The History of Catfish Alley
COLUMBUS, Miss., (WCBI) — Saturday, an African American Cultural Heritage Walk will be held to kick off the second day of Catfish in the Alley.
Catfish Alley is a one-block strip of 4th Street between Main and College Streets.
How it got that name is a story in itself.
“Historically, it was a place where African American and White catfish fisherman of the Tombigbee River would sell their fresh-caught fish,”
Charles Yarborough says that one block played a large role in the lives of African American residents in the area during the 20th century.
There were doctors’ offices, dentists’ offices, and restaurants, all owned by African Americans. Although the Alley has changed in recent years, the memories remain, and a walking tour will commemorate those.
“Starting at the Visit Columbus Office,s we’ll do a brief downtown walking tour of African American Cultural Sites. We’ll look at Catfish Alle and the Freedom Trail Marker commemorating Dr. Stringer’s contributions. We’ll take a look at other state historic markers both in the downtown area, and we’ll talk about others that are not necessarily in the heart of downtown but not too far away.”
Yarborough says it’s not just Black History, it’s the history of Lowndes County as a whole.
“The majority of Lowndes County’s population was African American for over a century. So, when we talk about Black History, we’re really talking about our history.”
The walk will begin at 11 a.m., and participants will meet at the Visit Columbus Office.
