Local icon Charles “Lala” Evans honored through museum exhibit
He is also known for his colorful yard known as "Lala Land", covered in umbrellas, tables and chairs, and his museum in the Needmore community of Starkville. "Lala Land" serves as the inspiration for the Black Prairie Blues Museum's latest exhibit.
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – “You know we all need a little Charles in us,” Deborah Mansfield said.
Charles “Lala” Evans is a well-known face around the Starkville area.
He was the first black mail carrier in town, as well as the first black bus driver for MSU.
He is also known for his colorful yard known as “Lala Land”, covered in umbrellas, tables and chairs, and his museum in the Needmore community of Starkville. “Lala Land” serves as the inspiration for the Black Prairie Blues Museum’s latest exhibit.
“His wife passed away in 2011 and he created a memorial in his backyard for her and himself and his life and his family and he invites people from all over to come and just do fun things and spread happiness and joy and create art,” Mansfield said.
The Lala Experience is the museum’s newest exhibit, celebrating Evans’ life and impact.
Museum Director Deborah Mansfield says they wanted to honor him.
“Some people go over the top to make sure that people are happy and getting along and when you have somebody like that it just kind of tumbles into making other people happy and it just creates a wave of happiness and people need to be noted,” Mansfield said.
Students of the MSU graphic design department created posters based on Evans and his colorful world.
Evans was there as the exhibit opened.
He said he was grateful for everyone who came to be part of the event.
“This is the treat of my life. This is beautiful, simply beautiful. Ain’t that something and all for me, Little ole Lala from Needmore Mississippi. Simply beautiful, simply beautiful. Oh my, I just want to thank everybody for coming out and sharing this with me,” Evans said.
The museum will be open on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
