Mission
Elect more Democrats and progressives in Mississippi to build a better, more just, and equal state for all.
News & Updates
Mississippi has a complicated political history, with women’s voices and perspectives often being silenced and ignored. However, despite the many obstacles they have faced, Mississippi women have played an important role in the state’s political landscape. Historically, women have had to fight for the right to vote and hold public office. In Mississippi, the first woman to serve in the state legislature was Dorothy S. B. Hyde, who was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1944. Since then, Mississippi has had a number of notable female politicians, including Evelyn Gandy, who served as the state’s first female lieutenant governor, and Barbara Blackmon, who was the first Black woman to run for lieutenant governor.
But women in Mississippi have not only made history by breaking barriers in politics – they have also been at the forefront of progressive and civil rights movements. One of the most notable of these figures is Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist who was instrumental in founding the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Hamer famously challenged the all-white Mississippi delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, calling for equal representation for Black Mississippians. Other notable progressive and civil rights activists in Mississippi include Myrlie Evers-Williams, who fought for justice for her husband Medgar Evers after he was assassinated, and Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese-American woman who worked alongside civil rights activists in Mississippi and Detroit. Civil rights activist Unita Blackwell made history in 1976, becoming Mississippi’s first black female mayor.
Today, the Mississippi Alliance for Change PAC (MAC PAC) continues to fight for progressive change in Mississippi by supporting candidates who will fight for the rights and needs of all Mississippians. One of our endorsed candidates for Attorney General, Greta Martin, is a pro-choice candidate who believes in fighting for the interests of all Mississippians. We are proud to support her and other progressive, pro-choice women who are working to make a difference in Mississippi.
As we reflect on the history of women’s political engagement in Mississippi, we are reminded of the strength and resilience of those who have come before us. We are proud to continue their legacy through our work with MAC PAC, and we will keep fighting for a more just and equitable Mississippi for all.