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THE FONDREN ART GALLERY & MISSISSIPPI
My Uncle, Governor Andrew Longino
Andrew Houston Longino served as the 36th Governor of Mississippi from 1900 to 1904. Longino was born on May 16, 1854, in Lawrence County, Mississippi to William and Anna Longino. He studied law at the University of Mississippi and was admitted to the bar in 1876. Longino served as a district attorney for the Fifth Judicial District from 1880 to 1890. He was elected as a Democrat to the Mississippi State Senate in 1893 and won his campaign for governorship in 1899, taking office on January 16, 1900.
Longino increased funding for public schools and established the Mississippi Normal College (now University of Southern Mississippi) to train teachers. He also promoted railroad expansion, levee improvements along the Mississippi River, and agricultural advancements, including the first state agricultural experiment station. Longino died on February 20, 1942, at age 87 and is buried in Jackson. Longino is remembered for modernizing Mississippi's institutions during a transitional era. His story continues to be told through his nephew, Richard McKey.
"Birdman" Richard Mckey: The Art Wizard
Richard McKey is a Jackson-based visual artist and musician and the owner of the Fondren Art Gallery & Mississippi Blues Museum. After initially studying pre-ministry at Belhaven College and managing a construction and home-building business, McKey eventually returned to school to study art history and theory and apprenticed with local artist Bob Pennebaker. McKey’s art spans many mediums and styles. One of his most recognizable pieces was a large sculpture of Barack Obama’s head displayed outside his studio, which became something of a local landmark in Jackson’s Fondren District.
Fondren Art Gallery & Mississippi Blues Museum
The Fondren Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery and creative hub in the vibrant Fondren District of Jackson. Designed and built by Richard McKey, the gallery showcases both Richard's work and the work of local, national, and international artists. The gallery also offers art lessons, custom framing, and community-focused events. Over the years it’s become a celebrated part of Jackson’s cultural life and has been repeatedly recognized (e.g., in Best of Jackson lists) as a top local art space.
The Mississippi Blues Museum is a newer, intimate, art‑driven tribute to Mississippi’s blues heritage, located inside the Fondren Art Gallery. It blends an art museum, juke‑joint–style lounge, and small performance venue into one immersive space.