Search

Donate to the Caucus The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Serving the interests of African Americans in the State of Mississippi Get Involved WELCOME FROM OUR CHAIR Welcome to the official website of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus. On behalf of our fifty-three caucus members within the House of Representatives and Senate, we invite you to browse our website to review our legislative policy, stay informed about our legislative priorities, and receive legislative updates. We champion issues that impact all Mississippians, especially those of color, those in rural communities and those who are disadvantaged. We promote equitability, inclusion, and progress by advocating for economic empowerment, criminal justice reform, job creation, educational advancement, voting rights, business development, improvements in infrastructure, and access to affordable healthcare. As chairman of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, it is my honor and privilege to serve within an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for citizens throughout our state. I commit to working in an assertive and unified manner with our membership to ensure that our caucus continues to not only serve as a positive catalyst for real change, but also enhance the social, cultural, and political fabric within our communities. Working collectively to achieve our goals, we can achieve sustainable growth and development within our districts. Be engaged. Be involved. Be empowered. Help us create a better and brighter future for all Mississippians. Sincerely, Representative Christopher M. Bell House District 65 Chairman, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus ABOUT THE CAUCUS The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus is made up of 53 members in the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives Learn More MAKE A CONTRIBUTION Partner with the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus to ensure we can continue our advocacy work for African Americans across the State of Mississippi Donate Now CAUCUS NEWS To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email mlbc1976@gmail.com

A Better and Brighter Future for Mississippi Read More Sponsorship Opportunity click the link below and email mlbcsponsorships@gmail.com if you're interested. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iXE344jjLQxOL4h5wP2FRUxGgfmRaxkL

Donate to the Caucus EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Representative Christopher Bell Chair Senator Juan Barnett Vice Chair Representative Oscar Denton Treasurer Representative Zakiya Summers Secretary Representative Omeria Scott Assistant Secretary Representative Tracey T. Rosebud Parliamentarian Representative Otis Anthony Chaplain Representative Robert L. Sanders Sergeant-at-Arms Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email info@msblackcaucus.org

A Better and Brighter Future for Mississippi Read More Why Donate? The need to support and invest in an organization which prioritizes progress, equality, and inclusion through its membership of courageous and dynamic political leaders who openly and passionately advocate for economic development, improving access to healthcare, protecting voting rights, advancing education, and improving Mississippi's infrastructure has never been more evident. We can create an atmosphere of hope and optimism within our state through sustainable growth in these areas. Your donation will support our advocacy efforts aimed at developing legislation to positively impact the state of Mississippi and bring to fruition a better and brighter future for all Mississippians.

Donate to the Caucus HOUSE MEMBERS Representative Otis Anthony District 31 - Bolivar, Humphreys, Sunflower, Washington Representative Willie Bailey District 49 - Washington Representative Earle S. Banks District 67 - Hinds Representative Christopher Bell District 65 - Hinds Representative Bo Brown District 70 - Hinds Representative Cedric Burnett District 9 - Coahoma, Quitman, Tate, Tunica Representative Bryant W. Clark District 47 - Attala, Holmes, Yazoo Representative Alyce G. Clarke District 69 - Hinds Representative Angela Cockerham District 96 - Adams, Amite, Pike, Wilkinson Representative Ronnie C. Crudup District 71 - Hinds Representative Oscar Denton District 55 - Warren Representative John G. Faulkner District 5 - Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Tate Representative Stephanie Foster District 63 - Hinds, Warren, Yazoo Representative Karl Gibbs District 36 - Clay, Monroe Representative Jeffery Harness District 85 - Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, Warren Representative John W. Hines, Sr. District 50 - Bolivar, Issaquena, Washington Representative Gregory Holloway District 76 - Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds Representative Jeffrey Hulum III District 119 - Harrison Representative Lataisha Jackson District 11 - Panola, Tate Representative Robert L. Johnson III District 94 - Adams, Franklin, Jefferson District 94 - Adams, Franklin, Jefferson Representative Kabir Karriem District 41 - Lowndes Representative Hester Jackson McCray District 40 - DeSoto Representative Carl L. Mickens District 42 - Lowndes, Noxubee, Winston Representative Solomon C. Osborne District 32 - Leflore Representative Orlando Paden District 26 - Bolivar, Coahoma Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email info@msblackcaucus.org

Donate to the Caucus SENATE MEMBERS Senator Juan Barnett District 34 - Forrest, Jasper, Jones Senator Albert Butler District 36 - Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Jefferson Senator Kelvin E. Butler District 38 - Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, Wilkinson Senator Hillman T. Frazier District 27 - Hinds Senator Rod Hickman District 32 - Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee, Winston Senator John Horhn District 26 - Hinds, Madison Senator Sollie B. Norwood District 28 - Hinds Senator Derrick T. Simmons District 12 - Bolivar, Coahoma, Washington Senator Sarita Simmons District 13 - Bolivar, Sunflower, Tallahatchie Senator Joseph Thomas District 22 - Sunflower, Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Washington, Yazoo Senator Angela Turner-Ford District 16 - Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha Senator Bradford Blackmon District 21 Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email info@msblackcaucus.org

Recent Events Here are some of the recent events that we've hosted.

Donate to the Caucus MLBC HISTORY 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. 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. 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. 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. Below, we have our former Black Caucus Member's from each Senate/House District. Names with a * beside them are the current members. 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 *This short summary are excerpts of Black Legislative Politics in Mississippi by Dr. Byron D. Orey (2000). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/poliscifacpub/5 Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email info@msblackcaucus.org

Donate to the Caucus ABOUT MLBC The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus (hereinafter “MLBC”) is dedicated to the advancement and, when necessary, the defeat of legislation impacting Mississippi’s African American population. Consisting of members of the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives, MLBC endeavors to be the strong and collective voice of Mississippi’s 1.3 million African Americans. As a legislative caucus, MLBC recognizes it is most influential and effective when its positions and stances on certain issues are clearly defined and consistently applied. Having considered the current conditions of African Americans in Mississippi and Mississippians in general, MLBC hereby states its positions and intended course of action on matters of health care, education, criminal justice, matters of finance and economic justice and election reform. MLBC HISTORY 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. 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. 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. 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. *This short summary are excerpts of Black Legislative Politics in Mississippi by Dr. Byron D. Orey (2000). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/poliscifacpub/5 EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Representative Christopher Bell Chair Senator Juan Barnett Vice Chair Representative Oscar Denton Treasurer Representative Zakiya Summers Secretary Representative Omeria Scott Assistant Secretary Representative Tracey T. Rosebud Parliamentarian Representative Otis Anthony Chaplain Representative Robert L. Sanders Sergeant-at-Arms SENATE MEMBERS Senator Juan Barnett District 34 - Forrest, Jasper, Jones Senator Barbara Blackmon District 21 - Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison, Yazoo Senator Albert Butler District 36 - Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Jefferson Senator Kelvin E. Butler District 38 - Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, Wilkinson Senator Hillman T. Frazier District 27 - Hinds Senator Rod Hickman District 32 - Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee, Winston Senator John Horhn District 26 - Hinds, Madison Senator Robert L. Jackson District 11 - Coahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tunica Senator Sollie B. Norwood District 28 - Hinds Senator Derrick T. Simmons District 12 - Bolivar, Coahoma, Washington Senator Sarita Simmons District 13 - Bolivar, Sunflower, Tallahatchie Senator Joseph Thomas District 22 - Sunflower, Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Washington, Yazoo Senator Angela Turner-Ford District 16 - Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha HOUSE MEMBERS Representative Otis Anthony District 31 - Bolivar, Humphreys, Sunflower, Washington Representative Willie Bailey District 49 - Washington Representative Earle S. Banks District 67 - Hinds Representative Christopher Bell District 65 - Hinds Representative Edward Blackmon, Jr. District 57 - Madison Representative Bo Brown District 70 - Hinds Representative Cedric Burnett District 9 - Coahoma, Quitman, Tate, Tunica Representative Bryant W. Clark District 47 - Attala, Holmes, Yazoo Representative Alyce G. Clarke District 69 - Hinds Representative Angela Cockerham District 96 - Adams, Amite, Pike, Wilkinson Representative Ronnie C. Crudup District 71 - Hinds Representative Oscar Denton District 55 - Warren Representative John G. Faulkner District 5 - Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Tate Representative Stephanie Foster District 63 - Hinds, Warren, Yazoo Representative Karl Gibbs District 36 - Clay, Monroe Representative Jeffery Harness District 85 - Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, Warren Representative John W. Hines, Sr. District 50 - Bolivar, Issaquena, Washington Representative Gregory Holloway District 76 - Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds Representative Jeffrey Hulum III District 119 - Harrison Representative Lataisha Jackson District 11 - Panola, Tate Representative Robert L. Johnson III District 94 - Adams, Franklin, Jefferson District 94 - Adams, Franklin, Jefferson Representative Kabir Karriem District 41 - Lowndes Representative Hester Jackson McCray District 40 - DeSoto Representative Carl L. Mickens District 42 - Lowndes, Noxubee, Winston Representative Solomon C. Osborne District 32 - Leflore Join Our NEWSLETTER Sign Up Mailing Address Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus New Capitol PO Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39201 Email info@msblackcaucus.org