The Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church has been the church for Ocean Springs’ Black community since 1891. The church has been on Rev. Dr. Jesse L. Trotter Street, in the heart of the Railroad District, for 25 years. It was there during segregation, it was there as the generations grew up but remained a close-knit neighborhood. It is the site of marriages, baptisms, and picnics and serves as a gathering place for the entire community. It, too, is in the so-called blighted area.
Now the church, along with other home and business owners whose properties have been blighted, is teaming up with the Institute for Justice to launch a federal lawsuit. Sam Washington, the church trustee responsible for its property transactions, speaks on behalf of the church regarding the lawsuit.
Related Case
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Home and business owners only found out their properties were branded as “slum or blighted” long after the time to legally challenge the label in state court passed
Ocean Springs, Mississippi declared properties in parts of the city blighted slums in a secretive process. Now, property owners are suing to protect their homes, businesses, and a church.