State of Mississippi
Flag of Mississippi Seal Nickname(s): The Magnolia State, The Hospitality State Motto(s): Virtute et armis (By Valor and Arms) Map of the United States with Mississippi highlighted
Official language(s)	English
Capital	Jackson
Largest city	Jackson
Area	Ranked 32nd
- Total	48,434 sq mi (125,443 km)
- Width	170 miles (275 km)
- Length	340 miles (545 km)
- % water	3
- Latitude	30° 12′ N to 35° N
- Longitude	88° 06′ W to 91° 39′ W
Population	Ranked 31st
- Total (2000)	2,921,088
- Density	60.7/sq mi  23.42/km (32nd)
- Median income	$31,330 (50th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Woodall Mountain[1] 806 ft  (246 m)
- Mean	300 ft  (91 m)
- Lowest point	Gulf of Mexico[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	December 10, 1817 (20th)
Governor	Haley Barbour (R)
'''U.S. Senators	Thad Cochran (R) Trent Lott (R)
'''Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Abbreviations	MS Miss. US-MS
Web site	www.mississippi.gov

Mississippi (IPA: /ˌmɪ.sɪˈsɪ.pi/) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. The state takes its name from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary.

Geography

Mississippi is bordered on the north by the state of Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by Louisiana and Arkansas (across the Mississippi River).

Major rivers include Mississippi River, Big Black River, Pearl River, Yazoo River, Pascagoula River, and Tombigbee River. Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, and Grenada Lake. The highest point in Mississippi, part of the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains is Woodall Mountain. Hardly a mountain, Woodall Mountain is only 806 feet (246 m) above sea level. The lowest point is along the shore at the Gulf of Mexico; sea level. The Mean Elevation is 300 feet (91 m) above sea level.

Most of Mississippi is part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain, and the rest of the state is made up of a section of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The East Gulf Coastal Plain is generally composed of low hills, such as the Pine Hills in the south and the North Central Hills. Somewhat higher elevations are in the Pontotoc Ridge and the Fall Line Hills in the northeast. Yellow-brown loess soil is in the west, and a region of fertile black earth, part of the Black Belt, is in the northeast. The coastline, which includes large bays at Bay Saint Louis, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, is separated from the Gulf of Mexico proper by the shallow Mississippi Sound, which is partially enclosed by Petit Bois, Horn, Ship, and Cat islands. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain, known also as the Mississippi Delta, is narrow in the south and widens north of Vicksburg. The region has rich soil, partly made up of silt deposited by floodwaters of the Mississippi River.

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

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

Climate

Mississippi has a hot humid subtropical climate with long summers and short, mild winters. Temperatures average about 82 °F (about 28 °C) in July and about 48 °F (about 9 °C) in January. The temperature varies little across the state in summer, but in winter the region near Mississippi Sound is significantly warmer than most of the rest of the state. The recorded temperature in Mississippi has ranged from -19 °F (-28.3 °C), in 1966, at Corinth in the northeast, to 115 °F (46.1 °C), in 1930, at Holly Springs in the north. Yearly precipitation generally increases from north to south. Thus, Clarksdale, in the northwest, gets about 50 inches (about 1,270 mm) of precipitation annually and Biloxi, in the south, about 61 inches (about 1,550 mm). Small amounts of snow fall in northern and central Mississippi, although snow is not unheard of around the southern part of the state.

In the late summer and the fall, the state (especially the southern part) is often affected by hurricanes moving north from the Gulf of Mexico, and occasionally impacted by major hurricanes, which can be quite devastating in coastal communities. Thunderstorms are common in Mississippi, especially in the southern part of the state. On average, Mississippi has around 27 tornadoes annually with the northern part of the state more vulnerable earlier in the year and the southern part becoming more vulnerable a little later.

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

Ecology

Mississippi is heavily forested, with over half of the state's area covered by wild trees (mostly pine trees, but Mississippi has an abundance of other trees) (cottonwood, elm, hickory, oak, pecan, sweet gum, and tupelo). Lumber is a prevalent industry in Mississippi.

History

Main article: History of Mississippi

Mississippi was part of the Mississippian culture in the early part of the 2nd millennium AD; descendant Native American tribes include the Chickasaw and Choctaw. Other tribes who inhabited the territory of Mississippi (and whose names became those of local towns) include the Natchez, the Yazoo, and the Biloxi.

The first European expedition into the territory that became Mississippi was that of Hernando de Soto, who passed through in 1540. The first settlement was Fort Maurepas (or Old Biloxi) at Ocean Springs, settled by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville in April 1699. In 1716, Natchez was founded on the Mississippi River (as Fort Rosalie); it became the dominant town and trading post of the area. After spending some time under Spanish, British, and French nominal jurisdiction, the Mississippi area was deeded to the British after the French and Indian War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763).

The Mississippi Territory was organized on April 7, 1798, from territory ceded by Georgia and South Carolina; it was later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the U.S. and Spain. Land was purchased (generally through unequal treaties) from Native American tribes from 1800 to about 1830.

Mississippi was the 20th state admitted to the Union, on December 10, 1817.

When cotton was king during the 1850s, Mississippi plantation owners—especially those of the Delta and Black Belt regions—became increasingly wealthy due to the high fertility of the soil and the high price of cotton on the international market. The severe wealth imbalances and the necessity of large-scale slave populations to sustain such income played a heavy role in both state politics and in the support for secession.

Mississippi was the second state to secede from the Union as one of the Confederate States of America on January 9, 1861. During the Civil War the Confederate States were defeated. Under the terms of Reconstruction, Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870.

Mississippi was considered to typify the Deep South during the era of Jim Crow. A series of increasingly restrictive racial segregation laws enacted during the first part of the 20th century resulted in the emigration of almost half a million people, three-quarters of them black, in the 1940s. However, at the same time, Mississippi became a center of rich, quintessentially American music traditions: gospel music, country music, jazz, blues, and rock and roll all were invented, promulgated, or heavily developed by Mississippi musicians. Mississippi was also noted for its authors in the early twentieth century, especially William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams.

Mississippi was a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement. Through the actions and attitudes of many white politicians (Including the creation of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission), the involvement of many Mississippians in the White Citizens' Council movement, and the violent tactics of the Ku Klux Klan and its sympathizers, Mississippi gained a reputation in the 1960s as a reactionary state.[2]

The state was the last to repeal prohibition (in 1966). It symbolically adopted the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, in 1995. These amendments were still in effect in Mississippi even before their ratification there.

On August 17, 1969, Category 5 Hurricane Camille hit the Mississippi coast, killing 248 people and causing US$1.5 billion in damage (1969 dollars). On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, though a Category 3 storm upon final landfall, caused even greater destruction across the entire 90 miles (145 km) of Mississippi Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama.

On August 30, 2007, a report by the Census Bureau indicated that Mississippi is the poorest state in the country. The state had a median household income of $34,473^[2].

Demographics

Population

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%
1800	7,600		—
1810	31,306		0%
1820	75,448		0%
1830	136,621		0%
1840	375,651		0%
1850	606,526		0%
1860	791,305		0%
1870	827,922		0%
1880	1,131,597		0%
1890	1,289,600		0%
1900	1,551,270		0%
1910	1,797,114		0%
1920	1,790,618		0%
1930	2,009,821		0%
1940	2,183,796		0%
1950	2,178,914		0%
1960	2,178,141		0%
1970	2,216,912		0%
1980	2,520,638		0%
1990	2,573,216		0%
2000	2,844,658		0%

As of 2005, Mississippi has an estimated population of 2,921,088, which is an increase of 20,320, or 0.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 76,432, or 2.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 80,733 people (that is 228,849 births minus 148,116 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 10,653 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 10,578 people. Mississippi has the highest Black population of any U.S. state. It currently stands at about 37% of the population.

• The 2000 Census reported Mississippi's population as 2,844,658 http://www.censusscope.org/us/s28/chart_popl.html. The center of population of Mississippi is located in Leake County, in the town of Lena http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt.

Racial makeup and ancestry

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

Demographics of Mississippi (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	62.37%	36.66%	0.69%	0.82%	0.07%
2000 (Hispanic only)	1.12%	0.24%	0.04%	0.03%	0.01%
2005 (total population)	61.72%	37.24%	0.72%	0.91%	0.07%
2005 (Hispanic only)	1.50%	0.21%	0.04%	0.03%	0.01%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	1.62%	4.33%	7.13%	13.67%	2.89%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	0.96%	4.43%	7.21%	14.21%	6.30%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	37.78%	-11.11%	5.70%	-1.51%	-13.43%

Until the 1930s, African Americans made up a majority of Mississippians. Due to the Great Migration the state's African American population declined, but it remains the highest in the nation by percentage (not counting the District of Columbia). Recently it has begun to increase again, due mainly to a higher birthrate than the state average. In many of Mississippi's public school districts, a majority of students are black. [3] Blacks are a majority in the northwestern Yazoo Delta, the southwestern, and the central parts of the state.

More than 98% of the white population of Mississippi is native-born, predominantly of British and Celtic descent. According to the 2000 census, the largest ancestries are:

• American (14.2%)
• Irish (6.9%)
• English (6.1%)
• German (4.5%)
• French (2.3%)
• Scots-Irish (1.9%)
• Italian (1.4%)
• Scottish (1.2%)

People of French Creole ancestry form the largest demographic group in Hancock County on the Gulf Coast. The black, Choctaw (in Neshoba County), and Chinese segments of the population are also almost entirely native-born.

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

Obesity

For three years in a row over 30 percent of Mississippi's residents have been classified as obese. In the most recent (2006), 22.8 percent of its children were also classified as obese.^[3]

Gay and lesbian community

Of Mississippi’s same-sex couples, 41% have one or more child. This figure is higher in Mississippi than in any other state. Further, Mississippi has a larger percentage of African-American same-sex couples among total households than does any other state. Additionally, Mississippi ranks number 5 in the nation in the percentage of Hispanic same-sex couples among all Hispanic households. Regarding states with the highest concentration of same-sex couple seniors, Mississippi ranks number 9 in the nation among all same-sex couples.^[4]

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Mississippi's total state product in 2003 was $72 billion. Per capita personal income in 2005 was $33,569, 50^th in the nation (ranking includes the District of Columbia), but the cost of living in Mississippi is one of the lowest in the country. In contrast to one of the lowest per capita income rates in the United States, Mississippians consistently rank as one of the highest per capita in charitable contributions Generosity Index

Mississippi's rank as one of the poorest states can be traced to the Civil War. Before the war, Mississippi was the fifth-wealthiest state in the nation. ^[5] Slaves were then counted as valuable property and, in Mississippi, more than half the population was enslaved; in non-slave states, human capital was not included in estimates of wealth. Further, Mississippi's antebellum wealth rank should not be compared with today's GDP rank, which is an estimate of income; wealth and income are separate concepts. The war cost the state 30,000 men. Plantation owners who survived the war were virtually bankrupted by the emancipation of slaves , and Union troops left widespread destruction in their wake.

A decision in 1990 to legalize casino gambling along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast has led to economic gains for the state. However, an estimated $500,000 per day in tax revenue was lost following Hurricane Katrina's severe damage to several coastal casinos in August 2005. Gambling towns in Mississippi include the Gulf Coast towns of Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi, and the Mississippi River towns of Tunica (the third largest gaming area in the United States), Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez. Before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Mississippi was the second largest gambling state in the Union, ahead of New Jersey and behind Nevada.

On October 17, 2005, Governor Haley Barbour signed a bill into law that now allows casinos in Hancock and Harrison counties to rebuild on land (but within 800 feet of the water). The only exception is in Harrison County, where the new law states that casinos can be built to the southern boundary of U.S. Route 90.

Mississippi collects personal income tax in three tax brackets, ranging from 3% to 5%. The retail sales tax rate in Mississippi is 7%. Additional local sales taxes also are collected. For purposes of assessment for ad valorem taxes, taxable property is divided into five classes.

The Federal government's role in Mississippi's fiscal policies

Although Mississippi politics is influenced on people who identify themselves as fiscal conservatives with Medicaid and other programs for low-income groups are often cut or eliminated; Mississippi is highly dependent on the federal government and on donor states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California for its fiscal well-being. In Fiscal year 2004 , Mississippi gave $11.5 Billion dollars to the Federal government but received $22.3 Billion dollars link Amount of Money given and returned to the Federal Government by states . This means that for every $1 dollar Mississippi taxpayers give to the Federal government they get $1.71 back.

This means that Mississippi is one of the highest benefactors of the Federal Government. Critics of Mississippi politics point out that Mississippi should take advantage of federal spending by increasing Medicaid spending for example, if Mississippi were to spend $1 on Medicaid , then federal government would give them $3.50 for every dollar spent link Study of imbalance of payments to the Federal Government and what states do or don't do. In contrast , if New York spends $1 on Medicaid, the federal government would only give them $1. This is in part because Medicaid funding formulas are based on per capita income and not the number of people who live in poverty. This policy has been criticized by politicians such as Senator Dianne Feinstein who's state has a large number of people living in poverty link and has been pointed out by the General Accounting Office link Medicaid Matching Funds Study. Despite this, Mississippi is extremely stingy when it comes to welfare spending on social services and anti-poverty programs link Mississippi Poor leave welfare but for what?

Thus, Mississippi along with other U.S states such as Alabama stand to lose the most if the federal taxation system is done away with or eliminated as suggested by people who identify themselves as anti-tax fiscal conservatives. This does not mean or suggest that all conservative politicians support this policy as some conservatives view this policy as harming goal of economic prosperity of a state . An example of such as New Mexico which is a high benefit state like Mississippi receiving $2 back for every $1 given to the federal government where some conservatives view this as harfmul link Rio Grande Foundation criticism of this policy (conservative-free market-libertarian). However despite politicians rhetoric and criticism of the current federal taxation system it is only true that Mississippi stands to lose a lot if it weren't for the federal government. This also dispels the myth that federal government robs all U.S. states of their money when in fact certain states have the most to gain. As a result Mississippi has a low tax burden although due to its high sales tax that applies to even groceries , it has been ranked closer to middle of the pack rather than in the Top 15 or so link Mississippi tax burden. Alabama has a similar situation as Mississippi link Alabama Tax Burden.

It should be noted that this policy is favored by people who favor increased social spending as long as a lot of money is being spent (ie, is the state spending as much money as it could and should be spending since federal formulas favor it). Some states tend not to spend the money that they could spend even though funding formulas are favored for it. However, Mississippi tends to be stingy with benefits possibly due to the fact that dispite the formula, it is still a poor state. However, Mississipi politics have a tendency to not favor social spending/programs which is undisputable. Unlike other states, Mississippi's funding formula is based on lower per capita income as opposed to the efforts of powerful poltiicans who bring money to their state via political influence such as Alaska, Hawaii, and New Mexico as noted by the link from the Tax Foundation.

Transportation

Road

Mississippi is served by seven interstate highways:

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

Interstate 69 Interstate 110 Interstate 220 Interstate 269 (Future)

and fourteen main U.S. Routes:

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

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

as well as a system of State Highways. Two further interstate highways are proposed: Interstate 69 and Interstate 269.

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

Rail

Amtrak provides scheduled passenger service along two routes.

Canadian National Railroad's Illinois Central Railroad subsidiary provides north-south service.

The BNSF Railway has an east-west line across northern Mississippi.

Kansas City Southern provides east-west service in the middle of thee state and north-south service along the Alabama state line.

Norfolk Southern provides service in the extreme north and southeast, while CSX has a line along the Gulf Coast.

Water

Major rivers

• Big Black River
• Mississippi River
• Pascagoula River
• Pearl River
• Yazoo River

Major lakes

• Arkabutla Lake - 19,550 acres of water; constructed and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[6]
• Grenada Lake - 35,000 acres of water; became operational in 1954; constructed and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[7]
• Ross Barnett Reservoir - Named for Ross R. Barnett, the 52nd Governor of Mississippi; 33,000 acrs of water; became operational in 1966; constructed and managed by The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, a state agency; Provides water supply for the City of Jackson; Commonly referred to by locals as "The Rez"^[8]
• Sardis Lake - 98,520 acres of water; became operational in October 1940; constructed and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District^[9]

Air

The following airports in Mississippi currently have scheduled air service:

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

Of these airports, Gulfport-Biloxi, Jackson and Tupelo are the only airports to have daily scheduled service to multiple destinations; the remaining airports only have non-stop service via commuter aircraft to either Northwest Airlines' hub at Memphis International Airport or Delta Air Lines' hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Northwestern Mississippi is also served by Memphis International Airport.

Law and government

As with all other U.S. States and the federal government, Mississippi's government is based on the separation of legislative, executive and judicial power. Executive authority in the state rests with the Governor, currently Haley Barbour (Republican). The Lieutenant Governor, currently Amy Tuck (originally elected as a Democrat, she switched to the Republican Party in 2002), is elected on a separate ballot. Both the governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms of office. Unlike the federal government, but like many other U.S. States, most of the heads of major executive departments are elected by the citizens of Mississippi rather than appointed by the governor.

Mississippi is one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd numbered years (The others are Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia). Mississippi holds elections for these offices every 4 years in the years preceding Presidential election years. Thus, the last year when Mississippi elected a Governor was 2003; the next gubernatorial election will occur in 2007, with future gubernatorial elections to take place in 2011, 2015, 2019, etc.

(See: List of Governors of Mississippi)
(See: List of Lt. Governors of Mississippi)
(See: List of State Treasurers of Mississippi)
(See: List of Attorneys-General of Mississippi)
(See: Mississippi general election results, 2003)

Legislative authority resides in the state legislature, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, while the House of Representatives selects their own Speaker. The state constitution permits the legislature to establish by law the number of senators and representatives, up to a maximum of 52 senators and 122 representatives. Current state law sets the number of senators at 52 and representatives at 122. The term of office for senators and representatives is four years.

(See: List of state legislatures of the United States.)

Judicial branch

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

Federal representation

Mississippi has two U.S. senators, currently Trent Lott (Republican) and Thad Cochran (Republican).

As of the 2001 reapportionment, the state has four congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives, currently Chip Pickering (Republican), Bennie Thompson (Democrat), Gene Taylor (Democrat), and Roger Wicker (Republican).

(See: List of United States Representatives from Mississippi)

Mississippi has 82 counties. Citizens of Mississippi counties elect the five members of their county Board of Supervisors from single-member districts, as well as other county officials.

(See: List of Mississippi counties)

Politics

Federal politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democrat
2004	59.55% ''684,981	39.75% ''458,094
2000	57.62% ''573,230	40.70% ''404,964
1996	49.21% ''439,838	44.08% ''394,022
1992	49.68% ''487,793	40.77% 400,258
1988	59.89% ''557,890	39.07% ''363,921
1984	61.85% ''581,477	37.46% ''352,192
1980	49.42% ''441,089	48.09% ''429,281
1976	47.68% ''366,846	49.56% ''381,309
1972	78.20% ''505,125	19.63% ''126,782
1968*	13.52% ''88,516	23.02% ''150,644
1964	87.14% ''356,528	12.86% ''52,618
1960	24.67% ''73,561	36.34% ''108,362
*State won by George Wallace of the American Independent Party, at 63.46%, or 415,349 votes

Mississippi, like the rest of the South, long supported the Democratic Party. The policies of Reconstruction, which included federally appointed Republican governors, led to white Southern resentment toward the Republican Party. Following the Compromise of 1877, federal troops enforcing the provisions of Reconstruction were pulled out of the South. Thereafter the Democratic Party regained political control of the state, using methods designed to depress black voter turnout, which was understandably Republican-heavy. The Mississippi state government was the first after the war to pass a law preventing black voters with a Grandfather Clause in 1890. After it was declared unconstitutional, it was replaced by a poll tax and literacy tests. By 1900, the vast majority of African Americans in the state were denied the right to vote. Not until 1966, following the passage of the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, would most regain the vote.

For 116 years (from 1876 to 1992), Mississippians only elected Democratic governors. Over the same period, the Democratic Party dominated other state and federal elections in Mississippi. However, since the 1960s the Republican Party has become competitive in statewide elections, and, in recent years, it has become dominant in the state's federal elections, winning the state's electoral votes in every election since 1980. Jimmy Carter was the last Democrats nominee to win narrowly the state in 1976 by only nearly 2 percentage points. Mississippi elected Republican Nominee 9 out of 11 in presidential elections since 1960.

State politics

On some social issues, Mississippi is one of the more conservative states in the US, with religion often playing a large role in citizens' political views. Liquor laws are particularly strict and variable from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Liquor sales are frequently banned on Sunday. Many cities and counties allow no alcoholic beverage sales ("dry"), while others allow beer but not liquor, or liquor but not beer. Some allow beer sales, but only if it is not refrigerated.^[10] In 2001, Mississippi banned adoption by same-sex couples and banned recognition of adoptions by same-sex couples which were done and recognized in other states or countries. In 2004, 86% of voter turnout amended the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage and ban state recognition of same-sex marriages which were done and recognized in other states and countries. At the same time, Mississippi has been one of the more innovative states in the country, having been the first state to implement a sales tax and the first state to pass a Married Women's Property Act. Also, Mississippi has more African American elected officials than any other state in the United States. Mississippi is one of only a few states to have decriminalized the possession of marijuana to a degree in that possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana is punishable by a fine of $100 - $250 for the first offense with no jail time.[4].

Major cities and towns

Jackson Gulfport Biloxi Southaven Natchez Vicksburg Columbus Greenville

Greenwood Tupelo Hattiesburg Grenada Clinton Picayune Corinth

Bay St. Louis Hernando Moss Point Meridian Oxford Laurel McComb

Brandon Clarksdale Pearl Pascagoula Starkville Canton Cleveland

Mississippi City Population Rankings (U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of 2005)

1. Jackson, Mississippi (177,977)
2. Gulfport, Mississippi (72,464)
3. Biloxi, Mississippi (50,209)
4. Hattiesburg, Mississippi (47,176)
5. Meridian, Mississippi (39,968)
6. Southaven, Mississippi (38,840)
7. Greenville, Mississippi (38,724)
8. Tupelo, Mississippi (35,930)
9. Olive Branch, Mississippi (27,964)
10. Pascagoula, Mississippi (26,932)
11. Clinton, Mississippi (24,425)
12. Columbus, Mississippi (21,000)


(See: List of cities in Mississippi)
(See: List of towns and villages in Mississippi)
(See: List of metropolitan areas in Mississippi)
(See: List of micropolitan areas in Mississippi)

Education

Until the Civil War era, Mississippi had only a small number of schools and no educational institutions for blacks. The first school for blacks was established in 1862, and a system of public education was started in 1870, but as late as the early 20th century, there were few schools in rural areas. Blacks and whites attended separate public schools in Mississippi until the 1960s, when they began to be integrated following a 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that racially segregated public schools were unconstitutional. In the late 1980s, the state had 954 public elementary and secondary schools, with a total yearly enrollment of about 369,500 elementary pupils and about 132,500 secondary students. Some 45,700 students attended private schools. In 2004, Mississippi was ranked last among the fifty states in academic achievement by the American Legislative Exchange Council's Report Card on Education, with the lowest average ACT scores and spending per pupil in the nation.

Colleges, universities and community colleges

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

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

(see: List of colleges and universities in Mississippi)

Music History

Mississippi has been historically significant in the development of the blues, especially the Delta region. Mississippi blues greats include: Bo Carter, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Skip James, Bukka White, Tommy Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Willie Brown, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon, Howlin Wolf, Albert King, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Big Bill Broonzy, Jimmy Rogers, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, Otis Spann, and B.B. King. Jimmie Rodgers, a white guitarist/singer/songwriter, known as the "Godfather of Country," also played a significant role in the development of the blues. He and Chester Arthur Burnett were friends and mutual admirers of each others' music, and it is rumored that it was Rodgers who gave him the nickname that he became known as, Howlin' Wolf. This friendship and respect is an important example of Mississippi's musical legacy. While the state has had a reputation for being the most racist in America, a claim that is not without justification, it also played a significant role in the integration of American music, combining the musical traditions from Africa with the musical traditions of white Southerners, a tradition that is largely rooted in Celtic music.

The Mississippi Blues Trail, now being implemented, is dedicating markers for historic sites such as Clarksdale's Riverside Hotel where Bessie Smith died after her auto accident on Highway 61. The Riverside Hotel is just one of many historical blues sites in Clarksdale.

The Delta Blues Museum is located in Clarksdale and is visited by people from all over the world. Close by is Ground Zero and Madidi, a blues club and restaurants co-owned by actor, Morgan Freeman.

Mississippi has been fundamental in the development of American music has a whole. Elvis Presley was a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, and country music, while its origins lie more in Tennessee than Mississippi, found its first superstar in Jimmie Rodgers, a native of Meridian. From famous alternative rock band 3 Doors Down to famous gulf and western singer Jimmy Buffet, Mississippi has a long and proud music history.

(see: List of people from Mississippi)

Famous Mississippians

Mississippi has produced a number of notable and famous individuals. From actors Jim Henson, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Gerald McRaney, Parker Posey and Sela Ward to National Football League greats Archie Manning, Brett Favre, Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Deuce McAllister, and Steve McNair to authors William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, John Grisham and Kevin Sessums to business leaders Jim Barksdale (founder of Netscape and Robert "Bob" Pittman (founder and former President and CEO of MTV). Actors, artists, astronauts, authors, cooks, musicians, sports figures and more, Mississippi has contributed significantly to America's culture.

(see: List of people from Mississippi)

Miscellaneous topics

It is common for children in the United States to count "One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi" during informal football games and hide and seek to approximate counting by seconds.

The Teddy Bear gets its name from a 1902 hunting trip to Sharkey County, Mississippi by President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt in which he Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear.

In 1936 Dr. Leslie Rush, of Rush Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi performed the first bone pinning in the United States. This led to the development of the "Rush Pin" which is still in use to this day.

The first woman federal judge in the United States was Burnita Shelton Matthews of the Burnell community near Hazlehurst, Mississippi. She was appointed by Harry S. Truman on October 21, 1949.

The first human lung transplant was performed in 1963 by Dr. James D. Hardy of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1964, Dr. Hardy performed the first heart transplant, transplanting the heart of a chimpanzee into a human, with some success. The heart continued to beat for 90 minutes.

Former astronaut and administrator of NASA Richard H. Truly is from Fayette, Mississippi. Educated in Mississippi and Georgia, Truly was in charge of reforming NASA (1989 to 1992) in the era immediately following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. He was the first former astronaut to head NASA.

The world-renowned USA International Ballet Competition takes place in Jackson every four years.

Root beer was invented in Biloxi in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, the namesake of Barq's Root Beer.

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

Several warships have been named USS Mississippi in honor of this state.

Biloxi is home to one of only two Mississippi based professional ice hockey teams, the Mississippi Sea Wolves. The Sea Wolves are a minor league team based at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The ECHL's 1998-1999 Kelly Cup Champions return to the ice for the 2007-2008 season after a two year hiatus brought on due to Hurricane Katrina damage at the Coliseum.

Southhaven, Mississippi hosts the Mississippi RiverKings of the CHL who changed their name from the Memphis Riverkings after an online fan vote to select a new team name.

See also

• Mississippi census statistical areas
• Mississippi Highway Patrol
• Scouting in Mississippi

References

External links

• State of Mississippi
• Mississippi Travel and Tourism
• The "Mississippi Believe It" Campaign
• Mississippi State Facts
• University Press of Mississippi

	•  • [ e] State of Mississippi Jackson (capital)
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