Mississippi

Mississippi

Capital	Jackson
Nickname	The Magnolia State
Official Language	English
Governor	Tate Reeves, R
Senator	Cindy Hyde-Smith, R (202) 224-5054 [{{{s1email}}}]
Senator	Roger Wicker, R (202) 224-6253 Contact
Population	2,980,000 (2020)
Ratification of Constitution/or statehood	December 10, 1817 (20th)
	Motto: "Virtute et armis" (By valor and arms)

Mississippi is located in the South of the United States and on December 10, 1817 became the twentieth state to enter the Union. Mississippi was once a member of the Confederate States of America. The capital of Mississippi is Jackson which is also its largest city. The current governor of Mississippi is Tate Reeves, a Republican. In 2011, Mississippi was ranked the third most obese state.

The state Constitution of Mississippi, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. It says:

We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking his blessing on our work, do ordain and establish this constitution.

Elected Officials[edit]

Federal[edit]

• Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)
• Sen. Roger Wicker (R)
• Rep. Trent Kelly [R, MS–01]
• Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS–02]
• Rep. Michael Guest [R, MS–03]
• Rep. Steven Palazzo [R, MS–04]

Statewide[edit]

• Governor Tate Reeves (R)
• Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R)
• Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R)
• Secretary of State Michael D. Watson, Jr. (R)
• State Auditor Shad White (R)
• State Treasurer David McRae (R)

Economy[edit]

Although Mississippi's economy has traditionally been heavily agriculture-based, the state has experienced some industrial growth in recent years. The economy near the southern coastline of the state was severely disrupted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.^[1] Mississippi is currently the most impoverished state in the Union, with 20% of the populace under the poverty line and a $36,000 median salary.^[2]

Higher Education[edit]

Mississippi's public universities include:

• Alcorn State University
• Delta State University
• Jackson State University
• Mississippi State University (MSU)
• Mississippi University for Women (now a co-ed university)
• Mississippi Valley State University
• University of Mississippi (also has a law and medical school)
• University of Southern Mississippi

Private universities include:^[3]

• Belhaven College (affiliated with the conservative Presbyterian Church (PCA))
• Blue Mountain College
• Millsaps College
• Mississippi College (Ole Miss)
• Rust College
• Tougaloo College
• William Carey University

Notable people from Mississippi[edit]

• Roscoe Conkling Simmons, lifelong black GOP leader from Greenview, Missisippi
• Perry Wilbon Howard, II, Republican political leader who led the state's "black and tan" delegation in 1952 supporting Robert Taft^[4]
• Ellis Bodron, member of both houses of the Mississippi state legislature from 1948 to 1984; lost U. S. House race in 1972 to Republican Thad Cochran.
• Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is from Kiln.
• Kirk Fordice, Mississippi's first Republican governor since Reconstruction, 1992-2000
• Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate general, was from Mississippi.
• Muppets creator Jim Henson was born in Greenville.
• Erle Johnston, former director of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, journalist, and mayor of Forest, Mississippi
• Actor James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla.
• Former United States Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott represented Mississippi in the Senate from 1989 to 2007.
• James Meredith made headlines as the first African-American student at the University of Mississippi in 1962.
• H. L. Merideth was a state representative from 1960 to 1992, who introduced riverboat gambling into the state.
• Elvis Presley, leading singer of 20th century, was born in Tupelo.
• Bill Waller was the governor from 1972 to 1976 and formerly a Hinds County district attorney
• Prentiss Walker, first Republican U.S. Representative from Mississippi, 1965 to 1967
• John Bell Williams was the governor from 1968 to 1972 and U.S. Representative from 1947-1968.
• Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko.
• Wirt Yerger, state Republican chairman, 1956-1966

References[edit]