State of Mississippi
Flag of Mississippi Seal Nickname(s): The Magnolia State, The Hospitality State Motto(s): Virtute et armis (By Valor and Arms)
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Mississippian
Capital	Jackson
Largest city	Jackson
Largest metro area	Jackson metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 32nd in the US
- Total	48,434 sq mi (125,443 km²)
- Width	170 miles (275 km)
- Length	340 miles (545 km)
- % water	3%
- Latitude	30° 12′ N to 35° N
- Longitude	88° 06′ W to 91° 39′ W
Population	Ranked 31st in the US
- Total	2,910,540
- Density	60. The Flag of Mississippi echoes the Confederate " Stars and Bars " flag and the Confederate battle flag. The Mississippi State Seal was adopted in 1798, when Mississippi was a United States territory, the Mississippi Territory. This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Virtute et armis ( Latin "By valor and arms" is a state motto of Mississippi, accepted as an element of the state seal. The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 7/sq mi  23. 42/km² (32nd in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Woodall Mountain[1] 806 ft  (246 m)
- Mean	300 ft  (91 m)
- Lowest point	Gulf of Mexico[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	December 10, 1817 (20th)
Governor	Haley Barbour (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Phil Bryant (R)
U.S. Senators	Thad Cochran (R) Roger Wicker (R)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Abbreviations	MS Miss. US-MS
Website	www.mississippi.gov

Mississippi (IPA: /ˌmɪsəˈsɪpi/) is a state located in the Deep South of the United States. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Woodall Mountain (806 ft / 246 m is located just off Mississippi Highway 25, south of Iuka. The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American Politician currently serving as the governor of Mississippi This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. Phil Bryant is an American politician from Mississippi. Bryant served as State Auditor since November 1996 when he was appointed to this position by former The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives William Thad Cochran (born December 7, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi. Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Mississippi. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses These are tables of congressional delegations from Mississippi to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi ("Great River"). The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The state is heavily forested, and produces a majority of American catfish. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Catfish ( order Siluriformes) are a very diverse group of bony Fish. ^[2] Mississippi is also known for its state symbol, the Magnolia. Magnolia is a large Genus of about 210 Flowering plant Species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 1.2 Ecology 2 History 3 Demographics 3.1 Population 3.2 Racial makeup and ancestry 3.3 Obesity 3.4 Gay and lesbian community 4 Economy 5 Transportation 5.1 Road 5.2 Rail 5.3 Water 5.3.1 Major rivers 5.3.2 Major lakes 5.4 Air 6 Law and government 6.1 Judicial branch 6.2 Federal representation 6.3 Politics 6.3.1 Federal politics 6.3.2 State politics 7 Major cities and towns 8 Education 8.1 Colleges, universities and community colleges 9 Music History 10 Professional sports 11 Famous Mississippians 12 Trivia and modern culture related 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

Geography

Mississippi is bordered on the north by Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and a narrow coast on the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west, across the Mississippi River, by Louisiana and Arkansas. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States.

Major rivers in Mississippi, apart from its namesake, include the Big Black River, the Pearl River, the Yazoo, the Pascagoula, and the Tombigbee. Big Black River is a River in the US state of Mississippi and a Tributary of the Mississippi River. The Pearl River is a River in the US states of Mississippi and Louisiana. The Yazoo River is a River in the US state of Mississippi. The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 in reference to The Pascagoula River is a River, about 80 mi (130 km long in southeastern Mississippi in the United States The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 400 mi (644 km long in the U Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake and Grenada Lake. The Ross R Barnett Reservoir (colloquially known as "The Rez" is a reservoir on the Pearl River in the U Arkabutla Lake is a Reservoir on the Coldwater River in the U For the lake of the same name in Oklahoma see Sardis Lake (Oklahoma. Grenada Lake is a Reservoir on the Yalobusha River in the US state of Mississippi.

The state of Mississippi is entirely composed of lowlands, the highest point being Woodall Mountain, in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains, only 806 feet (246 m) above sea level. In physical Geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level Woodall Mountain (806 ft / 246 m is located just off Mississippi Highway 25, south of Iuka. Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in hilly areas at the base of a Mountain range. The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The lowest point is sea level at the Gulf coast. The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world The Mean Elevation in the state is 300 feet (91 m) above sea level.

Most of Mississippi is part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain is generally composed of low hills, such as the Pine Hills in the south and the North Central Hills. The Pontotoc Ridge and the Fall Line Hills in the northeast have somewhat higher elevations. Yellow-brown loess soil is found in the western parts of the state. Loess is a homogeneous typically non stratified porous Friable,slightly coherent often calcareous fine-grained Silty pale yellow or buff windblown ( aeolian The northeast is a region of fertile black earth that extends into the Alabama Black Belt. Alabama 's Black Belt is a region of the state and part of the larger Black Belt Region of the Southern United States, which stretches from

The coastline includes large bays at Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula. Bay Saint Louis is a city located in Hancock County Mississippi. Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico proper by the shallow Mississippi Sound, which is partially sheltered by Petit Bois Island, Horn Island, East and West Ship Islands, Deer Island, Round Island and Cat Island. The Mississippi Sound is a sound along the Gulf Coast of the United States. Petit Bois Island is an Island off the coast of the US state of Mississippi, south of Pascagoula. Horn Island is a long thin Barrier island off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, south of Ocean Springs. Deer Island is a Barrier island off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi. Round Island is a small Uninhabited island in the Mississippi Sound, 6 Cat Island is a Barrier island off the Gulf Coast of the United States.

The northwest remainder of the state is made up of a section of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, also known as the Mississippi Delta. The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an Alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lies parts of seven states from southern Louisiana The Mississippi Delta is the distinct northwest section of the state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers Technically The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is narrow in the south and widens north of Vicksburg. The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an Alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lies parts of seven states from southern Louisiana Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. The region has rich soil, partly made up of silt which had been regularly deposited by the floodwaters of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

• Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site near Baldwyn
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Natchez National Historical Park in Natchez
• Natchez Trace Parkway
• Tupelo National Battlefield in Tupelo
• Vicksburg National Military Park and Cemetery in Vicksburg

Climate

Mississippi has a humid subtropical climate with long summers and short, mild winters. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site commemorates the Gulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico Barrier islands of Florida Natchez National Historical Park commemorates the history of Natchez Mississippi, and is managed by the National Park Service. Natchez is the county seat of and the largest and only incorporated city within Adams County, Mississippi, United States. See also Blue Ridge Parkway Loveless Cafe Tupelo National Battlefield, in Tupelo Mississippi, Tupelo ( IPA:) is the largest city in and the County seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters Temperatures average about 82 °F (about 28 °C) in July and about 48 °F (about 9 °C) in January. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The temperature varies little statewide in the summer, but in winter the region near Mississippi Sound is significantly warmer than the inland portion of the state. The recorded temperature in Mississippi has ranged from -19 °F (-28. 3 °C), in 1966, at Corinth in the northeast, to 115 °F (46. Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. 1 °C), in 1930, at Holly Springs in the north. Holly Springs homejpg||right|250px|thumbnail|Montrose a Holly Springs home Yearly precipitation generally increases from north to south, with the regions closer to the Gulf being the most humid. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world Thus, Clarksdale, in the northwest, gets about 50 inches (about 1,270 mm) of precipitation annually and Biloxi, in the south, about 61 inches (about 1,550 mm). Clarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric Small amounts of snow fall in northern and central Mississippi, although snow is not unheard of around the southern part of the state. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation.

In the late summer and the fall, the state (especially the southern part) is often affected by hurricanes moving north from the Gulf of Mexico, and occasionally impacted by major hurricanes, which can be quite devastating in coastal communities. Summer is one of the four Temperate Seasons Summer marks the warmest time of year with the longest days Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage to coastal Mississippi, around the areas of Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States Gulfport is the name of two cities in the United States of America: Gulfport Florida Gulfport Mississippi There The Pasacagoula (also Pascoboula, Pacha-Ogoula, Pascagola, Pascaboula, Paskaguna) were an indigenous group living Like the rest of the Deep South, Thunderstorms are common in Mississippi, especially in the southern part of the state. The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. On average, Mississippi has around 27 tornadoes annually with the northern part of the state more vulnerable earlier in the year and the southern part more vulnerable later in the year. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Mississippi Cities
City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Gulfport	61/43	64/46	70/52	77/59	84/66	89/72	91/74	91/74	87/70	79/60	70/51	63/45
Jackson	55/35	60/38	68/45	75/52	82/61	89/68	91/71	91/70	86/65	77/52	66/43	58/37
Meridian	58/35	63/38	70/44	77/50	84/60	90/67	93/70	93/70	88/64	78/51	68/43	60/37
Tupelo	50/30	56/34	65/41	74/48	81/58	88/66	91/70	91/68	85/62	75/49	63/40	54/33
[1]

Ecology

Mississippi is heavily forested, with over half of the state's area covered by wild trees; mostly pine, but also cottonwood, elm, hickory, oak, pecan, sweetgum and tupelo. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. The cottonwoods are three species of Poplars in the section Aegiros of the genus Populus, native to North America, Europe and western Elms are Deciduous and Semi-deciduous Trees comprising the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found Trees in the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek κάρυον " Nut " are commonly known as Hickory. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin The Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of Hickory, native to south-central North America Sweetgum ( Liquidambar) is a genus of four species of Flowering plants in the family Altingiaceae, though formerly often treated in the Hamamelidaceae The tupelos, or pepperidge tree, genus Nyssa, are a small Genus of about 9 to 11 species of Trees with alternate simple leaves Lumber is a prevalent industry in Mississippi.

Due to seasonal flooding possible from December to June, the Mississippi River created a fertile floodplain in what is called the Mississippi Delta, including tributaries. Early planters used slaves to build levees along the Mississippi River to divert flooding. They built on top of the natural levees that formed from dirt pushed up in flooding. As cultivation of cotton increased in the Delta, planters hired Irish laborers to ditch and drain their land. The state took over levee building from 1858-1861, accomplishing it through contractors. In those years planters considered their slaves too valuable to hire out for such dangerous work. Contractors hired gangs of Irish immigrant laborers to build levees and sometimes clear land. ^[3] Before the war, the earthwork levees averaged six feet in height, although in some areas they reached twenty feet.

Flooding has been an integral part of Mississippi history. It took a toll during the years after the Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Major floods swept down the valley in 1865, 1867, 1874 and 1882, regularly overwhelming levees damaged by Confederate and Union fighting during the war, and those repaired or constructed after the war. In 1877 the Mississippi Levee District was created for southern counties. In 1879 the US Congress created the Mississippi River Commission, whose responsibilities included aiding levee boards in the construction of levees. Both white and African-American transient workers built the levees in the late 19th century. By 1882 levees averaged seven feet in height, but many in the southern Delta were severely tested by the flood. ^[4]

The levee system was expanded after the flood of 1882. By 1884 the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee District was established to oversee levee construction and maintenance in the northern Delta counties. ^[5]

Flooding overwhelmed northwestern Mississippi in 1912-1913, causing heavy financial costs to the levee districts. Regional losses and the Mississippi River Levee Association's lobbying for a flood control bill helped gain passage of bills in 1917 and 1923 to provide Federal matching funds for local levee districts, on a scale of 2:1. Although US participation in World War I interrupted funding of levees, the second round of funding helped raise the average height of levees in the Mississippi-Yazoo Delta to 22 feet in the 1920s. ^[6]

Nonetheless, the region was severely flooded and suffered millions of dollars in damages due to the Great Flood of 1927. Property, stock and crops were all lost. In Mississippi, most damage was in the lower Delta, including Washington and Bolivar counties. ^[7]

History

Official
State of Mississippi
Symbols

State Flag	(1894; official 2001)
State Seal	(1817)
Coat of Arms	(1894; official 2001)
Land Animal	White-tailed deer (1974) Red Fox (1997)
Marine Animal	Bottlenose Dolphin (1974)
Beverage	Milk (1984)
Bird	Mockingbird (1944)
Reptile	American Alligator (2005)
Butterfly	Spicebush Swallowtail (1991)
Fish	Largemouth Bass (1974)
Flower	Magnolia (1952)
Fossil	Prehistoric whale (1981)
Insect	Honey bee (1980)
Waterfowl	Wood Duck (1974)
Toy	Teddy bear (2003)
Soil	Natchez silt loam (2003)
Wildflower	Coreopsis (Tickseed) (1991)
Shell	Oyster (1974)
Tree	Magnolia (1938)
Rock	Petrified wood (1976)
Song	Go, Mississippi (1962)
Dance	American folk dance (1995)
Grand Opera House	Grand Opera House of Meridian (1993)
Automobile Museum	The Tupelo Auto Museum (1972)
Industrial Museum	Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum (1972)
Quarter	(released 2002)

Main article: History of Mississippi

Nearly 10,000 BCE, or BC, Native American or Paleo-Indians appeared in the what today is referred to as the South. The Flags of the US states exhibit a wide variety of regional influences and local histories as well as widely different styles and design principles The following gallery is a list of seals of the US states. Years in parenthesis denote the date of the state's adoption A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized Deer found throughout The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. This is a list of official state beverages: Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature Mockingbirds are a group of New World Passerine Birds from the Mimidae family. This is a list of official US state reptiles: See also Lists of United States state insignia The American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, (known colloquially as simply gator) is one of the two living Species of Alligator, a genus This is a list of official US state butterflies: See also List of U The Spicebush Swallowtail ( Papilio troilus) is a fairly black swallowtail found in North America This is a list of official and *unofficial US state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas Indiana Kansas and Ohio The largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) is a Species of Fish in the sunfish family. This is a list of US state flowers: See also List of US state trees Lists of U Magnolia is a large Genus of about 210 Flowering plant Species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Most American states have made a state fossil designation in many cases during the 1980s. Whales are marine mammals which are neither Dolphins (ie members of the families Delphinidae or Platanistoidae) nor Porpoises Orcas This is a list of United States state insects note that some states have more than one designated insect or have multiple categories (e This article refers collectively to all true honey bees for the "common" domesticated honey bee see European honey bee Honey bees This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature See also Australian Wood Duck. The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck ( Aix sponsa) is a medium-sized Perching duck. This is a List of US State Toys as designated by each state's legislature The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear. It is an enduring traditional form of a Stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children This is a list of Representative US State Soils. A state soil is a Soil that has special significance to a particular state. In 1988 the Professional Soil Classifiers Association of Mississippi selected Natchez silt loam soil to represent the soil resources of the State This is a list of US state flowers: See also List of US state trees Lists of U Tickseed is the Common name for Coreopsis, a group of 35 species of herbs in the family Asteraceae and genus Coreopsis. This is a list of official state shells: See also Lists of US The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. This List of US state trees includes official trees of the following states and U Magnolia is a large Genus of about 210 Flowering plant Species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Petrified wood (from the Greek root "petro" meaning "rock" or "stone" literally "wood turned into stone" is a type of Fossil: it Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state Go Mississippi (sometimes called Go Mis-sis-sip-pi) is the state song of Mississippi. This is a list of official US state dances: See also Lists of U Square dance is a Folk dance with four couples (eight dancers arranged in a square with one couple on each side beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going The 50 State Quarters program ( is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. The state of Mississippi's history goes back beyond American statehood to Ancient Native American times Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Paleo-Indians or Paleo-Americans were the ancient peoples of the Americas who were present at the end of the last Ice Age. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive ^[8] Paleoindians in the South were fairly generalized hunter-gatherers who pursued the megafauna that soon became extinct following the end of the Pleistocene age. Megafauna are species of large Animals ( Greek μεγας large + modern Latin fauna animal The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period After thousands of years the Paleoindians would develop a highly rich agricultural society. Archeologist would call these people the Mississippians of the Mississippian culture; descendant Native American tribes include the Chickasaw and Choctaw. The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The Chickasaw' are Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States (Mississippi Alabama Tennessee The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States ( Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) Other tribes who inhabited the territory of Mississippi (and whose names became those of local towns) include the Natchez, the Yazoo, and the Biloxi. The Natchez are a Native American people who originally lived in the Natchez Bluffs area near the present-day city of Natchez Mississippi. The Yazoo tribe was a Native American tribe on the lower course of Yazoo River, Mississippi, in close connection with several other tribes the most important The Tunica-Biloxi is a tribe of native Americans living in Mississippi and east central Louisiana.

The first major European expedition into the territory that became Mississippi was that of Hernando de Soto, who passed through in 1540. The first settlement was Fort Maurepas (also known as Old Biloxi) at Ocean Springs, settled by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville in April 1699. Also see Fort Maurepas (Canada. The settlement of Fort Maurepas or Old Biloxi in colonial French Louisiana (New France Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi ( USA) about east of Biloxi. Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville ]] (b 16 July 1661 - d (probably 9 July 1706)founder of the colony of French Louisiana, was born at In 1716, Natchez was founded on the Mississippi River (as Fort Rosalie); it became the dominant town and trading post of the area. Natchez is the county seat of and the largest and only incorporated city within Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Fort Rosalie was a French fort built in 1716 at present-day Natchez Mississippi, in the territory of the Natchez American Indians After spending some time under Spanish, British, and French nominal jurisdiction, the Mississippi area was deeded to the British after the French and Indian War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763). The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The French and Indian War (1754&ndash1763 was the North American chapter of the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain

The territory of the Mississippi was organized on April 7, 1798, from territory ceded by Georgia and South Carolina. Territories of the United States are one type of political division of the United States, administered by the U Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1798 ( MDCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. It was later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the U.S. and Spain. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Land was purchased (generally through unequal treaties) from Native American tribes from 1800 to about 1830.

Mississippi was the 20th state admitted to the Union, on December 10, 1817. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

When cotton was king during the 1850s, Mississippi plantation owners—especially those of the Delta and Black Belt regions—became increasingly wealthy due to the high fertility of the soil, the high price of cotton on the international market, and their assets in slaves. King Cotton was a Phrase used in the Southern United States mainly by Southern Politicians and authors who wanted to illustrate the importance of the The Mississippi Delta is the distinct northwest section of the state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers Technically Alabama 's Black Belt is a region of the state and part of the larger Black Belt Region of the Southern United States, which stretches from The planters' dependence on hundreds of thousands of slaves for labor, and the severe wealth imbalances among whites played heavy roles in both state politics and in the support for secession. By 1860 the enslaved population numbered 436,631 or 55% of the state's total of 791,305. There were fewer than 1000 free people of color. ^[9] The relatively low population of the state before the Civil War reflected the fact that much of the state was still wilderness and needed more settlers for development.

Mississippi was the second state to secede from the Union as one of the Confederate States of America on January 9, 1861. The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common During the Civil War the Confederate States were defeated. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

During Reconstruction the first constitutional convention in 1868 framed a constitution whose major elements would last for 22 years. The convention was the first political organization to include colored representatives, 17 among the 100 members. Although 32 counties had black majorities, they elected whites as well as blacks to represent them. The convention adopted universal suffrage; did away with property qualifications for suffrage or for office, which benefited poor whites, too; provided for the state's first public school system; forbade race distinctions in the possession and inheritance of property; and prohibited limiting of civil rights in travel. ^[10] Under the terms of Reconstruction, Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

While Mississippi typified the Deep South in passing Jim Crow laws in the early 20th century, its history was more complex. The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted primarily but not exclusively in the Southern and border states of the United States between 1876 and 1965 Because the Mississippi Delta contained so much fertile bottomland which had not been developed before the Civil War, 90 percent of the land was still frontier. After the Civil War, tens of thousands of migrants were attracted to the area, for land they could clear and eventually own. These included African Americans, who achieved unusually high rates of land ownership in the Mississippi bottomlands. In the 1870s and 1880s, many black farmers succeeded in gaining ownership of land. ^[11]

By the turn of the century, two-thirds of the farmers in Mississippi who owned land in the Delta were African American. Many were able to keep going through difficult years of falling cotton prices only by extending their debts. Cotton prices fell throughout the decades following the Civil War. As another agricultural depression lowered cotton prices into the 1890s, however, numerous African American farmers finally had to sell their land to pay off debts, and thus lost the land into which they had put so much labor. ^[12]

White legislators created a new constitution in 1890, with provisions that effectively disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites. Estimates are that 100,000 blacks and 50,000 whites were removed from voter registration rolls over the next few years. ^[13] The loss of political influence contributed to the difficulties of African Americans' getting extended credit. Together with Jim Crow laws, increased lynchings in the 1890s, failure of the cotton crops due to boll weevil infestation, successive severe flooding in 1912 and 1913 created crisis conditions for many African Americans. With control of the ballot box and more access to credit, white planters expanded their ownership of Delta bottomlands and could take advantage of new railroads.

By 1910 a majority of black farmers in the Delta had lost their land and were sharecroppers. By 1920, the third generation after freedom, most African Americans in Mississippi were landless laborers facing poverty. ^[14] Starting about 1913, tens of thousands of African Americans left Mississippi to migrate north in the Great Migration to industrial cities such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, seeking jobs, better education for their children, the right to vote, and better living. The City of New York Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə In the migration of 1910-1940, they left a society that had been steadily closing off opportunity. Most migrants from Mississippi took trains directly north to Chicago.

The Second Great Migration from the South started in the 1940s, lasting until 1970. Almost half a million people left Mississippi in the second migration, three-quarters of them black. Nationwide during the first half of the 20th century, African Americans became rapidly urbanized.

Mississippi generated rich, quintessentially American music traditions: gospel music, country music, jazz, blues, and rock and roll, all were invented, promulgated, or heavily developed by Mississippi musicians, and most came from the Mississippi Delta. Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Many musicians carried their music north to Chicago, where they made it the heart of that city's jazz and blues.

The state's complex history has generated great storytellers. Mississippi is noted for award-winning twentieth-century authors native to or associated with the state, including Nobel Prize-winner William Faulkner, playwright Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty, Richard Wright, Ellen Douglas, Walker Percy, Willie Morris, historian Shelby Foote, Margaret Walker, Ellen Gilchrist, Alice Walker, and playwright Beth Henley. William Faulkner (born William Cuthbert Falkner) ( September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American Author Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26 1911 &ndash February 25 1983 better known as Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright who received many of the top theatrical Eudora Alice Welty ( April 13 1909 &ndash July 23 2001) was an award-winning American Author and Photographer who wrote Richard Wright may refer to Richard Wright (musician (1943–2008 also known as Rick Wright founding member of Pink Floyd Richard B Walker Percy ( May 28, 1916 &ndash May 10, 1990) was an American Southern author whose interests included Philosophy William Weaks "Willie" Morris (November 29 1934 &mdash August 2 1999 was an American writer and editor born in Jackson Mississippi, though his family later moved Shelby Dade Foote Jr ( November 17 1916 &ndash June 27 2005) was an American Novelist and a noted historian of the Dr Margaret Abigail Walker Alexander ( July 6, 1915 &ndash November 30, 1998) was an African-American poet and author born in Ellen Gilchrist (born February 20, 1935) is an American Novelist Short story writer and Poet. Alice Malsenior Walker (born February 9 1944 is an American Author, self-declared Feminist and Womanist - the latter a term she herself Beth Henley (born Elizabeth Becker Henley on May 8, 1952 in Jackson Mississippi) is an American Screenwriter, actress

Mississippi was a center of activity to educate and register voters during the Civil Rights Movement. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African Although 42% of the state's population was African American in 1960, discriminatory voter registration processes still prevented most of them from voting. These provisions had been in place since 1890. ^[15] Students and community organizers from across the country came to help register voters and establish Freedom Schools. Resistance and harsh attitudes of many white politicians (including the creation of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission), the participation of Mississippians in the White Citizens' Councils, and the violent tactics of the Ku Klux Klan and its sympathizers, gained Mississippi a reputation in the 1960s as a reactionary state. The Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission was a state agency directed by the governor of Mississippi, that existed from 1956 to 1977. The White Citizens' Council ( WCC) was an American white supremacist organization Ku Klux Klan ( KKK) is the name of several past and present secret domestic terrorist organizations in the United States, generally in the southern states that are ^[16][17]

In 1966 the state was the last to repeal prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, also known as Noble Experiment, refers to a Sumptuary law which prohibits Alcohol In 1995 it symbolically ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, which had abolished slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially abolished and continues to prohibit Slavery, and with limited exceptions such as those While the state was late in ratifying the amendments, it had obeyed them.

On August 17, 1969, Category 5 Hurricane Camille hit the Mississippi coast, killing 248 people and causing US$1. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a classification used for most Western Hemisphere Tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of Tropical depressions Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season 5 billion in damage (1969 dollars). On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, though a Category 3 storm upon final landfall, caused even greater destruction across the entire 90 miles (145 km) of Mississippi Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a classification used for most Western Hemisphere Tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of Tropical depressions The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson

On August 30, 2007, a report by the United States Census Bureau indicated that Mississippi was the poorest state in the country. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Many white cotton farmers in the Delta have large, mechanized plantations, some of which receive extensive Federal subsidies, yet many African Americans still live as poor, rural, landless laborers. Of $1. 2 billion from 2002-2005 in Federal subsidies to farmers in the Bolivar County area of the Delta, only 5% went to small farmers. There has been little money apportioned for rural development. Small towns are struggling. More than 100,000 people, mostly African American, have left the region in search of work elsewhere. ^[18] The state had a median household income of $34,473. ^[19]

Demographics

Population

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	7,600		—
1810	31,306		311. 9%
1820	75,448		141. 0%
1830	136,621		81. 1%
1840	375,651		175. 0%
1850	606,526		61. 5%
1860	791,305		30. 5%
1870	827,922		4. 6%
1880	1,131,597		36. 7%
1890	1,289,600		14. 0%
1900	1,551,270		20. 3%
1910	1,797,114		15. 8%
1920	1,790,618		-0. 4%
1930	2,009,821		12. 2%
1940	2,183,796		8. 7%
1950	2,178,914		-0. 2%
1960	2,178,141		-0. 0%
1970	2,216,912		1. 8%
1980	2,520,638		13. 7%
1990	2,573,216		2. 1%
2000	2,844,658		10. 5%
Est. 2006	2,910,540		2. 3%

As of 2005, Mississippi has an estimated population of 2,921,088, which is an increase of 20,320, or 0. 7%, from the prior year and an increase of 76,432, or 2. 7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 80,733 people (that is 228,849 births minus 148,116 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 10,653 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 10,578 people. Mississippi has the largest African American population of any U. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa S. state. It currently stands at about 37% of the population.

The 2000 Census reported Mississippi's population as 2,844,658 [2]. The center of population of Mississippi is located in Leake County, in the town of Lena [3]. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Leake County is a County located in the US state of Mississippi. Lena is a town in Leake County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 167 at the 2000 census

Racial makeup and ancestry

The Census Bureau considers race and Hispanic ethnicity to be two separate categories. These data, however, are only for non-Hispanic members of each group: non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, etc. For more information on race and the Census, see here.

Demographics of Mississippi (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	62. 37%	36. 66%	0. 69%	0. 82%	0. 07%
2000 (Hispanic only)	1. 12%	0. 24%	0. 04%	0. 03%	0. 01%
2005 (total population)	61. 72%	37. 24%	0. 72%	0. 91%	0. 07%
2005 (Hispanic only)	1. 50%	0. 21%	0. 04%	0. 03%	0. 01%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	1. 62%	4. 33%	7. 13%	13. 67%	2. 89%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	0. 96%	4. 43%	7. 21%	14. 21%	6. 30%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	37. 78%	-11. 11%	5. 70%	-1. 51%	-13. 43%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

On September 27, 1830, the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed between the U. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display See also Choctaw The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was a Treaty signed on September 27, 1830 (and proclaimed on 24 February S. Government and Native American Choctaws. The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States ( Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) The treaty signed away the remaining traditional homelands in Mississippi & Alabama and open it up for American settlement. Article 14 in that treaty allowed for Choctaws to remain in the state of Mississippi and to become the first major non-European ethnic group to become U. S. citizens. ^[20][21] Today approximately 9,500 Choctaws live in Neshoba, Newton, Leake, and Jones counties.

Until the 1930s, African Americans made up a majority of Mississippians. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Due to the Great Migration, when more than 360,000 blacks left the state during the 1940s and after for better opportunities in the North and West, the state's African American population declined. See also Second Great Migration (African American The Great Migration was the movement of approximately seven million African-Americans out of the It is the highest proportion of state population in the nation (not counting the District of Columbia). Recently it has begun to increase again, due mainly to a higher birth rate than the state average. Crude birth rate is the natality or Childbirths per 1000 people per year In many of Mississippi's public school districts, a majority of students are black. [4] Blacks are a majority in the northwestern Yazoo Delta, the southwestern and the central parts of the state, chiefly areas where they owned land as farmers or worked on cotton plantations and farms.

More than 98% of the white population of Mississippi is native born, predominantly of British and Celtic descent. White People is the second album by Handsome Boy Modeling School. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts According to the 2000 census, the largest ancestries are:

• American (14. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 2%)
• Irish (6. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 9%)
• English (6. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 1%)
• German (4. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 5%)
• French (2. French Americans or Franco-Americans are citizens or permanent residents of the United States of French descent 3%)
• Scots-Irish (1. Scotch-Irish (the historically common term in North America) or Scots-Irish refers to inhabitants of the United States and by some of Canada 9%)
• Italian (1. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 4%)
• Scottish (1. Scottish Americans or Scots Americans are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in Scotland. 2%)

People of French Creole ancestry form the largest demographic group in Hancock County on the Gulf Coast. French Americans or Franco-Americans are citizens or permanent residents of the United States of French descent Hancock County is the southernmost County of the US state of Mississippi, situated along the Gulf of Mexico and the state line with Louisiana The African American; Choctaw, mostly in Neshoba County; and Chinese segments of the population are also almost entirely native born. The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States ( Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) Chinese Americans ( Chinese: 华裔美国人 are Americans of Chinese descent

Although some ethnic Chinese were recruited as indentured laborers from Cuba during the 1870s and later 19th c. , the majority immigrated directly from China to Mississippi between 1910-1930. While planters first made arrangements with the Chinese for sharecropping, most Chinese soon left that work. Many became small merchants and especially grocers in towns throughout the Delta. ^[22]

According to recent statistics, Mississippi leads the country in the growth of immigrants.

Obesity

For three years in a row over 30 percent of Mississippi's residents have been classified as obese. In the most recent (2006), 22. 8 percent of its children were also classified as obese. This makes Mississippi the most overweight U. S. state. ^[23]

Gay and lesbian community

In response to a murder and legislation to ban same-sex couples in the state from adopting children, a statewide gay rights organization was formed in March of 2000. The LGBT rights movement in the United States seeks to achieve equality for all Americans regardless of their Sexual orientation or Gender identity First called Mississippi Gay Lobby, it changed its name in 2001 to the more inclusive Equality Mississippi. Equality Mississippi is a statewide gay civil rights organization founded March 15 2000 in Mississippi.

The United States 2000 Census counted 4,774 same-sex couple households in Mississippi. ^[24][25] Mississippi was one of three states - the others being South Dakota and Utah - that had 40 percent or more of these same-sex couple households having at least one own child living in the household. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. ^[26]

Of Mississippi’s same-sex couples, 41% have one or more children. This figure is higher in Mississippi than in any other state. Further, Mississippi has a larger percentage of African American same-sex couples among total households than does any other state. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Additionally, Mississippi ranks number 5 in the nation in the percentage of Hispanic same-sex couples among all Hispanic households. Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically Mississippi ranks number 9 nationally among states with the highest concentration of same-sex couples who are seniors. Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the Average life span of Human beings and thus the end of the human life cycle. ^[27]

Jackson, the state capital, ranks number 10 in the nation in concentration of African-American same-sex couples. ^[28]

In 2004, Mississippi voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage by 86%, the largest proportion of any state. A ban (derived from Banishment) is generally any Decree that prohibits something Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same The amendment also prohibits Mississippi from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries, where it may be legal. ^[29][30]

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Mississippi's total state product in 2006 was $84 billion. Per capita personal income in 2006 was only $26,908, the lowest per capita personal income of any state, but the state also has the nation's lowest living costs. Although the state has one of the lowest per capita income rates in the United States, Mississippians consistently rank as one of the highest per capita in charitable contributions. ^[31]

Before the Civil War, Mississippi was the fifth-wealthiest state in the nation. ^[32] Slaves were then counted as property and the rise in the cotton markets since the 1840s had increased their value. A majority - 55 percent - of the population of Mississippi was enslaved in 1860. ^[33]

Largely due to the domination of the plantation economy, focused on the production of one agricultural good, cotton, the state was slow to use its wealth to invest in infrastructure such as public schools, roads and railroads. Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Industrialization also did not spread from northern climates until the late 20th century. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of The planter aristocracy, the elite of antebellum Mississippi, kept the tax structure low for themselves and made private improvements. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations " Antebellum " is an expression derived from Latin that means "before war" ( ante, "before" and bellum The most successful planters, such as Confederate President Jefferson Davis, owned riverside properties along the Mississippi River. The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to

During the Civil War, 30,000 Mississippi men were killed, and many more were left crippled and wounded. Changes to the labor structure and an agricultural depression throughout the South caused severe losses in wealth. In 1860 assessed valuation of property in Mississippi had been more than $500 million of which $218 million (43 percent) was estimated as the value of slaves. By 1870, total assets had decreased in value to roughly $177 million. ^[34]

Poor whites and landless freed blacks suffered the most from the depression that followed the Civil War. The constitutional convention of early 1868 appointed a committee to recommend what was needed for relief of the state and its citizens. The committee found severe destitution among the laboring classes. ^[35] It took years for the state to rebuild levees damaged in battles. The upset of the commodity system impoverished the state after the war. By 1868 an increased cotton crop began to show possibilities for free labor in the state, but the crop of 565,000 bales produced in 1870 was still less than half of prewar figures. ^[36] By 1900, two-thirds of farm owners in Mississippi were blacks, but two decades later the majority of African Americans were sharecroppers. The low prices of cotton into the 1890s meant that more than a generation of African Americans lost the result of their labor when they had to sell off their farms to pay off accumulated debts. ^[37]

Mississippi's rank as one of the poorest states is related to its dependence on cotton agriculture before and after the Civil War, late development of its frontier bottomlands in the Mississippi Delta, repeated natural disasters of flooding in the late 19th and early 20th century requiring massive capital investment in levees, heavy capital investment to ditch and drain the bottomlands, and slow development of railroads to link bottomland towns and river cities. ^[38] The 1890 constitution discouraged industry, a legacy that would slow the state's progress for years. ^[39] From Democratic militias and groups such as the White Camellia terrorizing African American Republicans to take political control in the 1870s, to the legislature passing segregation and disfranchisement legislation, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered loss of crops due to the devastation of the boll weevil in the early 20th century, devastating floods in 1912-1913 and 1927, collapse of cotton prices after 1920, and drought in 1930. ^[40]

It was not until 1884, after the flood of 1882, that the state created the Mississippi-Yazoo Delta District Levee Board and started successfully achieving longer term plans for levees in the upper Delta. ^[41]

Despite the state's building and reinforcing levees for years, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 broke through and caused massive flooding of 27,000 square miles (70,000 km²) throughout the Delta and millions of dollars in property damages. This article is about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 For the Mississippi Flood of 1993 see Great Flood of 1993. With the Depression coming so soon after the flood, the state suffered badly during those years. Tens of thousands of people migrated north for jobs and chances to live as full citizens.

The legislature's 1990 decision to legalize casino gambling along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast has led to economic gains for the state. An estimated $500,000 per day in tax revenue was lost following Hurricane Katrina's severe damage to several coastal casinos in August 2005. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States Gambling towns in Mississippi include the Gulf Coast towns of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi, and the Mississippi River towns of Tunica (the third largest gaming area in the United States), Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez. Bay Saint Louis is a city located in Hancock County Mississippi. Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. Tunica Resorts is an unincorporated community located in northern Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, north of the county seat of The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez is the county seat of and the largest and only incorporated city within Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Mississippi was the second largest gambling state in the Union, after Nevada and ahead of New Jersey. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

On October 17, 2005, Governor Haley Barbour signed a bill into law that now allows casinos in Hancock and Harrison counties to rebuild on land (but within 800 feet (240 m) of the water). Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American Politician currently serving as the governor of Mississippi The only exception is in Harrison County, where the new law states that casinos can be built to the southern boundary of U.S. Route 90. Harrison County is a County located in the US state of Mississippi. US Route 90 is an east-west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route it has always ended at

Mississippi collects personal income tax in three tax brackets, ranging from 3% to 5%. The retail sales tax rate in Mississippi is 7%. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services Additional local sales taxes also are collected. For purposes of assessment for ad valorem taxes, taxable property is divided into five classes. An ad valorem tax ( Latin: according to value) is a Tax based on the value of Real estate or Personal property. Property tax, or millage tax, is an Ad valorem tax that an owner pays on the value of the property being taxed

Transportation

Road

Mississippi is served by eight interstate highways:

Interstate 10 Interstate 20 Interstate 22 (Future) Interstate 55 Interstate 59

Interstate 69 Interstate 110 Interstate 220 Interstate 269 (Future)

and fourteen main U.S. Routes:

U.S. Route 11 U.S. Route 45 U.S. Route 49 U.S. Route 51 U.S. Route 61 U.S. Route 72 U.S. Route 78

U.S. Route 80 U.S. Route 82 U.S. Route 84 U.S. Route 90 U.S. Route 98 U.S. Route 278 U.S. Route 425

as well as a system of State Highways. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) Interstate 10 ( I-10) is the southernmost east-west coast-to-coast Interstate highway in the United States. Interstate 22 (I-22 when completed will follow the US Highway 78 corridor along a 213-mile (343-km route from Memphis Tennessee, to Birmingham Alabama Interstate 55 (I-55 is an Interstate highway in the central United States. Interstate 59 (I-59 is an Interstate highway in the southern United States. Interstate 69 (I-69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. Interstate 110 (abbreviated I-110) is a 41 mile freeway spur route in Biloxi, running south from Interstate 10 to U Interstate 220 (abbreviated I-220) in Mississippi is a loop around Jackson that provides an interstate connection for Interstate 55 and Interstate 269 (abbreviated I-269) is a partially-built (but not yet signed outer beltline around the city of Memphis Tennessee, and its adjacent suburban The system of United States Numbered Highways (often called U US Route 11 is a north-south United States highway extending 1645 mile US Route 45 is a north-south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. US Route 49 is a north-south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott Arkansas, at an intersection with U US Route 51 is a north-south United States highway that runs for 1286 miles (2070 km from northern Wisconsin to the western suburbs of New Orleans Louisiana US Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming Minnesota. US Route 72 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 337 miles (542 km from southeast Tennessee through northern Alabama and northern US Highway 78 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 715 miles (1151 km from Memphis Tennessee, to Charleston South Carolina. US Route 80 is an east-west United States highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates it was originally a cross-country route from the Atlantic US Route 82 is an east-west United States highway in the southern United States US Route 84 is an east-west United States highway. It started as a short Georgia - Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme but now extends US Route 90 is an east-west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route it has always ended at US Route 98 is an east-west United States highway that runs from southern Florida to western Mississippi. US Route 278 is a spur of US Route 78. It currently runs for 1074 Miles (1728 km) from Hilton Head Island South Carolina to Wickes US Route 425 is a north-south United States highway, first commissioned in 1989 State highways in Mississippi are maintained by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Two further interstate highways are proposed: Interstate 69 and Interstate 269. Interstate 69 (I-69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. Interstate 269 (abbreviated I-269) is a partially-built (but not yet signed outer beltline around the city of Memphis Tennessee, and its adjacent suburban

For more information, visit the Mississippi Department of Transportation website.

Rail

Amtrak provides scheduled passenger service along two routes. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971

Canadian National Railway's Illinois Central Railroad subsidiary provides north-south service. The Illinois Central, sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes

The BNSF Railway has an east-west line across northern Mississippi. The BNSF Railway headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining Transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in

Kansas City Southern Railway provides east-west service in the middle of thee state and north-south service along the Alabama state line. Kansas City Southern (, is the Parent company of many Railroads and railroad related companies Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America.

Norfolk Southern Railway provides service in the extreme north and southeast, while CSX has a line along the Gulf Coast. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern

Water

Major rivers

• Big Black River
• Mississippi River
• Pascagoula River
• Pearl River
• Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
• Yazoo River

Major lakes

• Arkabutla Lake - 19,550 acres (79. Big Black River is a River in the US state of Mississippi and a Tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The Pascagoula River is a River, about 80 mi (130 km long in southeastern Mississippi in the United States The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (popularly known as the Tenn-Tom) is a 234 mile (377 km artificial waterway that provides a connecting link between the Tennessee The Yazoo River is a River in the US state of Mississippi. The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 in reference to Arkabutla Lake is a Reservoir on the Coldwater River in the U 1 km²) of water; constructed and managed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[42]
• Grenada Lake - 35,000 acres (140 km²) of water; became operational in 1954; constructed and managed by the U. Grenada Lake is a Reservoir on the Yalobusha River in the US state of Mississippi. S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[43]
• Ross Barnett Reservoir - Named for Ross Barnett, the 52nd Governor of Mississippi; 33,000 acres of water; became operational in 1966; constructed and managed by The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, a state agency; Provides water supply for the City of Jackson; Commonly referred to by locals as "The Rez"^[44]
• Sardis Lake - 98,520 acres (398. The Ross R Barnett Reservoir (colloquially known as "The Rez" is a reservoir on the Pearl River in the U Ross Robert Barnett ( January 22, 1898 November 6, 1987) was the Democratic governor of the U This is a list of the Governors of the State of Mississippi. Prior to 1804 parts of Mississippi were part of the state of Georgia; see Sardis Lake may refer to Sardis Lake (Mississippi, USA Sardis Lake (Oklahoma, USA 7 km²) of water; became operational in October 1940; constructed and managed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[45]

Air

The following airports in Mississippi currently have scheduled air service:

• Golden Triangle Regional Airport, serving Columbus/Starkville/West Point
• Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport
• Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport
• Jackson-Evers International Airport
• Meridian Regional Airport
• Mid Delta Regional Airport, serving Greenville
• Tupelo Regional Airport

Of these airports, Gulfport-Biloxi and Jackson are the only airports to have daily scheduled service to multiple destinations; the remaining airports only have non-stop service via commuter aircraft to either Northwest Airlines' hub at Memphis International Airport or Delta Air Lines' hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Golden Triangle Regional Airport is a public Airport midway between the towns of Columbus Starkville and West Point Mississippi and serving the area known as the Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States on the Tombigbee River. Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. West Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is a public use Airport located three Nautical miles (6 km northeast of the Central business district of Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport, nicknamed Airport City, is a public Airport located approximately 10 miles north of Hattiesburg and 23 miles Jackson-Evers International Airport is a city-owned public-use Airport located five Nautical miles (9 km east of the Central business district of Meridian Regional Airport is a public Airport located on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located southwest of the city of Meridian in Mid Delta Regional Airport is a public Airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the city of Greenville in Washington County, Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. Tupelo Regional Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) west of the city of Tupelo in Lee County, Mississippi Northwest Airlines Inc (often abbreviated NWA) is the principal subsidiary An airline hub is an Airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination Memphis International Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) south of the Central business district of Memphis, a city Delta Air Lines Inc ( is a United States Airline based and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Northwestern Mississippi is also served by Memphis International Airport. Memphis International Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) south of the Central business district of Memphis, a city

Law and government

As with all other U.S. states and the federal government, Mississippi's government is based on the separation of legislative, executive and judicial power. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance Executive authority in the state rests with the Governor, currently Haley Barbour (R). Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American Politician currently serving as the governor of Mississippi The Lieutenant Governor, currently Phil Bryant (R), is elected on a separate ballot. A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction Phil Bryant is an American politician from Mississippi. Bryant served as State Auditor since November 1996 when he was appointed to this position by former Both the governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms of office. Unlike the federal government, but like many other U. S. States, most of the heads of major executive departments are elected by the citizens of Mississippi rather than appointed by the governor.

Mississippi is one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd numbered years (The others are Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia). The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Mississippi holds elections for these offices every four years in the years preceding Presidential election years. Thus, the last year when Mississippi elected a Governor was 2007, and the next gubernatorial election will occur in 2011.

(See: List of Governors of Mississippi)
(See: List of Lieutenant Governors of Mississippi)
(See: List of State Treasurers of Mississippi)
(See: List of Attorneys-General of Mississippi)
(See: Mississippi general election, 2007)

Legislative authority resides in the state legislature, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. This is a list of the Governors of the State of Mississippi. Prior to 1804 parts of Mississippi were part of the state of Georgia; see Lieutenant Governors Presidents of the Senate The Office of Lieutenant Governor was abolished by the Constitution of 1832 and the duties of President of the State Treasurer of Mississippi is a post created in 1817 when the state was admitted to the Union. The Attorney-General of Mississippi is the Chief legal officer of the state and serves as the State's Lawyer. A general election was held in Mississippi on 6 November 2007 to elect to 4 year terms all members of the Mississippi State Legislature (122 The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U The Mississippi Senate is the Upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U The Mississippi House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, while the House of Representatives selects their own Speaker. The state constitution permits the legislature to establish by law the number of senators and representatives, up to a maximum of 52 senators and 122 representatives. Current state law sets the number of senators at 52 and representatives at 122. The term of office for senators and representatives is four years.

(See: List of U.S. state legislatures. Each State in the United States has a Legislative branch as part of its form of civil government )

Judicial branch

Supreme judicial authority rests with the state Supreme Court, which has statewide authority. The Supreme Court of Mississippi is the highest Court in the state of Mississippi. In addition, there is a statewide Court of Appeals, as well as Circuit Courts, Chancery Courts and Justice Courts, which have more limited geographical jurisdiction. The Mississippi Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level Appellate court for the state of Mississippi. The nine judges of the Supreme Court are elected from three districts (three judges per district) by the state's citizens in non-partisan elections to eight-year staggered terms. The ten judges of the Court of Appeals are elected from five districts (two judges per district) for eight-year staggered terms. Judges for the smaller courts are elected to four-year terms by the state's citizens who live within that court's jurisdiction.

Federal representation

Mississippi has two U. S. Senate seats. One is currently held by Thad Cochran (Republican) and the other is held by Roger Wicker (Republican) as he was appointed on December 31, 2007 by Mississippi governor Haley Barbour due to Trent Lott resigning on December 18, 2007. William Thad Cochran (born December 7, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi. Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Mississippi. Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American Politician currently serving as the governor of Mississippi Chester Trent Lott Sr (born October 9, 1941) is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party Wicker will serve until an election is held for the remainder of Lott's unexpired term (see United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008). The US state of Mississippi will hold elections for both of its United States Senate seats on November 4 2008.

As of the 2001 apportionment, the state has four congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives, currently Chip Pickering (Republican), Bennie Thompson (Democrat), Gene Taylor (Democrat), and Travis Childers (Democrat). Apportionment is the process of allocating political power among a set of principles (or defined constituencies A Member of Congress is a Politician who is a member of a Congress. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Charles Willis Pickering Jr, usually known as Chip Pickering (born August 10, 1963) is a politician in the U For the football player of the same name see Bennie Thompson (American football. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Gary Eugene "Gene" Taylor (born September 17, 1953) is an American politician of the Democratic Party and a U Travis Wayne Childers (born March 29, 1958) is the Democratic U

(See: List of United States Senators from Mississippi; List of United States Representatives from Mississippi; Congressional districts map)

Politics

Federal politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	59. Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10 1817. Its Senate seats were declared vacant from March 1861 due to its Secession Mississippi currently has four congressional districts The most it ever had was eight This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. 55% 684,981	39. 75% 458,094
2000	57. The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Democratic candidate Al Gore, then Vice President, and Republican 62% 573,230	40. 70% 404,964
1996	49. The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice 21% 439,838	44. 08% 394,022
1992	49. The United States presidential elections of 1992 featured a battle between incumbent President, Republican George H 68% 487,793	40. 77% 400,258
1988	59. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties 89% 557,890	39. 07% 363,921
1984	61. The United States presidential election of 1984 was a contest between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate and former Vice President 85% 581,477	37. 46% 352,192
1980	49. The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent Ronald Reagan 42% 441,089	48. 09% 429,281
1976	47. The United States presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard M 68% 366,846	49. 56% 381,309
1972	78. The United States presidential election of 1972 was waged on the issues of radicalism and the Vietnam War. 20% 505,125	19. 63% 126,782
1968*	13. Please DO NOT flip the colors -->The United States presidential election of 1968 was a wrenching national experience and included the assassination of Democratic candidate 52% 88,516	23. 02% 150,644
1964	87. Please DO NOT flip the colors -->The United States presidential election of 1964 was one of the most lopsided presidential elections in the history of the United States 14% 356,528	12. 86% 52,618
1960	24. The United States presidential election of 1960 marked the end of Dwight D 67% 73,561	36. 34% 108,362
*State won by George Wallace of the American Independent Party, at 63. George Corley Wallace Jr (August 25 1919 September 13 1998 was a Democratic Governor of Alabama for four terms (1963-1967 1971-1979 and 1983-1987 and ran for The American Independent Party is a California Political party. 46%, or 415,349 votes

Mississippi, like the rest of the South, long supported the Democratic Party. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The policies of Reconstruction, which included federally appointed Republican governors, led to white Southern resentment toward the Republican Party. Following the Compromise of 1877, federal troops enforcing the provisions of Reconstruction were pulled out of the South. The Compromise of 1877 was an informal unwritten deal that settled the disputed 1876 U The Democratic Party regained political control of the state, partly by using methods designed to suppress black voter turnout, which had understandably favored Republican candidates and the party of Lincoln.

In 1890 the elite white-dominated Mississippi legislature created a new constitution, the first of what were called disfranchising constitutions, as they contained provisions, such as poll taxes and literacy tests, that in practice effectively disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites. When Mississippi's constitution passed a Supreme Court challenge in Williams v. Mississippi (1898), other Southern states quickly included such provisions in their own new constitutions. Williams v Mississippi, 170 US 213 ( 1898) is a United States Supreme Court case that reviewed provisions of the state constitution that set By 1900 these measures effectively disfranchised nearly all African Americans voters in the state. When the grandfather clause was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Guinn v. United States (1915), Mississippi and other states which had used it quickly passed other statutes to restrict black registration and voting. Guinn v United States, 238 US 347 (1915 was an important United States Supreme Court decision that dealt with provisions of state constitutions that Disfranchisement of blacks and poor whites continued for decades.

During the fall of 1963, civil rights activists quickly registered 80,000 black voters in Mississippi for the straw Freedom Vote, to demonstrate their ambition and eagerness to vote. ^[46] In 1964, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was formed, creating a list of candidates to challenge the official, all-white slate of the Democratic Party. They mounted a slate of their own under the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge the official Democratic candidates in the state, and mounted protests at the national convention. Not until the late 1960s, following passage of the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 under President Lyndon Johnson, would most African American men, and by then women, have the chance to vote in Mississippi and other Southern states. Background See also [[Disfranchisement after the Civil War]] The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865 after the Civil War, abolished and prohibited

For 116 years (from 1876 to 1992), Mississippi was essentially a one-party state, electing Democratic governors. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Over the same period, the Democratic Party dominated state and federal elections in Mississippi. Until the late 1960s, the party was essentially all white. The enfranchisement of African Americans happened with the support of the national Democratic Party, and most blacks joined the Democratic Party at the state level.

However, since the 1960s, the Republican Party has become competitive in statewide elections. As the Democrats became more supportive of civil rights, many conservative white Democrats switched parties, or at least became more willing to support Republicans at the national level. In 1964, Barry Goldwater took an unheard-of 87 percent of the state's popular vote. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Since then, Mississippi has only supported a Democrat for president once, in 1976. That year, Jimmy Carter narrowly carried the state by only two percentage points. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 ^[47]

Mississippi will host its first ever presidential debate when the party nominees face off on the University of Mississippi campus September 26, 2008. The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational Research University located in Oxford ^[48]

State politics

Mississippi has 82 counties. A county of the United States is a local level of government created as a subdivision of a state by the state government or by the federal or territorial government as a subdivision Citizens of Mississippi counties elect the members of their county Board of Supervisors from single-member districts, as well as other county officials.

(See: List of counties in Mississippi)

On some social issues, Mississippi is one of the more conservative states in the US, with religion often playing a large role in citizens' political views. List of 82 counties in the US state of Mississippi: List |}Former counties of MississippiBainbridge (1823-1824 Formed from Covington County Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined Liquor laws are particularly strict and variable from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Liquor sales are frequently banned on Sunday. Many cities and counties allow no alcoholic beverage sales ("dry"), while others allow beer but not liquor, or liquor but not beer. Some allow beer sales, but only if it is not refrigerated. ^[49] In 2001, Mississippi banned adoption by same-sex couples and banned recognition of adoptions by same-sex couples which were done and recognized in other states or countries. In 2004, 86% of voter turnout amended the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage and ban state recognition of same-sex marriages which were done and recognized in other states and countries.

At the same time, Mississippi has been one of the more innovative states in the country, having been the first state to implement a sales tax and the first state to pass a Married Women's Property Act. Traditionally a husband and Wife were 'one person in law' As a result according to Blackstone, 'the very being or legal existence of married woman suspended during the Also, Mississippi has elected more African-American officials than any other state in the United States. Mississippi is one of only a few states to have decriminalized the possession of marijuana, so that possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana is punishable only by a fine of $100 - $250 for the first offense with no jail time. Decriminalization is the reduction or abolition of criminal penalties in relation to certain acts but regulated permits or fines might still apply (for contrast Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a ^[50]

Major cities and towns

Biloxi Canton Clarksdale Cleveland Clinton Columbus Corinth Greenville

Gulfport Hattiesburg Jackson McComb Moss Point Meridian Natchez Oxford

Pascagoula Pearl Southaven Starkville Tupelo Vicksburg

Mississippi City Population Rankings of at least 20,000 (United States Census Bureau estimates as of 2005 ^[51]):

1. Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. Clarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Clinton is a city in Hinds Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States on the Tombigbee River. Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. Hattiesburg, known as "The Hub City" is a city in Forrest and Lamar Counties in the U McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about 80 miles south of Jackson, just off of I-55. Moss Point is a city north of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. Meridian is a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez is the county seat of and the largest and only incorporated city within Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Oxford is a city and the County seat of Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. Pearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. Southaven, a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Southaven is a suburb of Memphis Tennessee. Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. Tupelo ( IPA:) is the largest city in and the County seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Jackson, Mississippi (177,977)
2. Gulfport, Mississippi (72,464)
3. Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. Biloxi, Mississippi (50,209)
4. Hattiesburg, Mississippi (47,176)
5. Hattiesburg, known as "The Hub City" is a city in Forrest and Lamar Counties in the U Southaven, Mississippi (38,840)
6. Southaven, a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Southaven is a suburb of Memphis Tennessee. Greenville, Mississippi (38,724)
7. Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. Meridian, Mississippi (38,605)
8. Meridian is a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. Tupelo, Mississippi (35,673)
9. Tupelo ( IPA:) is the largest city in and the County seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Olive Branch, Mississippi (27,964)
10. Olive Branch is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. Clinton, Mississippi (26,017)
11. Clinton is a city in Hinds Vicksburg, Mississippi (25,752)
12. Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. Pascagoula, Mississippi (25,173)
13. Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. Columbus, Mississippi (24,425)
14. Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States on the Tombigbee River. Pearl, Mississippi (23,111)
15. Pearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. Starkville, Mississippi (22,131)

(See: List of cities in Mississippi)
(See: List of towns and villages in Mississippi)
(See: List of census-designated places in Mississippi)
(See: List of metropolitan areas in Mississippi)
(See: List of micropolitan areas in Mississippi)

Education

Until the Civil War era, Mississippi had only a small number of schools and no educational institutions for black people. Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. List of cities in Mississippi, arranged in alphabetical order List of towns and villages in Mississippi, arranged in alphabetical order List of Census-designated places in Mississippi, arranged in alphabetical order The State of Mississippi has a total of five Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs that are fully or partially located in the state The State of Mississippi has a total of twenty Micropolitan areas that are fully or partially located in the state Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The first school for black people was established in 1862.

During Reconstruction in 1870, black and white Republicans were the first to establish a system of public education in the state. Public education is education mandated for or offered to the children of the general public by the Government, whether national regional or local provided by an institution The state's dependence on agriculture and resistance to taxation limited the funds it had available to spend on any schools. As late as the early 20th century, there were few schools in rural areas. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time With seed money from the Julius Rosenwald Fund, many rural communities across Mississippi raised matching funds and contributed public funds to build new schools for African-American children, under the management of white school boards. Julius Rosenwald ( August 12 1862 &ndash January 6, 1932) was a U Essentially, many African Americans taxed themselves twice and made significant sacrifices to raise money for the education of their children. ^[52]

Blacks and whites attended separate public schools in Mississippi until the 1960s, when they began to be integrated following a 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that racially segregated public schools were unconstitutional. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Constitutionality is the status of a law, a procedure or an act's accordance with the laws or guidelines set forth in the applicable Constitution. Population settlement patterns have resulted in many districts that are de facto segregated.

In the late 1980s, the state had 954 public elementary and secondary schools, with a total yearly enrollment of about 369,500 elementary pupils and about 132,500 secondary students. Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes Some 45,700 students attended private schools. For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered In 2004, Mississippi was ranked last among the fifty states in academic achievement by the American Legislative Exchange Council's Report Card on Education, with the lowest average ACT scores and spending per pupil in the nation. The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC is a nonpartisan ideologically conservative, non-profit 501(c(3 membership association of state legislators and private The ACT is a standardized achievement Examination for college admissions in the United States produced by ACT Inc

In 2007, Mississippi students scored the lowest of any state on the National Assessments of Educational Progress in both math and science. ^[53]

Colleges, universities and community colleges

Alcorn State University Belhaven College Blue Mountain College Coahoma Community College Copiah-Lincoln Community College Delta State University East Central Community College East Mississippi Community College Hinds Community College Holmes Community College Itawamba Community College Jackson State University Jones County Junior College Magnolia Bible College Meridian Community College Millsaps College Mississippi College

Mississippi Delta Community College Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Mississippi State University Mississippi University for Women Mississippi Valley State University Northeast Mississippi Community College Northwest Mississippi Community College Pearl River Community College Reformed Theological Seminary Rust College Southwest Mississippi Community College Tougaloo College University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) University of Mississippi Medical Center University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) Wesley Biblical Seminary Wesley College William Carey University

(see: List of colleges and universities in Mississippi)

Music History

Mississippi has been historically significant in the development of the blues, especially the Delta region. Alcorn State University, located near Lorman Mississippi, United States, is a public Land grant university. Belhaven College is a College in Jackson Mississippi that was founded by the Presbyterian Church in the United States but that is independently run Blue Mountain College (BMC is a private Liberal arts College, supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention, located in the northeastern Mississippi Coahoma Community College is a Community college located in Coahoma County Mississippi, approximately four miles north of the city of Clarksdale. Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Co-Lin is a Junior college with campuses in Wesson and Natchez, Mississippi. Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public University located in Cleveland Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi East Central Community College is a Junior college located in Decatur Mississippi. East Mississippi Community College (EMCC formerly known as East Mississippi Junior College is a Community college in Mississippi with five campuses Hinds Community College is a Community college with its main campus located in Raymond, Mississippi, about five miles west of Jackson, the state Holmes Community College is a Community college located in the state of Mississippi and has three campuses in the cities of Grenada Ridgeland and Goodman which is the location Itawamba Community College, formerly known as Itawamba Junior College, is a Community college in Mississippi, United States, with Jackson State University (also known as Jackson State or JSU) is a historically black university located in Jackson Mississippi founded in 1877 Jones County Junior College is a Junior college located in Ellisville Mississippi. Magnolia Bible College is a private Christian Bible college, founded in 1976, affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Meridian Community College is a two-year public Community college in Meridian, Mississippi ( USA) Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college in Jackson Mississippi, supported by the United Methodist Church. Mississippi College, also known as MC is a private Christian university located in Clinton Mississippi. Mississippi Delta Community College is a Community college based in Moorhead Mississippi. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four Campuses and four centers the main campus located in Perkinston, Mississippi[http //www Mississippi State University is a Land-grant university located in north east-central Mississippi, United States, in the town of Starkville and Mississippi University for Women, also known as MUW or simply the "W" is a four-year Coeducational Public university located in Mississippi Valley State University is a historically black university located in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Northeast Mississippi Community College is a Community college located in Booneville, Mississippi in the United States. Northwest Mississippi Community College is a two-year public Community college situated in north Mississippi, USA and has been in existence since 1928 Pearl River Community College http//wwwprccedu is a public Community college in Poplarville Mississippi, USA. Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS is a Non-denominational, evangelical Protestant Seminary dedicated to training current and future leaders Rust College is a historically black Liberal arts college located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Southwest Mississippi Community College is a Community college located in Summit Mississippi, in Pike County. Tougaloo College is a private co-educational Liberal arts institution of higher education founded in 1869 in Madison County, on the northern edge of Jackson The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational Research University located in Oxford University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss and is located in Jackson, Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi ( USM, but frequently referred to as Southern Miss) is a four-year public University located primarily Wesley Biblical Seminary is a multi-denominational graduate school of theology within the evangelical Wesleyan-Arminian tradition Wesley College (also known as Wesley, WC, is a private co-educational Bible college located in Florence, Mississippi. William Carey University is a University in southern Mississippi, in the United States affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mississippi This is a list of Colleges and universities in Mississippi. This list also includes other educational institutions providing Higher education, The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Mississippi blues greats include: Bo Carter, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Skip James, Bukka White, Tommy Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Willie Brown, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Big Bill Broonzy, Jimmy Rogers, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, Otis Spann, and B. B. King. Armenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon ( March 21 1893 &mdash September 21 1964) was a popular early Blues Musician Eddie James "Son" House Jr ( March 21 1902 – October 19 1988) was an American Blues singer and Guitarist Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8 1911 – August 16 1938 is among the most famous of Delta blues musicians Charlie Patton, better known as Charley Patton ( May 1, 1891 - April 28, 1934) is best known as an American Delta For the album by Redman, see Muddy Waters (album. For the college football coach see Muddy Waters (football coach. Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James ( June 21, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer guitarist Bukka White ( November 12 1909 – February 26 1977) was a Delta blues Guitarist and Singer. Tommy Johnson (1896 &ndash November 1 1956) was an influential American Delta blues musician who recorded in the late 1920s known for his eery Falsetto "Mississippi" John Smith Hurt ( July 3 1893 or March 8, 1892, Teoc, Carroll County, Mississippi - November Willie Brown may refer to Willie Brown (politician (born 1934 Mayor of San Francisco 1996–2004 Speaker of the California State Assembly 1980–1995 Big Joe Williams (born Joseph Lee Williams, October 16, 1903 - December 17, 1982 William James "Willie" Dixon ( July 1, 1915 &ndash January 29, 1992) was a well-known American Blues Bassist Chester Burnett redirects here For the American football player see Chester Burnett (American football Chester Arthur Burnett ( June 10, 1910 Albert King ( April 25 1923 &ndash December 21 1992) was an American Blues Guitarist and Singer John Lee Hooker ( August 22, 1917 &ndash June 21, 2001) was an influential American Post-war Blues singer Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed ( September 6 1925 - August 29 1976) was an American Blues Singer notable Aleck "Rice" Miller ( December 5 1899 or March 11 1908 – May 25 1965) a Big Bill Broonzy ( 26 June 1898 &ndash 14 August 1958) was a prolific American Blues Singer, songwriter For other uses see James Rogers (disambiguation. Jimmy Rogers ( 3 June 1924 &ndash 19 December Bo Diddley ( December 30 1928 &ndash June 2 2008, born Ellas Otha Bates) was an original and influential American Otis Rush (born April 29, 1934 in Philadelphia Mississippi) is a blues Musician, Singer and Guitarist. Otis Spann ( March 21 1930 – April 24 1970) was an American Blues Musician. B B King (born Riley B King, September 16 1925 is an American Blues Guitarist and Singer-songwriter.

Jimmie Rodgers, a white guitarist/singer/songwriter, known as the "Godfather of Country," also played a significant role in the development of the blues. He and Chester Arthur Burnett were friends and admirers of each other's music. Rodgers was supposed to have given Burnett his nickname of Howlin' Wolf. This friendship and respect is an important example of Mississippi's musical legacy. While the state has had a reputation for being the most racist in America, it also played a significant role in the integration of American music. Its musicians created a creolization by combining musical traditions from Africa with the musical traditions of white Southerners, a tradition largely rooted in Celtic music.

The Mississippi Blues Trail, now being implemented, has dedicated markers for historic sites, such as Clarksdale's Riverside Hotel, where Bessie Smith died after her auto accident on Highway 61. The Mississippi Blues Trail, created by the Mississippi Blues Commission is a project to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the growth of the Bessie Smith (July 9 1892 or April 15 1894&ndash September 26 1937 was an American Blues singer Highway 61 may refer to In modern culture ''Highway 61'' (film, a film by Bruce McDonald ''Highway 61'' (soundtrack, the accompanying The Riverside Hotel is just one of many historical blues sites in Clarksdale. Located in Clarksdale, the Delta Blues Museum is visited by people from all over the world. The Delta Blues Museum exists to collect preserve and provide public access to and awareness of the Blues. Close by are Ground Zero and Madidi, a blues club and restaurants co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Morgan Porterfield Freeman Jr (born June 1 1937 is an Academy Award -winning American actor Film director and Narrator.

Mississippi has been fundamental to the development of American music has a whole. Elvis Presley was a native of Tupelo, Mississippi. While its origins were based more in Tennessee than Mississippi, country music had its first superstar in Jimmie Rodgers, a native of Meridian. From the famous alternative rock band 3 Doors Down to famous gulf and western singer Jimmy Buffett to famous opera star Leontyne Price, Mississippi has had a long and deep music history. Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of 3 Doors Down is an American rock band formed in 1994 in by Brad Arnold ( Vocals and drums) Matt Roberts ( Guitar Gulf and western is a term used to describe the Music genre of American Popular music Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and other James William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25 1946) is a Singer, Songwriter, Author, Businessman, and recently Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American Opera singer ( Soprano)

(see: List of people from Mississippi)

Professional sports

• Biloxi is home to one of two Mississippi-based professional ice hockey teams, the Mississippi Sea Wolves. This is a list of famous and notable people who were born or lived in Mississippi. The Mississippi Sea Wolves are a professional hockey team based in Biloxi Mississippi and playing in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves are a minor league team based at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The ECHL's 1998-1999 Kelly Cup Champions return to the ice for the 2007-2008 season after a two-year hiatus due to Hurricane Katrina damage in 2005 at the Coliseum. The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a Professional Ice hockey league based in Princeton New Jersey, with teams scattered
• Southaven, Mississippi hosts the Mississippi RiverKings of the CHL, who changed their name from the Memphis Riverkings after an online fan vote to select a new team name. Southaven, a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Southaven is a suburb of Memphis Tennessee. The Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league Ice hockey team The Central Hockey League (CHL is a mid-level Professional hockey league owned by Global Entertainment Corporation.
• Pearl, Mississippi is the home of the Mississippi Braves. Pearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally are a Minor league baseball team based in Pearl Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson The Braves are a AA minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play in the Southern League. The Southern League is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States.
• Tupelo, Mississippi hosts the Mississippi Mudcats of the American Indoor Football Association. Tupelo ( IPA:) is the largest city in and the County seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. The Mississippi MudCats are a team of the American Indoor Football Association.

Famous Mississippians

Main article: List of people from Mississippi

Mississippi has produced a number of notable and famous individuals, especially in the realm of music and literature. This is a list of famous and notable people who were born or lived in Mississippi. Among the most notable are:

• Actors: Jim Henson, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Gerald McRaney, Parker Posey, and Sela Ward
• Athletes: Archie Manning, Brett Favre, Cool Papa Bell, Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Deuce McAllister, and Steve McNair
• Authors: William Faulkner, John Grisham, Thomas Harris, Alice Walker, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams and Richard Wright
• Musicians: B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Jimmie Rodgers, Bo Diddley, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, Faith Hill, 3 Doors Down, LeAnn Rimes and Brandy. For other uses of "Henson" see Henson. James Maury "Jim" Henson (September 24 1936 &ndash May 16 1990 was one of Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29 1954 often referred to simply as Oprah, is an American Morgan Porterfield Freeman Jr (born June 1 1937 is an Academy Award -winning American actor Film director and Narrator. James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American Actor of Film and stage well known for his deep basso WikipediaPersondata --> Gerald Lee "Mac" McRaney (born August 19, 1947) is an American Television Parker Christian Posey (born November 8 1968 is an American actress. Sela Ann Ward (ˈsiːlə ˈwɔrd born July 11, 1956) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her Golden Globe - and Elisha Archibald Manning III (born May 19 1949 in Drew Mississippi) is a former American football Quarterback in the National Football League Brett Lorenzo Favre (ˈfɑrv (born October 10 1969 is an American football Quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell ( May 17, 1903 &ndash March 7, 1991) was an American Center fielder in Negro Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962 in Crawford Mississippi) is a former football Wide receiver in the NFL. Walter Jerry Payton (July 25 1954 – November 1 1999 was an American football player who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League Dulymus Jenod (Deuce McAllister (born December 27 1978 in Lena Mississippi) is an American football Running back for the New Steve LaTreal McNair (born February 14, 1973) nicknamed Air McNair, is a former American football Quarterback in the National William Faulkner (born William Cuthbert Falkner) ( September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American Author Thomas Harris (born April 11, 1940) is an American Author of crime Novels most notably The Silence Alice Malsenior Walker (born February 9 1944 is an American Author, self-declared Feminist and Womanist - the latter a term she herself Eudora Alice Welty ( April 13 1909 &ndash July 23 2001) was an award-winning American Author and Photographer who wrote Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26 1911 &ndash February 25 1983 better known as Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright who received many of the top theatrical Richard Wright may refer to Richard Wright (musician (1943–2008 also known as Rick Wright founding member of Pink Floyd Richard B B B King (born Riley B King, September 16 1925 is an American Blues Guitarist and Singer-songwriter. Jimmie Rodgers ( September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) an early purveyor of Delta blues, known as "The Singing Brakeman" Bo Diddley ( December 30 1928 &ndash June 2 2008, born Ellas Otha Bates) was an original and influential American Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8 1911 – August 16 1938 is among the most famous of Delta blues musicians James William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25 1946) is a Singer, Songwriter, Author, Businessman, and recently Audrey Faith McGraw, known professionally as Faith Hill (born September 21 1967 is an American country singer known both for her commercial success 3 Doors Down is an American rock band formed in 1994 in by Brad Arnold ( Vocals and drums) Matt Roberts ( Guitar LeAnn Rimes (born Margaret LeAnn Rimes August 28, 1982 in Pearl Mississippi) is an American Country pop Singer

Trivia and modern culture related

Children in the United States and Canada often count "One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi" during informal games such as hide and seek to approximate counting by seconds. Hide and seek (abbreviated HandS, sometimes also called hide and go seek) is a variant of the game tag, in which one or more players search for the other

The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891. Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries Root beer was invented in Biloxi in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, the namesake of Barq's Root Beer. Root beer, also known as Sarsaparilla, is a carbonated Beverage originally created from Sassafras. Barq's (ˈbɑrks "Barks" is an American Soft drink company

The Teddy bear gets its name from President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, because of a 1902 hunting trip to Sharkey County, Mississippi, in which he refused to shoot a captured bear. The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear. It is an enduring traditional form of a Stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T Sharkey County is a County located in the Mississippi Delta region of the U

In 1936 Dr. Leslie Rush, of Rush Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi performed the first bone pinning in the United States. Jesse Hackley (JH Rush ( September 6, 1868 &ndash January 22, 1931) was an American Physician who founded the first Meridian is a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. This led to the development of the "Rush Pin", which is still in use.

Burnita Shelton Matthews from near Hazlehurst, Mississippi was the first woman appointed as a judge of a U.S. district court. Burnita Shelton Matthews ( December 28, 1894 – April 25, 1988) was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Hazlehurst is the County seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson The United States district courts are the general Trial courts of the United States federal court system. She was appointed by Harry S. Truman on October 21, 1949.

Marilyn Monroe won the Miss Mississippi finals in the 1952 movie We're Not Married. Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1 1926 &ndash August 5 1962 baptized Norma We're Not Married is a 1952 Romantic comedy film starring Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen, and Marilyn Monroe.

The first human lung transplant was performed in 1963 by Dr. James D. Hardy of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss and is located in Jackson, Mississippi In 1964, Dr. Hardy performed the first heart transplant, transplanting the heart of a chimpanzee into a human, with some success. The heart continued to beat for 90 minutes.

Former astronaut and administrator of NASA Richard H. Truly is from Fayette, Mississippi. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Richard Harrison Truly (born November 12, 1937) is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, former Astronaut, and was the eighth Administrator Fayette is a city in Jefferson County, Mississippi, United States. Educated in Mississippi and Georgia, Truly was in charge of reforming NASA (1989 to 1992) in the era immediately following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster took place on January 28 1986 when ''Challenger'', a Space Shuttle operated by NASA, broke apart He was the first former astronaut to head NASA. An astronaut or cosmonaut (космона́вт) is a person trained

The world-renowned USA International Ballet Competition takes place in Jackson every four years. The USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC is one of the world's top competitions for the dance sport of Ballet.

The pledge to the State of Mississippi flag: "I salute the flag of Mississippi and the sovereign state for which it stands, with pride in her history and achievements and with confidence in her future under the guidance of Almighty God. "

Several warships have been named USS Mississippi. USS Mississippi may refer to, was a sidewheel steamer that saw action in the Mexican-American War and was lost during the American Civil War

Starkville is home to the state's first and oldest independent film festival, The Magnolia Independent Film Festival, which takes place each February. Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. A film festival is the presentation or showcasing of Films in one or more Movie theaters or screening venues

The comic book character Rogue, from the well-known series X-Men, is a Mississippian and self-declared southern belle. Rogue ( Anna Marie) is a Fictional character, part of the Marvel Comics mutant super-team the X-Men. The X-Men is a team of fictional Superhero characters in Comic books published by Marvel Comics. A southern belle (derived from the French belle, 'beautiful' is an Archetype for a young woman of the American Old South 's Antebellum Her home town is located in the fictional county of Caldecott.

The University of Mississippi is hosting the first United States Presidential Election debate of 2008 on September 26. The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational Research University located in Oxford The Bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD is sponsoring four debates for the 2008 U Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a ^[54]

Every year during the last week of July, The NBHA (National Barrel Horse Association) holds the Youth World Barrel Racing competition in Jackson. Barrel racing is a Rodeo event in which a Horse and rider attempt to complete a pattern around preset Barrels in the fastest time

For the past seven years, the Sundancer Solar Race Team from Houston, MS, has won first place in the Open Division of the Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge. Houston is a city in and one of two County seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. The Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge is an annual solar-powered car race for High school students ^[55]

See also

• List of Mississippi-related topics

References

External links

• State of Mississippi
• Mississippi State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Mississippi state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
• Mississippi Travel and Tourism
• Mississippi Development Authority
• The "Mississippi Believe It" Campaign
• Mississippi State Facts
• University Press of Mississippi
• http://www.msmec.com/mx/hm.asp?id=home

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