Full History Of Mississippi In Timeline From 1900

1900: Social Gospel movement in 1900

By 1900, many white ministers in Mississippi subscribed to the Social Gospel movement, applying Christian ethics to social and economic needs.

1900: Blacks in Mississippi in 1900

In 1900, the Black population in Mississippi was more than half of the state's total population.

1900: Black Farm Ownership

In 1900, two-thirds of farm owners in Mississippi were blacks, a major achievement for them and their families. Due to the poor economy, low cotton prices and difficulty of getting credit, many of these farmers could not make it through the extended financial difficulties.

1908: Mississippi Becomes a Dry State in 1908

Mississippi became a dry state in 1908 due to an act of the state legislature.

1910: Chinese Immigrants in Mississippi

Between 1910 and 1930, most Chinese families came to Mississippi from other states and operated small family-owned grocery stores in the Delta.

1910: Black Farmers Lose Land in 1910

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

1912: Devastating Floods

After the Civil War, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered devastating floods in 1912–1913.

1912: Cotton Crop Failures in 1912

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

1912: Flooding in Northwestern Mississippi in 1912

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

1913: Devastating Floods

After the Civil War, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered devastating floods in 1912–1913.

1913: Crisis Conditions Continue in 1913

In 1913, crisis conditions continued for African Americans in Mississippi due to cotton crop failures, boll weevil infestation, and severe flooding.

1913: Flooding in Northwestern Mississippi in 1913

In 1913, flooding overwhelmed northwestern Mississippi, causing heavy damage to the levee districts.

1913: The Great Migration Starts in 1913

Starting around 1913, tens of thousands of black Americans began leaving Mississippi for industrial cities in the North during the Great Migration.

1917: National Flood Control Bills in 1917

In 1917, national flood control bills were passed to provide federal matching funds for local levee districts.

August 1920: Nineteenth Amendment in force by August 1920

By August 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote, had already entered into force.

1920: Collapse of Cotton Prices

After the Civil War, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered collapse of cotton prices after 1920.

1920: African Americans Face Poverty in 1920

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

1923: National Flood Control Bills in 1923

In 1923, national flood control bills were passed to provide federal matching funds for local levee districts.

1923: NAACP Statement on Mississippi in 1923

In 1923, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) stated that African Americans felt unsafe in Mississippi.

1927: Devastating Floods

After the Civil War, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered devastating floods in 1927.

1927: Great Mississippi Flood

Despite the state's building and reinforcing levees for years, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 broke through and caused massive flooding throughout the Delta, homelessness for hundreds of thousands, and millions of dollars in property damages.

1930: Drought in Mississippi

After the Civil War, the state refused for years to build human capital by fully educating all its citizens. In addition, the reliance on agriculture grew increasingly costly as the state suffered drought in 1930.

1930: Chinese Immigrants in Mississippi

Between 1910 and 1930, most Chinese families came to Mississippi from other states and operated small family-owned grocery stores in the Delta.

1930: Record High Temperature in 1930

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

1930: Mississippi Population in 1930

The 1930 U.S. census recorded Mississippi's population at 2 million people.

1930: Lynchings continue through 1930

Through 1930, lynchings and racial segregation laws increased violence against African Americans in Mississippi.

1940: Great Migration in 1940

By 1940, the Great Migration saw many African Americans leaving Mississippi for better opportunities in the North, escaping discrimination and seeking jobs and education.

1954: Brown v. Board of Education Ruling

Although the United States Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional in its 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, blacks and whites attended separate, segregated public schools in Mississippi until the late 1960s.

1954: Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission Created in 1954

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

1960: African Americans Comprise 42% of the Population in 1960

In 1960, African Americans made up 42% of Mississippi's population, but discriminatory voter registration processes prevented most from voting.

1961: Religious Test Restriction Ruled Unconstitutional

In 1961, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 265 of the Mississippi Constitution, which required a belief in a Supreme Being for holding office, was unconstitutional in Torcaso v. Watkins.

1964: Civil Rights Legislation in 1964

Following federal civil rights legislation in 1964, African Americans in Mississippi began to exercise their right to vote.

1964: Freedom Summer and Murders in 1964

In the summer of 1964, students and community organizers came to Mississippi for Freedom Summer, but violence occurred, including the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner.

1965: Voting Rights Legislation in 1965

Following federal voting rights legislation in 1965, African Americans in Mississippi began to exercise their right to vote.

1965: Passage of the Voting Rights Act

Until passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, most blacks were disenfranchised under Mississippi's 1890 constitution and discriminatory practices.

1966: Record Low Temperature in 1966

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

1966: Mississippi Repeals Prohibition in 1966

In 1966, Mississippi repealed statewide prohibition of alcohol with a local option bill.

1967: Black Candidates Run in 1967

In 1967, black candidates ran for state and local offices in Mississippi, and Robert G. Clark was elected to the State House.

1967: Loving v. Virginia Ruling in 1967

In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that a ban on interracial marriage was unconstitutional.

August 17, 1969: Hurricane Camille Hits Mississippi in August 17, 1969

On August 17, 1969, Category 5 Hurricane Camille hit the Mississippi coast, causing significant damage and loss of life.

1969: Hurricane Camille in 1969

Hurricane Camille struck Mississippi in 1969, causing major storm surge destruction.

1970: Second Great Migration Ends in 1970

The Second Great Migration from the South, which started in the 1940s, lasted until 1970, with almost half a million people leaving Mississippi.

1973: Presbyterian Church in America

In 1973 the Presbyterian Church in America attracted numerous conservative congregations.

1976: Clark Continues as Sole African American in Legislature in 1976

In 1976, Robert G. Clark continued as the only African American in the Mississippi 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: Mississippi Ratifies Nineteenth Amendment in March 1984

In March 1984, Mississippi ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which had already entered into force.

1987: Mississippi Repeals Ban on Interracial Marriage in 1987

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

1989: Poll Tax Repealed in 1989

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 tourism in towns like Biloxi, Gulfport, and Tunica.

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: Thirteenth Amendment Ratified in 1995

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

1999: Childhood Obesity

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.

1999: State House of Representatives Election Decision

In 1999, the Mississippi House of Representatives had to decide on a gubernatorial election because no candidate achieved a majority of voters across the state and in a majority of state House of Representatives districts.

2000: English Spoken at Home

In 2000, 96.4% of Mississippi residents five years old and older spoke only English in the home, a decrease from 97.2% in 1990.

2000: Mixed-Race Identification and Marriages

In 2000, the United States Census Bureau began tracking the increase in people identifying as mixed-race in Mississippi. Also, the state began leading the nation in the growth of mixed marriages.

2000: Increase in Same-Sex Households

The 2010 United States census counted 6,286 same-sex unmarried-partner households in Mississippi, an increase of 1,512 since the 2000 United States census.

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 Farmers

Of $1.2 billion from 2002 to 2005 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 and prohibiting Mississippi from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, passing with 86% of the vote.

August 2005: Hurricane Katrina Impacts Gambling Revenue

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

August 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina Causes Destruction on August 29, 2005

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

October 17, 2005: Governor Signs Bill Allowing Casinos to Rebuild on Land

On October 17, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Governor Haley Barbour signed a bill allowing casinos in Hancock and Harrison counties to rebuild on land within 800 feet of the water, with an exception in Harrison County allowing construction to the southern boundary of U.S. Route 90.

2005: Hurricane Katrina in 2005

Hurricane Katrina struck Mississippi in 2005, causing widespread destruction.

2005: Federal Spending vs Taxes Received

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

2005: Momentum Mississippi Adopted

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

2005: Highest Rate of Obesity

Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity of any U.S. state from 2005 to 2008, and also ranks first in the nation for high blood pressure, diabetes, and adult inactivity.

2005: Federal Subsidies to Farmers

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

2006: Childhood Obesity Concerns

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

2006: Per Capita Personal Income

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

August 30, 2007: Mississippi Ranked Poorest State

On August 30, 2007, a report by the United States Census Bureau indicated that Mississippi was the poorest state in the country, with a median household income of $34,473.

2007: Lowest scores on National Assessments

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

2008: Religion in Daily Life in Mississippi

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: Education Ranking and Test Scores

In 2008, 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 sixth-lowest spending per pupil in the nation, but had the 17th-highest average SAT scores.

2008: Obesity and Health Rankings

Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity of any U.S. state from 2005 to 2008, and also ranks first in the nation for high blood pressure, diabetes, and adult inactivity. In a 2008 study of African-American women, contributing risk factors 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 Laws in 2009

In 2009, the Mississippi legislature passed a bill to repeal other discriminatory civil rights laws, which were ruled unconstitutional in 1967.

2009: Church Attendance in Mississippi

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

2010: Religious Denominations in Mississippi

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, in 2010 the Southern Baptist Convention had 907,384 adherents and was the largest religious denomination in Mississippi, followed by the United Methodist Church with 204,165, and the Roman Catholic Church with 112,488.

2010: Presbyterian Church in America

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

2010: Increase in Mixed-Race Identification

From 2000 to 2010, the United States Census Bureau reported that Mississippi had the highest rate of increase (70%) in people identifying as mixed-race. It amounted to a total of 1.1 percent of the population in 2010.

2010: African American Population in Mississippi

In 2010, Mississippi had the highest proportion of African Americans in the nation. Due to patterns of settlement and whites putting their children in private schools, in almost all of Mississippi's public school districts, a majority of students are African American.

2010: Same-Sex Households in Mississippi

In 2010, the United States census counted 6,286 same-sex unmarried-partner households in Mississippi. Of those same-sex couples roughly 33% contained at least one child, giving Mississippi the distinction of leading the nation in the percentage of same-sex couples raising children.

2011: Paddling in Mississippi schools

According to government data for the 2011-2012 school year, Mississippi had a higher percentage of students being paddled than any other state.

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: Dentists Per Capita

In 2011, Mississippi (and Arkansas) had the fewest dentists per capita in the United States.

2011: Sierra Club Sues Department of Energy

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

2012: Paddling in Mississippi schools

According to government data for the 2011-2012 school year, Mississippi had a higher percentage of students being paddled than any other state.

2012: Mississippi Power's Renewable Energy Mix

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

2012: Mississippi's Gambling Revenue

In 2012, Mississippi had the sixth-largest gambling revenue of any state, totaling $2.25 billion.

2014: Public Opinion on Abortion

A 2014 poll by Pew Research Center found that 59% of Mississippi's population thinks abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

2014: Denominations in Mississippi

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

2014: Christian Population in Mississippi

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

2014: Mississippi Power Net Metering Agreement

In 2014, Mississippi Power settled a lawsuit by agreeing to allow net metering and offer 100 MW of wind or solar power purchase agreements.

2014: Mississippi Power Solar Power Program

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

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 as unconstitutional in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges.

2015: Adjusted Per Capita Personal Income

2015 data records Mississippi's adjusted per capita personal income at $40,105 and Mississippians consistently rank as one of the highest per capita in charitable contributions.

April 2016: Passing of HB 1523

In April 2016, HB 1523 was passed, making it legal in Mississippi from July to refuse service to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.

2016: Mississippi State Auditor's Review of GreenTech

A Mississippi state auditor's review begun in 2016 found documentation reflecting only $3 million spent by GreenTech on automotive assembly equipment and parts.

2016: School corporal punishment

In 2016, 31,236 public school students in Mississippi were paddled at least once, indicating that school corporal punishment is not unusual in the state.

2016: State Sales Tax Growth

State sales tax growth in Mississippi was 1.4 percent in 2016.

2016: GDP Growth

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Mississippi's GDP growth was .5 percent in 2015 and is estimated to be 2.4 in 2016.

January 2017: GreenTech Automotive Plant Shutdown

The GreenTech Automotive facility in Tunica County was shut down in January 2017 after receiving $6 million in incentive financing and failing to meet job creation promises.

July 2017: Mississippi Auditor Demands Payment from GreenTech

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

October 2017: Federal Appeals Court Rules in Favor of HB 1523

In October 2017, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of HB 1523, which allows refusal of service to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs, after the law was initially blocked by a federal judge in July 2016.

November 2017: Mississippi Attorney General Sues GreenTech

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

2017: Health Insurers in Mississippi

A 2017 study found that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi was the leading health insurer with 53% followed by UnitedHealth Group at 13%.

2017: Mississippi City Population Rankings of at least 10,000 but fewer than 20,000 in 2017

As of 2017, this entry refers to Mississippi city population rankings of at least 10,000 but fewer than 20,000.

2017: Mississippi City Population Rankings of at least 50,000 in 2017

As of 2017, this entry refers to Mississippi city population rankings of at least 50,000.

2017: Estimated State Sales Tax Growth

State sales tax growth in Mississippi was estimated to be slightly less in 2017.

February 2018: GreenTech Declares Bankruptcy

GreenTech declared bankruptcy in February 2018.

2018: Plant Species Checklist Project in 2018

As of 2018, a project funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation aims to update the checklist of vascular plants in Mississippi and create an online atlas of each species's distribution.

2018: Impaired Driving Deaths Ranking

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

2018: Immigrant Origins in Mississippi

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

2018: Regulated Sports Betting Active

Regulated sports betting has been active in Mississippi since 2018.

2019: Lawsuit Against The Mississippi Plan

In 2019, a federal lawsuit was filed against an 1890 election law known as The Mississippi Plan, claiming its provisions for electing the Governor are racially biased.

April 2020: Highest Unemployment Rate During COVID-19 Pandemic

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

June 30, 2020: Removal of Confederate Battle Flag in June 30, 2020

On June 30, 2020, Mississippi became the last state to remove the Confederate battle flag as an official state symbol.

November 3, 2020: New Magnolia Flag Selected in November 3, 2020

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

2020: Referendum to Alter Election Process

In 2020, 79% of Mississippians voted to remove the requirement for gubernatorial candidates to win both the popular vote and a majority of districts.

2020: Final Settlement with GreenTech

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

2020: Christian Population in Mississippi

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

2020: Greater Jackson population in 2020

In 2020, the Greater Jackson metropolitan area was the most populous in Mississippi, with a population of 591,978.

2020: Ranking of Voting Difficulty

In a 2020 study, Mississippi was ranked as the 4th hardest state for citizens to vote in, with the highest rate of disenfranchisement in the United States, affecting around 16% of the African American voting age population.

2020: Mississippi Population in 2020

The 2020 U.S. census recorded Mississippi's population at 2.9 million.

January 11, 2021: New Magnolia Flag Becomes Official in January 11, 2021

On January 11, 2021, the "New Magnolia" flag officially became the state flag after being signed into law.

2021: Jones v. Mississippi Ruling

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

2022: Homelessness in Mississippi

In 2022, HUD's Annual Homeless Assessment Report estimated that there were 1,196 homeless people in Mississippi.

2022: Teen Birth Rate in Mississippi

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 in Mississippi

In 2022, a Public Religion study indicated that 84% of Mississippi's population was Christian, spread throughout Protestants (74%), Catholics (8%), Jehovah's Witnesses (1%), and Mormons (1%).

January 2023: Mississippi Unemployment Rate

In January 2023, Mississippi's unemployment rate was 3.9%.

February 2023: Mississippi 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: Solar Power Capacity in Mississippi

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

2023: Mississippi Gubernatorial Election

The 2023 Mississippi gubernatorial election was the first since the 2020 referendum altered the election process, removing the requirement for a candidate to win a majority in both the popular vote and a majority of state House districts.

August 2024: Mississippi's 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 the retail sales tax rate is 7%, also applied to groceries.

September 2024: Tax Benefits from Sports Betting

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

2024: Equivalent Tax Revenue Loss

In August 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.