The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus evolved as an informal organization in 1976 and remained that way for three years, which was consistent of racial legislative caucuses in other states at that time. The early members included Representatives Robert Clark, Horace Buckley, Fred Banks, and Doug Anderson. Hillman Frazier, who currently serves as a Mississippi State Senator, joined the group as a volunteer staff member.

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Robert Clark, a schoolteacher in Holmes County, became the first Black to be elected to the Mississippi State Legislature during the 20th Century. His election was a by-product of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 combined with strong mobilization efforts of local leaders and organizations, particularly the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and the NAACP. African American citizens in Mississippi had been disenfranchised for nearly 100 years prior to the federal civil rights legislation. Thus, no African American had served in the state legislature between 1896 and 1967.

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The caucus was formally established in 1980 after an increase of 19 African American legislators. Representative Robert Clark was the first chair of the organization, followed by Representative Fred Banks as the second chair.

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The caucus is supported by the Political Education and Economic Development Foundation. The first chair of this foundation was Representative Charles Young. One of the main fundraising events is an annual banquet in which proceeds are used to fund scholarships for students attending historically Black colleges and universities in the state of Mississippi.

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Below, we have our former Black Caucus Member's from each Senate/House District. Names with a * beside them are the current members.

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H-47

#Rep Robert Clark D-47

(Retired)

*Bryant Clark

 

S-27#Sen Douglas Anderson D-27 (retired) died

*Hilman Frazier

 

H-69

Rep Fred Banks D-69

-(Retired, appointed Supreme court)

*Alyce Clarke

Grace Butler Washington

 

-6

S-28

Sen Henry Kirksey D-28

(Retired) died

*Alice Harden (died)

*Sollie Norwood

 

H-70

Rep Horace Buckley

D-70 (defeated)

-10

James Evans

(Retired)

Kathy Sykes (defeated)

*Bo Brown

 

H-67

Rep Credell Calhoun D-67 (was defeated and elected in another district, District 68)

*Earle Banks

 

H-94

Rep Barney Schoby D-94

-15 (Retired, appointed to workers comp)

Phillip West (Retired, became mayor)

*Robert Johnson

 

H-50

Rep Leslie King D-50

(Retired, Went to Supreme Court)

*Willie Bailey

-

 

H-119

Rep Isiah Fredericks D-119 (died)

*Frances Fredericks

(Retired)

*Sonya Barnes

(Retired)

*Jeffrey Hulum

 

H-110

Rep Mitch Elerby D-110

(Defeated)

Billy Broomfield

(Retired, became Mayor of Moss Point)

*Jeremy Anderson

-26

 

H-85

Rep Charles Shepard D-85

(Retired)

Chuck Middleton

(Retired)

*Jeffrey Harness

 

H-96

Rep David Green D-96

(Retired) died

*Angela Cockerham

 

 

H-82

Rep Charles Young, Sr D-82 (died)

*Wilbur Jones (defeated)

*Charles Young, Jr

 

H-93

Rep Percy Watson D-93

-35

 

H-38

Rep Tyronne Ellis D-38

(Retired)

*Cheikh Taylor

 

H-9

Rep Clayton Henderson D-9 (died)

Clara Henderson Burnett (retired)

*Cedric Burnett

-40

 

S-21

Sen Arthur Tate D-21

(retired)

Barbara Blackmon *(retired, ran for Lt Gov & lost)

Joseph Thomas (defeated)(later re-elected to Senate district #13

Kenny Wayne Jones (defeated)

Barbara Blackmon

*Ed Blackmon, Jr.

 

S-13

Sen Joseph Thomas

S-13 (new district)

-45

 

H-57

Rep Ed Blackmon D-57

*(SON) Lawrence Blackmon

 

H-29

Rep Linda Coleman D-29

(Retired, Appoited as Circuit judge)

-45

Abe Hudson (retired, took position with Bolivar County)

*Robert Sanders

 

H-68

Rep Dennis Sweet D-68.(retired)

Tom Wallace (defeated)

Credell Calhoun (Retired, became Supervisor)

*Zakiyah Summers

 

 

H-72

Rep Tomie Green D-72

*(Retired, elected circuit Judge)

Eric Fleming (defeated)

Kim Campbell Buck (retired)

Debra Gibbs

*Justis Gibbs

 

H-80

Rep Omeria Scott D-80

 

H-27

Rep Ferr Smith D-27 (retired)

*Kenneth Walker

Somebody

 

-60

 

H-11

Rep Leonard Morris D-11

(Died)

Rev Joe Garner (died)

*Lakisha Jackson

 

H-32

Rep Willie Perkins D-32

(Retired, Elected Chancery judge)

*Solomon Osborne

-65

 

H-

Rep Jimmie Thornton D

(Died)

*John Hines

 

H-31

Rep Bill Richardson D-31

(Died)

Sarah Thomas

(Retired)

*Otis Anthony

-70

 

H-51

*Rep Rufus Straughter D-51

Jones Harris

 

H-26

Rep Aaron Henry D-26

(Defeated) died

Leonard Henderson

(Defeated)

Chuck Espy

(Elected Mayor of Clarksdale)

*Orlando Paden

-75

 

H-30

Rep Robert Huddleston D-30

(Retired)

*Tracy Rosebud

 

H-65

Rep Hilman Frazier D-67 changed to D-65 (Hilman moved to Senate D-27)

Mary Coleman

(Retired)

*Chris bell

 

H-66

Rep Jarvis Dortch D-66

(Retired)

*Rep D'Keither Stamps

Nelson (gay)

-81

 

H-76

Rep Willie Bozeman

(Defeated)D-76

*Greg Holloway

 

H-5

Rep Kelvin Buck D-5

(Retired)

*John Faulkner

-85

 

H-36

Rep David Gibbs D-36

(Died)

*Carl Gibbs

 

 

-80

 

Sen Eric Powell D-

(Defeated replaced by white)

 

H-71

Rep Adrienne Wooten D-71 (Retired, elected to circuit judge)

*Ronnie Crudup

-90

 

H-63

Rep Walter Robinson D-63 (defeated)

*Debra Dixon (defeated)

*Rep Steph Foster

 

S-26

Sen John Horhn D-26

-85

 

S-32

Sen Sampson Jackson D-32

(Retired July, 2021)

*Sen. Rod Hickman

-96

 

S-

Sen Johnny Walls D-

(Retired, Elected circuit judge)

*Derick Simmons

 

S-36

Sen Vincient Davis D-36

(Retired, Elected chancery judge)

*Sen. Albert Butler

-100

 

S-11

Sen Robert Jackson D-11

-90

 

S-13

Sen Willie Simmons D-13

(Retired, Elected Transportation Comn)

*Sen Sarita Simmons

 

S-34

Sen Juan Barnett D-34

 

S-38

Sen Kevin Butler D-38

(Retired, ran for Mayor of Magnolia, defeated)

*Sen Tammy Westbrook

(Retired, won Mayor of Magnolia

*Kevin Butler return to seat by special election

-106

 

S-16

Sen Bennie Turner D-16

(Died)

*Sen Angela Turner

 

H-41

Rep Alfred Walker D-41

(Retired)

*Rep Ester Hariston

(Died)

*Rep Kabir Kareem

-111

 

H-42

Rep Reecy Dickson D-42

(Defeated)

*Rep Carl Mickens

 

S-24

Sen David Jordon D-24

 

H-98

Rep David Myers D-98

(Retired)

*Rep Daryl Porter

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*This short summary are excerpts of Black Legislative Politics in Mississippi by Dr. Byron D. Orey (2000). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/poliscifacpub/5