicksburg, and she was essential to Blacks building solidarity, accessing educational opportunities, and gaining support in a society where opportunities for Black people were severely limited. These YMCAs became central hubs for social activities, education, and spiritual growth for African Americans in Vicksburg, with Johnson’s leadership instrumental in their success. Fannie Willis Johnson died in 1931.

Joseph Biedenharn — The first to bottle Coca-Cola

Joseph Biedenharn was born in Vicksburg in 1866, the eldest of 12 children. At the age of 22, Joseph Biedenharn inherited his father’s confectionary business and renamed it Biedenharn Candy Company. The business soon expanded and started serving its customers a new fountain drink, Coca-Cola. At the time, Coca-Cola could be purchased only at soda fountain counters, where the syrup was mixed with carbonated soda. But, in Biedenharn’s words, “I wanted to bring Coca-Cola to the country people outside the limits of the fountain.” In 1894 Biedenharn’s operation on Washington Street in Vicksburg became the first Coca-Cola bottler, from which Biedenharn set out in a horse and buggy and sold bottled Coca-Cola to the people of rural Mississippi for 70 cents per case. Biedenharn died in 1952 at the age of 85.

Dr. Jane McAllister — Graduated from Columbia with a PhD

Dr. Jane McAllister was born in Vicksburg in 1899, a time when Black opportunity was severely limited. She was remarkable in both her contributions in education and her own ability. She graduated high school at the age of 15, became the youngest Talladega College graduate at the age of 19, got her master’s degree from University of Michigan, then became the first African American woman to earn a PhD from Columbia University in 1929. After earning her PhD, she became one of the leading educators in the area, helping to shape the intellectual and cultural landscape for African Americans as a professor of psychology and education at various universities during segregation for four decades. Dr Jane McAllister died in Vicksburg in 1996 at the age of 96.

Rosa A. Temple —  Established Temple High School

Rosa A. Temple was born in 1869 and began teaching in Vicksburg when she was 16. She grew up in a period marked by widespread racial inequality. Despite the challenges of segregation, she excelled in her education and recognized the transformative power of learning. Temple became a teacher and later the principal of the Temple High School in Vicksburg, a school she helped establish. This institution became a vital educational center for African American students in the area. Under her leadership, Temple High School not only provided academic instruction, but also placed an emphasis on developing the moral and civic responsibilities of young African Americans. Her commitment to education and the empowerment of Black students left a lasting legacy not only in Vicksburg, but also as a model for educators and community leaders across the South. The school she helped build, Temple High School, became an essential part of Vicksburg’s history and the lives of individuals who attended school there. Rosa Temple died in 1972 at the age of 102, one year after closure of Temple High School during school desegregation.

David Marcus — Founder of Marcus Bottom

Born in Prussia in 1814, David Marcus immigrated to the U.S. in his early 20s. A learned man, he knew nine languages, including German, Russian, Italian and Hebrew. He and his wife moved to Vicksburg, where he opened a general store in the area now known as Halls Ferry. A well on the property offered drink to the thirsty and a stream nearby watered animals. Eventually the acreage surrounding his home and store became known as Marcus Bottom. Marcus died in 1899 at the age of 75.

Editor’s note: A photo fo David Marcus was not available. 

Louis Cashman — Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper publisher

Louis P Cashman Sr. was born in Vicksburg in 1886. Following high school graduation from Vicksburg schools, Cashman began working at the Vicksburg Evening Post full time, first as a newspaper carrier, then working in the press room, and ultimately becoming publisher when his father died in 1922. Cashman was also president of the Delta Broadcasting Company and operator of radio station WQBC. One of the newspaper’s outstanding accomplishments under Cashman’s editorship was its coverage of the tornado that struck downtown Vicksburg on Saturday afternoon, Dec 5, 1953. With no gas to heat the furnace to make printing plates, staff used charcoal for fuel and scooped rainwater from gutters to develop photos of the devastation, earning the Vicksburg newspaper a Pulitzer Prize for its news coverage of the tornado. Cashman died in 1961 at the age of 74.

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