Mississippi elects first Black senator in 150 years

Scott Colom became the first Black man to represent Mississippi in the U.S. Senate in nearly 150 years after defeating Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith on Wednesday. The victory marks a shift in a state where white conservatives have dominated congressional seats since the 1960s. Colom, a Democrat, took the seat after a close race that drew high voter turnout across the state.

The last Black senators from Mississippi were Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce. Revels served in 1870 to fill a vacancy from the Civil War era. Bruce served from 1875 to 1881. Both were Republicans elected during the Reconstruction period. No Black person has held statewide office in Mississippi since that era ended.

Janice Johnson, a resident of Greenville, watched parts of Colom’s victory speech from her home. She described the win as a long time coming. Johnson noted that Black voters alone did not secure the victory. She said white voters also grew frustrated with the state’s economy, school systems, and health care infrastructure under Republican rule. “We as a people, and Mississippi as whole, are ready to show the nation,” Johnson said.

Jerome Dunn, a 59-year-old barber in Jackson, also voted for Colom. Dunn emphasized that the win required support from all races. “It takes everybody to vote, not one single race,” Dunn said. He added that many voters are tired of Republican policies and expect the new senator to work for all residents.

Colom acknowledged Mississippi’s racial history during his victory speech at Tougaloo College. He referenced Medgar Evers, the NAACP field secretary who was assassinated in 1963. “I can’t help but think about Medgar Evers on Veterans Day,” Colom said. He noted that Evers served in World War II and fought for voter registration despite being barred from voting himself. Colom stated he had the courage to imagine such a night would arrive.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat representing Mississippi’s 2nd District, introduced Colom at the celebration. Thompson had been a student organizer for civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer while at Tougaloo College. “From my perspective, I now have a partner in Washington,” Thompson said. He viewed Colom’s election as a continuation of the work done by earlier civil rights figures.

Brian Shoup, head of political science at Mississippi State University, called the win a major change in state politics. He noted that Democrats had not won the Senate seat since the 1980s. Shoup said the close race and high turnout suggest Mississippians may be ready to discuss their past more openly. The election followed a Supreme Court decision in late April that weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That ruling led to redistricting efforts that some groups argued reduced Black representation, which in turn helped increase voter participation.