List of people from Mississippi
Encyclopedia
This list contains people who were born or lived in the U.S. state
of Mississippi
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Activists and advocates
- James BevelJames BevelJames L. Bevel was an American minister and leader of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement who, as the Director of Direct Action and Director of Nonviolent Education of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference initiated, strategized, directed, and developed SCLC's three major successes of the era:...
(1936–2008), leader in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, (Itta BenaItta Bena, MississippiItta Bena is a city in Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,208 at the 2000 census. The town's name is derived from the Choctaw phrase iti bina, meaning "forest camp"...
) - Ruby BridgesRuby BridgesRuby Nell Bridges Hall moved with her parents to New Orleans, Louisiana at the age of 4. In 1960, when she was 6 years old, her parents responded to a call from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and volunteered her to participate in the integration of the New Orleans...
(born 1954), first African-American child to attend an all-white school in the South, (TylertownTylertown, MississippiTylertown is the county seat of Walthall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,910 at the 2000 census.-History:Tylertown was first known as the Magee Settlement. Its first settlement dates back to the emigration of the Magees and Thornhills from South Carolina and is located on a...
) - Curtis Conway "C.C." Bryant (1917–2007), African-American civil rightsAfrican-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)The African-American Civil Rights Movement refers to the movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring voting rights to them. This article covers the phase of the movement between 1955 and 1968, particularly in the South...
leader, (TylertownTylertown, MississippiTylertown is the county seat of Walthall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,910 at the 2000 census.-History:Tylertown was first known as the Magee Settlement. Its first settlement dates back to the emigration of the Magees and Thornhills from South Carolina and is located on a...
) - Will D. CampbellWill D. CampbellWill Davis Campbell is a Baptist minister, activist, author, and lecturer. Throughout his life, he has been a notable white supporter of civil rights in the Southern United States...
(born 1924), Baptist minister and activist, (Amite CountyAmite County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,599 people, 5,271 households, and 3,879 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 6,446 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
) - James ChaneyJames ChaneyJames Earl "J.E." Chaney , from Meridian, Mississippi, was one of three American civil rights workers who were murdered during Freedom Summer by members of the Ku Klux Klan near Philadelphia...
(1943–1964), African-American civil rights worker, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Vernon DahmerVernon DahmerVernon Ferdinand Dahmer, Sr. was an American civil rights leader and president of the Forrest County chapter of the NAACP in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.-Early life:...
(1908–1966), African-American civil rights leader, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Charles EversCharles EversJames Charles Evers is a prominent American civil rights advocate. The older brother of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, Charles Evers is a leading civil rights spokesman within the Republican Party in his native Mississippi. In 1969 he became the first African American since the...
(born 1922), African-American civil rights leader, (DecaturDecatur, MississippiDecatur is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Newton County...
) - Medgar EversMedgar EversMedgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
(1925–1963), African-American civil rights leader, (DecaturDecatur, MississippiDecatur is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Newton County...
) - Myrlie Evers-WilliamsMyrlie Evers-WilliamsSynopsisEarly LifeLife with MedgarMedgar Evers MurderLife After Medgar'NAACP/ HonorsAccomplishmentsWhoopi Goldberg played her in Ghosts of Mississippi...
(born 1933), African-American civil rights leader, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Dianna Freelon-Foster, African-American civil rights activist, Member of the Mississippi Civil Rights Education Commission, first female and first African-American mayor of her hometown (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - C. L. FranklinC. L. FranklinClarence LaVaughn Franklin , was an American Baptist minister, a civil rights activist, and father of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin.-Background:...
(1915–1984), Baptist minister and father of Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, (ShelbyShelby, MississippiShelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
) - Duncan M. Gray, Jr.Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr.Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr. was the 7th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi...
(born 1926), Episcopal clergyman, civil rights activist, (CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
) - Percy GreenePercy GreenePercy Greene was born on September 7, 1897 in Jackson, Mississippi. He was one of twelve children born to George Washington Green and Sarah Stone. At the age of 17, Greene joined the army. Greene studied law under black attorney-physician Sidney D. Redmond and attended Jackson State University....
(1897–1977), journalist, activist, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Lawrence GuyotLawrence GuyotLawrence Guyot born July 17, 1939 in Pass Christian, Mississippi) is a civil rights activist who was the head of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party from 1964....
(born 1939), civil rights activist, (Pass ChristianPass Christian, MississippiPass Christian , nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, along the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Fannie Lou HamerFannie Lou HamerFannie Lou Hamer was an American voting rights activist and civil rights leader....
(1917–1977), American voting rights activist, Civil rights leader, (RulevilleRuleville, MississippiRuleville is a small city in the fertile Mississippi Delta region in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,234 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruleville is located at ....
) - Winson HudsonWinson HudsonWinson Hudson, born Anger Winson Gates was a civil rights activist.-Life:Anger Winson Gates was the tenth child of thirteen children born to John Gates and Emma Laura Kirkland Turner. She was born and raised in Carthage, Mississippi. Her mother died, at age 44, during childbirth when Winson was...
(1916–2004), civil rights activist, (Harmony) - Clyde KennardClyde KennardClyde Kennard was a Civil Rights pioneer and martyr, born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In the 1950s, he attempted several times to enroll at Mississippi Southern College to complete his undergraduate degree started at University of Chicago...
(1927–1963), civil rights activist, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Edwin King (born 1936), civil rights activist, Tougaloo chaplain, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - James MeredithJames MeredithJames H. Meredith is an American civil rights movement figure, a writer, and a political adviser. In 1962, he was the first African American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, an event that was a flashpoint in the American civil rights movement. Motivated by President...
(born 1933), first African-American student at the University of MississippiUniversity of MississippiThe University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - Anne MoodyAnne MoodyAnne Moody is an African-American author who has written about her experiences growing up poor and black in rural Mississippi, joining the Civil Rights Movement, and fighting racism against blacks in the United States beginning in the 1960s-Life:Born Essie Mae Moody, she was the oldest of nine...
(born 1940), civil rights activist, (CentrevilleCentreville, MississippiCentreville is a town in Amite and Wilkinson Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) - Ida B. Wells-BarnettIda B. WellsIda Bell Wells-Barnett was an African American journalist, newspaper editor and, with her husband, newspaper owner Ferdinand L. Barnett, an early leader in the civil rights movement. She documented lynching in the United States, showing how it was often a way to control or punish blacks who...
(1862–1931), civil rights activist, Women's rights activist, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Donald WildmonDonald WildmonDonald E. Wildmon is an ordained United Methodist minister, author, former radio host, and founder and chairman emeritus of the American Family Association and American Family Radio.-Biography:...
(born 1938), founder and chairman of the American Family AssociationAmerican Family AssociationThe American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
, (DumasDumas, MississippiDumas is a town in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 452 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dumas is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
)
Actors and actresses
- Joey Lauren AdamsJoey Lauren AdamsJoey Lauren Adams is an American actress who has appeared in more than thirty films. She is known for her distinctive, raspy voice and for her roles in View Askewniverse films, particularly Mallrats and Chasing Amy, with the latter giving her a Golden Globe for Best Actress nomination.-Career:She...
(born 1968), (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Joshua AlbaJoshua AlbaJoshua Lauren Alba is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Krit on the television series Dark Angel. He is the younger brother of actress Jessica Alba.-Early life:...
(born 1982), (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Mary AliceMary AliceMary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences...
(born 1941), (IndianolaIndianola, MississippiIndianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
) - Dana AndrewsDana AndrewsDana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
(1909–1992), (Covington CountyCovington County, Mississippi-2010 Census:As of the most recent census, 2010, the population of Covington County is 19,568, only a slight increase from 2000. Racially, the population was distributed with 62.7% being White, 34.7% Black/African American, 1.9% Hispanic/Latino, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and...
) - Roscoe AtesRoscoe AtesRoscoe Ates was an actor and musician in primarily western films and television.-Early years:Ates was born in the rural hamlet of Grange, Mississippi, northwest of Hattiesburg. Grange is no longer included on road maps...
(1895–1962), (GrangeLawrence County, MississippiLawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2010, the population was 12,929. Its county seat is Monticello. Lawrence County is named for the naval hero James Lawrence.-Geography:...
) - Katherine Bailess (born 1980), film and television actress (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Laura BaileyLaura Bailey (voice actress)Laura Dawn Bailey is an American actress, voice actress, Singer, Line Producer and ADR Director. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films, television series, as well as video games...
(born 1981), voice actress, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Earl W. BascomEarl W. BascomEarl W. Bascom was an American painter, printmaker, rodeo performer and sculptor, raised in Canada, who portrayed his own experiences cowboying and rodeoing across the American and Canadian West.- Childhood :...
(1906–1995), film and television (ColumbiaColumbia, MississippiColumbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the...
) - Willie BestWillie BestWilliam "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
(1916–1962), (SunflowerSunflower, MississippiSunflower is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sunflower is located at ....
) - Jimmy BoydJimmy BoydJimmy Boyd was an American singer, musician, and actor. He was best known for his recording of the novelty song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".-Early years:...
(1939–2009), (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Don BriscoeDon BriscoeCecil Donald "Don" Briscoe was an American soap opera actor, most notable for playing Tony Meritt on Days of Our Lives, and, from 1968–1970, for playing Chris Jennings, Tom Jennings, Timothy Shaw, and Chris Collins on Dark Shadows.Briscoe left Dark Shadows abruptly in 1970...
(1940–2004), soap opera actor, (Yalobusha CountyYalobusha County, MississippiYalobusha County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2010, the population was 12,678. Its county seats are Water Valley and Coffeeville.-History:...
) - Geneva CarrGeneva CarrGeneva Carr is an American television and stage actress, with an extensive acting resume, yet is best known for her role of the "mom" in AT&T Mobility's mobile phone commercials.-Rollover Mom:...
(born 1971), television and stage actress, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Finn CarterFinn CarterFinn Carter is an American actress. She is the daughter of former United States State Department Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Hodding Carter III, and his first wife, the former Margaret Ainsworth Wolfe.-Film career:Carter became well known while playing Sierra Estaban Reyes...
(born 1960), (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Wally CassellWally CassellWally Cassell is an American character actor.- Biography :Castellano was born in Agrigento, Sicily, and moved with his family to the United States at the age of two....
(born 1915), film and television actor - Lacey ChabertLacey ChabertLacey Nicole Chabert is an American actress and voice actress, known for her roles as Claudia Salinger in the television drama Party of Five and as Gretchen Wieners in the movie Mean Girls...
(born 1982), film and television actress (PurvisPurvis, MississippiPurvis is a city in Lamar County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,164 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lamar County. The Town of Purvis was incorporated on February 25, 1888 and was founded by...
) - Wyatt Emory CooperWyatt Emory CooperWyatt Emory Cooper was an American author and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Cooper was born in Quitman, Mississippi, son of a poor family with deep Southern roots, and later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, as a young child. Cooper moved to New York in his twenties to pursue acting...
(1927–1978), Broadway actor, (QuitmanQuitman, MississippiQuitman is a city in Clarke County, Mississippi, USA, along the Chickasawhay River. The population was 2,463 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Clarke County, it is the hometown of San Antonio Spurs power forward Antonio McDyess and the birthplace of writer Wyatt Emory Cooper.-Geography:Quitman...
) - Cassi DavisCassi DavisCassandra "Cassi" Davis is an American actress. She is mostly known for her role as Ella Payne in Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has done extensive work with director and writer Tyler Perry, and has played many roles in his various productions...
(born 1964), (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Jason Dottley (born 1980), actor in Sordid LivesSordid LivesSordid Lives was a 2000 independent film, written and directed by Del Shores. The movie is based on Shores' play of the same name and includes elements of his life, according to the director's DVD commentary...
stage production and LogoLogo (TV channel)Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
television series, (FlorenceFlorence, MississippiFlorence is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,396. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Florence is located at ....
) - John DyeJohn DyeJohn Carroll Dye was an American film and television actor known for his role as Andrew in the television series Touched by an Angel.-Early life:...
(1963–2011), film and television actor (AmoryAmory, MississippiAmory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
) - Mary Elizabeth EllisMary Elizabeth EllisMary Elizabeth Ellis is an American actress and writer best known for her recurring role as "The Waitress" on the FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...
television and film actress, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Ruth FordRuth Ford (actress)Ruth Ford was an American model and stage and film actress. Her brother was the bohemian surrealist Charles Henri Ford. Their parents managed the Tennessee Hotel in Clarksville, Tennessee.-Life and career:As a model she posed for Harper's, Town and Country and Mademoiselle...
(1911–2009), stage and film actress, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Morgan FreemanMorgan FreemanMorgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
(born 1937), Academy Award-winning actor (CharlestonCharleston, MississippiCharleston is a city in North Central Mississippi and one of the county seats of Tallahatchie County. The population was 2,198 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Charleston is located at ....
) - M. C. GaineyM. C. GaineyMichael Connor "Mike" Gainey , better known as M. C. Gainey, is an American film and television actor whose distinctive mustache, 6'2½" height, and threatening look have given him supporting roles as Southern/Southwestern types, thugs, and criminals.Gainey attended the University of Southern...
(born 1948), film and television actor, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Cynthia GearyCynthia GearyCynthia Geary is an American actress best known for her role as Shelly Tambo in the television series Northern Exposure. In her Emmy-nominated role, she played a former Miss Northwest Passage beauty queen living with a decades-older lover, Holling Vincoeur...
(born 1965), actress (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Allie GrantAllie GrantAllie Grant is an American film and television actress. After a few guest appearances in the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and That's So Raven, Grant was cast on Weeds in 2005. Although she originally began as a recurring character, Grant's role grew and by season 3...
(born 1994), (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Nikki GriffinNikki GriffinJeanne Nicole "Nikki" Griffin is an American actress.-Life and career:Though Jeanne Nicole Griffin was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, formative years of her childhood were spent living in Germany...
(born 1978), actress (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Gary GrubbsGary GrubbsGary Grubbs is an American actor.Grubbs has several film and television credits to his name, including his portrayal of attorney Al Oser in Oliver Stone's JFK....
(born 1949), (AmoryAmory, MississippiAmory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
) - Lynn Hamilton (born 1930), (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Temeceka HarrisTemeceka HarrisTemeceka Harris was born in Mound Bayou, Mississippi on January 16, 1975. She grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She played Grace in the 2005 movie Side Effects. She is now working with youth at her local church.-External links:...
(born 1975), one-time actress, (Mound BayouMound Bayou, MississippiMound Bayou is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi. The population was 2,102 at the 2000 census. It is notable for having been founded as an independent black community in 1887 by former slaves led by Isaiah Montgomery. By percentage, its 98.4 percent African-American majority population is one...
) - Beth HenleyBeth HenleyElizabeth Becker "Beth" Henley is an American dramatist and actress. She writes primarily about women's issues and family in the Southern United States. She is also a screenwriter who has written many film adaptations of her plays...
(born 1952), dramatist and actress, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
(1936–1990), creator of The MuppetsThe MuppetsThe Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
, (LelandLeland, MississippiLeland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
) - Anthony HerreraAnthony HerreraAnthony Herrera was an American actor.-Career:Among roles in various movies, he is most known—and most hated—for his role as the evil James Stenbeck on the soap opera As the World Turns, a role he has played off and on from 1980 to 1984, from 1986 to 1989, in 1996, from 1997 to 1999, in 2001 and...
(born 1944), (WigginsWiggins, MississippiWiggins is a city in Stone County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,849 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Stone County.-History:...
) - Wilbur HigbyWilbur HigbyWilbur Higby was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 72 films between 1914 and 1934. He died in Hollywood, California in 1934, aged 67, from pneumonia....
(1867–1934), silent film actor, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Shauntay HintonShauntay HintonShauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University....
, actress (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Eddie HodgesEddie HodgesEddie Hodges is a United States former child actor and recording artist who left show business as an adult.-Early life and career:Hodges was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S. Hodges traveled to New York City with his family in 1952...
(born 1947), former child actor, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Thelma HoustonThelma HoustonThelma Houston is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She scored a number-one hit in 1976 with her cover version of the song "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.-Early life & career:Houston is the daughter of a cotton picking mother...
(born 1943), actress, (LelandLeland, MississippiLeland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
) - Don JeffcoatDon JeffcoatDonald Lee "Don" Jeffcoat, Jr. is an American actor.-Biography:Jeffcoat an American actor, who got his big break playing Eric Antonio on The Wonder Years, has starred and appeared on a number of films and television shows, including the children's game show Wild and Crazy Kids broadcast on...
(born 1975), (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - James Earl JonesJames Earl JonesJames Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
(born 1931), (ArkabutlaArkabutla, MississippiArkabutla is an unincorporated community in Tate County, Mississippi. Arkabutla is approximately west of Coldwater and approximately northeast of Savage near the southern starting point of Mississippi Highway 301 on Arkabutla Road....
) - Robert Earl JonesRobert Earl JonesRobert Earl Jones was an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films The Cotton Club and The Sting and as the father of actor James Earl Jones.-Early life:...
(1910–2006), (SenatobiaSenatobia, MississippiSenatobia is a city in and the county seat of Tate County, Mississippi, United States, and is the 15th largest municipality in the Memphis Metropolitan Area. The population was 8,165 at the 2010 census....
) - Simbi KhaliSimbi KhaliSimbi Khali is an American actress, known for her role as Nina Campbell on the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Khali was raised in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of seven children...
(born 1971), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Diane LaddDiane LaddDiane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
(born 1935), (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Daniel Curtis LeeDaniel Curtis LeeDaniel Curtis Lee is an American actor and rapper. He is best known in Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, in which he played the nerdy Simon Nelson-Cook, known as "Cookie" or "P Cookie". Lee has also appeared in other television shows such as First Monday and The Shield, and...
(born 1991), (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Tom LesterTom LesterThomas William "Tom" Lester is an American actor and evangelist. He may be best remembered for his role as Oliver & Lisa Douglas's farmhand, Eb Dawson, in the television series Green Acres, and appeared in the movies Gordy and Benji.-Biography:Lester was born in Laurel, Mississippi...
(born 1938), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Martha MattoxMartha MattoxMartha Mattox was an American silent film actor most notable for her role of Mammy Pleasant in the 1927 film The Cat and the Canary. She also played a role in Torrent...
(1879–1933), silent film actor, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Shane McRaeShane McRaeShane McRae is an American actor. He appeared in Hack, guest starred on One Life to Live, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and Cold Case, and was one of the stars of the ill-fated sitcom, Four Kings....
(born 1977), (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Gerald McRaneyGerald McRaneyGerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
(born 1947), (CollinsCollins, MississippiCollins is a city in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,761 at the 2005 census. It is the county seat of Covington County....
) - Mary Ann MobleyMary Ann MobleyMary Ann Mobley is a former Miss America, actress, and television personality.-Career:After serving her reign as Miss America 1959, Mobley embarked on a career in both film and television...
(born 1939), (BrandonBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Parker PoseyParker PoseyParker Christian Posey is an American actress. She became known during the 1990s after a series of roles in several well-received independent films. As a result, she has often been referred to as the "Queen of the Indies"....
(born 1968), (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Evelyn PreerEvelyn PreerEvelyn Preer, born Evelyn Jarvis , was a pioneering African-American stage and screen actress and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Evelyn was known within the black community as "The First Lady of the Screen."She was the first black actress to earn celebrity and popularity...
(1896–1932), (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Thalmus RasulalaThalmus RasulalaThalmus Rasulala was an African American actor who was an original cast member of ABC's soap opera One Life to Live from its inception in 1968 until he left the show in 1970....
(1939–1991), (ArkabutlaArkabutla, MississippiArkabutla is an unincorporated community in Tate County, Mississippi. Arkabutla is approximately west of Coldwater and approximately northeast of Savage near the southern starting point of Mississippi Highway 301 on Arkabutla Road....
) - Beah RichardsBeah RichardsBeah Richards was an American actress of stage, screen and television. She was a poet, playwright and author....
(1920–2000), stage/screen/tv actress, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Eric RobertsEric RobertsEric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
(born 1956), (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Toni SeawrightToni SeawrightToni Deniece Seawright is an international actress and singer-songwriter. Seawright made history as the first African American to become Miss Mississippi and went on to place 4th runner-up in 1987’s Miss America Pageant.-Biography:Seawright attended Mississippi University for Women in Columbus,...
(born 1964), international actress, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Larry SemonLarry SemonLawrence "Larry" Semon was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working with both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before they started working together.He is also...
(1889–1928), silent film actor/director/producer, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
) - Stella StevensStella StevensStella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born October 1, 1938 is an American film, television and stage actress, who began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as The Nutty Professor, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The...
(born 1938), (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Tonea StewartTonea StewartDr. Tonea Stewart is an American actress and University Professor best known for her role as Aunt Etta on the television series In the Heat of the Night....
(born 1947), (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Ashley ThompsonAshley ThompsonKatherine Ashley Thompson is an American singer and actress.-Biography:Ashley Thompson started singing in church when she was 9 years old, and at 13 years old knew that she wanted to sing for the rest of her life. She has won numerous local, regional, and national singing contests, including the...
(born 1980), actress, (BoonevilleBooneville, MississippiBooneville is a city in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,625 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prentiss County....
) - Joe M. TurnerJoe M. TurnerJoe M. Turner is an American magician, mentalist, and professional speaker. Based in Atlanta, he is widely respected as a leader in the field of corporate magic as well as an authority on the process of customizing magic performances, keynotes and seminars for trade shows, product launches, and...
(born 1969), actor, magician, mentalist, professional speaker, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - James Michael TylerJames Michael TylerJames Michael Tyler is a US actor best known for his role as Gunther on the NBC sitcom Friends.-Biography:James Michael Tyler was born the youngest of six children on 28 May 1962 in Winona, Mississippi, US to a retired Air Force captain and a homemaker...
(born 1962), (WinonaWinona, MississippiWinona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
) - Brenda VenusBrenda VenusBrenda Venus is an actress, author, ballet dancer, director, and producer. In her early 20s, Brenda Venus met the famed Henry Miller in June 1976. He became her mentor and she his muse. Over 4,000 pages of letters were written by Henry Miller which were later collected into the book, "Dear, Dear...
(born 1957), actress, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
(1914–2001), (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Sela WardSela WardSela Ann Ward is an American movie and television actress, perhaps best known for her television roles as Teddy Reed on the American TV series Sisters and as Lily Manning on Once and Again...
(born 1956), (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - James WheatonJames WheatonJames Wheaton , was an American motion picture and television actor. He may be best known as the voice actor "OMM" in George Lucas's THX 1138, a role for which he was chosen over Orson Welles...
(1924–2002), (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Kit WilliamsonKit WilliamsonKit Williamson is an American actor. He was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi and attended Interlochen Arts Academy, an arts boarding school in Michigan. He currently lives in New York City and attends Fordham University...
(born 1985), actor, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Oprah WinfreyOprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
(born 1954), (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - Hattie WinstonHattie WinstonHattie Mae Winston is an American television, film and Broadway actress best known for her role as Margaret on Becker and as a prominent cast member of the PBS children's series The Electric Company.-Early career:...
(born 1945), (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
)
Artists
- Jere AllenJere AllenJere Allen is an internationally known artist, currently Professor of Art at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS.His work can be described as figurative: strong colors, images, and symbols are often melded with portraits, providing a sense of an artist looking for answers and a reality...
, painter, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - James McConnell AndersonJames McConnell AndersonJames McConnell "Mac" Anderson was an American painter, muralist, and pottery designer and decorator, youngest of the three brothers who collaborated at Shearwater Pottery, Ocean Springs, Mississippi .Born in New Orleans, Anderson attended schools there...
(1907–1998), potter and painter, (Ocean SpringsOcean Springs, MississippiOcean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
) - Peter AndersonPeter Anderson (artist)Peter Anderson was an American ceramist and founder of Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He was born in New Orleans to George Walter Anderson, a grain broker, and Annette McConnell Anderson, member of a prominent New Orleans family, who had studied art at Newcomb College, where she...
(1901–1984), potter, (Ocean SpringsOcean Springs, MississippiOcean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
) - Rick Anderson, painter and children's book illustrator, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Walter Inglis AndersonWalter Inglis AndersonWalter Inglis Anderson was an American painter, writer, and naturalist.Known to his family as "Bob", he was born in New Orleans to George Walter Anderson, a grain broker, and Annette McConnell Anderson, member of a prominent New Orleans family, who had studied art at Newcomb College, where she had...
(1903–1965), painter, (Ocean SpringsOcean Springs, MississippiOcean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
) - Earl W. BascomEarl W. BascomEarl W. Bascom was an American painter, printmaker, rodeo performer and sculptor, raised in Canada, who portrayed his own experiences cowboying and rodeoing across the American and Canadian West.- Childhood :...
(1906–1995), painter, bronze sculptor, "King of the Cowboy Artists," (ColumbiaColumbia, MississippiColumbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the... - Howard BinghamHoward BinghamHoward Bingham Howard Bingham Howard Bingham (born Jackson, Mississippi, 1939 is the biographer of Muhammad Ali and a professional photographer.He was the son of a minister and Pullman porter for the US railroad. After initially failing a photography course, he was hired by a local newspaper and...
(born 1939), photographer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jason Bouldin, portrait painter, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Marshall Bouldin III, portrait painter, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Bruce Brady (1934?–2000), nationally acclaimed sculptor, Sculpted Conerly TrophyConerly TrophyThe Conerly Trophy or Cellular South Conerly Trophy is an award given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.-Voting:...
, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Andrew BucciAndrew BucciAndrew Bucci is a Mississippi-born artist residing in Maryland.A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Bucci was influenced early in his career by Mississippi artist and teacher Marie Atkinson Hull, with whom he began studying in the late 1930s.Bucci graduated from St...
(born 1922), painter, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - William DunlapWilliam DunlapWilliam Dunlap was a pioneer of the American theater. He was a producer, playwright, and actor, as well as a historian. He managed two of New York's earliest and most prominent theaters, the John Street Theatre and the Park Theatre...
, painter, (Webster CountyWebster County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,294 people, 3,905 households, and 2,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 4,344 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
) - Sam GilliamSam GilliamSam Gilliam is internationally recognized as one of America's foremost Color Field Painter and Lyrical Abstractionist artists....
(born 1933), color fieldColor FieldColor Field painting is a style of abstract painting that emerged in New York City during the 1940s and 1950s. It was inspired by European modernism and closely related to Abstract Expressionism, while many of its notable early proponents were among the pioneering Abstract Expressionists...
painter, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Theora Hamblett (1895–1977), painter, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Ted JacksonTed JacksonTed M. Jackson is senior staff photographer for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, Louisiana. He contributes to the newspaper’s extensive gallery of photographs of events in the Greater New Orleans Area....
(born 1955), photographer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Chris LeDouxChris LeDouxChris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
(1948–2005), bronze sculptor, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Ed McGowin, sculptor/painter, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Fred MitchellFred Mitchell (artist)Fred Mitchell belonged to the New York School Abstract Expressionist artists whose influence and artistic innovation by the 1950s had been recognized around the world...
(born 1923), abstract expressionist painter, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Ethel Wright Mohamed (1906–1992), stitchery artist, (BelzoniBelzoni, MississippiBelzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County...
) - George E. OhrGeorge E. OhrGeorge Edgar Ohr was an American ceramic artist and the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi." In recognition of his innovative experimentation with modern clay forms from 1880–1910, some...
(1857–1918), potter, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - J. Kim SessumsJ. Kim SessumsDr. J. Kim Sessums is an American artist and physician, best known for his sculptures. Sessums resides in Brookhaven, Mississippi.Sessums earned his medical degree at the University of Mississippi. The University later installed his six-foot statue of University of Mississippi football coach John...
, bronze sculptor and painter, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Floyd ShamanFloyd ShamanFloyd Shaman was a prominent twentieth century American sculptor.-Life:Born in Wyoming, Shaman lived in several parts of the state in his early years and briefly in Seattle, Washington where his parents worked in the aircraft industry as part of the war effort. He graduated high school from...
(died 2005), sculptor, (ClevelandCleveland, MississippiCleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 census.Cleveland has a fairly large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. Highway 61...
) - Jack Spencer (born 1951), photographer, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - Glennray TutorGlennray TutorGlennray Tutor is an American painter who is known for his photorealistic paintings. He is considered to be part of the Photorealism art movement. His paintings are immersed with bright colors, nostalgic items, metaphor, and with a complete focus on detail...
(born 1950), painter, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - James W. Washington, Jr.James W. Washington, Jr.James W. Washington, Jr. was an African-American painter and sculptor who grew into prominence in the Seattle, Washington, art community.-Life:...
(1908–2000), painter and sculptor, (GlosterGloster, MississippiGloster is a town in Amite County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.T. T...
) - Dick WatermanDick WatermanDick Waterman is an American writer, promoter and photographer, who has been influential in the development and recording of the blues since the 1960s.-Life and career:...
(born 1935), photographer and blues promoter, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
)
Broadcast media personalities
- Alex BonnerAlex BonnerOdie Alex Bonner was a radio and television and broadcast media executive. His career spanned over 40 years at RKO and its Memphis ABC affiliate stations WHBQ-AM-FM and WHBQ-TV....
(1926–2003), broadcast media executive, (MarksMarks, MississippiMarks is a city in Quitman County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,551. It is the county seat of Quitman County...
) - Campbell BrownCampbell BrownCampbell Brown is an American television news reporter and anchor. She previously hosted an eponymous primetime show on CNN and was formerly co-anchor of NBC's Weekend Today...
(born 1968), CNN anchor, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Paul Gallo (born 1947), radio host, (ShawShaw, MississippiShaw is a city in Bolivar and Sunflower Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region. The named derived from an old Indian tribe northeast of this region. The population was 2,312 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
) - Lee HabeebLee HabeebLee Habeeb is one of America's leading conservative talk radio producers.He was the co-creator and Executive Producer of The Laura Ingraham Show which cracked the Talkers Magazine Top 5 in America in five years, becoming the #1 show in its daily time slot 9:00 am–noon ET...
(born 1961), conservative talk radio producer, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Chris McDanielChris McDanielChristopher McDaniel , is an attorney, conservative commentator and a Republican politician in the Mississippi Senate who has represented the 42nd District, which encompasses part of South Mississippi, since 2008...
(born 1971), conservative talk show host and state senator (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Angela McGlowanAngela McGlowanAngela McGlowan is a political commentator and CEO of Political Strategies & Insights , a government affairs, political strategy, public relations, and advocacy consulting firm based in Oxford, Mississippi, with an office in Washington, D.C...
(born 1970), Fox News political commentator, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Robin RobertsRobin Roberts (newscaster)Robin René Roberts is an American television broadcaster. Roberts is the co-anchor of ABC's morning show Good Morning America-Early life:...
(born 1960), newscaster, (Pass ChristianPass Christian, MississippiPass Christian , nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, along the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Norman RobinsonNorman Robinson (television news reporter)Norman Hollis Robinson is news anchor for WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 , where he has worked in the news department since 1992...
(born 1951), news anchor, (ToomsubaLauderdale County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 people per square mile . There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
) - Tavis SmileyTavis SmileyTavis Smiley is a talk show host, author, liberal political commentator, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and grew up in Kokomo, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of...
(born 1964), talk show host, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Shepard SmithShepard SmithDavid Shepard Smith, Jr. , known better as Shepard Smith, is an American television news anchor. He is host of Fox Report with Shepard Smith and Studio B weekdays on Fox News Channel. In addition, he anchors the 5:00 p.m...
(born 1964), Fox News anchor, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Oprah WinfreyOprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
(born 1954), talk show host, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - Vivian Brown (The Weather Channel) Greenville, Mississippi
Comedians
- Jerry ClowerJerry ClowerHoward Gerald "Jerry" Clower was a popular country comedian best known for his stories of the rural South. He was often nicknamed "The Mouth of the South", although this title has also been used for other individuals.Clower began a 2-year stint in the Navy immediately after graduating high school...
(1926–1998), (LibertyLiberty, MississippiLiberty is a town in Amite County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 633 at the 2000 census...
) - David L. CookDavid L. CookDavid L. Cook is an American Christian country music singer-songwriter, comedian and a multiple Emmy Award and Telly Award winner. Born to Donnell and June Cook , David is the oldest of six children....
(born 1968), (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Mack DrydenMack DrydenMack Leon Dryden is an American comedian, motivational speaker, actor, illustrator, and writer.-Early life:Dryden was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi at Jackson County Hospital, which is also where famous singer Jimmy Buffett was born. His parents are Neva and Herbert Dryden...
(born 1949), (Moss PointMoss Point, MississippiMoss Point is a city, north of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 17,653 at the 2000 census.On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed .-Geography:Moss Point is...
) - Tig NotaroTig NotaroTig Notaro, born Carl Notaro, is an American stand-up comic."Tig" is a nickname, bestowed upon her by her brother when both were children. Her great-great-grandfather was the mayor of New Orleans....
, stand-up comedy, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
)
Educators
- James Madison CarpenterJames Madison CarpenterJames Madison Carpenter, born in Blacklands, Mississippi in 1888, was a Methodist minister and scholar of American and British folklore. He received his bachelor and masters of arts degrees from the University of Mississippi, and a PhD from Harvard in 1929. He is most known for his substantial...
(1888–1983), folklorist, (Prentiss CountyPrentiss County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,556 people, 9,821 households, and 7,169 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 10,681 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
) - Jesse DukeminierJesse DukeminierJesse Dukeminier was a professor of law for 40 years at the University of California, Los Angeles, and authored or co-authored a significant number of articles and textbooks in the areas of property law, wills, trusts, and estates...
(1925–2003), professor of law, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
) - William R. FerrisWilliam R. FerrisWilliam Reynolds Ferris is an American author and scholar and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities...
(born 1942), folklorist, chairman of National Endowment for the HumanitiesNational Endowment for the HumanitiesThe National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - George W. GraceGeorge W. GraceGeorge W. Grace, born on 8 September 1921 in Corinth, Mississippi and raised on the Gulf Coast, is an emeritus professor of linguistics at the University of Hawaii specializing in historical and comparative linguistics, ethnolinguistics, and Austronesian languages, especially the Oceanic languages...
(born 1921), linguist, (CorinthCorinth, MississippiCorinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
) - Robert KhayatRobert Khayat-External links:*...
(born 1938), chancellor of the University of Mississippi, (Moss PointMoss Point, MississippiMoss Point is a city, north of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 17,653 at the 2000 census.On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed .-Geography:Moss Point is...
) - Mamie LockeMamie LockeMamie E. Locke is an American politician and educator. A Democrat, she was a member of the Hampton, Virginia city council 1996–2004, and mayor 2000–2004. In November 2003, she was elected to the Senate of Virginia. She the 2nd District, made up of parts of the cities of Hampton,...
(born 1954), political scientist, dean at Hampton UniversityHampton UniversityHampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - John A. Lomax (1867–1948), folklorist, (GoodmanGoodman, MississippiGoodman is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,252 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace of John A. Lomax , pioneering folklorist, andDavid Herbert Donald , Pulitzer-prize-winning historian....
) - Frances LucasFrances LucasDr. Frances Lucas is the Vice President and Campus Executive Officer of in Long Beach, Mississippi.-Personal life:Dr. Lucas is the daughter of Dr. Aubrey K...
(born 1957), president of Millsaps CollegeMillsaps CollegeMillsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Walter E. MasseyWalter E. MasseyWalter Eugene Massey is an educator, physicist, and business executive. He is the current President of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the former Chairman of Bank of America, replacing Ken Lewis on April 29, 2009...
(born 1938), physicist, University of Chicago, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - William H. MillerWilliam H. Miller (chemistry)William H. Miller is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and is a leading researcher in the field of theoretical chemistry. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science members. He was the 2007 recipient of the...
(born 1941), theoretical chemistTheoretical chemistryTheoretical chemistry seeks to provide theories that explain chemical observations. Often, it uses mathematical and computational methods that, at times, require advanced knowledge. Quantum chemistry, the application of quantum mechanics to the understanding of valency, is a major component of...
, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - William MuseWilliam MuseWilliam Van Muse was the President of the University of Akron from 1984 to 1992, of Auburn University from 1992 to 2001, and Chancellor of East Carolina University from 2001 to 2003.-Biography:...
, chancellor at East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in... - Rod PaigeRod PaigeRoderick Raynor "Rod" Paige served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. Paige, who grew up in Mississippi, built a career on a belief that education equalizes opportunity, moving from classroom teacher to college dean and school superintendent to be the first African...
(born 1933), U.S. secretary of education, (MonticelloMonticello, MississippiMonticello is a town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Monticello is located at ....
) - Dan ReneauDan ReneauDaniel Dugan Reneau is the current president of Louisiana Tech University.A native of Woodville, Mississippi, Reneau graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1963 and earned a master's degree from Louisiana Tech in 1964. He received his Ph.D. in...
(born 1940), president of Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
(WoodvilleWoodville, MississippiWoodville is a town in and the county seat of Wilkinson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2000 census.The Woodville Republican, a weekly newspaper founded in 1823, is the oldest surviving business in Mississippi.-Geography:Woodville is located at .According to...
) - Roy Vernon ScottRoy Vernon ScottRoy Vernon Scott is a Professor Emeritus of history at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, who specialized in agricultural and railroad studies in the American South and Midwest...
(born 1927), historian, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Jimmy G. ShoalmireJimmy G. ShoalmireJimmy Gayle Shoalmire was an historian of the American South originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, who specialized in Reconstruction and agricultural studies.-Early years and education:...
(1940–1982), historian (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Louis WesterfieldLouis WesterfieldLouis Westerfield was a lawyer, law professor and served as the first African-American Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law.-Early years:...
(born 1949), law professor, first African-American Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law, (De KalbDe Kalb, MississippiDe Kalb is a town in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 972 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kemper County.-Geography:De Kalb is located at ....
) - Fannie C. WilliamsFannie C. WilliamsFannie C. Williams,1882-1980 an educator, was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. In 1904, she graduated from Straight College, a school that later merged with New Orleans University. In 1920, she received two degrees from Michigan State College, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Pedagogy.When...
(1882–1980), normal school educator (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
)
Entrepreneurs and business leaders
- Jim BarksdaleJim BarksdaleJim Barksdale was the president and CEO of Netscape Communications Corporation from January 1995 until the company merged with AOL in March 1999.-Early life:...
(born 1943), president and CEO of Netscape, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - James Breckenridge SpeedJames Breckenridge SpeedJames Breckenridge Speed was a successful businessman in Louisville, Kentucky and an important philanthropist....
(1844–1912), industrial pioneer - Fred Carl, Jr.Fred Carl, Jr.Fred E. Carl, Jr. is founder and current president and chief executive officer of Viking Range Corporation, a manufacturer of professional kitchen appliances for use in the home. Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, Carl attended Greenwood High School, graduating in 1966. He then continued his...
, founder of Viking Range CorporationViking RangeViking Range Corporation is a privately held company that manufactures ultra high-end professional kitchen appliances for home use. Viking originated the "professional" segment of kitchen appliances with its introduction of the first professional-grade range for home use in 1987...
, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Cully CobbCully CobbCully Alton Cobb, Sr. , was an agricultural pioneer, educator, printer, journalist, and philanthropist in the American South who with his second wife, Lois Dowdle Cobb , co-founded the Cobb Institute of Archaeology on the campus of Mississippi State University at Starkville, Mississippi.-Early...
(1884–1975), agricultural publisher - Bernard "Bernie" EbbersBernard EbbersBernard John "Bernie" Ebbers is a Canadian-born businessman. He co-founded the telecommunications company WorldCom and is a former chief executive officer of that company....
(born 1941), founder and CEO of WorldCom, convicted of fraud and conspiracy, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Joshua GreenJoshua Green (seaman and banker)Joshua Green was an American sternwheeler captain, businessman, and banker. He rose from being a seaman to being the dominant figure of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet, then sold out his interests and became a banker...
(1869–1975), shipping magnate, banker, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Sam Haskell (born 1955), former worldwide head of television for the William Morris AgencyWilliam Morris AgencyWME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
, (AmoryAmory, MississippiAmory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
) - Robert L. JohnsonRobert L. JohnsonRobert L. Johnson is an American business magnate best known for being the founder of television network Black Entertainment Television , and is also its former chairman and chief executive officer...
(born 1946), founder of Black Entertainment TelevisionBlack Entertainment TelevisionBlack Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
, (HickoryHickory, MississippiHickory is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 499 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Andrew Jackson, nicknamed "Old Hickory," who passed through the area on his way to fight the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.-Geography:Hickory is located...
) - Ken LewisKen Lewis (executive)Kenneth D. "Ken" Lewis is the former CEO, President, and Chairman of Bank of America, the largest bank in the United States and second largest in the world. On September 30th, 2009 Bank of America confirmed that Ken Lewis would be retiring by the end of the year...
(born 1947), Chairman, CEO, and President of Bank of America Corporation, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Walter E. MasseyWalter E. MasseyWalter Eugene Massey is an educator, physicist, and business executive. He is the current President of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the former Chairman of Bank of America, replacing Ken Lewis on April 29, 2009...
(born 1938), corporate executive and board member of several organizations, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Glenn McCulloughGlenn McCulloughGlenn L. McCullough, Jr. is a businessman, former Mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi, former chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority. McCullough lost the Republican nomination for Mississippi's 2008 1st congressional district special election.McCullough is a sixth generation Mississippian...
(born 1954), chairman and CEO of GLM Associates, LLC, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Charles MoormanCharles MoormanCharles W. "Wick" Moorman is the Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern; he succeeded David R. Goode on February 1, 2006. The action was taken by Norfolk Southern’s board of directors...
(born 1953), CEO of Norfolk Southern, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Clarence Otis, Jr.Clarence Otis, Jr.Clarence Otis, Jr. is an American businessman and CEO of Darden Restaurants. Otis was named the 11th most powerful person in Central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel in 2010.- Early life :...
(born 1956), CEO of Darden RestaurantsDarden RestaurantsDarden Restaurants, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. The firm owns several casual dining restaurant chains, most notably Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Red Lobster...
, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Hartley PeaveyHartley PeaveyHartley Peavey is a founder and CEO of Peavey Electronics Corporation and a well-known innovator in the musical equipment industry. A 1965 graduate of Mississippi State University, Peavey has been recognized by his alma mater as an Alumni Fellow and as the 2004 commencement speaker...
(born 1941), founder of Peavey ElectronicsPeavey ElectronicsPeavey Electronics Corporation is one of the largest audio equipment manufacturers in the world, headquartered in Meridian, Mississippi in the United States.- History :...
, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Pig Foot Mary (1870–1929), culinary entrepreneur, (Mississippi DeltaMississippi DeltaThe Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
) - Robert "Bob" Pittman, founder MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, former CEO and COO AOLAOLAOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - J. H. RushJ. H. RushJesse Hackley Rush was an American physician who founded the first private hospital in Meridian, Mississippi.Rush was born in De Kalb, Mississippi...
(1868–1931), founder of Rush's Infirmary, the first private hospital in Meridian, MississippiMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, (De KalbDe Kalb, MississippiDe Kalb is a town in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 972 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kemper County.-Geography:De Kalb is located at ....
) - Fred SmithFrederick W. SmithFred Sidney Smith III , or Fred Smith, is the founder, chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx, originally known as Federal Express, the first overnight express delivery company in the world, and the largest in the United States...
(born 1944), founder of FedExFedExFedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
, (MarksMarks, MississippiMarks is a city in Quitman County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,551. It is the county seat of Quitman County...
) - Antonio Maceo WalkerA. Maceo WalkerA. Maceo Walker was an African-American businessman who served as president of the Universal Life Insurance Company of Memphis, Tennessee.-Biography:...
(1909–1994), president of the Universal Life Insurance Company of Memphis, Tennessee, (IndianolaIndianola, MississippiIndianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
)
Filmmakers
- Charles BurnettCharles Burnett (director)Charles Burnett is an African-American film director, film producer, writer, editor, actor, photographer, and cinematographer...
(born 1944), (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Jamaa FanakaJamaa FanakaJamaa Fanaka is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his 1979 film, Penitentiary and is one of the leading directors of the L.A. Rebellion film movement.-Early life and education :...
(born 1942), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - John FortenberryJohn FortenberryJohn Fortenberry is an American film and television director. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he graduated from the University of Mississippi in Film/Television...
, film and television director, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Lawrence Gordon (born 1936), producer of Die HardDie HardDie Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
and other films, (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Jonathan MurrayJonathan MurrayJonathan Murray is an American television producer and co-creator of MTV's The Real World, Road Rules, and the Oxygen Network's The Bad Girls Club.-Biography:...
(born 1955), creator of the reality TV genre, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Patrik-Ian PolkPatrik-Ian PolkPatrik-Ian Polk American film director, producer, screenwriter, singer, and actor. Polk, who is openly homosexual, is noted for his films that explore the LGBT experience and relationships....
(born 1973), (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Larry A. ThompsonLarry A. ThompsonLarry A. Thompson is a Hollywood film producer, personal manager, book packager, author, and motivational speaker. He is founder and President of the Larry Thompson Organization, a Los Angeles based Talent Management, Motion Picture, Television, and New Media Production Studio.Having managed the...
(born 1944), television and film producer, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
)
Inventors
- Earl W. BascomEarl W. BascomEarl W. Bascom was an American painter, printmaker, rodeo performer and sculptor, raised in Canada, who portrayed his own experiences cowboying and rodeoing across the American and Canadian West.- Childhood :...
(1906–1995), inventor of rodeo equipment, (ColumbiaColumbia, MississippiColumbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the...
) - Harry A. ColePine-SolPine-Sol is a registered trade name of Clorox for a line of household cleaning products. Although the original Pine-Sol formulation is pine oil based, all other cleaners sold under the Pine-Sol brand do not contain pine oil at all...
, inventor of Pine-SolPine-SolPine-Sol is a registered trade name of Clorox for a line of household cleaning products. Although the original Pine-Sol formulation is pine oil based, all other cleaners sold under the Pine-Sol brand do not contain pine oil at all...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Joseph NewmanJoseph Newman (inventor)The Energy Machine of Joseph Newman is a DC motor which the inventor claims will produce mechanical power exceeding the electrical power being supplied to it. In the 1980's, Newman attempted to patent the device, but was rejected by the United States Patent Office...
, inventor of the Newman motor, (LucedaleLucedale, MississippiLucedale is a city in George County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,458 at the 2000 census...
) - Henry SampsonHenry Sampson (inventor)Henry Thomas Sampson, Jr. is an American inventor.He graduated from high school in 1951 from Lanier High School in Jackson, Mississippi. He then attended Morehouse College for a couple of years before transferring to Purdue University where he became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity...
(born 1934), inventor, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Gail Borden (1801–1874), inventor of condensed milk, (Amite countyAmite County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,599 people, 5,271 households, and 3,879 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 6,446 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
)
Jurists and lawyers
- Rhesa H. BarksdaleRhesa H. BarksdaleRhesa Hawkins Barksdale is a United States federal judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.-Early life, education and legal training:...
(born 1944), federal judge (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Neal Brooks Biggers Jr.Neal Brooks Biggers Jr.Neal Brooks Biggers Jr. is a United States federal judge.Born in Corinth, Mississippi, Biggers received a B.A. from Millsaps College in 1956 and was in the United States Navy from 1956 to 1960, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. He received a J.D. from the University of Mississippi Law School in...
(born 1935), federal judge (CorinthCorinth, MississippiCorinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
) - William Joel BlassWilliam Joel BlassWilliam Joel Blass is an American war veteran, attorney, educator, and politician.Joel Blass was born in Clinton, MS and was educated in Mississippi and Louisiana during the Great Depression. He graduated from Louisiana State University School of Law in 1940 and received a commission as Second...
(born 1917), attorney, (WigginsWiggins, MississippiWiggins is a city in Stone County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,849 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Stone County.-History:...
/GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Gerald ChathamGerald ChathamGerald Weissinger Chatham was an American lawyer best known for acting as lead prosecutor in the infamous Emmett Till case in 1955.-Biography:...
(1906–1956), lawyer, lead prosecutor in the Emmett TillEmmett TillEmmett Louis "Bobo" Till was an African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after reportedly flirting with a white woman. Till was from Chicago, Illinois visiting his relatives in the Mississippi Delta region when he spoke to 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant, the married...
case, (HernandoHernando, MississippiHernando is a city in central DeSoto County, Mississippi. The population was 6,812 at the 2000 census. The 2006 census estimate reflects a population of 10,580. Hernando is the county seat of DeSoto County, the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area. US Hwy 51 and the I-55...
) - Bobby DeLaughterBobby DeLaughterRobert "Bobby" DeLaughter is an American Mississippi state prosecutor, judge, and author. He is notable for prosecuting and securing the conviction in 1994 of Byron De La Beckwith, charged with the murder of the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963...
(born 1954), prosecutor, judge (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jess H. DickinsonJess H. DickinsonThe Hon. Jess Hays Dickinson is a Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. He represents District 2 Place 1.Dickinson was born in Charleston, Mississippi. His mother was Laura Augusta Hays...
(born 1947), associate justice, Supreme Court of Mississippi, (CharlestonCharleston, MississippiCharleston is a city in North Central Mississippi and one of the county seats of Tallahatchie County. The population was 2,198 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Charleston is located at ....
) - Boyce HollemanBoyce HollemanJesse Boyce Holleman was an American war veteran, attorney, politician, and actor.Boyce Holleman was born in Fruitland Park, MS, to a family that made their living in timber and construction. As a Naval Aviator in World War II, he was shot down while making a bomb run during the invasion of Saipan...
(1924–2003), attorney, (WigginsWiggins, MississippiWiggins is a city in Stone County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,849 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Stone County.-History:...
/GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Frank Hunger (born 1936), assistant U.S. attorney general, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - E. Grady JollyE. Grady JollyE. Grady Jolly is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His chambers are in Jackson, Mississippi....
(born 1937), judge of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, (LouisvilleLouisville, MississippiLouisville is a city in Winston County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,006 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Winston County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
) - Charles W. PickeringCharles W. PickeringCharles Willis Pickering, Sr. is a retired federal judge who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.- Background :...
(born 1937), federal judge, (Jones CountyJones County, Mississippi-History:Jones County, formed out parts of Covington and Wayne counties, was established on January 24, 1826 and was named for John Paul Jones. There are other counties named Jones, but it appears that this is the only one named for John Paul Jones...
) - Thomas RodneyThomas RodneyThomas "Tommy" Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from Jones Neck in St. Jones Hundred, Kent County, Delaware and Natchez, Mississippi...
(1744–1811), federal judge, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Richard "Dickie" ScruggsRichard ScruggsRichard F. "Dickie" Scruggs is an American former A6A naval aviator, a prominent trial lawyer, one of the richest men in Mississippi, and the brother-in-law of former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott. Scruggs first came to the public eye after successfully suing the asbestos industry on...
(born 1946), attorney, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Michael B. ThorntonMichael B. ThorntonMichael B. Thornton is a judge of the United States Tax Court.-Education:Thornton graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in Accounting in 1976. In 1977, he graduated from the same school with a M.S. in Accounting. In 1979, he graduated with a M.A. in...
(born 1954), judge, U.S. Tax Court - Michael Wallace (born 1951), lawyer, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - James R. WilliamsJames R. Williams (lawyer)James R. Williams in Columbus, Mississippi is a U.S. lawyer, politician and jurist.Williams received his undergraduate and juris doctorate degree from University of Akron.Williams supported gun control as an Akron, Ohio councilman....
(born 1936), lawyer and jurist, (ColumbusColumbus, MississippiColumbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
)
Military figures
- William Wirt AdamsWilliam Wirt AdamsWilliam Wirt Adams was a United States district court judge for the state of Mississippi, a soldier for the Republic of Texas, and a Confederate officer and general in the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
(1819–1888), brigadier general, CSA, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Van T. BarfootVan T. BarfootVan Thurman Barfoot is a retired United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
(born 1919), World War II colonel and Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient, (EdinburgLeake County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 20,940 people, 7,611 households, and 5,563 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 8,585 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
) - William BarksdaleWilliam BarksdaleWilliam Barksdale was a lawyer, newspaper editor, U.S. Congressman, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
(1821–1863), brigadier general, CSA, died at GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - William BillingsleyWilliam Billingsley-Biography:Born in Winona, Mississippi, William Billingsley graduated from the Naval Academy in 1909. On December 2, 1912, he reported for duty at the Aviation Camp, Annapolis, MD and was assigned to the Navy-Wright B-2 for instruction....
(1887–1913), ensign, first Navy aviator killed in an airplane crash, (WinonaWinona, MississippiWinona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
) - Alvin C. CockrellAlvin C. CockrellAlvin Chester Cockrell, Jr. was born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, on September 18, 1918, and was enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on May 1, 1937.-Navy career:...
(1918–1942), second lieutenant, USMC, killed in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, (Hazelhurst) - Nathan Bedford ForrestNathan Bedford ForrestNathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
(1821–1877), general, CSA, (HernandoHernando, MississippiHernando is a city in central DeSoto County, Mississippi. The population was 6,812 at the 2000 census. The 2006 census estimate reflects a population of 10,580. Hernando is the county seat of DeSoto County, the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area. US Hwy 51 and the I-55...
) - Walter "Smokey" Gordon (1920–1997), World War II veteran, portrayed in the HBO mini-series Band Of Brothers
- Jeffery HammondJeffery HammondMajor General Jeffery W. Hammond is a United States Army officer service. He is currently the Chief of Staff service Forces Command...
(born 1978), major general, U.S. Army (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Randolph M. HolderRandolph M. HolderRandolph Mitchell Holder was born September 20, 1918 in Jackson, Mississippi, and was commissioned Ensign April 10, 1940 following flight training...
(1918–1942), USN lieutenant (junior grade), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Felix HustonFelix HustonFelix Huston was a lawyer, soldier and the first commanding general of the Army of the Republic of Texas.Huston was born in Kentucky. He was a slave trader, planter and Whig politician and attorney in Natchez, Mississippi...
(1800–1857), general, Texas army, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Samuel Reeves KeeslerSamuel Reeves KeeslerSamuel Reeves Keesler, Jr. was a member of the United States Army Air Service in World War I....
(1896–1918), Army aviator, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Newt KnightNewton KnightCaptain Newton Knight was the grandson of John "Jackie" Knight, who was awarded land grants for his service in the War of 1812 in Jones County, Mississippi and owned slaves. Unlike many in his family and his state Newton Knight was against slavery and favored equality between races...
(1837–1922), Unionist leader, (Jones CountyJones County, Mississippi-History:Jones County, formed out parts of Covington and Wayne counties, was established on January 24, 1826 and was named for John Paul Jones. There are other counties named Jones, but it appears that this is the only one named for John Paul Jones...
) - Roy Joseph MarchandRoy Joseph Marchand-Navy career:He enlisted in the United States Navy 18 October 1939. After duty in USS San Francisco , USS Boise , and USS Henderson , he was transferred to USS Pecos 2 May 1940.-Awarded Silver Star:...
(1920–1942), World War II fireman first class, (CrandallClarke County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,955 people, 6,978 households, and 5,024 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 8,100 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
) - Henry Pinckney McCainHenry Pinckney McCainHenry Pinckney McCain was an officer in the United States Army who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1914 to 1918.-Life and career:...
(1861–1941), adjutant general, US Army, (Carroll CountyCarroll County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,769 people, 4,071 households, and 3,069 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 4,888 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
) - John S. McCain, Sr.John S. McCain, Sr.John Sidney "Slew" McCain Sr. was a U.S. Navy admiral. He held several command assignments during the Pacific campaign of World War II....
(1884–1945), USN admiral, (TeocTeoc, MississippiTeoc is an unincorporated community in Carroll County, Mississippi and is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area approximately northeast of Greenwood on Teoc Road along Teoc Creek.....
) - Donald H. PetersonDonald H. PetersonDonald Herod Peterson is a retired United States Air Force officer and a former USAF and NASA astronaut. He was born in Winona, Mississippi, on October 22, 1933...
(born 1933), USAF colonel and NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut, (WinonaWinona, MississippiWinona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
) - Charles Read (1840–1890), naval officer, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Viola B. SandersViola B. SandersViola Brown Sanders served as deputy director of Women in the Navy from 1958 to 1960, and in 1962 was appointed as the 6th director of Women in the Navy .- Biography :...
(born 1921), USN captain, director of women, U.S. Navy, (SidonSidon, MississippiSidon is a town in Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 672 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area.-Geography:Sidon is located at ....
) - Daniel Isom SultanDaniel Isom SultanGeneral Daniel Isom Sultan, was an American General during World War II. He fought in the China-Burma-India theater at the last half of the war....
(1885–1947), inspector general, U.S. Army, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - James Monroe TrotterJames Monroe TrotterJames Monroe Trotter was born into slavery in Grand Gulf, Mississippi to a slave named Letitia and her master Richard S. Trotter. Letitia, along with her two sons, James Monroe and Charles Trotter, escaped on the Underground Railroad to Cincinnati, Ohio...
(1842–1892), first man of color to achieve rank of 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army, music historian, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Richard H. TrulyRichard H. TrulyRichard Harrison Truly is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, Naval Aviator, former astronaut, and was the eighth Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1989 to 1992...
(born 1937), USN vice-admiral, astronaut, NASA administrator, (FayetteFayette, MississippiFayette is a city in Jefferson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,242 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jefferson County.-Geography:Fayette is located at ....
) - Louis Wilson, Jr. (1920-2005), Commandant of the Marine Corps and Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient, Brandon, MississippiBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
Models
- Jennifer AdcockJennifer AdcockJennifer Leigh Adcock is a beauty queen from Hattiesburg, Mississippi who has competed at Miss America and Miss USA.Adcock won her first pageant in 1998 when she became Mississippi’s Junior Miss and competed in the nationally televised America's Junior Miss Pageant, where she won the Overall...
(born 1980), Miss MississippiMiss Mississippi:For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Mississippi USAMiss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America...
2002 and Miss Mississippi USAMiss Mississippi USAThe Miss Mississippi USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Mississippi in the Miss USA pageant.Mississippi has not been very successful in Miss USA pageants, with only 10 placements as of 2010...
2005, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Kristi AddisKristi AddisKristi Addis Hickman is a former beauty queen from Holcomb, Mississippi who won the title Miss Teen USA 1987 as Kristi Lynn Addis.Addis became the first Miss Mississippi Teen USA to place at Miss Teen USA, when she won the title in the pageant held in El Paso, Texas on July 21, 1987.After her reign...
(born 1971), Miss Teen USAMiss Teen USAMiss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1987, (HolcombHolcomb, MississippiHolcomb is an unincorporated community in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. Located eleven miles west of Grenada, the community was founded in 1901 on land that once was the home site of Choctaw Indian Chief Isaac Perry.-External links :...
) - Susan AkinSusan AkinSusan Akin, is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Meridian, Mississippi who won Miss America 1986. Born in 1965, she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women at the University of Mississippi....
(born 1965), Miss Mississippi 1985 and Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1986, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Jenna Edwards (born 1981), former Miss FloridaMiss FloridaThe Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
and Miss Florida USAMiss Florida USAThe Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - Ruth FordRuth Ford (actress)Ruth Ford was an American model and stage and film actress. Her brother was the bohemian surrealist Charles Henri Ford. Their parents managed the Tennessee Hotel in Clarksville, Tennessee.-Life and career:As a model she posed for Harper's, Town and Country and Mademoiselle...
(born 1915), model, (HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
) - Taryn FosheeTaryn FosheeTaryn Foshee, a Clinton, Mississippi native, is a beauty queen who won the 2003 Miss Clinton pageant while a pupil at Hillcrest Christian School and received a commendation from the Mississippi Legislature....
, Miss Mississippi 2006, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Lauren JonesLauren JonesLauren Lorraine Jones is an American fashion designer, business woman, former film and television actress, model, former Barker's Beauty on The Price Is Right, entrepreneur, and the CEO and Co-Founder of her eponymous brand product marketing company, Lauren Jones Footwear.-Early life:Jones was...
(born 1982), model, Barker's Beauty on The Price is Right, shoe line namesake (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - June JuanicoJune JuanicoJune Juanico is a former beauty queen and an Elvis Presley fan from Biloxi, Mississippi, whom the famous rock 'n' roll singer dated in 1955 and 1956, for instance, when he took three weeks of vacation after having recorded his songs "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" in the studio in Memphis,...
(born 1938), beauty queen known for dating Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in 1955 and 1956, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Nan KelleyNan KelleyNan Kelley is a former Miss Mississippi who later became a host and correspondent for the Great American Country cable television network.-Early life and career:...
, Miss Mississippi 1985 and GAC's Top 20 Country CountdownTop 20 Country CountdownTop 20 Country Countdown is a television program that airs on Great American Country, a United States Country Music television station. Fans vote for their favorite videos at and the results are counted down every Friday...
hostess, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Kendra KingKendra KingKendra King is a beauty queen from Monticello, Mississippi who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.She won the Miss Mississippi USA 2006 title in late 2005. This was the first time she had competed for the title, and she was crowned by outgoing titleholder Jennifer Adcock...
, Miss Mississippi USA 2006, (MonticelloMonticello, MississippiMonticello is a town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Monticello is located at ....
) - Christine KozlowskiChristine KozlowskiChristine Kozlowski is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Mississippi on June 28, 2008. Kozlowski, a native of D'Iberville, is of Polish and Latina descent and is the first Miss Mississippi of Latina heritage....
, Miss Mississippi 2008, (D'IbervilleD'Iberville, MississippiD'Iberville is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, immediately north of Biloxi, across the back bay. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Leah LavianoLeah LavianoLeah Laviano is a beauty queen from Ellisville, Mississippi who competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2008.-Miss Mississippi USA:Laviano competed in her first Miss Universe Organization state pageant in 2005, finishing first runner-up to Raegan Raulston at Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2006...
(born 1988), Miss Mississippi USA 2008, and 1st runner up in Miss USAMiss USAThe Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
2008, (EllisvilleEllisville, MississippiEllisville is a city in Jones County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,465 at the time of the 2000 census.-History:The city is named for Powhatan Ellis, a former U.S. Senator for Mississippi and descendant of Chief Powhatan, father of Pocahontas...
) - Monica LouwerensMonica LouwerensMonica Louwerens is a beauty queen from Canada who has competed in the Miss America pageant and has appeared on numerous episodes of Power Rangers....
(born 1973), Miss Mississippi 1995, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - LypsinkaJohn EppersonJohn Epperson is an American drag artist, actor, pianist, vocalist and writer who is mainly known for creating his stage character Lypsinka. As Lypsinka he is lip-synching to meticulously edited show-length soundtracks culled from snippets of outrageous 20th-century female performances in movies...
(born 1955), drag performer and model, (HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
) - Lynda Lee MeadLynda Lee MeadLynda Lee Mead Shea attended the University of Mississippi, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority, and won the Miss America pageant in 1960...
(born c.1939), Miss America 1960, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Mary Ann MobleyMary Ann MobleyMary Ann Mobley is a former Miss America, actress, and television personality.-Career:After serving her reign as Miss America 1959, Mobley embarked on a career in both film and television...
(born 1939), Miss America 1959, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - Kimberly MorganKimberly MorganKimberly Nicole Morgan is an American singer, educator, and pageant titleholder. Morgan was crowned Miss Mississippi on July 14, 2007, becoming just the second African American woman to win that title. Morgan was a Top 16 semi-finalist at the 2008 Miss America pageant...
(born 1983), Miss Mississippi 2007, (TaylorTaylor, MississippiTaylor is a village in Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 500 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Taylor is located at ....
) - Cheryl PrewittCheryl PrewittCheryl Prewitt , from Ackerman, Mississippi was Miss America 1980. Cheryl Prewitt-Salem grew up in the community of Chester in Choctaw County, Mississippi. She is now married to Harry Salem, . She has two sons and a daughter who is deceased...
(born 1957), Miss America 1980, (AckermanAckerman, MississippiAckerman is a town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,696 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Choctaw County.It is named for an early landowner.-Geography:Ackerman is located at ....
) - Toni SeawrightToni SeawrightToni Deniece Seawright is an international actress and singer-songwriter. Seawright made history as the first African American to become Miss Mississippi and went on to place 4th runner-up in 1987’s Miss America Pageant.-Biography:Seawright attended Mississippi University for Women in Columbus,...
(born 1964), Miss Mississippi 1987 (first African-American winner), (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Naomi SimsNaomi SimsNaomi Ruth Sims was an African American model, businesswoman and author., who is widely credited as being the first African American supermodel.-Early life:...
(1948–2009), fashion model and author (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Ellen Stratton (born 1939), model and Playboy Playmate, (MariettaMarietta, MississippiMarietta is a town in Prentiss County, Mississippi in the United States. The population was 248 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Marietta is located at ....
) - Amy WessonAmy WessonAmy Wesson is an American fashion model from Tupelo, Mississippi.- Career :Wesson was discovered at age 16 while working at a clothing store in a shopping mall...
(born 1977), fashion model, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Cindy WilliamsCindy Williams (journalist)Cindy Williams is an award winning news anchor with WCSH6 in Portland, Maine. Williams has won several awards from the Associated Press and the Maine Association of Broadcasters for her anchoring and reporting.She has been with WCSH since 1989...
(born 1964), journalist and Miss Mississippi USA 1986 - Jalin WoodJalin WoodJalin Wood is a beauty queen from Waynesboro, Mississippi, who has competed in the Miss America pageant and competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2007....
(born 1981), Miss Mississippi 2004 and Miss Mississippi USA 2007, (WaynesboroWaynesboro, MississippiWaynesboro is a city in Wayne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Waynesboro is located at , just east of the Chickasawhay River....
)
Musicians and performers
- 3 Doors Down3 Doors Down3 Doors Down is an American rock band from Escatawpa formed in 1996. The band consists of Brad Arnold , Matt Roberts , Todd Harrell , Chris Henderson , and Greg Upchurch ....
, band, (EscatawpaEscatawpa, MississippiEscatawpa is a census-designated place in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,566 at the 2000 census.-History:...
) - John Luther AdamsJohn Luther AdamsJohn Luther Adams is a composer whose music is inspired by nature, especially the landscapes of Alaska where he has lived since 1978.-Biography:...
(born 1953), composer of music inspired by nature, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - AfromanAfromanJoseph Edgar Foreman , better known by his stage name Afroman, is an American rapper who came to prominence with his singles "Because I Got High" and "Crazy Rap". "Because I Got High" circulated around the Internet before becoming a hit worldwide...
(born 1974), comedy rapper, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Tommy AldridgeTommy AldridgeTommy Aldridge is a veteran heavy metal and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and vocalists, most notable being Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy.Self taught, Aldridge was inspired by Cream,...
(born 1950), drummer for Ozzy OsbourneOzzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and WhitesnakeWhitesnakeWhitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, (PearlPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Mose AllisonMose AllisonMose John Allison, Jr. is an American jazz blues pianist and singer.-Biography:...
(born 1927), jazz musician, (Tallahatchie CountyTallahatchie County, Mississippi-National protected areas:*Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge *Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,903 people, 5,263 households, and 3,826 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile...
) - Robert AndersonRobert Anderson (singer)Robert Anderson was an American gospel singer and composer.-Early years:Robert Anderson was born in Anguilla, Mississippi, and moved to Chicago with his family as a child. During his childhood, Anderson learned piano by ear and assisted Roberta Martin with coaching the Sunday school choir at the...
(1919–1995), gospel singer-composer and pianist, (AnguillaAnguilla, MississippiAnguilla is a town in Sharkey County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 907 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Anguilla is located at ....
) - Steve AzarSteve AzarStephen Thomas "Steve" Azar is an American country music artist. Azar was signed to River North Nashville in 1995, and he released his debut album on February 27, 1996. After leaving River North, Azar took time away from his music...
(born 1964), country singer, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Milton BabbittMilton BabbittMilton Byron Babbitt was an American composer, music theorist, and teacher. He is particularly noted for his serial and electronic music.-Biography:...
(1916–2011), composer, electronic music pioneer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Glen BallardGlen BallardGlen Ballard is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill , which won Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year" amongst others, and is ranked by the Rolling Stone amongst The 500 Greatest Albums of...
(born 1953), songwriter and record producer, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - David BannerDavid BannerLavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
(born 1973), rapper/producer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Matt BarlowMatt BarlowMatthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and police officer. He is the former lead singer for Iced Earth. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.-History:...
(born 1970), lead singer of the metal band Iced EarthIced EarthIced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Prentiss BarnesPrentiss BarnesPrentiss Barnes was an American rhythm and blues singer in the 1950s. Barnes was born in Magnolia, Mississippi. He sang bass for the legendary vocal group The Moonglows which had such hits as "Sincerely" and "The Ten Commandments of Love"...
(1925–2006), rhythm and blues singer, (MagnoliaMagnolia, MississippiMagnolia is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2071 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County, which lies within the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
) - Lance BassLance BassJames Lance Bass , best known as Lance Bass, is an American pop singer, dancer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to work in film and television...
(born 1979), member of pop group 'N Sync'N SyncN Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Jeff BatesJeff BatesJeffery Wayne "Jeff" Bates is an American country music artist. Signed to RCA Records in 2003, Bates released his debut album Rainbow Man that year. A second album, Leave the Light On, was released in 2005 on RCA. He left RCA in 2006. This album was followed by Jeff Bates in 2008 on the...
(born 1963), country music singer-songwriter, (Bunker Hill) - Beanland, jam band, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Robert BelfourRobert BelfourRobert "Wolfman" Belfour is an American blues musician. His father, Grant Belfour taught him the guitar at a young age and he continued his tutelage in the blues from musicians Otha Turner, R. L. Burnside, and Junior Kimbrough. Kimbrough, in particular, had a profound influence on him...
(born 1940), blues musician, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Carey BellCarey BellCarey Bell was an American blues musician, who played the harmonica in the Chicago blues style. Bell played harmonica and bass for other blues musicians during the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s before embarking on a solo career...
(1936–2007), Chicago bluesChicago bluesThe Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
harmonica player, (MaconMacon, MississippiMacon is a city in Noxubee County, Mississippi, United States, along the Noxubee River. The population was 2,461 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Noxubee County.-History:...
) - Big Time SarahBig Time SarahBig Time Sarah, is an American blues singer.-Biography:Sarah Streeter was raised in Chicago, Illinois, from early childhood, where she sang in gospel choirs in South Chicago churches...
(born 1953), blues singer, (ColdwaterColdwater, MississippiColdwater is a small town in Tate County, Mississippi, United States. It is in the Memphis Metropolitan Area or Mid-South. The population was 1,674 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coldwater is located at...
) - The Blackwood BrothersThe Blackwood BrothersThe Blackwood Brothers Quartet are an eight-time Grammy award-winning American Southern Gospel group. They have been around for 76 years, and were pioneers in the Christian music industry.-Musical career:...
, gospel singers, (Choctaw CountyChoctaw County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,758 people, 3,686 households, and 2,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 4,249 housing units at an...
) - James BlackwoodJames BlackwoodJames Webre Blackwood was an American Gospel singer and one of the founding members of legendary Southern Gospel quartet The Blackwood Brothers.-Biography:...
(1919–2002), one of The Blackwood Brothers, (Choctaw CountyChoctaw County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,758 people, 3,686 households, and 2,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 4,249 housing units at an...
) - Blind MelonBlind MelonBlind Melon is an American rock band active from 1989 to 1999, and from 2006 onward.Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock...
, Alternative rock and jam band, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Blind Mississippi MorrisBlind Mississippi MorrisBlind Mississippi Morris is an American blues artist.Cummings lost his sight at the age of four, but that did not stop him from learning the blues. Morris has become a popular blues act on Beale Street. Morris and his band, the Pocket Rockets, are known as the "real deal from Beale"...
(born 1955), blues artist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Blue MountainBlue Mountain (band)Blue Mountain is an American alt-country/roots rock band formed in 1991 in Oxford, Mississippi by husband and wife duo Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt , who is notably the twin sister of John Stirratt, the bass player for the like-minded Americana band Wilco.-History:After the dissolution of...
, alternative countryAlternative countryAlternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Lucille BoganLucille BoganLucille Bogan was an American blues singer, among the first to be recorded. She also recorded under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson...
(1897–1948), blues singer, (AmoryAmory, MississippiAmory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
) - Charley BookerCharley BookerCharley Booker was a blues singer and guitarist from the Mississippi Delta, who recorded in the early 1950s for Modern Records.-Early life and career:...
(1925–1989), blues singer and guitarist, (MoorheadMoorhead, MississippiMoorhead is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,573. The city includes the legendary blues crossroads "where the Southern cross the Dog"...
) - Eddie BoydEddie BoydEdward Riley Boyd known as Eddie Boyd was an American blues piano player, born on Stovall's Plantation near Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States.-Life and career:...
(1914–1994), blues musician, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Bobby BradfordBobby BradfordBobby Lee Bradford is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. He is noted for his work with Ornette Coleman...
(born 1934), jazz musician and composer, (ClevelandCleveland, MississippiCleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 census.Cleveland has a fairly large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. Highway 61...
) - Jan BradleyJan BradleyJan Bradley is an American soul singer.Bradley grew up in Robbins, Illinois. She was noticed by manager Don Talty at a high school talent show. After graduating, she auditioned for Curtis Mayfield, and soon recorded the Mayfield-penned "We Girls", which became a hit regionally in the Midwest...
(born 1943), soul singer, (ByhaliaByhalia, MississippiByhalia is a town in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 706 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
) - Cory BrananCory BrananCory Branan is an American singer-songwriter who was born in Southaven, Mississippi.-Trivia:He has a long association with Lucero. He performed backing vocals on the song "Sweet Little Thing" on Tennessee . He is also mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Tears Don't Matter Much" on That Much...
(born 1975), singer-songwriter, (Southhaven) - Jackie BrenstonJackie BrenstonJackie Brenston was an African American R&B singer and saxophonist, who recorded, with Ike Turner's band, the first version of the proto-rock and roll song "Rocket 88".-Biography:...
(1930–1979), American R&B singer and saxophonist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Big Bill BroonzyBig Bill BroonzyBig Bill Broonzy was a prolific American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s when he played country blues to mostly black audiences. Through the ‘30s and ‘40s he successfully navigated a transition in style to a more urban blues sound popular with white audiences...
(1898–1958), blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, (Scott CountyScott County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,423 people, 10,183 households, and 7,535 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,116 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
) - Eddie "Bongo" Brown (1932–1984), percussionist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Jimmy BuffettJimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
(born 1946), multi-genre singer-songwriter, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - R. L. BurnsideR. L. BurnsideNot to be confused with R. H. Burnside, stage director.R. L. Burnside , born Robert Lee Burnside, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who lived much of his life in and around Holly Springs, Mississippi. He played music for much of his life, but did not receive much attention...
(1926–2005), blues singer-songwriter, (HarmontownHarmontown, MississippiHarmontown is an unincorporated town in Lafayette County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. In the hill country of North Mississippi, Harmontown is located in the northwest corner of Lafayette County, just off MS 310 and just to the north of Sardis Lake. Towns surrounding Harmontown include Oxford,...
) - Jerry ButlerJerry Butler (singer)Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician...
(born 1939), soul singer-songwriter, (SunflowerSunflower, MississippiSunflower is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sunflower is located at ....
) - Cadillac Don & J-MoneyCadillac Don & J-MoneyCadillac Don and J-Money are a duo of Southern rap artists. The two grew up in Crawford, Mississippi, listening to blues and R&B but soon were drawn to the more aggressive nature of rap. Both Cadillac Don and J...
, rap duo, (CrawfordCrawford, MississippiCrawford is a town in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 655 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Crawford is located at ....
) - G. C. CameronG. C. CameronGeorge Curtis "G.C." Cameron is an American soul and R&B singer. G.C. is credited with having "six different voices."-The Spinners:...
(born 1945), soul and R&B singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Ace CannonAce CannonJohn "Ace" Cannon is an American tenor and alto saxophonist. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black’s Combo, and started a solo career with his record "Tuff" in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. "Tuff" hit #17 on the U.S...
(born 1934), tenor and alto saxophonist, (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - Gus CannonGus CannonGus Cannon was an American blues musician, who helped to popularize jug bands in the 1920s and 1930s. There is doubt about his birth year; his tombstone gives the date as 1874....
(1883–1979), jug band musician, (Red BanksMarshall County, Mississippi-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 34,993 people, 12,163 households and 9,110 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 per square mile . There were 13,252 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
) - Bo CarterBo CarterArmenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon was an American early blues musician. He was a member of the Mississippi Sheiks in concerts, and on a few of their recordings...
(1893–1964), blues singer, (BoltonBolton, MississippiBolton is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 629 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bolton is located at ....
) - Johnny CarverJohnny CarverJohnny Carver is an American country music artist. Between 1968 and 1977, he charted fifteen Top 40 hits on the Billboard country charts. His highest-charting single was a cover of Tony Orlando's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", a cover that reached #1 for him in 1974...
(born 1940), country singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - The Chambers BrothersThe Chambers BrothersThe Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
, soul music group, (Lee CountyLee County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tupelo National Battlefield-History:On September 20, 1816, General Andrew Jackson, David Meriwether, and the Chickasaw Nation signed the Treaty of Chickasaw Council House in Lee County.Lee County was...
) - Sam ChatmonSam ChatmonSam Chatmon was a Delta blues guitarist and singer. He was a member of the Mississippi Sheiks and may have been Charlie Patton's half brother.-Life and career:...
(1897–1983), blues singer, brother of Bo Carter, (BoltonBolton, MississippiBolton is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 629 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bolton is located at ....
) - Otis ClayOtis ClayOtis Clay is an American R&B and soul singer, who started in gospel music.-Life and career:...
(born 1942), R&B and soul musician, (WaxhawBolivar County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,633 people, 13,776 households, and 9,725 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile . There were 14,939 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
) - Chalmers CliftonChalmers CliftonChalmers Dancy Clifton was an American conductor and composer. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he wrote a number of orchestral works, and some chamber music as well. He served on the jury deciding the Pulitzer Prize in Music for a number of years.-External Links:...
(1889–1966), conductor and composer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Odia CoatesOdia CoatesOdia Coates was an American singer, best known for her work with Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka.-Early life:...
(1942–1991), singer, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Hank CochranHank CochranGarland Perry "Hank" Cochran was an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting during the 1960s, Cochran was a prolific songwriter in the genre, including major hits by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy Arnold and others...
(born 1935), country music singer-songwriter, (IsolaIsola, MississippiIsola is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi. The population was 768 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Isola is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
) - Bill CodayBill CodayBill Coday was born in Coldwater, Mississippi, and as a young man he began singing in juke joints in and around Blytheville, Arkansas. Later, Coday traveled to Chicago, Illinois, and there one night he was "discovered" by Denise LaSalle. LaSalle signed Coday to her Crajon label, and introduced...
(1942–2008), singer, (ColdwaterColdwater, MississippiColdwater is a small town in Tate County, Mississippi, United States. It is in the Memphis Metropolitan Area or Mid-South. The population was 1,674 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coldwater is located at...
) - Phil CohranPhil CohranKelan Phil Cohran is a jazz musician. He is known most for his trumpet contributions in the Sun Ra Arkestra in Chicago during 1959-1961 and for his involvement in the foundation of the AACM.-Biography:...
(born 1927), jazz musician, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Colour RevoltColour Revolt-History:Colour Revolt's members first played together while they were high school students at Jackson Academy in Jackson, MS under the name Foxxe, then changing to Fletcher and releasing a full length album entitled "Friends Don't Speak". They then moved on to become college students at the...
, indie rock band, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Mike ComptonMike Compton (Musician)Mike Compton is an American bluegrass mandolin player and former protege of the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. He is considered a modern master of bluegrass mandolin.-Biography:...
(born 1956), bluegrass mandolin player, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - David L. CookDavid L. CookDavid L. Cook is an American Christian country music singer-songwriter, comedian and a multiple Emmy Award and Telly Award winner. Born to Donnell and June Cook , David is the oldest of six children....
(born 1968), Christian country music singer-songwriter, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Sam CookeSam CookeSamuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
(1931–1964), (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - The Cook Family SingersThe Cook Family SingersThe Cook Family Singers were originally formed in 1885, by David J Cook and his wife, Martha. The family hailed from Lucedale, Mississippi. Cook and his wife had six children and on Sunday afternoons after church, they would pass the time by perfecting their singing of harmonies and old gospel blends...
, Christian country music group, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - The Cooters, punk metal band, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - James CottonJames CottonJames Cotton is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who has performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time as well as with his own band.-Career:...
(born 1935), blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter, (TunicaTunica, MississippiTunica is a town in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, located near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s the town was one of the most impoverished places in the United States, semi-famous for the particularly deprived neighbourhood known as "Sugar Ditch Alley", named for the open...
) - Arthur "Big Boy" CrudupArthur CrudupArthur "Big Boy" Crudup was an American Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known outside blues circles for writing songs such as "That's All Right" , "My Baby Left Me" and "So Glad You're Mine", later covered by Elvis Presley and dozens of other artists.-Career:Arthur Crudup...
(1905–1974), Delta bluesDelta bluesThe Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
singer and guitarist, (ForestForest, MississippiForest is a city in Scott County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,987 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Scott County.-Geography:Forest is located at ....
) - George CummingsGeorge CummingsGeorge Cummings is a guitarist and songwriter based in Bayonne, New Jersey and, in recent years, Nashville, Tennessee.-The Chocolate Papers:...
(born 1938), guitarist and songwriter, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Olu DaraOlu DaraOlu Dara Jones is an American cornetist, guitarist and singer.-History:...
(born 1941), jazz musician, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Lester DavenportLester DavenportLester "Mad Dog" Davenport , was an American Chicago blues harmonica player and singer.Born in Tchula, Mississippi, United States, Davenport moved from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois, when he was 14...
(1932–2009), American blues harmonica player and singer, (TchulaTchula, MississippiTchula is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,332 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tchula is located at ....
) - Paul DavisPaul Davis (singer)Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music...
(1948–2008), singer-songwriter, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Jimmy DawkinsJimmy DawkinsJames Henry "Jimmy" Dawkins is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He is generally considered a part of the "West Side Sound" of Chicago blues.-Career:...
(born 1936), blues guitarist and singer, (TchulaTchula, MississippiTchula is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,332 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tchula is located at ....
) - Al DensonAl DensonAlbert Wray Denson , more commonly known as Al Denson, is a contemporary Christian music artist and a Christian radio and television show host.-Biography:...
(born 1960), contemporary Christian artist, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Bo DiddleyBo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
(1928–2008), rock & roll/R&B singer-songwriter, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
(1915–1992), blues bassist/singer-ongwriter/record producer, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Nate DoggNate DoggNathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
(1969–2011), West Coast Hip HopWest Coast hip hopWest Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...
and R&B artist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Marshall DrewMarshall DrewMarshall Drew is an American folk rock singer-songwriter from Clarksdale, Mississippi. He released his independent debut album, A Million Different Shades, in 2009.-Biography:...
(born 1984), folk rockFolk rockFolk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
singer-songwriter, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Kevin DukesKevin DukesKevin Dukes is an American guitarist, born in Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1956.A native of Natchez, Mississippi, Kevin attended The University of Southern Mississippi as a Music Theory and Composition major prior to moving to Los Angeles, California in the late 1970s...
(born 1956), guitarist, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Omar Kent DykesOmar Kent DykesOmar Kent Dykes is an American blues guitarist and singer, living in Austin, Texas. In 1973 he formed the band, Omar & the Howlers. The band plays electric Texas blues, rock and roll and blues-rock...
(born 1950), blues guitarist and singer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Judy DunawayJudy DunawayJudy Dunaway is an avant-garde composer, free improvisor, conceptual sound artist and creator of sound installations who is primarily known for her sound works for latex balloons...
(born 1964), avant-garde composer/free improvisor/conceptual sound artist - Meredith Edwards (born 1984), country singer, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Ruby ElzyRuby ElzyRuby Elzy , was a pioneer African American operatic soprano.-Early life:Elzy was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi and educated at Rust College, the Ohio State University and the Juilliard School,...
(1908–1943), opera singer, (PontotocPontotoc, MississippiPontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
) - Lehman EngelLehman EngelLehman Engel was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film.-Work in theatre, television and films:...
(1910–1982), composer and conductor, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Shelly FairchildShelly FairchildShelly Fairchild is an American music recording artist. Signed to Columbia Records in 2004, she released her debut album Ride in early 2005...
(born 1977), country music artist, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Charlie FeathersCharlie FeathersCharles Arthur "Charlie" Feathers was an influential American rockabilly and country music performer.-Biography:...
(1932–1998), (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Five Blind Boys of MississippiFive Blind Boys of MississippiThe Five Blind Boys of Mississippi was a post-war gospel quartet. Powered by lead singer Archie Brownlee, their single "Our Father" reached the Billboard R&B charts in the early 1950s, one of the first gospel records to do so.-History:...
, gospel singers, (Piney WoodsPiney Woods, MississippiPiney Woods is an unincorporated community in Rankin County, Mississippi . It is the site of the Piney Woods Country Life School, a historically African-American boarding school established in 1909....
) - Steve ForbertSteve ForbertSteve Forbert is an American pop music singer-songwriter. He is best known for his song "Romeo's Tune", which reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1980....
(born 1955), pop music singer-songwriter, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Barbara Siggers FranklinBarbara Siggers FranklinBarbara Vernice Siggers Franklin was the mother of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin and wife of C. L. Franklin, the famous black Baptist preacher. She married C.L...
(1917–1952), gospel singer and mother of Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, (ShelbyShelby, MississippiShelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
) - Lee GarrettLee GarrettLee Garrett is an American rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, most famous for co-writing the song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours".-Career:...
, R&B singer-songwriter - Eric "Red Mouth" Gebhardt, multi-genre singer-songwriter, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Bobbie GentryBobbie GentryRoberta Lee Streeter , professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is a former American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to compose and produce her own material...
(born 1944), singer-songwriter, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Mickey GilleyMickey GilleyMickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
(born 1936), country singer and musician, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Mark Gray (born 1952), country music singer and keyboardist, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Garland Green (born 1942), soul singer and pianist, (Dunleith)
- Lloyd GreenLloyd GreenLloyd Green is an American steel guitarist. Green is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Lynn Anderson, Don Williams, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride and many others.-Early life:Lloyd Green was born on October 4, 1937 in Leaf,...
(born 1937), country music steel guitarist, (LeafGreene County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,299 people, 4,148 households, and 3,152 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 4,947 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
) - Al GoodmanAl Goodman (singer)Willie Albert "Al" Goodman was an American singer who performed as part of the musical trio Ray, Goodman & Brown, a group that was earlier called The Moments and was known for their songs "Love on a Two-Way Street", "Sexy Mama" and "Look at Me " as The Moments and later, "Special Lady" after...
(1943–2010), R&B/Soul singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Ted HawkinsTed HawkinsTed Hawkins was an American singer-songwriter. He was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, United States.Hawkins was an enigmatic figure through most of his career; he split his time between his adopted hometown of Venice Beach, California where he was a mostly anonymous street performer, and Europe,...
(born 1936), singer and songwriter, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Kenneth Haxton (1919–2002), composer, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Jessie Mae HemphillJessie Mae HemphillJessie Mae Hemphill was an American award-winning electric guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist specializing in the primal, northern Mississippi country blues traditions of her family and regional heritage....
(1923–2006), blues musician, (ComoComo, MississippiComo is a town in Panola County, Mississippi, United States which borders the Mississippi Delta. The population was 1,310 as of the 2000 census. Wayne Drash, a CNN.com senior producer, described Como as "a hard-hit rural community" in a 2007 article.-History:...
) - Caroline HerringCaroline HerringCaroline Herring is a country and folk singer-songwriter. Born in Canton, Mississippi, she has lived in Oxford, Mississippi and Austin, Texas, but now lives in Atlanta with her son, daughter, and husband. Many of her songs deal with slavery and her Mississippi upbringing...
, bluegrass musician, (CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
) - Michael HendersonMichael HendersonMichael Henderson is an American bass guitarist and vocalist best known for his bass playing with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, on early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea, and Live-Evil.- Biography :He was one of the first notable bass guitarists of the fusion era as well...
(born 1951), bass guitarist, R&B singer (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Faith HillFaith HillFaith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
(born 1967), country/pop singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Kim Hill (born 1963), Christian singer-songwriter, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Ernie HinesErnie HinesErnie Hines is an American Soul musician. Hines was born in Mississippi in 1938. Educated in gospel, he soon learned to play guitar and he played with everyone from Slim Harpo to Clyde McPhatter...
(born 1938), soul musician - Milt HintonMilt HintonMilton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
(1910–2000), jazz double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
ist, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
(1917–2001), singer-songwriter and blues guitarist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Big Walter HortonBig Walter HortonWalter Horton, better known as Big Walter Horton or Walter "Shakey" Horton, was an American blues harmonica player. A quiet, unassuming and essentially shy man, Horton is remembered as one of the premier harmonica players in the history of blues...
(1917–1981), blues harmonica player, (Horn LakeHorn Lake, MississippiHorn Lake is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. Horn Lake is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, which is located just a few miles to the north. As of the 2000 U.S...
) - Son HouseSon HouseEddie James "Son" House, Jr. was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music...
(1902–1988), blues singer and guitarist, (Riverton) - Randy HouserRandy HouserShawn Randolph "Randy" Houser is an American country music artist. Signed to the Universal South Records label in 2008, he charted the single "Anything Goes" that year...
(born 1975), country music artist, (LakeLake, MississippiLake is a town in Newton and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 408 at the 2000 census. Lake is the birthplace of country music singer, Randy Houser.-Geography:...
) - Thelma HoustonThelma HoustonThelma Houston is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She scored a number-one hit in 1976 with her cover version of the song "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.-Early life & career:Houston is the daughter of a cotton picking mother...
(born 1943), R&B singer-songwriter, (LelandLeland, MississippiLeland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
) - Guy HovisGuy HovisGuy Lee Hovis, Jr. , is an American-born singer who, along with his former wife, Ralna English of West Texas, was one of the featured acts of television's The Lawrence Welk Show....
(born 1941), big bandBig bandA big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
singer, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Howlin' WolfHowlin' WolfChester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
(1910–1976), blues singer/guitarist/harmonica player, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
) - Cary HudsonCary HudsonCary Hudson is the lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter of the alternative country/Southern rock band Blue Mountain.-Biography:Cary was born in the small town of Sumrall, MS, located approximately 15 miles from Hattiesburg. Prior to Blue Mountain, Hudson was in a band called The Hilltops,...
, lead singer and guitarist for alternative country band Blue MountainBlue Mountain (band)Blue Mountain is an American alt-country/roots rock band formed in 1991 in Oxford, Mississippi by husband and wife duo Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt , who is notably the twin sister of John Stirratt, the bass player for the like-minded Americana band Wilco.-History:After the dissolution of...
, (SumrallSumrall, MississippiSumrall is a town in Lamar County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,005 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sumrall is located at ....
) - Mississippi John HurtMississippi John HurtJohn Smith Hurt, better known as Mississippi John Hurt was an American country blues singer and guitarist.Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself how to play the guitar around age nine...
(c.1893–1966), country bluesCountry bluesCountry blues is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz...
singer and guitarist, (TeocTeoc, MississippiTeoc is an unincorporated community in Carroll County, Mississippi and is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area approximately northeast of Greenwood on Teoc Road along Teoc Creek.....
) - Clifton HydeClifton HydeClifton Hyde is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer currently working from and residing in New York City....
(born 1976), multi-instrumentalist and producer, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Carl JacksonCarl JacksonCarl Jackson is an American country and bluegrass musician. Jackson's first Grammy was awarded in 1992 for his duet album with John Starling titled "Spring Training." In 2003 Jackson produced the Grammy Award-winning CD titled Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers - a tribute to Ira...
(born 1953), country and bluegrass musician, (LouisvilleLouisville, MississippiLouisville is a city in Winston County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,006 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Winston County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
) - Elmore JamesElmore JamesElmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
(1918–1963), blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, (RichlandRichland, MississippiRichland is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 6,027 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
) - Skip JamesSkip JamesNehemiah Curtis "Skip" James was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter, born in Bentonia, Mississippi, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(1902–1969), Delta blues guitarist/pianist/singer-songwriter, (BentoniaBentonia, MississippiBentonia is a town in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 500 at the 2000 census. Some blues scholars maintain that there is a "Bentonia School" of blues singing and guitar-playing, and that "Bentonia-style" is a distinct style of Delta Blues, but Bentonia lies outside the...
) - Roosevelt JamisonRoosevelt JamisonRoosevelt Jamison was a music manager, publicist and songwriter in Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1960s....
(born 1936), songwriter/publicist, (Olive BranchOlive Branch, MississippiOlive Branch is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,054 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 31,830, making it the ninth-largest city in the state of Mississippi...
) - Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" JohansonJai Johanny JohansonJai Johanny Johanson , frequently known by the stage name Jaimoe, is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band.-Early years:...
(born 1944), drummer in The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, (Ocean SpringsOcean Springs, MississippiOcean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
) - Big Jack JohnsonBig Jack JohnsonBig Jack Johnson was an American electric blues musician.One commentator noted that Johnson, along with R. L...
(born 1940), blues musician, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (blues guitarist)Jimmy Johnson is an American blues guitarist and singer.-Biography:...
(born 1928), blues guitarist and singer, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Robert Johnson (1911–1938), blues and Delta blues musician, (HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
) - Syl JohnsonSyl JohnsonSyl Johnson is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.-Biography:Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed...
(born 1936), blues and soul singer, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Margie JosephMargie JosephMargaret Marie "Margie" Joseph is an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. Her greatest success came in the 1970s, with her biggest hits being her version of Paul McCartney's "My Love", her version of The Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and her duet with Blue Magic...
(born 1950), R&B and soul singer, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Junior KimbroughJunior KimbroughDavid "Junior" Kimbrough was an American blues musician. His best known work included "Keep Your Hands Off Her" and "All Night Long". Music journalist Tony Russell stated "his raw, repetitive style suggests an archaic forebear of John Lee Hooker, a character his music shares with that of fellow...
(1930–1998), blues artist, (HudsonvilleHudsonville, MississippiHudsonville is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the hill country of north Mississippi. The Mississippi Central Railroad runs through Hudsonville....
) - Albert KingAlbert KingAlbert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
(1923–1992), blues guitarist and singer, (IndianolaIndianola, MississippiIndianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
) - B. B. KingB. B. KingRiley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
(born 1925), blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, (Itta BenaItta Bena, MississippiItta Bena is a city in Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,208 at the 2000 census. The town's name is derived from the Choctaw phrase iti bina, meaning "forest camp"...
) - Fern KinneyFern KinneyFern Kinney is an American R&B and disco singer, who is best remembered for her releases, "Groove Me" and "Together We Are Beautiful".-Career:...
, rhythm & blues and disco music entertainer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Fred KnoblockFred KnoblockFred Knoblock is an American country singer-songwriter.Prior to his solo career, Knoblock had been a member of Let's Eat, a 1970s rock band. Knoblock was signed to Scotti Brothers Records in 1980 when he released the song "Why Not Me", which he wrote along with Carson Whitsett...
(born 1953), country singer-songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Kudzu KingsKudzu kingsKudzu Kings is an alternative country/roots rock jam band from Oxford, Mississippi. Their sound has been categorized as a blend of country music, bluegrass and improvisational rock & roll...
, band, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Sonny LandrethSonny LandrethSonny Landreth is an American blues musician from southwest Louisiana who is especially known as a slide guitar player. He was born in Canton, Mississippi, but soon after, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, before settling in Lafayette, Louisiana...
(born 1951), blues musician and slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
player, (CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
) - Denise LaSalleDenise LaSalleDenise LaSalle is an American R&B/soul and blues singer, songwriter, and record producer.-Career:...
(born 1939), urban contemporaryUrban contemporaryUrban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
and contemporary R&BContemporary R&BContemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer-songwriter/record producer, (BelzoniLeflore County, Mississippi-National protected area:*Mathews Brake National Wildlife Refuge*Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 37,947 people, 12,956 households, and 8,887 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile...
) - Rick LawsonRick LawsonRick Lawson is an American soul, blues and R&B singer. He began his singing career at the age of four, singing as the lead vocalist for the "W&W Jr. Spirituals" of Raymond, Mississippi...
(born 1973), soul and R&B singer, (RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
) - Chris LeDouxChris LeDouxChris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
(1948–2005), country music singer-songwriter, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Mylon LeFevreMylon LeFevreMylon LeFevre is an American Christian music singer, who was the leader of the Grammy Award-winning band Mylon and Broken Heart. He is a member of the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. He currently travels around the United States, ministering, teaching and singing...
(born 1944), gospel and Christian rockChristian rockChristian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
singer, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - J. B. LenoirJ. B. LenoirJ. B. Lenoir /ləˈnɔːr/ was an African American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, active in the 1950s and 1960s Chicago blues scene....
(1929–1967), guitarist and singer-songwriter, (MonticelloMonticello, MississippiMonticello is a town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Monticello is located at ....
) - Robert "Squirrel" Lester (born 1942), second tenor of The Chi-LitesThe Chi-LitesThe Chi-Lites are a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal quartet from the early 1970s, one of the few from the period not to come from Memphis or Philadelphia...
, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Bobby LoungeBobby LoungeBobby Lounge is an American singer-songwriter from McComb, Mississippi. Lounge began playing for house parties while attending Louisiana Tech University in northern Louisiana in the mid 1970s. In the 1980s, Lounge played a handful of shows at Ruby's Roadhouse in Mandeville, Louisiana...
(born 1950), singer-songwriter, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Dent MayDent May-Biography:May attended Jackson Prep, then later NYU Film School and Ole Miss, where he studied English and Southern studies, and found his home in the music of Serge Gainsbourg and Lee Hazlewood...
, musician (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Tommy McClennanTommy McClennanTommy McClennan was an American Delta blues singer and guitarist.-Life and career:McClennan was born on a farm near Yazoo City, Mississippi, United States, and grew up in the town...
(1908–c.1962), Delta blues singer and guitarist, (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - George McConnellGeorge McConnellGeorge McConnell is an American guitarist from Vicksburg, Mississippi who played for Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, and Beanland. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity....
, guitarist, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Kansas Joe McCoyKansas Joe McCoyKansas Joe McCoy was an African American Delta blues musician and songwriter.-Career:McCoy played music under a variety of stage names but is best known as "Kansas Joe McCoy". Born in Raymond, Mississippi, he was the older brother of the blues accompanist Papa Charlie McCoy...
(1905–1950), blues musician and songwriter, (RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
) - Papa Charlie McCoyPapa Charlie McCoyCharles "Papa Charlie" McCoy was an African American delta blues musician and songwriter.-Career:Born in Jackson, Mississippi, McCoy was best known by the nickname 'Papa Charlie'. He became one of the major blues accompanists of his time...
(1909–1950), Delta blues musician and songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Fred McDowellFred McDowellFred McDowell known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American Hill country blues singer and guitar player.-Career:...
(1904–1972), blues singer and guitarist, (ComoComo, MississippiComo is a town in Panola County, Mississippi, United States which borders the Mississippi Delta. The population was 1,310 as of the 2000 census. Wayne Drash, a CNN.com senior producer, described Como as "a hard-hit rural community" in a 2007 article.-History:...
) - Mulgrew MillerMulgrew MillerMulgrew Miller is an American jazz pianist who performs in a number of jazz idioms. He began his career as member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.-Biography:...
(born 1955), jazz pianist, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Little MiltonLittle MiltonJames Milton Campbell, Jr. , better known as Little Milton, was an American electric blues, rhythm and blues, and soul singer and guitarist, best known for his hit records "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It."-Biography:Milton was born James Milton Campbell, Jr., in the Mississippi...
(1934–2005), blues and soul vocalist and guitarist, (InvernessInverness, MississippiInverness is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,153 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Inverness is located at ....
) - Hoyt Ming, old-time fiddler, (Choctaw CountyChoctaw County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,758 people, 3,686 households, and 2,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 4,249 housing units at an...
) - Mississippi Mass ChoirMississippi Mass ChoirThe Mississippi Mass Choir is an American gospel choir based in Jackson, Mississippi.-Musical career:Serving God Through Song" is the motto and the mission of The Mississippi Mass Choir. Although striving to succeed in the gospel music industry, the choir's purpose is to help establish the gospel...
, gospel choir, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Mississippi SlimMississippi Slim (country singer)Carbel Lee Ausborn , better known by his stage name, Mississippi Slim, was a hillbilly singer who had a radio show on Tupelo's WELO during the later 1940s....
(born 1923), country singer and guitarist, (SmithvilleSmithville, MississippiSmithville is a town in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. Smithville is the birthplace of Rod Brasfield, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.-Geography:...
) - Monkey JoeMonkey JoeJesse "Monkey Joe" Coleman was an American country blues pianist and singer, who recorded sporadically from the 1930s into the 1970s.Jesse Coleman was most likely born in Mississippi, and though the year of birth is not known, he was probably born around 1906...
, blues musician, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Dorothy MooreDorothy MooreDorothy Moore is an American pop, R&B, and soul singer best known for her 1976 hit song, "Misty Blue".-Career:...
(born 1947), pop/R&B/gospel singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Johnny B. MooreJohnny B. MooreJohnny B. Moore is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a member of Koko Taylor's backing band in the mid 1970s, but has recorded nine solo albums since 1987...
(born 1950), blues singer and guitarist, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Charlie MusselwhiteCharlie MusselwhiteCharlie Musselwhite is an American electric blues harmonica player and bandleader, one of the non-black bluesmen who came to prominence in the early 1960s, along with Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield. Though he has often been identified as a "white bluesman", he claims Native American heritage...
(born 1944), blues-harpBlues-harpThere are numerous techniques available for harmonica. A few are described here. For details of how to do such techniques, visit the Harmonica wikibook.- Bending and other techniques :...
player and bandleader, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - Bill MyrickBill MyrickBillie E. Myrick, known as Bill Myrick , is an American Country musician, originally from Simpson County in south central Mississippi but a long-time resident of Odessa in West Texas.-Family:...
(born 1926), country singer/musician/writer/producer/disc jockey, (Simpson CountySimpson County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,639 people, 10,076 households, and 7,385 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,307 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
) - North Mississippi AllstarsNorth Mississippi AllstarsNorth Mississippi Allstars is a Southern rock/blues jam band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is composed of brothers Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson , and Chris Chew...
, blues-rock/jam band, (HernandoHernando, MississippiHernando is a city in central DeSoto County, Mississippi. The population was 6,812 at the 2000 census. The 2006 census estimate reflects a population of 10,580. Hernando is the county seat of DeSoto County, the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area. US Hwy 51 and the I-55...
) - Brandy NorwoodBrandy NorwoodBrandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
(born 1979), R&B singer-songwriter/record producer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Willie NorwoodWillie NorwoodWilliam Raymond Norwood, Sr. known as Willie Norwood is an American Gospel singer and has been involved in singing since early childhood. His father and mother sang in the church choir...
(born 1955), gospel singer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Alexander O'NealAlexander O'NealAlexander O'Neal is an American R&B singer. He is best-known for the songs "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Fake", and the duets with Cherrelle, "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This".-Biography:...
(born 1953), soul singer, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Paul OverstreetPaul OverstreetPaul Lester Overstreet is an American country music singer and songwriter. He recorded 10 studio albums between 1982 and 2005, and charted 16 singles on the Billboard country charts, including two #1 hits...
(born 1955), country music singer-songwriter, (NewtonNewton, MississippiNewton is a city in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,699 at the 2000 census. Country singer/songwriter Paul Overstreet was born in Newton.-Geography:Newton is located at ....
) - Ginny OwensGinny OwensVirginia Leigh Owens is a Contemporary Christian music singer/songwriter. "Ginny" Owens was born in Jackson, Mississippi, with poor eyesight and has been blind since the age of two. She earned her bachelor of music education in 1997 from Belmont University, but found that most people were...
, blind contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Junior ParkerJunior ParkerJunior Parker was an American Memphis blues singer and musician. He is best remembered for his unique voice which has been described as "honeyed," and "velvet-smooth"...
(1932–1971), Memphis bluesMemphis bluesThe Memphis blues is a style of blues music that was created in the 1920s and 1930s by Memphis-area musicians like Frank Stokes, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis and Memphis Minnie...
singer and musician, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Michael PassonsMichael PassonsMichael Passons , a native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, is the founding member of the Christian band Avalon. As a young musician, Michael was influenced by artists like Elton John and Lionel Richie. In college, he performed in a band and in a New Jersey-based group that toured nationally...
(born 1965), founding member of the Christian band AvalonAvalon (group)Avalon or Group Avalon was a band consisting of Djo Moupondo and his brother Mohombi Moupondo with Congolese ancestry. A multilingual band, they performed songs in Swedish, French, English and Lingala....
, (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Charlie PattonCharlie PattonCharlie Patton , better known as Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man...
(1891–1934), Delta-Delta bluesThe Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
/Country-Country bluesCountry blues is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz...
/Gospel bluesGospel bluesGospel blues is a form of blues-based gospel music that has been around since the inception of blues music, a combination of blues guitar and evangelistic lyrics...
musician, (EdwardsEdwards, MississippiEdwards is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,347 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
) - Dion PaytonDion PaytonDion Payton is an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer, who gained popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s in Chicago clubs....
(born 1950), blues guitarist and singer, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
(1935–1977), multi-genre musician, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Leontyne PriceLeontyne PriceMary Violet Leontyne Price is an American soprano. Born and raised in the Deep South, she rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s, and was one of the first African Americans to become a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.One critic characterized Price's voice as "vibrant",...
(born 1927), opera singer, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Charley PrideCharley PrideCharley Frank Pride is an American country music singer. His smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early- to mid-1970s, when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis...
(born 1938), country music singer, (SledgeSledge, MississippiSledge is a town located in Quitman County, Mississippi. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 529.Famous African American Country singer Charley Pride is from Sledge. Leroy Brown was an actual man from the area who may have very well have been the inspiration for the Jim Croce...
) - John PrimerJohn PrimerJohn Primer is an American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and guitarist.-Biography:He played guitar at Theresa's, a club in Chicago, between 1974 and 1980. He was influenced by Muddy Waters' former sideman, Sammy Lawhorn, who taught him to play slide guitar...
(born 1945), blues singer and guitarist, (CamdenMadison County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
) - Stephen PurdyStephen PurdyStephen Purdy is an American conductor/pianist and vocal coach for broadway musicals and broadway actors. Before joining Broadway, Purdy worked as a Wall street broker....
(born 1970), conductor/pianist and vocal coach for broadway musicals and broadway actors, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Ray JRay JWilliam Ray Norwood Jr. , better known by his stage name Ray J, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor.-Early life:...
(born 1981), contemporary R&B and hip hopHip hop musicHip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
singer/record producer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Jimmy ReedJimmy ReedMathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, as opposed to the more acoustic-based sound of many of his contemporaries...
(1925–1976), blues singer and musician, (Dunleith) - Del RendonDel RendonDel Rendon was a musician from Starkville, Mississippi whose music career spanned 20 years. He toured throughout the southeastern United States and Nashville, Tennessee. Many musicians have cited him as an influence and a friend. He died September 4th, 2005.-Puerto Rican Rum Drunks:Rendon...
(1965–2005), country musician, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Mack RiceMack RiceMack Rice , is a American songwriter, whose compositions have been performed by many well-known artists, including The Staple Singers, Ike and Tina Turner, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Brown, Rufus Thomas, Etta James, Billy Eckstine, Eddie Floyd, Buddy Guy, The Rascals, Wilson Pickett,...
(born 1933), songwriter, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - LeAnn RimesLeAnn RimesLeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
(born 1982), country and pop singer, (PearlPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Fenton RobinsonFenton RobinsonFenton Robinson was an American blues singer and exponent of the Chicago blues guitar.-Biography:Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, United States, Robinson left his home at the age of 18 to move to Memphis, Tennessee where he recorded his first single "Tennessee Woman" in 1957. He settled in Chicago...
(born 1935), blues musician, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers (country singer)James Charles Rodgers , known as Jimmie Rodgers, was an American country singer in the early 20th century known most widely for his rhythmic yodeling...
(1897–1933), country singer, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Jimmy RogersJimmy RogersJimmy Rogers was an American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, best known for his work as a member of Muddy Waters' band of the 1950s.-Career:...
(1924–1997), blues signer and guitarist, (RulevilleRuleville, MississippiRuleville is a small city in the fertile Mississippi Delta region in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,234 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruleville is located at ....
) - David RuffinDavid RuffinDavis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
(1941–1991), former lead singer of The TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, (WhynotWhynot, MississippiWhynot is a rural unincorporated community in southeastern Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States.Its history dates back to the 1840s.-History:...
) - Jimmy RuffinJimmy RuffinJimmy Ruffin is an American soul singer, and elder brother of the late David Ruffin of The Temptations. He had several hit records between the 1960s and 1980s, the most successful being "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted."-Life:...
(born 1939), soul and R&B singer, (CollinsvilleCollinsville, MississippiCollinsville is a census-designated place in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,823 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Collinsville is located at ....
) - Bobby RushBobby Rush (musician)Bobby Rush is an American blues and R&B musician, composer and singer. His style incorporates elements of soul blues, rap and funk.-Biography:...
(born 1940), blues and R&B musician/composer/singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Otis RushOtis RushOtis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
(born 1935), blues musician, (PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, MississippiPhiladelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
) - Oliver SainOliver SainOliver Sain was an American saxophonist, songwriter, bandleader, drummer and record producer....
(1932–2003), saxophonist/drummer/songwriter/record producer, (DundeeTunica County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 9,227 people, 3,258 households, and 2,192 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 3,705 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
) - Magic SamMagic SamSamuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett was an American Chicago blues musician. Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi, United States, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter...
(1937–1969), Chicago bluesChicago bluesThe Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
and soul bluesSoul bluesSoul blues is a style of blues music developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s that combines elements of soul music and urban contemporary music...
musician, (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - Scott Savage, drummer for Christian rock band Jars of ClayJars of ClayJars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Saving AbelSaving AbelSaving Abel is a American rock music group from Corinth, Mississippi, who were started in 2004 by Jared Weeks and Jason Null. The band title is from the ancient biblical story of Cain and Abel, that is about a brother who killed his own brother...
, rock band, (CorinthCorinth, MississippiCorinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
) - Johnny SeaJohnny SeaJohnny Sea, Johnny Seay is an American country singer. His first hits came in the late 1950s, and his career saw a resurgence in the mid-1960s, particularly with the release of his spoken word single "Day For Decision".-Biography:Seay grew up in Atlanta, and had his first major break in 1957 by...
(born 1940), country singer, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Toni SeawrightToni SeawrightToni Deniece Seawright is an international actress and singer-songwriter. Seawright made history as the first African American to become Miss Mississippi and went on to place 4th runner-up in 1987’s Miss America Pageant.-Biography:Seawright attended Mississippi University for Women in Columbus,...
(born 1964), singer-songwriter, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Jumpin' Gene SimmonsJumpin' Gene SimmonsJumpin' Gene Simmons was an American rockabilly singer and songwriter known best for his 1964 novelty single "Haunted House."-Biography:...
(1933–2006), rockabilly singer, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Byther SmithByther SmithByther Smith is an American blues musician, noted for his gritty style and uncompromising delivery.-Career:...
(born 1933), blues musician, (MonticelloMonticello, MississippiMonticello is a town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Monticello is located at ....
) - Soulja BoySoulja BoyDeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....
(born 1990), rapper/record producer, (BatesvilleBatesville, MississippiBatesville is a city in Panola County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,113 at the 2000 census.-History:The Land upon which present day Batesville is situated originally belonged to a Chickasaw Indian called Ish-Sho-Nu-Nah...
) - Otis SpannOtis SpannOtis Spann was an American blues musician, who many consider the leading postwar Chicago blues pianist.-Career:Born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States, Spann became known for his distinct piano style....
(1930–1970), blues musician, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
(born 1981), pop singer, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Judson SpenceJudson SpenceJudson Spence is an American pop music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He originally gained fame when he released his eponymously titled debut solo effort on Atlantic Records in 1988...
(born 1965), songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Roebuck "Pop" StaplesPops StaplesRoebuck "Pops" Staples was a Mississippi-born Gospel and R&B musician.A "pivotal figure in gospel in the 1960s and 70s," he was an accomplished songwriter, guitarist and singer...
(1914–2000), founder of The Staple SingersThe Staple SingersThe Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis...
, (WinonaWinona, MississippiWinona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
) - Rogers StevensRogers StevensThomas Rogers Stevens is the guitarist from Blind Melon, an alternative rock band which began in the 1990s and is most famous for their hit song "No Rain"...
(born 1970), guitarist for the band Blind MelonBlind MelonBlind Melon is an American rock band active from 1989 to 1999, and from 2006 onward.Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock...
, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
) - Lisa StewartLisa Stewart-Track listing:#"Somebody's in Love" – 3:31#"Drive Time" – 3:35#"Don't Touch Me" – 3:02#"Under the Light of the Texaco" – 3:42...
(born 1968), country musician, (LouisvilleLouisville, MississippiLouisville is a city in Winston County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,006 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Winston County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
) - William Grant StillWilliam Grant StillWilliam Grant Still was an African-American classical composer who wrote more than 150 compositions. He was the first African American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major...
(1895–1978), classical composer, (WoodvilleWoodville, MississippiWoodville is a town in and the county seat of Wilkinson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2000 census.The Woodville Republican, a weekly newspaper founded in 1823, is the oldest surviving business in Mississippi.-Geography:Woodville is located at .According to...
) - Barrett StrongBarrett StrongBarrett Strong is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best remembered for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfield.-His career:Strong was among the first artists signed to Berry...
(born 1941), singer and songwriter, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
) - Marty StuartMarty StuartJohn Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
(born 1958), country music singer, (PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, MississippiPhiladelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
) - Hubert SumlinHubert SumlinHubert Sumlin is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer, best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing is characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic...
(born 1931), blues musician, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Deanna SummersDeanna SummersDeanna Summers is an American songwriter born in Mississippi. The family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 1952 where she attended Kingsbury Jr. High School. She also attended Humes High School before her family relocated to Dallas, Texas. She has been an active member of BMI as both a...
, songwriter - Ty TaborTy TaborTy Tabor is the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the progressive metal band, King's X....
(born 1961), guitarist/songwriter/vocalist for rock band King's XKing's XKing's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
, (PearlPearl, MississippiPearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Eddie TaylorEddie TaylorEddie Taylor was an American electric blues guitarist and singer.-Biography:Born Edward Taylor in Benoit, Mississippi, United States, as a boy Taylor taught himself to play the guitar. He spent his early years playing at venues around Leland, Mississippi, where he taught his friend Jimmy Reed to...
(1923–1985), blues guitarist and singer, (BenoitBenoit, MississippiBenoit is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 611 at the 2000 census. The 1956 movie Baby Doll was shot on location in Benoit; many local residents played in minor roles.-Geography:...
) - Hound Dog TaylorHound Dog TaylorTheodore Roosevelt "Hound Dog" Taylor was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer.-Career:Taylor was born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1915 . He originally played piano, but began playing guitar when he was 20...
(1915–1975), blues guitarist and singer, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Melvin TaylorMelvin TaylorMelvin Taylor is an American electric blues guitarist, based in Chicago, Illinois.-Career:Born in Mississippi, Taylor relocated to Chicago in 1962....
(born 1959), blues musician, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Ernie TerrellErnie TerrellErnie Terrell is an American singer, record producer, and former World Boxing Association heavyweight boxing champion. At , he was very tall, by the standards of the day....
(born 1939), singer and record producer, (BelzoniBelzoni, MississippiBelzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County...
) - Jean TerrellJean TerrellJean Terrell is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970.-Early life and career:...
(born 1944), R&B and jazz singer, (BelzoniBelzoni, MississippiBelzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County...
) - James "Son" ThomasJames Thomas (blues musician)James "Son" Thomas was an American Delta blues musician, gravedigger and sculptor from Leland, Mississippi.-Life and career:...
(1926–1993), blues musician, (LelandLeland, MississippiLeland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
) - Rufus ThomasRufus ThomasRufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
(1917–2001), R&B/funk/soul singer, (CayceMarshall County, Mississippi-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 34,993 people, 12,163 households and 9,110 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 per square mile . There were 13,252 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
) - Ashley ThompsonAshley ThompsonKatherine Ashley Thompson is an American singer and actress.-Biography:Ashley Thompson started singing in church when she was 9 years old, and at 13 years old knew that she wanted to sing for the rest of her life. She has won numerous local, regional, and national singing contests, including the...
(born 1980), singer, (BoonevilleBooneville, MississippiBooneville is a city in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,625 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prentiss County....
) - Ike TurnerIke TurnerIsaac Wister Turner was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, and record producer. In a career that lasted more than half a century, his repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk...
(1931–2007), multi-genre musician/record producer, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Conway TwittyConway TwittyConway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
(1933–1993), country singer-songwriter, (Friars PointFriars Point, MississippiFriars Point is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Friars Point is located at ....
) - Freddie WaitsFreddie WaitsFreddie Douglas Waits was a hard bop and post-bop drummer.He was a member of Max Roach's M'Boom percussion orchestra....
(1943–1989), hard bopHard bopHard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
and post-bopPost-bopPost-bop is a term for a form of small-combo jazz music that evolved in the early-to-mid sixties. The genre's origins lie in seminal work by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock...
drummer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Travis WammackTravis WammackTravis Wammack in Walnut, Mississippi, is an American rock and roll guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. He began his professional music career when he wrote and recorded his first record at the age of eleven...
(born 1944), rock and roll guitarist, (WalnutWalnut, MississippiWalnut is a town in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 754 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Walnut is located at ....
) - Walter WardWalter Ward (singer)Walter Ward was an American R&B singer, and lead vocalist of The Olympics.Ward was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and began singing professionally as a child with his father and three uncles, in a gospel group known as 'The Ward Brothers'.Ward's family moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s...
(born 1940), R&B singer and lead vocalist of The OlympicsThe Olympics (band)The Olympics were an American doo-wop group, formed in 1957 by lead singer Walter Ward . The group included Eddie Lewis , Charles Fizer , Walter Hammond and Melvin King and except for Lewis were friends in a Los Angeles, California, high school...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
(1913–1983), Electric bluesElectric bluesElectric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
and Chicago bluesChicago bluesThe Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
musician, (Rolling ForkRolling Fork, MississippiRolling Fork is a city in Sharkey County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,486 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sharkey County.-Geography:Rolling Fork is located at ....
) - Jim WeatherlyJim WeatherlyJames Dexter Weatherly is an American singer-songwriter. Weatherly played quarterback at the University of Mississippi and was an All-American before choosing songwriting over a football career...
(born 1943), country and pop singer-songwriter, (PontotocPontotoc, MississippiPontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
) - Carl WeathersbyCarl WeathersbyCarl Weathersby is a electric blues vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter...
(born 1953), blues vocalist/guitarist/songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Boogie Bill WebbBoogie Bill WebbBoogie Bill Webb was an American Louisiana blues and R&B guitarist, singer and songwriter. Webb's own style of music combined Mississippi country blues with New Orleans R&B. His best known recordings were "Bad Dog" and "Drinkin' and Stinkin'"...
(1924–1990), blues guitarist and singer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Bukka WhiteBukka WhiteBooker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
(1909–1977), Delta blues guitarist and singer, (HoustonHouston, MississippiHouston is a city in and one of two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,079 at the 2000 census. The land on which Houston, MS resides was donated to the city by Judge Joel Pinson on the condition that it would be named for Sam Houston, a childhood...
) - Carson WhitsettCarson WhitsettCarson Whitsett was an American keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:...
(1945–2007), keyboardist and songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Tim WhitsettTim WhitsettTim Whitsett is an American music publisher, musician, songwriter, producer, author, and consultant. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi.-Biography:...
(born 1943), band leader/songwriter/producer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Webb WilderWebb WilderThere are Roots-Rockers, and then there's Webb Wilder.Hardly a purist, he has described the music he and his band, The Beatnecks, make as, "Rock for Roots fans and Roots for Rock fans." In essence: Rock and Roll. There’s nothing new about combining R & B, Rock and Roll, Country, Blues, Pop and Rock...
(born 1954), country/surf musicSurf musicSurf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
/rock & roll musician, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Big Joe WilliamsBig Joe WilliamsJoseph Lee Williams , billed throughout his career as Big Joe Williams, was an American Delta blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, notable for the distinctive sound of his nine-string guitar...
(1903–1982), Delta blues musician and songwriter, (CrawfordCrawford, MississippiCrawford is a town in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 655 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Crawford is located at ....
) - Hayley WilliamsHayley WilliamsHayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
(born 1988), pop punk and alternative rock singer-songwriter, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Sonny Boy Williamson IISonny Boy Williamson IIWillie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
(died 1965), blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter, (GlendoraGlendora, MississippiGlendora is a village in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 285 at the 2000 census.-History:Glendora started out as a small sawmill site. Logs were floated down the river from around the vicinity of Webb to be sawed there....
) - Eddie WillisEddie WillisEddie "Chank" Willis is an African-American musician. Willis played electric guitar and occasional electric sitar for Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s....
(born 1936), electric guitarist, (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - Al WilsonAl Wilson (singer)Al Wilson was an American soul singer best known for the million-selling #1 hit, "Show and Tell". He is also remembered for his Northern soul anthem, "The Snake".-Career:...
(1939–2008), singer and drummer, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Cassandra WilsonCassandra WilsonCassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
(born 1955), jazz singer-songwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Mary WilsonMary Wilson (singer)Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
(born 1944), singer and founding member of The SupremesThe SupremesThe Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Elder Roma WilsonElder Roma WilsonElder Roma Wilson is an American gospel harmonica player and singer. A clergyman, Wilson discovered he had a degree of notability later in his life, having originally been unaware of interest in his work.-Biography:...
(born 1910), harmonica player, (Blue SpringsBlue Springs, MississippiBlue Springs is a village in Union County, Mississippi, United States. Located near Tupelo in northeastern Mississippi, the village had a population of 144 at the 2000 census...
) - Tammy WynetteTammy WynetteVirginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
(1942–1998), country music singer-songwriter, (TremontTremont, MississippiTremont is town in Itawamba County, Mississippi, United States. It was founded in 1852. The population was 390 at the 2000 census. It was the birthplace of country music singer Tammy Wynette.-Geography:Tremont is located at ....
) - Lester YoungLester YoungLester Willis Young , nicknamed "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He also played trumpet, violin, and drums....
(1909–1959), jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist, (WoodvilleWoodville, MississippiWoodville is a town in and the county seat of Wilkinson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2000 census.The Woodville Republican, a weekly newspaper founded in 1823, is the oldest surviving business in Mississippi.-Geography:Woodville is located at .According to...
) - Zora YoungZora YoungZora Young is an American blues singer. She is a distant relative of Howlin' Wolf.Young's family moved to Chicago at age seven and sang gospel at the Greater Harvest Baptist Church...
(born 1948), blues singer, (West PointWest Point, MississippiWest Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
)
Physicians
- Blair E. Batson, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical CenterUniversity of Mississippi Medical CenterUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi and is located in Jackson, Mississippi...
and namesake of the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Henry CloudHenry CloudHenry Cloud is a clinical psychologist with broad experience in private practice, leadership consulting, and media...
(born 1956), clinical psychologist, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Arthur GuytonArthur GuytonArthur Clifton Guyton was an American physiologist. He was born in Oxford, Mississippi, to Dr. Billy S. Guyton, a highly respected eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist, who later became Dean of the University of Mississippi Medical School, and Kate Smallwood Guyton, a mathematics and physics...
(1919–2003), wrote the Textbook of Medical Physiology, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - John Hall, continues to work on Textbook of Medical Physiology
- James HardyJames Hardy (surgeon)Dr. James D. Hardy was an American surgeon, famous for the first human lung transplant and the first animal-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
(1918–2003), surgeon who performed the first successful cadaveric lung transplant, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - T. R. M. HowardT. R. M. HowardTheodore Roosevelt Mason Howard was an American civil rights leader, fraternal organization leader, entrepreneur and surgeon...
(1908–1976), surgeon and activist, (Mound BayouMound Bayou, MississippiMound Bayou is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi. The population was 2,102 at the 2000 census. It is notable for having been founded as an independent black community in 1887 by former slaves led by Isaiah Montgomery. By percentage, its 98.4 percent African-American majority population is one...
) - Edgar HullEdgar HullEdgar Hull, Jr. , was a physician from Louisiana and in 1931 a founding faculty member of the Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans. In 1966, he became the first Dean of the Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport...
(1904–1984), co-founding physician of the Medical Center of Louisiana at New OrleansMedical Center of Louisiana at New OrleansThe Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans is the official name of two teaching hospitals in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both hospitals are part of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, commonly referred to as the LSU Medical School in New Orleans.The two hospitals...
(1931) and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center ShreveportLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center ShreveportLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport is the academic center for medicine and medical research in North Louisiana. It is located in Shreveport and is part of the Louisiana State University System. The medical school opened in 1969. One of its founders was Dr. Joe E...
(1969); born and died in (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Thomas Naum JamesThomas Naum JamesThomas Naum James was a leading American cardiologist during the last half of the twentieth century. He was chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and then president of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston...
(born 1925), cardiologist, (AmoryAmory, MississippiAmory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
)
Politicians
- Thomas AbernethyThomas AbernethyThomas Gerstle Abernethy was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Eupora, Mississippi. He attended the local public schools....
(1903–1998), U.S. representative, (EuporaEupora, MississippiEupora is a city in Webster County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eupora is located at ....
) - Robert H. AdamsRobert H. AdamsRobert Huntington Adams was a Mississippi lawyer and politician who, in the final months of his life, briefly served as United States senator from Mississippi....
(1792–1830), U.S. senator, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - James L. AlcornJames L. AlcornJames Lusk Alcorn was a prominent American political figure in Mississippi during the 19th century. He was a leading southern white Republican or "scalawag" during Reconstruction in Mississippi, where he served as governor and U.S. Senator...
(1816–1894), governor and U.S. senator, (Friars PointFriars Point, MississippiFriars Point is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Friars Point is located at ....
) - William AllainWilliam AllainWilliam A. "Bill" Allain is a Mississippi politician who served as the 59th Governor of that state as a Democrat from 1984 to 1988.-Biography:...
(born 1928), governor, (WashingtonWashington, MississippiWashington is a small unincorporated town in Adams County, Mississippi, United States, close to Natchez.-History:The town of Washington's namesake is George Washington...
) - John Mills AllenJohn Mills AllenJohn Mills Allen was a Representative from Mississippi; born in Tishomingo County, Miss., July 8, 1846; he attended the common schools during the Civil War enlisted as a private in the Confederate Army and served throughout the war...
(1846–1917), U.S. representative, (Tishomingo CountyTishomingo County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000 there were 19,163 people, 7,917 households, and 5,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 9,553 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
) - ApuckshunubbeeApuckshunubbeeApuckshunubbee was one of three principal chiefs of the Choctaw Native American tribe in the early nineteenth century, from before 1800. He led the western or Okla Falaya District in present-day Mississippi...
(c.1740–1824), ChoctawChoctawThe Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
chief - Haley BarbourHaley BarbourHaley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
(born 1947), governor, (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Ethelbert BarksdaleEthelbert BarksdaleEthelbert Barksdale was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi, as well as a member of the Confederate States Congress during the American Civil War....
(1824–1893), U.S. representative and member of the Confederate States Congress, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - William BarksdaleWilliam BarksdaleWilliam Barksdale was a lawyer, newspaper editor, U.S. Congressman, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
(1821–1863), U.S. congressman, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Ross BarnettRoss BarnettRoss Robert Barnett was the governor of Mississippi from 1960 to 1964. He was a States' Rights Democrat.- Early life :...
(1898–1987), governor, (Standing PineStanding Pine, MississippiStanding Pine is a census-designated place in Leake County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 509 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Standing Pine is located at ....
) - Cheri BarryCheri BarryCheri Merritt Barry is currently the mayor of Meridian, Mississippi. She is the first woman to hold that position.-Biography:Cheri Merritt grew up in Meridian, where she was a graduate of Lamar High School in 1973...
(born c.1955), mayor, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Marion BarryMarion BarryMarion Shepilov Barry, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, representing DC's Ward 8. Barry served as the second elected mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991, and again as the fourth mayor from 1995...
(born 1936), Washington, D.C. mayor, (Itta BenaItta Bena, MississippiItta Bena is a city in Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,208 at the 2000 census. The town's name is derived from the Choctaw phrase iti bina, meaning "forest camp"...
) - Theodore G. BilboTheodore G. BilboTheodore Gilmore Bilbo was an American politician. Bilbo, a Democrat, twice served as governor of Mississippi and later was elected a U.S. Senator . A master of filibuster and scathing rhetoric, a rough-and-tumble fighter in debate, he made his name a synonym for white supremacy...
(1877–1947), governor and U.S. senator, (PoplarvillePoplarville, MississippiPoplarville is a city in Pearl River County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,601. It is the county seat of Pearl River County. It hosts an annual Blueberry Jubilee, which includes rides, craft vendors, and rodeos....
) - Marsha BlackburnMarsha BlackburnMarsha Wedgeworth Blackburn is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis.-Early life, education and career:...
(born 1952), U.S. representative from Tennessee, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Hale BoggsHale BoggsThomas Hale Boggs Sr. , was an American Democratic politician and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Orleans, Louisiana...
(1914–1972), U.S. representative from Louisiana, House majority leader, (Long BeachLong Beach, MississippiLong Beach is a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi, USA. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) - David R. BowenDavid R. BowenDavid Reece Bowen was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.Born in Houston, Mississippi, Bowen graduated from Cleveland High School, 1950.He attended University of Missouri from 1950 to 1952....
(born 1932), U.S. representative, (HoustonHouston, MississippiHouston is a city in and one of two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,079 at the 2000 census. The land on which Houston, MS resides was donated to the city by Judge Joel Pinson on the condition that it would be named for Sam Houston, a childhood...
) - Walker BrookeWalker BrookeWalker Brooke was a United States Senator from Mississippi.Born at Page Brooke, Clarke County, Virginia, he was the son of Humphrey Brooke and Sarah Walker Page. He attended the public schools in Richmond, Virginia and Georgetown, D.C...
(1813–1869), U.S. senator, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Blanche BruceBlanche BruceBlanche Kelso Bruce was a U.S. politician who represented Mississippi as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1875 to 1881 and was the first elected African-American senator to serve a full term. Hiram R. Revels, also of Mississippi, was the first to ever serve in the U.S...
(1841–1898), U.S. senator - Ezekiel S. Candler, Jr.Ezekiel S. Candler, Jr.Ezekiel Samuel Candler Jr. was a United States Representative from Mississippi. He was the nephew of Milton A. Candler and cousin of Allen Daniel Candler. He was born in Belleville, Florida. Later, he moved with his parents to Tishomingo County, Mississippi in 1870...
(1862–1944), U.S. representative, (CorinthCorinth, MississippiCorinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
) - Joseph W. ChalmersJoseph W. ChalmersJoseph Williams Chalmers was a United States Senator from Mississippi. Born in Halifax County, Virginia, he studied law in the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, and in Richmond. He was admitted to the bar and practiced, and moved to Jackson, Tennessee in 1835 and to Holly Springs,...
(1806–1853), U.S. senator, (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Travis W. ChildersTravis ChildersTravis Wayne Childers is the former U.S. Representative from , serving from the 2008 special election until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the northern portion of the state including New Albany, Columbus, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo...
(born 1958), U.S. representative, (BoonevilleBooneville, MississippiBooneville is a city in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,625 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prentiss County....
) - John ClaiborneJohn Francis Hamtramck ClaiborneJohn Francis Hamtramck Claiborne was a Member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Mississippi.-Biography:...
(1809–1884), U.S. representative, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Robert G. Clark, Jr.Robert G. Clark, Jr.Robert G. Clark, Jr. is an American politician from the state of Mississippi. Clark was born in Mississippi and he received his undergraduate degree from Jackson State University and a Master's Degree in Administration and Educational Services from Michigan State University.Clark was elected to...
(born 1928), first African American state representative since Reconstruction - Thad CochranThad CochranWilliam Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
(born 1937), U.S. senator, (PontotocPontotoc, MississippiPontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
) - James P. ColemanJames P. ColemanJames Plemon "J.P." Coleman was a politician from the state of Mississippi.-Biography:Coleman was born in Ackerman, Mississippi. He obtained a law degree from The George Washington University Law School in 1939. As a young man, he served upon the staff of Mississippi Congressman A. L. Ford...
(1914–1991), governor, (AckermanAckerman, MississippiAckerman is a town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,696 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Choctaw County.It is named for an early landowner.-Geography:Ackerman is located at ....
) - Jacqueline Y. CollinsJacqueline Y. CollinsJacqueline Y. Collins is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 16th district since 2003.-Early life:Born in McComb, Mississippi, Collins earned her undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University...
(born 1949), Illinois state senator, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Ross A. CollinsRoss A. CollinsRoss Alexander Collins was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.Born in Collinsville, Mississippi, Collins attended the public schools of Meridian, Mississippi, and Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College....
(1880–1968), U.S. representative, (CollinsvilleCollinsville, MississippiCollinsville is a census-designated place in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,823 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Collinsville is located at ....
) - William M. ColmerWilliam M. ColmerWilliam Meyers Colmer was a Mississippi politician.Colmer was born in Moss Point, Mississippi, and attended Millsaps College...
(1890–1980), U.S. representative, (Moss PointMoss Point, MississippiMoss Point is a city, north of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 17,653 at the 2000 census.On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed .-Geography:Moss Point is...
) - Greg DavisGreg Davis (Mississippi politician)For other persons with these names, see Greg Davis and Charles Davis.Charles Gregory "Greg" Davis is the mayor of Southaven, Mississippi, the state's third largest city, and was the Republican Party nominee for Mississippi's 1st congressional district in the 2008 special and general elections.-...
(born 1966), mayor, (SouthavenSouthaven, Mississippi-Households And Families:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,977 people, 11,007 households, and 8,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 857.9 people per square mile...
) - Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
(1808–1889), U.S. senator and president of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, (Warren CountyWarren County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge * Vicksburg National Military Park -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,644 people, 18,756 households, and 13,222 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile...
) - Wayne DowdyWayne DowdyCharles Wayne Dowdy is a former United States Congressman from Mississippi, United States Senate candidate and currently chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party.-Early life:Dowdy was born in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia....
(born 1943), chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, (MagnoliaMagnolia, MississippiMagnolia is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2071 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County, which lies within the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
) - Brad DyeBrad DyeBrad Dye is a retired American politician who served three 4-year terms as 27th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from 1980 until 1992. He was a member of the Democratic Party.Dye was born in Charleston, Mississippi....
(born 1933), lieutenant governor, (CharlestonCharleston, MississippiCharleston is a city in North Central Mississippi and one of the county seats of Tallahatchie County. The population was 2,198 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Charleston is located at ....
) - James EastlandJames EastlandJames Oliver Eastland was an American politician from Mississippi who briefly served in the United States Senate as a Democrat in 1941; and again from 1943 until his resignation December 27, 1978. From 1947 to 1978, he served alongside John Stennis, also a Democrat...
(1904–1986), U.S. senator, (SunflowerSunflower, MississippiSunflower is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sunflower is located at ....
) - Mike EspyMike EspyAlphonso Michael "Mike" Espy is a former United States political figure. From 1987 to 1993, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. He served as the Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. He was the first African American Secretary of Agriculture...
(born 1953), U.S. secretary of agriculture, (Yazoo CityYazoo City, MississippiYazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
) - Robert C. FarrellRobert C. FarrellRobert C. Farrell was a journalist and a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1974 until 1991.-Biography:Farrell was born in Natchez, Mississippi, on October 1, 1936, and moved with his family to New Orleans and Newark, New Jersey, before settling in Los Angeles, where he attended Los...
(born 1936), Los Angeles city councilman, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Erik R. Fleming (born 1965), state representative, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Kirk FordiceKirk FordiceDaniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice, Jr. was a politician from the US state of Mississippi. He was the 61st Governor of Mississippi from January 14, 1992, until January 11, 2000.-Biography:...
(1934–2004), governor, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Webb FranklinWebb FranklinWilliam Webster Franklin was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, Franklin graduated from Greenwood High School, Greenwood, Mississippi....
(born 1941), U.S. representative, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Evelyn GandyEvelyn GandyEdythe Evelyn Gandy was an American politician who was the first female elected to a statewide office in Mississippi– that of Treasurer for the State of Mississippi...
(1920–2007), lieutenant governor, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - James Z. GeorgeJames Z. GeorgeJames Zachariah George was an American military officer, lawyer, writer, and politician. He was known as Mississippi's "Great Commoner."...
(1826–1897), U.S. senator, (CarrolltonCarrollton, MississippiCarrollton is a town in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat of Carroll County. The population was 408 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area-Geography:...
) - Charles H. GriffinCharles H. GriffinCharles Hudson Griffin was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi, great-great-grandson of Isaac Griffin....
(1926–1989), U.S. representative, (UticaUtica, MississippiUtica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the URJ Henry S...
) - Gregg HarperGregg HarperGregory "Gregg" Harper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes the wealthier portions of the state capital, Jackson, along with most of that city's suburbs. Other cities in the district include Meridian and Natchez.-...
(born 1956), U.S. representative, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Pat HarrisonPat HarrisonByron Patton "Pat" Harrison was a Mississippi politician who served as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives from 1911 to 1919 and in the United States Senate from 1919 until his death....
(1881–1941), U.S. representative, (Crystal SpringsCrystal Springs, MississippiCrystal Springs is a city in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Crystal Springs is located at ....
) - Patrick HenryPatrick Henry (U.S. Congressman)Patrick Henry was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi, uncle of Patrick Henry .Born near Cynthia, Mississippi, Henry attended the common schools, Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi, Madison College, Sharon, Mississippi, and the Nashville Military College.He moved to Brandon,...
(1843–1930), U.S. representative, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - Thomas C. HindmanThomas C. HindmanThomas Carmichael Hindman, Jr. was a lawyer, United States Representative from the 1st Congressional District of Arkansas, and a Major General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
(1828–1868), U.S. representative from Arkansas, (RipleyRipley, MississippiRipley is a city in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,478 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Tippah County....
) - Jon HinsonJon HinsonJon Clifton Hinson was a politician from the state of Mississippi.-Early life:Hinson was born in Tylertown, Mississippi and graduated from the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Hinson was an aide to Representatives Charles H...
(1942–1995), U.S. representative, (TylertownTylertown, MississippiTylertown is the county seat of Walthall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,910 at the 2000 census.-History:Tylertown was first known as the Magee Settlement. Its first settlement dates back to the emigration of the Magees and Thornhills from South Carolina and is located on a...
) - David HolmesDavid Holmes (politician)David Holmes was the last governor of the Mississippi Territory and the first governor of the State of Mississippi.-Career:...
(1769–1832), first Governor of Mississippi - Jim HoodJim HoodJames Matthew "Jim" Hood is the Attorney General of the U.S. state of Mississippi. A Democrat, he was elected in 2003, having defeated the Republican nominee Scott Newton. A former District Attorney, Hood succeeded Mike Moore....
, Attorney General of Mississippi, (New HoulkaNew Houlka, MississippiNew Houlka is a town in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States, which includes the older settlement of "old Houlka", the oldest white settlement in the county, established in 1812 at the intersection of the Natchez Trace and Gaines Trace, approximately one mile from the Chickasaw Indian Agency...
) - Delbert HosemannDelbert HosemannDelbert Hosemann, Jr. is the Republican Secretary of State of Mississippi. Hosemann received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Notre Dame University in 1969. He then went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi Law School in 1972. He completed his...
(born 1947), Mississippi secretary of state, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Benjamin G. HumphreysBenjamin G. HumphreysBenjamin Grubb Humphreys was an American politician from Mississippi. He was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and served as Governor of Mississippi from 1865 to 1868, during Reconstruction.-Early life:Humphreys was born in Claiborne County, Mississippi, on the...
(1808–1882), governor, (Claiborne CountyClaiborne County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,831 people, 3,685 households, and 2,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 4,252 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
) - Benjamin G. Humphreys IIBenjamin G. Humphreys IIBenjamin Grubb Humphreys was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi, father of William Y. Humphreys, and son of Benjamin G...
(1865–1923), U.S. representative, (Claiborne CountyClaiborne County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,831 people, 3,685 households, and 2,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 4,252 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
) - William Y. HumphreysWilliam Y. HumphreysWilliam Yerger Humphreys was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi, son of Benjamin G. Humphreys II.Born in Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, Humphreys attended the public schools and Sewanee Grammar School, Sewanee, Tennessee.He studied law at George Washington University, Washington,...
(1890–1933), U.S. representative, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Paul B. Johnson, Sr.Paul B. Johnson, Sr.Paul Burney Johnson, Sr. was a judge, United States Representative and Governor of Mississippi. From 1907 to 1908 he was a judge of the city court of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Two years later he became circuit judge of the 12th judicial district, with his tenure ending in 1919. From 1919 to 1923,...
(1880–1943), judge/governor, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Paul B. Johnson, Jr.Paul B. Johnson, Jr.Paul Burney Johnson, Jr. was a United States Democratic Mississippi politician and son of former Mississippi Governor Paul B. Johnson, Sr.....
(1916–1985), governor, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Pete JohnsonPete Johnson (Mississippi)Pete Johnson served as State Auditor of Mississippi from 1988-1992.-References:...
(born 1948), state auditor, co-chair of Delta Regional AuthorityDelta Regional AuthorityThe Delta Regional Authority is a Federal-State partnership whose mission it is to improve the quality of life for the residents of the Mississippi River Delta Region. The Delta Regional Authority serves 252 counties and parishes in parts of eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky,...
, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Daryl JonesDaryl JonesDaryl Jones is a politician from Miami, Florida, United States.- Early years :The son of public school teachers, Daryl Jones was born in Jackson, MS, the oldest of four children. He attended Lanier High School where he was elected President of the Mississippi State Association of Student Councils...
(born 1955), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Penne Percy KorthPenne Percy KorthPenne Percy Korth Peacock is an American diplomat. She graduated from the University of Texas in 1964with a B.A....
(born 1942), diplomat, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - L.Q.C. LamarLucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (II)Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar was an American politician and jurist from Mississippi. A United States Representative and Senator, he also served as United States Secretary of the Interior in the first administration of President Grover Cleveland, as well as an Associate Justice of the U.S...
(1825–1893), U.S. senator and supreme court justiceSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Greenwood LeFloreGreenwood LeFloreGreenwood LeFlore or Greenwood Le Fleur was elected Principal Chief of the Choctaw in 1830 before removal. Before that, the nation was governed by three district chiefs and a council of chiefs...
(1800–1865), ChoctawChoctawThe Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
chief, state senator - Clinton LeSueurClinton LeSueurClinton Bernard LeSueur is an American politician and journalist from the state of Mississippi.-Personal life:LeSueur was born and raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi as the son of a Church of God in Christ minister. He now lives in Greenville...
(born 1969), (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Elmer LitchfieldElmer LitchfieldElmer B. Litchfield was a long-serving sheriff of populous East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, known for his modernization of law-enforcement procedures....
(1927–2008), sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Mamie LockeMamie LockeMamie E. Locke is an American politician and educator. A Democrat, she was a member of the Hampton, Virginia city council 1996–2004, and mayor 2000–2004. In November 2003, she was elected to the Senate of Virginia. She the 2nd District, made up of parts of the cities of Hampton,...
(born 1954), Virginia state senator, (BrandonBrandon, MississippiBrandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
) - Trent LottTrent LottChester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
(born 1941), U.S. senator, (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - John R. LynchJohn R. LynchJohn Roy Lynch was the first African-American Speaker of the House in Mississippi. He was also one of the first African-Americans elected to the U.S House of Representatives during Reconstruction, the period in United States history after the Civil War.-Biography:Lynch was born a slave near...
(1847–1939), first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House, U.S. representative, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Ray MabusRay MabusRaymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr. is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy. Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the U.S...
(born 1948), governor and Secretary of the Navy, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Harlan MajureHarlan MajureHarlan Majure was mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi during the 1990s. He married Peggy DeMaurice Perry and has two children....
(born 1929), mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Glenn McCulloughGlenn McCulloughGlenn L. McCullough, Jr. is a businessman, former Mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi, former chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority. McCullough lost the Republican nomination for Mississippi's 2008 1st congressional district special election.McCullough is a sixth generation Mississippian...
(born 1954), mayor of Tupelo, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Chris McDanielChris McDanielChristopher McDaniel , is an attorney, conservative commentator and a Republican politician in the Mississippi Senate who has represented the 42nd District, which encompasses part of South Mississippi, since 2008...
(born 1971), state senator, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Hernando MoneyHernando MoneyHernando DeSoto Money was an American politician from the state of Mississippi.-Biography:Money was born in Holmes County, Mississippi. He was named after the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto. Early in his life, he moved with his family to Carrollton, Mississippi...
(1839–1912), U.S. senator, (CarrolltonCarrollton, MississippiCarrollton is a town in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat of Carroll County. The population was 408 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area-Geography:...
) - "Sonny" MontgomeryGillespie V. MontgomeryGillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery was an American politician from Mississippi who served in the U.S. House of Representatives 1967–1997...
(1920–2006), U.S. representative, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Mike MooreMike Moore (Mississippi politician)Michael Moore was the Attorney General for the U.S. State of Mississippi from 1988 to 2004. In 1994, he filed the first lawsuit against thirteen tobacco companies, claiming that they should reimburse the State for the costs of treating those with smoking-related illnesses...
(born 1952), Mississippi attorney general, (PascagoulaPascagoula, MississippiPascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
) - Ronnie MusgroveRonnie MusgroveDavid Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by...
(born 1956), governor, (TocowaTocowa, MississippiTocowa was a town located just outside of Batesville in Panola County, Mississippi, United States, but it is now an unincorporated ghost town.-History:Description of Tocowa from the 1938 book, Mississippi: A Guide to the Magnolia State:...
) - Spencer MyrickSpencer MyrickWillie Spencer Myrick, known as W. Spencer Myrick was a Democratic member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana....
(1918–1991), Louisiana legislator, (Simpson CountySimpson County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,639 people, 10,076 households, and 7,385 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,307 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
) - Alan NunneleeAlan NunneleePatrick Alan Nunnelee is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He formerly served as the Mississippi State Senator for District 6.-Early life:...
(born 1958), state senator, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Rod PaigeRod PaigeRoderick Raynor "Rod" Paige served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. Paige, who grew up in Mississippi, built a career on a belief that education equalizes opportunity, moving from classroom teacher to college dean and school superintendent to be the first African...
(born 1933), Secretary of Education (MonticelloMonticello, MississippiMonticello is a town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,726 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Monticello is located at ....
) - Chip PickeringChip Pickering"Charles Willis Pickering" redirects here. For this former congressman's father, see Charles W. Pickering.Charles Willis "Chip" Pickering, Jr. is a politician in the U.S. state of Mississippi. He represented as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives...
(born 1963), U.S. representative, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - Stacey Pickering (born 1968), Mississippi State Auditor, (LaurelLaurel, MississippiLaurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
) - John E. RankinJohn E. RankinJohn Elliott Rankin was a Democratic congressman from the U.S. State of Mississippi who supported racial segregation and, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, voiced racist views on African Americans and Jews and even accused Albert Einstein of being a communist agitator.In...
(1882–1960), U.S. representative, (Itawamba CountyItawamba County, MississippiIn 2000, there were 8,773 households out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and...
) - Red Shoes (died 1747), assassinated Choctaw leader
- Bill RenickBill RenickBill Renick is a former Mayor of Ashland, Mississippi, and campaigned for Governor of Mississippi as a Democrat before withdrawing on April 23, 2007. At the age of 18, he became one of the youngest elected officials in the history of Mississippi when he was elected an alderman for the city of...
(born 1954), mayor, governor's chief of staff (AshlandAshland, MississippiAshland is a town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 577 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Benton County. Ashland was incorporated on March 8, 1871 and has a Mayor-Alderman form of government...
) - Hiram Rhodes RevelsHiram Rhodes RevelsHiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. Because he preceded any African American in the House, he was the first African American in the U.S. Congress as well. He represented Mississippi in 1870 and 1871 during Reconstruction...
(1827–1901), first African-American U.S. senator, (Claiborne CountyClaiborne County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,831 people, 3,685 households, and 2,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 4,252 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
) - Carol SchwartzCarol SchwartzCarol Schwartz is a politician from Washington, D.C., who served as an at-large member on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1985 to 1989 and again from 1997 to 2009.-Early life:...
(born 1944), District of ColumbiaCouncil of the District of ColumbiaThe Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the District is not part of any U.S. state and is instead overseen directly by the federal government...
politician, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Abram M. ScottAbram M. ScottAbram Marshall Scott was a Democratic Mississippi politician born in South Carolina .He was an early settler of Wilkinson County, Mississippi and was instrumental in founding the town of Woodville, Mississippi...
(1785–1833), governor, (Wilkinson CountyWilkinson County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,312 people, 3,578 households, and 2,511 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 5,106 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
) - Ronnie ShowsRonnie ShowsClifford Ronald "Ronnie" Shows is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi....
(born 1947), U.S. representative, (MoselleMoselle, MississippiMoselle is an unincorporated community in southern Jones County, Mississippi, United States. It is located along U.S. Highway 11, north of Eastabuchie and southwest of Laurel...
) - Jim SingletonJim SingletonJames Milton Singleton , a prime mover in the New Orleans political organization BOLD , serves on the nine-member Louisiana Gaming Commission, having been nominated for the position by Xavier University of Louisiana president Norman Francis and appointed by Governor Bobby Jindal.-Role in...
(born 1931), New Orleans councilman (HazlehurstHazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
) - Larkin I. SmithLarkin I. SmithLarkin I. Smith was an American politician from Mississippi.Smith was born in Poplarville, Mississippi. He served at various positions in the Pearl River County and then Harrison County police forces, eventually becoming Chief of Police of Gulfport Police Dept...
(1944–1989), U.S. representative, (PoplarvillePoplarville, MississippiPoplarville is a city in Pearl River County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,601. It is the county seat of Pearl River County. It hosts an annual Blueberry Jubilee, which includes rides, craft vendors, and rodeos....
) - Larry SpeakesLarry SpeakesLarry M. Speakes is a former acting spokesman for the White House under President Ronald Reagan, having held the position from 1981 to 1987.Speakes was born in Cleveland, Mississippi...
(born 1939), presidential spokesman, (ClevelandCleveland, MississippiCleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 census.Cleveland has a fairly large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. Highway 61...
) - John C. StennisJohn C. StennisJohn Cornelius Stennis was a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member by his retirement.- Early life :...
(1901–1995), U.S. senator, (De KalbDe Kalb, MississippiDe Kalb is a town in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 972 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kemper County.-Geography:De Kalb is located at ....
) - Bill StoneWilliam H. "Bill" StoneBill Stone is member of the Mississippi State Senate representing Senate District 2, Benton, Marshall and Tippah counties....
(born 1965), state senator, (AshlandAshland, MississippiAshland is a town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 577 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Benton County. Ashland was incorporated on March 8, 1871 and has a Mayor-Alderman form of government...
) - William V. SullivanWilliam V. SullivanWilliam Van Amberg Sullivan was a United States Representative and Senator from Mississippi.-Biography:Born near Winona, Mississippi, he attended the common schools in Panola County and the University of Mississippi at Oxford, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall...
(1857–1918), U.S. representative and senator, (WinonaWinona, MississippiWinona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County....
) - Gene Taylor (born 1953), U.S. representative, (Bay St. LouisBay St. Louis, MississippiBay Saint Louis is a city located in Hancock County, Mississippi. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,209. It is the county seat of Hancock County...
) - Bennie ThompsonBennie ThompsonBennie G. Thompson, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993, and the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security since 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(born 1948), U.S. representative, (BoltonBolton, MississippiBolton is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 629 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bolton is located at ....
) - Jacob ThompsonJacob ThompsonJacob Thompson was a lawyer and politician who served as United States Secretary of the Interior from 1857 to 1861.-Biography:...
(1810–1885), U.S. representative, secretary of the interior, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Amy TuckAmy TuckAmy Tuck was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi. A Republican, she is only the second woman elected to statewide office in Mississippi and the first to have been re-elected.-Biography:...
(born 1963), lieutenant governor, (MabenMaben, MississippiMaben is a town in Oktibbeha and Webster Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 803 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Maben is located at...
) - James K. VardamanJames K. VardamanJames Kimble Vardaman was an American politician from the state of Mississippi, serving as Governor of Mississippi from 1904 to 1908 and in the U.S. Senate from 1913 to 1919. Vardaman, known as "The Great White Chief", advocated white supremacy...
(1861–1930), governor, U.S. Senator, (Yalobusha CountyYalobusha County, MississippiYalobusha County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2010, the population was 12,678. Its county seats are Water Valley and Coffeeville.-History:...
) - Jamie L. WhittenJamie L. WhittenJamie Lloyd Whitten was a United States Representative from Mississippi, who was of English and Swedish descent. He is the second-longest serving U.S. Representative ever and the fourth longest serving U.S. member of Congress ever.-Early life:Jamie Whitten was born in Cascilla, Mississippi...
(1910–1995), U.S. representative, (CascillaTallahatchie County, Mississippi-National protected areas:*Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge *Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,903 people, 5,263 households, and 3,826 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile...
) - Roger WickerRoger WickerRoger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
(born 1951), U.S. senator, (PontotocPontotoc, MississippiPontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
) - Thomas Hickman WilliamsThomas Hickman WilliamsThomas Hickman Williams was a United States Senator from Mississippi. Born in Williamson County, Tennessee, he attended the common schools, moved to Mississippi and settled in Pontotoc County, and engaged in planting. He was appointed and subsequently elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to...
(1801–1851), U.S. senator, (Pontotoc CountyPontotoc County, Mississippi-National protected area:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,726 people, 10,097 households, and 7,562 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 10,816 housing units at an...
) - William Arthur Winstead (1904–1995), U.S. representative, (PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, MississippiPhiladelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
) - William WinterWilliam Winter (politician)William Forrest Winter is an American politician from Mississippi. He served as the 58th Governor of Mississippi from 1980 to 1984 as a Democrat. He is known for his strong support of public education, racial reconciliation, and historic preservation. Winter is best remembered for the passage of...
(born 1923), governor, (GrenadaGrenada, MississippiGrenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,879 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County.-History:...
) - Fielding L. WrightFielding L. WrightFielding Lewis Wright was a Democratic politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from 1944 to 1946, then as Governor after the incumbent, Thomas L. Bailey, died in office in 1946. Wright was elected Governor in his own right in 1947 and served a full four year term...
(1895–1956), governor, (Rolling ForkRolling Fork, MississippiRolling Fork is a city in Sharkey County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,486 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sharkey County.-Geography:Rolling Fork is located at ....
)
Supercentenarians
- Susie GibsonSusie GibsonSusie Elizabeth Gibson née Potts was an American supercentenarian and the third-oldest person in the world at the time of her death. She currently ranks as one of the 25 oldest validated persons of all time. Moreover, Susie was older than several 'world's oldest persons'...
(1890–2006), lived 115 years and 108 days, (CorinthCorinth, MississippiCorinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
) - Moses HardyMoses HardyMoses Hardy was, at age 112 or 113, the last black veteran of World War I and one of the last surviving American veterans of that war. The son of former slaves, Hardy was born in either 1893 or 1894 and lived a religious and farming life until he signed up to serve overseas in World War I in July...
(1893/1894–2006), lived 112 to 113 years, (AberdeenAberdeen, MississippiAberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....
) - Bettie Wilson (1890–2006), lived 115 years and 153 days
Writers
- Ace AtkinsAce AtkinsAce Atkins is an American journalist and author. Atkins worked as a crime reporter in the newsroom of The Tampa Tribune before he published his first novel, Crossroad Blues, in 1998...
(born 1970), (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Howard BahrHoward BahrHoward Bahr is an American novelist, born in Meridian, Mississippi. Bahr, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and then worked for several years on the railroads, enrolled at the University of Mississippi in the early 1970s when he was in his late 20s. He received his B.A. and M.A...
(born 1946), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Frederick BarthelmeFrederick BarthelmeFredrick Barthelme is an American novelist and short story author, well known as one of the seminal writers of minimalist fiction...
(born 1943), novelist and professor, (HattiesburgHattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
) - Earl W. BascomEarl W. BascomEarl W. Bascom was an American painter, printmaker, rodeo performer and sculptor, raised in Canada, who portrayed his own experiences cowboying and rodeoing across the American and Canadian West.- Childhood :...
(1906–1995), (ColumbiaColumbia, MississippiColumbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the...
) - Lerone Bennett, Jr.Lerone Bennett, Jr.Lerone Bennett, Jr. is an African-American scholar, author and social historian, known for his revisionist analysis of race relations in the United States. His works include "When the Wind Blows" and "History of Us".-Biography:...
(born 1928), editor of EbonyEbony (magazine)Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine, (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Douglas A. BlackmonDouglas A. BlackmonDouglas A. Blackmon is an American writer and a Pulitzer Prize winner. He won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction for Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II....
(born 1964), journalist and historian, (LelandLeland, MississippiLeland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
) - Maxwell BodenheimMaxwell BodenheimMaxwell Bodenheim was an American poet and novelist who was known as the King of Greenwich Village Bohemians. His writing brought him international fame during the Jazz Age of the 1920s.-Biography:...
(1892–1954), poet and novelist, (HermanvilleHermanville, MississippiHermanville is an unincorporated town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States.-Education:Hermanville is served by the Claiborne County School District....
) - Bruce Brady (1934?–2000), writer, editor of Outdoor LifeOutdoor LifeOutdoor Life is an outdoors magazine about hunting, fishing, survival and camping. It is a sister magazine of Field & Stream. Together with Sports Afield, they are considered the Big Three of American outdoor publishing. Outdoor Life launched in Denver, Colorado in January 1898. Founder and...
, (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Charlie Braxton, poet and author, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Larry BrownLarry Brown (author)Larry Brown was an American novelist, non-fiction and short story writer. He was a winner of numerous awards including the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters award for fiction, the Lila Wallace-Readers Digest Award, and Mississippi's Governor's Award For Excellence in the Arts...
(1951–2004), (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - Jill Conner Browne, author, Sweet Potato QueensSweet Potato QueensThe Sweet Potato Queens is a women's organization based in Jackson, Mississippi, that has over 6000 chapters in over 20 countries.-Organization:...
, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Jack ButlerJack Butler (author)Jack Butler is an American author.From 1964 to 1966, Butler attended Central Missouri State College, earning an English B.A. and a Math B.S.. From there, he attended the University of Arkansas and earned an M.F.A...
(born 1944), (AlligatorAlligator, MississippiAlligator is a village in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 220 at the 2000 census.In 2009, Tommie "Tomaso" Brown was elected Alligator's first black mayor...
) - Mary CainMary CainMary D. Cain was a Mississippi newspaper editor and Democratic politician. A fiery and outspoken supporter of segregation and other conservative causes, she earned herself the nickname "Hacksaw Mary"...
(1904–1984), journalist, (Pike CountyPike County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,940 people, 14,792 households, and 10,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 95 people per square mile . There were 16,720 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
) - Hodding Carter IIHodding CarterWilliam Hodding Carter, II was a prominent Southern U.S. progressive journalist and author. Carter was born in Hammond, the largest community in Tangipahoa Parish, in southeastern Louisiana, to William Hodding Carter, I , and the former Irma Dutartre...
(1907–1972), journalist, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Hodding Carter IIIHodding Carter IIIHodding Carter, III , is an American journalist and politician best known for his role as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs in the Jimmy Carter administration.-Biography:...
(born 1935), journalist, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Craig ClaiborneCraig ClaiborneCraig Claiborne was an American restaurant critic, food writer and former food editor of the New York Times. He was the author of numerous cookbooks and an autobiography...
(1920–2000), food writer, (SunflowerSunflower, MississippiSunflower is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sunflower is located at ....
) - Mart CrowleyMart CrowleyMart Crowley is an American playwright.Crowley was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. After graduating from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1957, Crowley headed west to Hollywood, where he worked for a number of television production companies before meeting Natalie Wood on...
(born 1935), playwright, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Borden DealBorden DealBorden Deal , was an American novelist and short story writer.Born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, Deal attended Macedonia Consolidated High School, after which he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and fought forest fires in the Pacific Northwest...
(1922–1985), novelist and short story writer, (PontotocPontotoc, MississippiPontotoc is a city in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census...
) - Ben DomenechBen DomenechBen Domenech is an American conservative writer and blogger who co-founded the RedState group blog. In March 2006, he was hired to write a conservative blog for washingtonpost.com but resigned after three days amid allegations of plagiarism during his college years...
(born 1981), conservative writer and blogger, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - David Herbert DonaldDavid Herbert Donald- Career :Majoring in history and sociology, Donald earned his bachelor degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He earned his PhD in 1946 under the eminent, leading Lincoln scholar, James G. Randall at the University of Illinois...
(1920–2009), historian, (GoodmanGoodman, MississippiGoodman is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,252 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace of John A. Lomax , pioneering folklorist, andDavid Herbert Donald , Pulitzer-prize-winning historian....
) - Ellen DouglasEllen DouglasEllen Douglas is the pen name of Josephine Ayres Haxton , an American author. Her book Apostles of Light was a National Book Award nominee.She was born in Natchez, Mississippi and grew up in Louisiana and Arkansas...
(Josephine Haxton) (born 1921), novelist, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - John T. EdgeJohn T. EdgeJohn T. Edge is a food writer and commentator and the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, though he has no formal training or education in culinary arts...
, food writer, (OxfordOxford, MississippiOxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
) - John FaulknerJohn Faulkner (author)John Faulkner was an American author. His works, in a plain style, depict life in early Mississippi...
(1901–1963), plain-style writer, (RipleyRipley, MississippiRipley is a city in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,478 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Tippah County....
) - William FaulknerWilliam FaulknerWilliam Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
(1897–1962), Nobel laureate, (New AlbanyNew Albany, MississippiNew Albany is a city in Union County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,526 at the 2010 census. New Albany is the county seat of Union County. New Albany was first organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and saw mill on the Tallahatchie River and was developed as a river port...
) - Bill Fitzhugh (born 1957), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Vic FlemingVic FlemingVictor Anson "Vic" Fleming is an American judge, teacher and author residing in Little Rock, Arkansas.He was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and educated at Davidson College and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law, where he has taught Law and Literature as an adjunct faulty...
(born 1951), (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Shelby FooteShelby FooteShelby Dade Foote, Jr. was an American historian and novelist who wrote The Civil War: A Narrative, a massive, three-volume history of the war. With geographic and cultural roots in the Mississippi Delta, Foote's life and writing paralleled the radical shift from the agrarian planter system of the...
(1916–2005), historian and novelist, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Charles Henri FordCharles Henri FordCharles Henri Ford was an American poet, novelist, filmmaker, photographer, and collage artist best known for his editorship of the Surrealist magazine View in New York City, and as the partner of the artist Pavel Tchelitchew...
(1913–2002), poet, novelist, editor (BrookhavenBrookhaven, MississippiBrookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
) - Richard FordRichard FordRichard Ford is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist and short story writer. His best-known works are the novel The Sportswriter and its sequels, Independence Day and The Lay of the Land, and the short story collection Rock Springs, which contains several widely anthologized stories.-Early...
(born 1944), Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning novelist and short story writer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Lynn FranklinLynn FranklinLynn Franklin is an American author, and the most highly decorated officer in Beverly Hills Police history. He is most famous for being the Beverly Hills Police detective who pulled over a car containing Robert F. Kennedy, Peter Lawford, and Dr. Ralph Greenson , the night he claims Marilyn Monroe...
(born 1922), author, police detective - Ellen GilchristEllen GilchristEllen Gilchrist is an American novelist, short story writer, and poet.-Life:Gilchrist was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and spent part of her childhood on a plantation owned by her maternal grandparents. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and studied creative writing, especially...
(born 1935), novelist/poet/short story writer, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - John GrishamJohn GrishamJohn Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
(born 1955), legal thrillerLegal thrillerThe legal thriller is a sub-genre of thriller and crime fiction in which the major characters are lawyers and their employees. The system of justice itself is always a major part of these works, at times almost functioning as one of the characters...
s novelist, (SouthavenSouthaven, Mississippi-Households And Families:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,977 people, 11,007 households, and 8,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 857.9 people per square mile...
) - Barry HannahBarry HannahHoward Barry Hannah was an American novelist and short story writer from Mississippi.The author of eight novels and five short story collections , Hannah worked with notable American editors and publishers such as Gordon Lish, Seymour Lawrence, and Morgan Entrekin...
(born 1942), novelist and short story writer, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - Charlaine HarrisCharlaine HarrisCharlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing mysteries for over twenty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area of the United States. She now lives in southern Arkansas with her husband and three children...
(born 1951), mystery author, (TunicaTunica, MississippiTunica is a town in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, located near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s the town was one of the most impoverished places in the United States, semi-famous for the particularly deprived neighbourhood known as "Sugar Ditch Alley", named for the open...
) - Thomas HarrisThomas HarrisThomas Harris is an American author and screenwriter, best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character, Hannibal Lecter...
(born 1940), author who created the character Hannibal LecterHannibal LecterHannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
, (RichCoahoma County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 30,622 people, 10,553 households, and 7,482 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 11,490 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
) - Beth HenleyBeth HenleyElizabeth Becker "Beth" Henley is an American dramatist and actress. She writes primarily about women's issues and family in the Southern United States. She is also a screenwriter who has written many film adaptations of her plays...
(born 1952), playwright and screenwriter, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - M. Carl HolmanM. Carl HolmanM. Carl Holman was an African-American author, poet and playwright. One of his noted works is The Baptizin‘ ....
(1919–1988), author/poet/playwright, (Minter CityMinter City, MississippiMinter City is an unincorporated community in northern Leflore County, Mississippi in the Mississippi Delta on the Leflore County/Tallahatchie County county line. Minter City is located on the Tallahatchie River approximately west of Philipp, south of Glendora and east of Ruleville...
) - Greg IlesGreg IlesGreg Iles is an American bestselling novelist who lives in Natchez, Mississippi.Iles was born in Stuttgart, Germany, where his father ran the U.S. Embassy Medical Clinic. He was raised in Natchez, Mississippi, where he attended Trinity Episcopal Day School and graduated from the University of...
(born 1960), novelist, (NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - Greg KeyesGregory KeyesGregory Keyes is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy who has written both original and media-related novels under both the names "J. Gregory Keyes" and "Greg Keyes". He is famous for his quartet The Age of Unreason, a steampunk/alchemical story starring Benjamin Franklin and Isaac...
(born 1963), science fiction and fantasy writer, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Muna LeeMuna Lee (writer)This article is about the Puerto Rico-based writer. For the American athlete, see Muna Lee .Muna Lee was an American author and poet who became widely known for her writings that promoted Pan-Americanism and Feminism.Born in Raymond, Mississippi, Lee began her writing career as a well-known lyric...
(1895–1965), author and poet, (RaymondRaymond, MississippiRaymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
) - Sam Chu LinSam Chu LinSam Chu Lin was an American journalist. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, Lin died, at the age of 67, in Burbank, California on March 5, 2006. In the 1960s, he was one of the first Asian Americans to appear on both radio and television, eventually working for all four major broadcast networks...
(1939–2006), journalist, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - C. Liegh McInnis (born 1969), poet/short story writer/editor of Black Magnolias (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - Anne MoodyAnne MoodyAnne Moody is an African-American author who has written about her experiences growing up poor and black in rural Mississippi, joining the Civil Rights Movement, and fighting racism against blacks in the United States beginning in the 1960s-Life:Born Essie Mae Moody, she was the oldest of nine...
(born 1940), author, activist, (CentrevilleCentreville, MississippiCentreville is a town in Amite and Wilkinson Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) - Willie MorrisWillie MorrisWilliam Weaks "Willie" Morris , was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly...
(1934–1999), author, editor (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Jess MowryJess MowryJess Mowry is an American author of books and stories for children and young adults. He has written fourteen books and many short stories for and about black children and teens in a variety of genres, ranging from inner-city settings to the forests of Haiti...
(born 1960), writer of books and stories for children and young adults, (StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
) - Ellis Nassour (born 1941), journalist, playwright, non-fiction author, (VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - Thomas NaylorThomas NaylorThomas Naylor, born May 30, 1936, in Jackson, Mississippi, is a Professor Emeritus of Economics at Duke University, the author of thirty books, and a founder of the Second Vermont Republic...
(born 1936), author and economist, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Lewis NordanLewis NordanLewis Nordan grew up in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He is a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1983, at age forty-five, Nordan published his first collection of stories, Welcome to the Arrow-Catcher Fair...
(born 1939), (ForestForest, MississippiForest is a city in Scott County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,987 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Scott County.-Geography:Forest is located at ....
) - Steven OzmentSteven OzmentSteven E. Ozment is an American historian of early modern and modern Germany, the European family, and the Protestant Reformation....
(born 1939), historian, (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Walker PercyWalker PercyWalker Percy was an American Southern author whose interests included philosophy and semiotics. Percy is best known for his philosophical novels set in and around New Orleans, Louisiana, the first of which, The Moviegoer, won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1962...
(1916–1990), (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - William Alexander PercyWilliam Alexander PercyWilliam Alexander Percy , was a lawyer, planter, and poet from Greenville, Mississippi. His autobiography Lanterns on the Levee became a bestseller. His father LeRoy Percy was the last United States Senator from Mississippi elected by the legislature...
(1885–1942), (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - William RaspberryWilliam RaspberryWilliam Raspberry is a former Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated American public affairs columnist. He was also the Knight Professor of the Practice of Communications and Journalism at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University...
(born 1935), public affairs columnist, (OkolonaOkolona, MississippiOkolona is a city in and one of the county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,056 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Okolona is located at ....
) - Kevin SessumsKevin SessumsKevin Sessums is an American author, editor and actor from Forest, Mississippi. Sessums served as executive editor of Interview and as a contributing editor of Vanity Fair, Allure, and Parade. His work has also appeared in Travel+Leisure, Elle, Out, Marie Claire, and Playboy...
(born 1956), magazine editor, (ForestForest, MississippiForest is a city in Scott County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,987 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Scott County.-Geography:Forest is located at ....
) - Patrick D. SmithPatrick D. SmithPatrick D. Smith, is an American author and member of the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. His work has been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize and five times for the Nobel Prize for Literature....
(born 1927), Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
and Nobel Prize nominee, (Mendenhall) - Robert Bruce Smith, IVRobert Bruce Smith, IV- Current Activities :Robert Bruce Smith, IV is a Mississippi historian and native writer. Smith presently lives in Tupelo, MS where he does technology consulting. He currently reviews Tupelo Symphony Orchestra concerts for the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in addition to writing a local...
(born 1947), author and FaulknerWilliam FaulknerWilliam Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
/MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
historian, (TupeloTupelo, MississippiTupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
) - Elizabeth SpencerElizabeth Spencer (writer)Elizabeth Spencer is a writer. Spencer's first novel, Fire in the Morning, was published in 1948. She has written a total of nine novels, seven collections of short stories, a memoir , and a play...
(born 1921), novelist, (CarrolltonCarrollton, MississippiCarrollton is a town in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat of Carroll County. The population was 408 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area-Geography:...
) - Kathryn StockettKathryn StockettKathryn Stockett is an American novelist. She is known for her 2009 debut novel, The Help, which is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s.-Career:...
, novelist, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - William N. Still, Jr.William N. Still, Jr.William Norwood Still, Jr. , is an American maritime historian, who was the first director of the program in maritime history at East Carolina University and a noted author of works on Civil War history and U.S...
(born 1932), maritime historian, (ColumbusColumbus, MississippiColumbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
) - Donna TarttDonna TarttDonna Tartt is an American writer and author of the novels The Secret History and The Little Friend . She won the WH Smith Literary Award for The Little Friend in 2003.-Early life:...
(born 1963), novelist, (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - Clifton TaulbertClifton TaulbertClifton Taulbert , is an American author and speaker. He is best known for his books Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored and Eight Habits of the Heart: Embracing the Values that Build Strong Communities...
(born 1945), author and speaker, (Glen AllanGlen Allan, MississippiGlen Allan is an unincorporated community located in far southern Washington County, Mississippi, United States. It is situated immediately east of Lake Washington's southern shore....
) - Mildred TaylorMildred D. TaylorMildred DeLois Taylor is an African American author, known for her works exploring the struggle faced by African-American families in the Deep South....
(born 1943), author, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Wright ThompsonWright ThompsonWright Thompson is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. He formerly worked at The Kansas City Star and Times-Picayune in New Orleans.-Professional life:...
(born 1977), journalist, ESPN.com - Natasha TretheweyNatasha TretheweyNatasha Trethewey is an American poet who won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her 2006 collection, Native Guard.Trethewey was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. She earned the A.B. in English from the University of Georgia, an M.A. in poetry from Hollins University, and an M.F.A. in poetry from...
(born 1966), 2007 Pulitzer Prize poet, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Jamie Langston TurnerJamie Langston Turner-Biography:Turner was born in Mississippi and currently teaches writing and poetry at Bob Jones University. Her novel A Garden to Keep won a 2002 Christy Award; her Winter Birds was named one of the "one hundred best books" of 2006 by Publishers Weekly....
(born 1949), Christian novelist - Brenda VenusBrenda VenusBrenda Venus is an actress, author, ballet dancer, director, and producer. In her early 20s, Brenda Venus met the famed Henry Miller in June 1976. He became her mentor and she his muse. Over 4,000 pages of letters were written by Henry Miller which were later collected into the book, "Dear, Dear...
(born 1947), author, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Howard WaldropHoward WaldropHoward Waldrop is a science fiction author who works primarily in short fiction.Waldrop's stories combine elements such as alternate history, American popular culture, the American South, old movies , classical mythology, and rock 'n' roll music. His style is sometimes obscure or elliptical...
(born 1946), science fiction author, (HoustonHouston, MississippiHouston is a city in and one of two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,079 at the 2000 census. The land on which Houston, MS resides was donated to the city by Judge Joel Pinson on the condition that it would be named for Sam Houston, a childhood...
) - Peggy WebbPeggy WebbPeggy Webb, née Peggy Elaine Hussey is an American author of romance novels.-Biography:Peggy Webb has born and raised on a farm in Lee County, Mississippi. As a child she would often sit in the hayloft and write down her stories. Her first publication came through her husband, the owner of a...
(born 1942), romance novel author, (MoorevilleLee County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tupelo National Battlefield-History:On September 20, 1816, General Andrew Jackson, David Meriwether, and the Chickasaw Nation signed the Treaty of Chickasaw Council House in Lee County.Lee County was...
) - Eudora WeltyEudora WeltyEudora Alice Welty was an American author of short stories and novels about the American South. Her novel The Optimist's Daughter won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous awards. She was the first living author to have her works published...
(1909–2001), novelist, short story writer (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Neil White III (born 1960), playwright, publisher, (GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
) - Tennessee WilliamsTennessee WilliamsThomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
(1911–1983), (ColumbusColumbus, MississippiColumbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
) - Richard Nathaniel WrightRichard Wright (author)Richard Nathaniel Wright was an African-American author of sometimes controversial novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially those involving the plight of African-Americans during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries...
(1908–1960), (RoxieRoxie, MississippiRoxie is a town in Franklin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 569 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Roxie is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
) - Al YoungAl YoungAl Young is an American poet, novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and professor. On May 15, 2005 he was named Poet Laureate of California by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In appointing Young as Poet Laureate, the Governor praised him: "He is an educator and a man with a passion for the Arts...
(born 1939), poet/novelist/essayist/screenwriter, (Ocean SpringsOcean Springs, MississippiOcean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
) - Stark YoungStark YoungStark Young was an American teacher, playwright, novelist, painter, literary critic and essayist.-Biography:Stark Young was born in Como, Mississippi to Mary Clark Starks and Alfred Alexander Young, a local physician....
(1881–1963), playwright/novelist/literary critic/essayist, (ComoComo, MississippiComo is a town in Panola County, Mississippi, United States which borders the Mississippi Delta. The population was 1,310 as of the 2000 census. Wayne Drash, a CNN.com senior producer, described Como as "a hard-hit rural community" in a 2007 article.-History:...
)
Other people
- Arthur BlessittArthur BlessittArthur Owen Blessitt is a traveling Christian preacher, most known for carrying a cross through every nation of the world.-Early life and career:...
(born 1940), preacher, most famous for carrying a cross through every nation of the world, (GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - Miriam ChamaniMiriam ChamaniPriestess Miriam Chamani is the Mambo and co-founder of the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple.-Biography:...
(born 1943), Mambo Priestess and co-founder of the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual TempleNew Orleans Voodoo Spiritual TempleThe New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple was established in New Orleans, Louisiana in May 1990 by Priest Oswan Chamani and Priestess Miriam Chamani. Over the years the Temple has grown in its knowledge of Voodoo in relation with World Religions, and serves many people throughout America and the World...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Cynthia Cooper, Vice President and whistleblowerWhistleblowerA whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
at WorldCom, (ClintonClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
) - James Copeland (1823–1857), outlaw and co-leader of the Wages and Copeland Clan, (Jackson CountyJackson County, MississippiThere were 47,676 households out of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 20.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.10% had...
) - Cat CoraCat CoraCatherine "Cat" Cora is a Greek-American professional chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network television show Iron Chef America.-Early life:...
(born 1967), only female Iron Chef AmericaIron Chef AmericaIron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
in franchise history, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - James A. FordJames A. FordJames Alfred Ford was an American archaeologist. He was born in Water Valley, Mississippi, on February 12, 1911. He became interested in work on Native American mound research while growing up in Mississippi.-Archaeological work:...
(1911–1968), archaeologist, (Water ValleyWater Valley, MississippiWater Valley is a city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,677 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Water Valley is located at ....
) - Fred HaiseFred HaiseFred Wallace Haise, Jr. is an engineer and former NASA astronaut. He is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon. Having flown on Apollo 13, Haise was to be the sixth human to walk on the Moon, but the mission did not land due to a failure aboard the spacecraft.-Early life and...
(born 1933), former NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, (BiloxiBiloxi, MississippiBiloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
) - Elizabeth Lee HazenElizabeth Lee HazenElizabeth Lee Hazen born in Mississippi is most known for her contribution to the development of nystatin. Her education focused on science and research where she developed a passion for microbiology. Her peers and teachers knew her as a quick learner and a bright student...
(1885–1975), microbiologist who contribution in the development of nystatinNystatinNystatin is a polyene antifungal medication to which many molds and yeast infections are sensitive, including Candida. Due to its toxicity profile, there are currently no injectable formulations of this drug on the US market...
, (RichCoahoma County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 30,622 people, 10,553 households, and 7,482 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 11,490 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
) - Jeff FortJeff FortJeff Fort is a former Chicago gang leader, co-founder of the Black P. Stones gang, and founder of its El Rukn faction. He was convicted in 1987 of conspiring with Libya to perform acts of domestic terrorism.- Biography :...
(born 1947), leader of the Black P. StonesBlack P. StonesThe Almighty Black P. Stone Nation is a Chicago-based street gang estimated to have more than 30,000 members. The gang was originally formed in the late 1950s as a civil rights organization called the Blackstone Rangers...
Nation, (AberdeenAberdeen, MississippiAberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....
) - Larry HooverLarry HooverLarry Hoover was the leader of the Chicago street gang called Gangster Disciples.-Early life:...
(born 1950), leader of the Gangster Disciple NationGangster DisciplesThe Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
) - Leslie HubrichtLeslie HubrichtLeslie Hubricht was an American biologist and malacologist.If he had lived in a previous century, Hubricht would have been called a "gentleman naturalist"...
(1908–2005), biologist and malacologist, (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - Mary Comfort LeonardMary Comfort LeonardMary Comfort Leonard was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She is known primarily for being one of the three founders of the Delta Gamma Fraternity....
(1856–1940), founder of the Delta GammaDelta GammaDelta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
Fraternity, (KosciuskoKosciusko, MississippiKosciusko is a city in Attala County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,372 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Attala County....
) - L.H. MusgroveL.H. MusgroveL. H. Musgrove was an outlaw of the American West who was sprung from jail in Denver, Colorado, and hanged by a vigilante mob. Over a number of years, he had been was charged with several murders and the theft of horses....
(died 1868), outlawOutlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
hanged by a vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
committee in Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, (Panola CountyPanola County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,274 people, 12,232 households, and 9,014 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 13,736 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
) - Haller NuttHaller NuttHaller Nutt was born February 17, 1816 on Laurel Hill Plantation in Jefferson County, Mississippi. Dr. Haller Nutt was a successful cotton planter and plantation owner in Mississippi. He developed a strain of cotton that became important commercially for the Deep South.-Education:Haller was...
(1816–1864), planter, builder of LongwoodLongwood (Natchez, Mississippi)Longwood, also known as Nutt's Folly, is an historic antebellum octagonal mansion located at 140 Lower Woodville Road in Natchez, Mississippi, USA. The mansion is on the U.S...
, (Jefferson CountyJefferson County, Mississippi-National protected areas:* Homochitto National Forest * Natchez Trace Parkway -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,740 people, 3,308 households, and 2,338 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 3,819 housing units at an...
) - The Scott SistersScott sistersJamie and Gladys Scott, often referred to as the Scott sisters, were convicted of orchestrating a 1993 armed robbery in Forest, Mississippi...
, convicted in a controversial case that has drawn national attention - Lenny SkutnikLenny SkutnikMartin Leonard Skutnik III is a former American employee of the Congressional Budget Office. He is known by an act of heroism which led him to be mentioned by President Ronald Reagan in the State of the Union Address, which coined the term "Lenny Skutnik" referring to notable people who are...
(born 1953), celebrity rescuer of 1982 disaster victim - Roy A. TuckerRoy A. TuckerRoy A. Tucker is an American astronomer. He is a prolific discoverer of asteroids, identifying at least 404 and co-discovering one, between 1996 and 2009.Tucker was raised in Memphis, Tennessee...
(born 1951), astronomer, (JacksonJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
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