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From classrooms to courtrooms, from the ballot box to the doctor’s office, the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus (MLBC) is delivering real results for Mississippi families. The 2026 legislative cycle has been defined by one word: Action . Across the state, MLBC members have been organizing town halls, hosting legislative hearings, and advancing a bold policy agenda rooted in equity, opportunity, and justice. But beyond engagement, the Caucus has translated advocacy into me

The decision by Governor Tate Reeves to convene a special session at the Old Mississippi State Capitol is deeply troubling. It is a painful and deliberate reminder of one of the darkest periods in Mississippi history. That building stands as a symbol of the systematic destruction of Black political power in this state. It was there that legislators voted to secede from the Union and, under the 1890 Mississippi Constitution, that laws were crafted with the clear intent to stri

The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus expresses profound disappointment and deep concern following the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. This ruling represents a troubling step backward in the ongoing struggle to protect the voting rights of Black Americans and to ensure fair and equitable representation in our democracy. At its core, this decision weakens critical protections that have long served as a safeguard against racial discrimination

By Senator Rod Hickman, MLBC Vice Chairman | Mississippi Senate District 32 I did not come to the Mississippi Legislature to be a spectator or to do harm dressed up as policy. I came to solve problems, to make our communities safer and to ensure that the laws we pass actually serve the people of this state. That is why I write today with deep disappointment following the recent passage of Senate Bill 2322 , which is now pending the governor’s signature to become law. Taken as

By Rep. John Faulkner | Mississippi House District 5 In Mississippi, the balance of power inside the House of Representatives is not just tilted, it is firmly controlled by a Republican supermajority. Republicans also control the Senate, although Democrats recently broke that chamber’s supermajority, and they hold the Governor’s Mansion as well. With that level of control comes the ability to set the agenda, move legislation, and ultimately determine what policies live or die

By Rep. Kabir Karriem | MLBC Chairman “We will not forget the works of the Lord. We will tell the next generation.” — Psalm 78:4 April 4, 1968, is not just a date etched in history. It stands as a solemn reminder of a moment that shook the conscience of a nation. On that day in Memphis, Tennessee, assassins took Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from us through an act of violence rooted in hate. Yet even in that tragedy, the seed of his sacrifice bore fruit that continues to challen

Members of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus traveled to Gloster, Mississippi to meet with residents, community leaders, and local officials regarding growing concerns about environmental conditions near the Drax facility. The visit served as an opportunity for lawmakers to hear directly from citizens, observe conditions firsthand, and engage in meaningful dialogue about public health, environmental safety, and the long-term impact on the community. “We came to Gloster

By Representative John Faulkner, Mississippi House District 5 There are moments in American history that demand more than remembrance. They demand reflection and accountability. One of those moments is the story of the Counterintelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO. Created in 1956 under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover, COINTELPRO was a covert initiative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its stated purpose was to monitor and disrupt groups deemed subversive. In real

By Rep. Zakiya Summers, Mississippi House District 68 Mississippians know something about resilience. We have lived through systems designed to silence us, policies built to exclude us, and power structures that too often ignored us. Yet—through organizing, education, and sheer determination—we have continued to move this state, and this country, forward. Today, our democracy is under pressure again. Recent efforts to rely on third-party data—like Experian—to maintain voter r

By Representative John Faulkner | Mississippi House District 5 In today’s interconnected world, events happening thousands of miles away can quickly affect families right here in Mississippi. Two narrow waterways in the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab, may seem far removed from our daily lives, but their stability plays a major role in the global economy and in the price Americans pay for energy. The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman and serv

By Representative John Faulkner/Mississippi House District 5 For years now, national headlines have used a phrase that once seemed unlikely: the Mississippi Miracle. That phrase reflects the remarkable gains our state made in early grade reading after the passage of the 2013 Literacy-Based Promotion Act. At a time when Mississippi ranked near the bottom nationally in reading performance, we chose to focus on fundamentals. We invested in reading coaches, teacher training, evid

This statement may be attributed to Chairman Rep. Kabir Karriem, MS House District 41 The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus conducted a fact-finding visit on February 23, 2026 to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman . What we witnessed inside Unit 29 was deeply troubling. The conditions were deplorable and, frankly, inhumane. No human being—regardless of their circumstances—should be forced to live in the type of environment we observed. As lawmakers and public

Gov. Reeves: Honor Jesse Jackson’s Legacy and Let Mississippi’s Flags Fly at Half-Staff By Chairman Rep. Kabir Karriem The passing of Jesse Jackson marks the end of an era in American public life. For more than five decades, Reverend Jackson stood on the front lines of the struggle for civil rights, economic justice, and human dignity. His voice thundered in pulpits, echoed through protest lines, and rang out on debate stages across this nation. Whether one agreed with him po

By Rep. Timaka James-Jones Let’s be honest — a lot of Black folks in Mississippi are tired. Tired of feeling like our votes don’t change much. Tired of watching decisions get made that don’t reflect what our communities actually need. But 2026 is not the year to check out. From the Delta to Jackson, what’s on the ballot touches our everyday lives — healthcare, jobs, public schools, safe neighborhoods, fair representation. And while we’re preparing for elections, lawmakers are

By Senator Hillman Frazier Mississippi is facing a child care crisis. Those directly impacted – our kids, working parents and day care providers – are calling on the state to utilize existing state and federal Temporary Aid for Needy Families funds to fill the gap and ensure all eligible working families have access to child care. As a state senator proudly representing the hard-working families of Hinds County, I’m joining them in that call. The crisis is coming from many

By Rep. Fabian Nelson Mississippi’s educators — from classroom teachers to assistant teachers and support staff — do some of the most important work in our state. Yet year after year, we ask them to do it for far less than almost anywhere else in the nation. Mississippi consistently ranks near the bottom nationally in average teacher pay, often 49th or 50th. While the national average teacher salary is around $67,000, Mississippi teachers earn tens of thousands less. That gap

By: Chairman Kabir Karriem, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus In a loud, fast, and often unforgiving world, history can feel distant, but forgetting our history is not neutral. Memory is power and celebration is resistance. Our story in America did not begin in chains. It passed through them. The past holds the scars of enslavement, lynching, Jim Crow, voter suppression, redlining, mass incarceration, and stolen opportunity. Yet even in that pain, there is brilliance. Ther

By Rep. Zakiya Summers Mississippi has always been shaped by young people bold enough to challenge the status quo. From the students who organized sit-ins, to the young organizers who powered Freedom Summer, to the teenagers who sat in jail and prison cells so that democracy might one day work for all of us—progress in this state has never been handed down. It has always been demanded. Today, we are standing at another crossroads. Legislation like House Bill 2 , the so-calle

The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus fiercely opposes House Bill 2 because it undermines education equity, weakens public accountability, and threatens the long-term stability of Mississippi’s public education system—particularly for Black, rural, and low-income students. Public education in Mississippi has never been accidental. It has been the result of hard-fought struggles for access, equity, and opportunity. From the era of legally segregated schools to the creation

SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food.