The Impact of the Struggle for Black Political Participation on Mississippi Politics

The chapter analyses the impact of the black struggle for the right to vote and participation in the electoral process in the state of Mississippi. It also discusses the political impact of legislative reapportionment litigation, which replaced multimember Congressional districts with single-member districts statewide which ultimately empowered blacks to participate fully in the electoral process. The reapportionment litigation influenced the politics and policy of the state and guided the state in a progressive direction. The consistent struggle against racial segregation over voting rights and electoral participation witnessed a dramatic upsurge in black political participation, and ultimately increased the number of black elected officials at county and local levels.