Mississippi Native: Terrence Zebedee Johnson
"Mississippi has shaped my passion for storytelling. My granddaddy’s words, 'take what you got, make what you want out of it,' come to mind."
What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? Filmmaker Terrence Zebedee Johnson has often been called an “old soul,” which he considers a compliment considering the special connection he shares with the elders in his family. His current multi-media project, “The Steps of My Ancestors,” is inspired by the stories he grew up hearing as a child, and the ones he uncovered through his own research and travels. The project aims “to encourage conversations around Black ancestry and Black history. It’s a journey, both physical and emotional, to retrace the steps of my ancestors and uncover the places they called home.” Today, Terrence describes the deep family and ancestral ties that keep him rooted in Mississippi.
Where are you from?
Whenever I am asked where I’m from, I say Jackson, MS, but I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I grew up in So…
