Mississippi, Once the Epicenter of Jim Crow, Elects Its First Black Senator Since Reconstruction
For the closing ad of his US Senate campaign, Democrat Scott Colom stood in the driveway of the house that once belonged to Medgar Evers, the civil rights leader who was assassinated by a white supremacist in 1963 while holding T-shirts that said “Jim Crow Must Go.” “He was killed for helping Mississippians vote,” said […]
In a historic turn of events, Democrat Scott Colom made history on November 1, 2026, by becoming the first Black senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction. Colom, who also secured a first by winning any statewide office in Mississippi since Reconstruction, ran a remarkable campaign in a state infamous for its violent and repressive Jim Crow policies.
The state had witnessed numerous atrocities, including the lynching of Emmett Till, the assassination of Medgar Evers, and the murder of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner by the Ku Klux Klan. The state’s historical significance is further highlighted by the fact that it recorded 581 documented lynchings during the Jim Crow era, more than any other state.
Colom’s victory was a powerful response to the landmark Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which dismantled the Voting Rights Act. This decision had fueled Black voters to turn out in record numbers, motivated by a renewed struggle to protect their voting rights. Mississippi's Republican Governor Tate Reeves, in a racially charged announcement, called for the legislature to pass a new map that could oust Rep. Bennie Thompson, the only Black member of Congress from the state.
The decision was met with overwhelming protest from civil rights supporters, including Colom, who organized a massive demonstration in Jackson, the largest since the civil rights era.
Colom’s campaign strategy hinged on highlighting the threat to Black representation in the state. He emphasized the significance of voting as a power that could not be taken away, reminding voters of the sacrifices made by their ancestors. His ability to resonate with voters was further bolstered by the Black share of the electorate increasing by three points from 2024 to 2026—a margin that could have swung the election to his opponent.
Exit polling revealed that Colom won 27 percent of the white vote but an impressive 97 percent of the Black vote. In predominantly Black counties, turnout reached 87.4 percent of the 2024 levels, compared to 73.8 percent in majority-white counties, marking the largest gap in the South.
The election was driven by a deep sense of urgency among Black voters, who viewed it as an existential moment for democracy. Charles Taylor, executive director of the Mississippi NAACP, noted that three-quarters of Black voters prioritized protecting their rights over lowering costs. The NAACP had deliberately invested heavily in organizing efforts, opening 11 voter registration field offices and registering over 17,000 new voters.
The election underscored the power of Black voters to reshape the political landscape, 150 years after the end of Reconstruction.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
