Porsha Taylor held a photo of her brother, Antonio Taylor, in front of the Mississippi Capitol. Antonio was found dead inside of his cell at Mississippi’s State Penitentiary at Parchman December 2019. Porsha Taylor was one of many family members and scores of citizens who protested in front of the Mississippi Capitol on Friday.
A section of Mississippi Street was blocked by barricades as advocates for prison reform gathered outside of the Mississippi Capitol to protest recent violence and multiple deaths at Parchman.
After reports of poor living conditions and at least 10 deaths in Mississippi’s prison system, Yo Gotti, along with Jay-Z’s organization Team ROC, the Poor People’s Campaign and the Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition organized the rally calling for Parchman to be shut down permanently. Here are the photos from the rally. — Eric J. Shelton
Porsha Taylor holds a photo of her brother, Antonio Taylor, during a rally against the inhumane and violent conditions at Parchman prison in front of the Mississippi State Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Antonio was found dead in his cell at the prison in December 2019. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters attend the a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Gladys Scott leads a chant during a prison reform rally at the Mississippi State Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T. speaks to media about the inhumane and violent conditions at Parchman prison during a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Ma’am Jone Primm, owner of Marshall’s Music and Bookstore, leads a chant during a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. The protesters rallied against the unhealthy and violent living conditions at Parchman prison. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Hip-hop artist Dear Silas speaks to protesters during a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
J. Prince, entrepreneur and CEO of Rap-a-Lot Records, speaks to a crowd of protesters during a rally against the unsafe conditions at Parchman prison outside of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Jacquelyn Owens attends a prison reform rally in honor of her nephew, Paul Evans Jr., at the Mississippi Capitol Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Hip-hop artist Mysonne, co-founder of the prisoner rights group United Freedom, address the crowd during a rally against the inhuman and violent conditions at Parchman prison outside of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Keegan Hudson, a student at Alcorn, attends the prison reform rally at the Mississippi Capitol, Friday Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Civil Rights attorney Jaribu Hill speaks to protesters during a prison reform rally at the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Rukia Lumumba, executive director of the People’s Advocacy Institute, leads a chant during at rally agains the unhealthy and violent conditions at the Parchman prison at the Capitol in Jackson Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters gather in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson to rally against the unhealthy and violent conditions at Parchman Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Terun Moore, of the People’s Advocacy Institute, shares his experience with incarceration during a rally agains the inhumane and violent conditions at Parchman prison Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters gather in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson to rally against the unhealthy and violent conditions at Parchman Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters listen to speakers during a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters attend the a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Protesters gather and hold signs in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson to rally against the unhealthy and violent conditions at Parchman Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Sharon Brown, of the Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition, address protesters during a rally concerning the inhumane and violent conditions at Parchman Prison Friday Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
A protesters closes her eyes in prayer during a prison reform rally in front of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. The unhealthy and violent conditions at Parchman was the focus of the rally. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
A protest sign is held during a rally agains the inhumane and violent conditions at Parchman prion outside of the Mississippi Prison Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America 
Jim and Martha Lightsey hold protest signs during a rally against the unhealthy and violent conditions at Parchman prison in front of the Mississippi Capitol Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America