By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,
Try as we may to turn the corner on Mississippi’s blatant racism and confederate-minded thinking and actions, there are those – elected by the people – who will not budge. Not only do they force Mississippi to remain at the bottom, never being able to realize its phenomenal potential, but they also continue cracking the whip whenever possible, letting you know exactly who they are, where they stand, and what they think of even their colleagues who don’t look like them. God help them when they arrive at the pearly gates.
And so it was last week at the Capitol – the seat of power and control over the lives of all Mississippians – where minorities are grossly underrepresented as a percentage of population, and where certain legislators make it their life’s work to keep it that way.
In the upper chamber while addressing appropriations for departments in FY25 – specifically HB1776, focused on appropriations for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History – the white Republican Senator representing District 40 (Pearl River and Stone), Angela Burks Hill, offered Amendment 1 to a Committee Amendment, seeking to stop expenditure of any funds by the department unless they publicly display the statue of former Governor Theodore Gilmore Bilbo. The statue of one of Mississippi’s fieriest racists apparently sits in a closet somewhere collecting dust, no longer in public view.
Just the week before, she killed a bill to refranchise certain felons, who had already served their time, with voting rights, per reporting on April 8, 2024, by The Mississippi Free Press. We all know that Mississippi’s minority population is about 40%, yet 62+% of those incarcerated are minorities.
The behaviors of Senator Hill, and others who think like her, must be held up to the light of day, so that people know exactly who it is that keeps all of Mississippi shackled. In nautical terms, a ship at-sea yet barely able to maintain steerage because it won’t stop dragging the anchor of racism and oppression.
Just hours after The Mississippi Link newspaper became aware of Senator Hill’s failed behavior, this writer met with Senator Hillman Terome Frazier, a Democrat representing District 27 (Hinds) for forty-four years and counting.
Senator Frazier began service in the House of Representative in 1980 and has served in the Senate since 1993. Only one other legislator currently serving has served as long as Senator Frazier. He and Representative Percy W. Watson, a Democrat representing District 103 (Forrest) were sworn in together in January 1980. Can we even begin to calculate the number of times these two African American legislators have witnessed and felt the sting of racism by those who are technically their peers, but whose skin is pale?
Being privileged to be invited to sit with Senator Frazier in his office on April 12, 2024, brought it all to the forefront. You can search the world over and not find a finer man. And a word of counsel for those that need it, Senator Frazier doesn’t speak to his visitors from behind his desk, he sits beside them.
Another Senator who was present for the voice-vote on Hill’s amendment was Senator John Horhn, representing District 26 (Hinds and Madison) since 1993. He shared, “The vote was so encouraging, maybe only about seven members voted in favor, but we had an overwhelming no vote. There was a time when it would have been closer, but we all knew when she (Senator Hill) brought it up that it wouldn’t pass.” Encouraging, indeed. Here’s a link to her amendment: https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2024/pdf/sam/HB1776_S_Amend_01_to_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf
In a legislative session when so much is on the line – healthcare, education, Medicaid expansion, ballot initiative, downgraded credit rating – to name just a few, and having an extra month in session to do things that lift all Mississippians, but we still spend precious time dealing with the remnants of our confederate past. And sure enough, on April 12, 2024, our Governor – only reelected by less than 27,000 votes – signed a proclamation declaring April as Confederate Heritage Month. It pairs with Confederate Memorial Day – the last Monday in April – a state holiday.
How about this – how about a concurrent resolution at the start of the 2025 session honoring the legacy of African American legislators in the Mississippi legislature. It would serve as a long overdue acknowledgment – let’s make it an embrace – by our white legislators of our black legislators. Could Senators Hob Bryan (D-7) and David Blount (D-29) draft the resolution? These white men seem to always vote in favor of justice and equality, yet casting a morally correct vote is surely only an expected minimum. When asked by telephone on April 15, what it felt like to hear Hill’s amendment, Senator Blount said, “It was a shock. Former Governor Bilbo was one of the most notorious racists of the 20th century. We need to remember history, but it is inappropriate to display that statue.”
Okay, great answer, let’s go further now. The question becomes, is there anything you could do with your white wrappers to help your black colleagues be treated with higher levels of dignity and respect – the way they always treat you? Give it some thought. Draft the resolution. Get it on the record. Just imagine for a moment if your moccasins were reversed.
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