History of Mississippi in Timeline

Mississippi is a southeastern U.S. state bordered by Tennessee, Alabama, the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The Mississippi River forms its western boundary. It ranks 32nd in area and 35th in population among U.S. states and has the lowest per-capita income. Jackson is the capital and largest city, with Greater Jackson being the most populous metropolitan area. Other major cities include Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Meridian, and Greenville.

1900: Social Gospel Movement

By 1900, many white ministers in Mississippi supported the Social Gospel movement.

1900: Black Population

In 1900, Blacks made up more than half of Mississippi's population.

1900: Black Farm Ownership

In 1900, two-thirds of farm owners in Mississippi were blacks, a major achievement for them and their families.

1908: Dry State

Mississippi became a dry state in 1908 by an act of the state legislature, banning alcohol.

1910: Chinese Immigrants Arrive

Around 1910, most Chinese families migrated to Mississippi from other states and operated family-owned grocery stores, carving out a niche between black and white residents.

1910: Loss of Land

By 1910, a majority of Black farmers in the Delta region of Mississippi had lost their land and became sharecroppers.

1912: Cotton Crop Failure

In 1912, cotton crops failed due to boll weevil infestation and severe flooding, creating crisis conditions for many African Americans in Mississippi.

1912: Flooding

In 1912, flooding overwhelmed northwestern Mississippi, causing heavy damage to the levee districts.

1912: Devastating Floods

In 1912–1913 Mississippi suffered from devastating floods.

1913: Devastating Floods

In 1912–1913 Mississippi suffered from devastating floods.

1913: Flooding

In 1913, cotton crops failed due to boll weevil infestation and severe flooding, creating crisis conditions for many African Americans in Mississippi.

1913: The Great Migration

Starting about 1913, tens of thousands of Black Americans left Mississippi for the North in the Great Migration, seeking jobs, better education, and freedom from discrimination.

1917: Flood Control Bill

In 1917, a national bill was passed to provide federal matching funds for local levee districts.

August 1920: Nineteenth Amendment

In August 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment went into force, granting women the right to vote.

1920: Collapse of Cotton Prices

After 1920, Mississippi suffered from the collapse of cotton prices.

1920: Landless Laborers

By 1920, most African Americans in Mississippi were landless laborers again facing poverty.

1923: Federal Matching Funds

In 1923, a national bill was passed to provide federal matching funds for local levee districts.

1923: NAACP Statement

In 1923, the NAACP stated that Black people felt unsafe in Mississippi, with their lives at risk from white people.

1927: Devastating Floods

In 1927 Mississippi suffered from devastating floods.

1927: Great Mississippi Flood

In 1927, the Great Mississippi Flood broke through levees, causing massive flooding of 27,000 square miles throughout the Delta and homelessness for hundreds of thousands.

1930: Chinese Immigrants Settle in Mississippi

By 1930, most Chinese families settled in Mississippi and operated family-owned grocery stores, carving out a niche between black and white residents.

1930: Drought

In 1930, Mississippi suffered from drought.

1930: Highest Temperature

In 1930, the recorded temperature in Mississippi was 115 °F (46 °C), at Holly Springs.

1940: Migration End Date

In 1940, the Great Migration ended, where African Americans had been leaving Mississippi.

1954: Brown v. Board of Education Ruling

Although the United States Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Mississippi maintained segregated public schools until the late 1960s.

1954: Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission Created

In 1954, Mississippi created the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission to spy on activists and suppress black activism.

1960: Black Population Percentage

In 1960, African Americans made up 42% of Mississippi's population.

1961: Religious Test Restriction Ruled Unconstitutional

In 1961, the U.S. Supreme Court in Torcaso v. Watkins held that Mississippi's religious test restriction, requiring officeholders to believe in a Supreme Being, was unconstitutional.

1964: Civil Rights Act Enacted

In 1964, discriminatory civil rights laws had been enacted in Mississippi, later ruled unconstitutional in 1967.

1964: Federal Civil Rights Legislation

In 1964, federal civil rights legislation was passed, marking the start of African Americans exercising their right to vote in Mississippi.

1964: Freedom Summer

In 1964, students and community organizers came to Mississippi to help register black voters during Freedom Summer, a campaign marked by violence, including the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner.

1965: Federal Civil Rights Legislation

In 1965, federal civil rights legislation was passed, marking the start of African Americans exercising their right to vote in Mississippi.

1965: Voting Rights Act

In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress, spurred in part by the events of Freedom Summer in Mississippi.

1966: Repeal of Prohibition

In 1966, Mississippi officially repealed statewide prohibition of alcohol.

1966: Local Option Bill

In 1966, the Mississippi legislature passed a local option bill, ending the state's prohibition and allowing local jurisdictions to decide on alcohol sales.

1966: Lowest Temperature

In 1966, the recorded temperature in Mississippi was −19 °F (−28 °C), at Corinth.

1967: Robert G. Clark Elected

In 1967, Robert G. Clark was the first African American elected to the State House since Reconstruction.

1967: Loving v. Virginia

In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that a similar Virginian law was unconstitutional.

August 17, 1969: Hurricane Camille

On August 17, 1969, Category 5 Hurricane Camille hit the Mississippi coast, causing extensive damage and killing 248 people.

1969: Hurricane Camille

In 1969, Hurricane Camille was a devastating hurricane to hit Mississippi.

1970: End of Second Great Migration

The Second Great Migration from the South, including Mississippi, ended in 1970.

1973: Presbyterian Church in America Attracts Congregations

In 1973, the Presbyterian Church in America attracted numerous conservative congregations, contributing to the conservative political trends in Mississippi.

1976: Robert G. Clark

In 1976, Robert G. Clark continued as the only African American in the state legislature.

1980: English Ancestry in Mississippi

In the 1980 U.S. census, 656,371 Mississippians identified as being of English ancestry, making them 38% of the state at the time.

1981: Federal Spending vs. Taxes Received

From 1981 to 2005, Mississippi was at least number four in the nation for federal spending vs. taxes received.

March 1984: Nineteenth Amendment Ratification

In March 1984, Mississippi ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, granting women the right to vote, although it had already been in effect since August 1920.

1987: Repeal of Ban on Interracial Marriage

In 1987, Mississippi repealed its ban on interracial marriage, which had been enacted in 1890.

1989: Repeal of Poll Tax

In 1989, Mississippi repealed the segregationist-era poll tax.

1990: English Spoken at Home

In 1990, 97.2% of Mississippi residents five years old and older spoke only English in the home.

1990: Legalization of Casino Gambling

In 1990, the Mississippi legislature legalized casino gambling along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast, leading to increased revenues and economic gains for the state.

1995: Federal Spending vs. Taxes Received

In 1995, Mississippi received $1.54 per dollar of taxes in federal spending and was 3rd highest nationally.

1995: Ratification of Thirteenth Amendment

In 1995, Mississippi symbolically ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, which had abolished slavery in 1865.

1999: Obesity in Children

A 1999 survey suggests that a third of children were obese, with higher ratios for those in the Delta.

2000: English Spoken at Home

In 2000, 96.4% of Mississippi residents five years old and older spoke only English in the home.

2000: Increase in Mixed-Race Identification

In 2000, the United States Census Bureau reported Mississippi had the highest rate of increase in people identifying as mixed-race, up 70 percent in the decade.

2000: Increase in Same-Sex Partner Households

Since the 2000 United States census, Mississippi saw an increase of 1,512 same-sex unmarried-partner households.

2002: Obesity in African-American Adolescents

A 2002 report on African-American adolescents noted a 1999 survey which suggests that a third of children were obese, with higher ratios for those in the Delta.

2002: Federal Subsidies to Bolivar County Farmers

From 2002 to 2005, of $1.2 billion in federal subsidies to farmers in the Bolivar County area of the Delta, only 5% went to small farmers.

2004: Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage

In 2004, Mississippi voters approved a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

August 2005: Hurricane Katrina Impacts Gambling Revenue

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage to coastal casinos in Biloxi, resulting in an estimated loss of $500,000 per day in tax revenue for Mississippi.

August 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused widespread destruction across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

October 17, 2005: Casino Rebuilding Bill Signed

On October 17, 2005, Governor Haley Barbour signed a bill into law allowing casinos in Hancock and Harrison counties to rebuild on land within 800 feet of the water, following destruction from Hurricane Katrina.

2005: Federal Subsidies to Bolivar County Farmers

From 2002 to 2005, of $1.2 billion in federal subsidies to farmers in the Bolivar County area of the Delta, only 5% went to small farmers.

2005: Highest Obesity Rate

From 2005 to 2008, Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity of any U.S. state.

2005: Hurricane Katrina

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina was a devastating hurricane to hit Mississippi.

2005: Momentum Mississippi Adopted

In 2005, Mississippi adopted Momentum Mississippi, a statewide public-private partnership dedicated to economic and employment development.

2005: Federal Spending vs. Taxes Received

In 2005, Mississippi citizens received approximately $2.02 per dollar of taxes in the way of federal spending, ranking the state second-highest nationally.

2006: Perception of Childhood Obesity

A 2006 survey found nearly 95 percent of Mississippi adults considered childhood obesity to be a serious problem.

2006: Childhood Obesity Rate

In a 2006 study, 22.8 percent of Mississippi's children were classified as obese.

2006: Lowest Per Capita Personal Income

Per capita personal income in 2006 was $26,908, the lowest per capita personal income of any state, but the state also has the nation's lowest living costs.

August 30, 2007: Mississippi Ranked Poorest State

On August 30, 2007, the United States Census Bureau indicated that Mississippi was the poorest state in the country.

2007: Lowest Scores on National Assessments

In 2007, Mississippi students scored the lowest of any state on the National Assessments of Educational Progress in both math and science.

2008: Religion as Important Part of Daily Life

Another 2008 Gallup poll found that 85% of Mississippians considered religion an important part of their daily lives, the highest figure among all states.

2008: Academic Achievement Ranking

In 2008, Mississippi was ranked last among the fifty states in academic achievement, with the lowest average ACT scores and sixth-lowest spending per pupil.

2008: Contributing Risk Factors for Obesity

In a 2008 study of African-American women, contributing risk factors for obesity were shown to be: lack of knowledge about body mass index (BMI), dietary behavior, physical inactivity and lack of social support.

2009: Repeal of Discriminatory Civil Rights Laws

In 2009, Mississippi repealed other discriminatory civil rights laws, which had been enacted in 1964 but ruled unconstitutional in 1967.

2009: Highest Church Attendance Rate

In a 2009 Gallup poll, 63% of Mississippians said that they attended church weekly or almost weekly—the highest percentage of all states.

2010: Largest Religious Denomination

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), in 2010 the Southern Baptist Convention had 907,384 adherents and was the largest religious denomination in the state.

2010: Mississippi Stronghold of Presbyterian Church

As of 2010, Mississippi remained a stronghold of the Presbyterian Church in America, with the highest adherence rate of the denomination, totaling 121 congregations and 18,500 members.

2010: Increase in Mixed-Race Identification

By 2010, Mississippi reported the highest rate of increase in people identifying as mixed-race over the previous decade and led the nation in the growth of mixed marriages.

2010: Highest Proportion of African Americans

In 2010, Mississippi had the highest proportion of African Americans in the nation.

2010: Same-Sex Partner Households

The 2010 United States census counted 6,286 same-sex unmarried-partner households in Mississippi.

2011: Minority Population Under Age 1

As of 2011, 53.8% of Mississippi's population younger than age 1 were minorities, meaning that they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.

2011: School Corporal Punishment

For the 2011-2012 school year, Mississippi paddled a greater percentage of students than any other state.

2011: Fewest Dentists Per Capita

In 2011, Mississippi had the fewest dentists per capita in the United States.

2011: Sierra Club Lawsuit

In 2011, the Sierra Club sued the United States Department of Energy over investment in a coal gasification plant being built by Mississippi Power.

2012: School Corporal Punishment

For the 2011-2012 school year, Mississippi paddled a greater percentage of students than any other state.

2012: Low Renewables in Power Mix

In 2012, Mississippi Power had only 0.05% renewables in its power mix.

2012: Gambling Revenue Ranking

In 2012, Mississippi ranked sixth among all states in gambling revenue, generating $2.25 billion.

2014: Poll on Abortion Legality

A 2014 poll found that 59% of Mississippi's population believed abortion should be illegal in all/most cases, while 36% thought it should be legal.

2014: Predominant Christian Affiliation

According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, evangelical Protestantism remained the predominant Christian affiliation, with the Southern Baptist Convention as the largest denomination in the state.

2014: Christian Population Statistics

By 2014, the Pew Research Center determined that 83% of Mississippi's population was Christian.

2014: Mississippi Power Solar Program

In 2014, Mississippi Power initiated a program to contract for 210 MW of solar power, with potential expansion to 525 MW, including 100 MW from small-scale distributed installations.

2014: Settlement for Renewables

In a settlement in 2014, Mississippi Power agreed to allow net metering and to offer 100 MW of wind or solar power purchase agreements.

June 26, 2015: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized

On June 26, 2015, same-sex marriage became legal in Mississippi when the United States Supreme Court invalidated all state-level bans on same-sex marriage.

2015: GDP Growth and Per Capita Income

In 2015, Mississippi's GDP growth was .5 percent and the adjusted per capita personal income was $40,105.

April 2016: Passing of HB 1523

In April 2016, Mississippi passed HB 1523, which legalized the refusal of service to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.

2016: School Corporal Punishment

In 2016, 31,236 public school students were paddled at least once.

2016: Estimated GDP Growth

In 2016, Mississippi's GDP growth is estimated to be 2.4 percent.

2016: Mississippi State Auditor's Review of GreenTech

In 2016, a Mississippi state auditor's review found that GreenTech had spent only $3 million on automotive assembly equipment and parts despite promising to invest $60 million.

January 2017: GreenTech Automotive Plant Shutdown

In January 2017, GreenTech Automotive's plant in Tunica County, Mississippi, shut down after receiving $6 million in incentive financing and failing to meet investment and job creation promises.

July 2017: State Auditor Demands Payment From GreenTech

In July 2017, the Mississippi state auditor demanded that GreenTech and its CEO pay Mississippi $6 million due to unfulfilled promises.

October 2017: Federal Appeals Court Ruling

In October 2017, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of HB 1523.

November 2017: Attorney General Sues GreenTech

In November 2017, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood sued GreenTech.

2017: Leading Health Insurer

A 2017 study found that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi was the leading health insurer with 53%.

2017: Estimated State Sales Tax Growth

In 2017, Mississippi's state sales tax growth was estimated to be slightly less than in 2016.

2017: City Population Rankings

In 2017, the United States Census Bureau published Mississippi city population rankings of at least 10,000 but fewer than 20,000.

February 2018: GreenTech Declares Bankruptcy

In February 2018, GreenTech declared bankruptcy.

2018: Plant Checklist Update

As of 2018, there was a project underway to update the checklist of vascular plants known from Mississippi.

2018: Impaired Driving Deaths Ranking

In 2018, Mississippi was ranked number eight in the Union in terms of impaired driving deaths.

2018: Regulated Sports Betting Active

In 2018, regulated sports betting became active in Mississippi, though the lack of mobile sports betting laws limited tax revenue.

2018: Top Countries of Origin for Immigrants

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Mississippi's immigrants were Mexico, Guatemala, India, the Philippines and Vietnam.

2019: Lawsuit Filed Against Mississippi Plan

In 2019, a lawsuit was filed against an 1890 election law known as The Mississippi Plan, which requires that candidates must win the popular vote and a majority of districts.

April 2020: Highest Unemployment Rate Recorded

In April 2020, during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mississippi recorded its highest unemployment rate at 15.6%.

June 30, 2020: Removal of Confederate Battle Flag

On June 30, 2020, Mississippi removed the Confederate battle flag as an official state symbol.

November 3, 2020: Flag Referendum

On November 3, 2020, the "New Magnolia" flag was selected via referendum as part of the general election.

2020: GreenTech Settlement

In 2020, GreenTech reached a final settlement, paying Mississippi and Tunica County only $575,000.

2020: Population

In 2020, Mississippi's population was at 2.9 million people.

2020: Christian Population Statistics

In 2020, a study by the Public Religion Research Institute indicated that 80% of Mississippi's population identified as Christian.

2020: Greater Jackson Population

In 2020, the population of the Greater Jackson metropolitan area was 591,978.

2020: Voting Difficulty Ranking

In a 2020 study, Mississippi was ranked as the 4th hardest state for citizens to vote in.

January 11, 2021: New State Flag

On January 11, 2021, the "New Magnolia" flag officially became the state flag of Mississippi.

2021: Jones v. Mississippi Ruling

In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Jones v. Mississippi that a Mississippi law allowing mandatory life sentences without parole for children is valid.

2022: Homeless Population

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 1,196 homeless people in Mississippi.

2022: Highest Teen Birth Rate

In 2022, Mississippi had the highest teen birth rate of any state, at 26.4 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 years of age.

2022: Christian Population Statistics

In 2022, another Public Religion study showed that 84% of Mississippi's population identified as Christian, spread throughout various denominations.

January 2023: State Unemployment Rate

In January 2023, the unemployment rate in Mississippi was 3.9%.

February 2023: State Unemployment Rate

As of February 2023, Mississippi's unemployment rate was 3.7%, the eleventh-highest in the country, tied with Arizona, Massachusetts, and West Virginia.

2023: Installed Solar Capacity

In early 2023, Mississippi reached 438 MW of installed solar capacity, ranking 36th among the states.

August 2024: Mississippi Income and Sales Tax

As of August 2024, Mississippi collects personal income tax at a flat rate of 5% for all income over $10,000 and has a retail sales tax rate of 7% which is applied to groceries.

September 2024: Sports Betting Tax Benefits

From 2018 to September 2024, sports betting in Mississippi generated $37 million in tax benefits.

2024: Estimated Loss From 2005 Hurricane

In August of 2005, an estimated $500,000 per day in tax revenue was lost following Hurricane Katrina's severe damage to several coastal casinos in Biloxi, equivalent to $804,992 in 2024.