Democrat Scott Colom has won a close race in Mississippi to become the state’s first black US senator in over 150 years and only the third in history. This milestone marks a historic outcome in the conservative southern state, which last elected a Democratic US senator in 1982 and had not seated a black senator since 1875.
Historical Predecessors in Mississippi
Colom follows in the footsteps of Hiram Revels and Blanche Bruce, both members of the Republican Party. Revels became the first black person to serve in the chamber, holding office from 1870 to 1871 after being selected as Mississippi’s first senator following the Civil War, and he campaigned strongly for racial equality. Bruce, born into slavery, served a full term from 1875 to 1881 and later held a role in the Treasury in Washington after leaving the chamber. Both senators served before Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation across Mississippi and the American South.
Voter Mobilization and Reaction
A key factor in Colom’s victory was his ability to mobilize young voters and the state’s large black population, who turned out in high numbers. In his victory speech, Colom noted how Revels, a minister and Civil War chaplain, previously gained support through his words, stating that prayer and historical figures lifted the state through very dark times. Before the race was called, students at Jackson State University, a historically black college in Mississippi, told BBC News that many were voting for the first time and supporting Colom. First-time voter Jamyria Dunn expressed that change was needed, adding that seeing Mississippi turn blue would bring unmeasurable joy.
