About a thousand people gathered on the Woodworth Chapel Lawn at Tougaloo College, a historic black college in Jackson.
asserted
people → gather → Jackson
A DJ played classic southern line dance tunes and much of the crowd obliged, dancing while they waited for Scott Colom, Mississippi’s new senate-elect, to arrive.
asserted
Colom → play → crowd
All of the Divine 9, a nickname for the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), an umbrella organization of nine historically Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, were represented, their members proudly wearing paraphernalia bearing their organization’s letters.
asserted
All → represent → letters
Others were decked out in gear from some of the state’s colleges and universities – Tougaloo College, of course, but also Alcorn State University, Millsaps College, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University and others.
asserted
Others → deck → course
They mingled with elders who had participated in the civil rights movement and who remembered just how hard the fight to secure the Voting Rights Act was.
asserted
fight → mingle → Act
But for the fact that it was after 8pm and the sun long gone, one might think it was a family reunion or a cookout.
uncertain
it → go → pm
Instead, this wide-ranging group of people, in many ways representative of the diversity of Mississippi itself, had gathered to celebrate the win they had hoped and worked for.
asserted
they → range → win
Rev. Maxine Bolden, a Tougaloo graduate born in the 1960s, said that “it meant everything” to her to be there.
“I stand not only for me and for my children and grandchildren, but my parents are not here to see this,” Bolden told the Guardian.
asserted
Bolden → bear → Guardian
To be able to witness the work, the proof of their work, and to see how the young people came out and participated – I’m just so proud.
asserted
I → witness → work
I’m proud for every reason that is.
asserted
that → ’m → reason
God came back and gave us all the marvels.”
asserted
God → come → marvels
Colom’s daughters, Lucy and Maddie, appeared in campaign ads, as did his wife, Nadia.
asserted
wife → appear → ads
During the event, Lucy and Maddie led the audience in the pledge of allegiance, while Nadia spoke to the crowd.
asserted
Nadia → lead → crowd
When he finally arrived, Colom walked out to T.I.’s Let ‘Em Know.
asserted
Em → arrive → ‘
The audience, still galvanized even after hours of standing, roared.
asserted
audience → galvanize → standing
Prior to Colom’s election, Mississippi had not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982.
asserted
Mississippi → elect → 1982
It was not since 1875 that the state sent a Black senator to Washington.
asserted
state → send → Washington
In 1881, Blanche K Bruce, who was born into slavery, ended his single term in office.
asserted
who → bear → office
His tenure followed that of Hiram Revels, the first Black man to serve in the US Senate, also from Mississippi.
asserted
tenure → follow → Mississippi
More than a century later, the last Democrat to win election to the US Senate from Mississippi was John C Stennis, a staunch segregationist, who won a seventh term in 1982.
asserted
who → win → 1982
Dr. Charles Holmes, a longtime educator, said that he wasn’t sure how many people understood the historical significance of Colom’s election, how it was entangled in a larger story about the state’s reconstruction and Jim Crow pasts, and what it meant for the future.
asserted
it → say → future
But, by being there, they’re part of history.
asserted
they → ’re → history
Colom spoke from behind a sign that read “Picked Another Senator”, a reference to his viral campaign ad.
asserted
that → speak → ad
He talked about the state’s history and the power of prayer.
asserted
He → talk → prayer
“All I did was have the courage to imagine a night like this,” Colom told the crowd.
asserted
Colom → do → crowd
“I had the courage to believe in Mississippi.
asserted
I → have → Mississippi
I had the courage to understand that we can show the country that Mississippi matters.”
asserted
Mississippi → have → country
He highlighted civil rights heroes from the state – Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer and Frank Figgers – and asked the crowd to cheer the veterans of the civil rights movement that were in attendance.
asserted
that → highlight → attendance
With Colom’s election, that changed.
asserted
that → change → election
“From my perspective, I now have a partner in Washington,” he told the audience.
asserted
he → have → audience
He said that Colom understood the importance of healthcare, education and housing and the impact of tariffs on Mississippi.
asserted
Colom → say → Mississippi
“You know, I just now have a partner that gets it. …
asserted
that → know → it
I have a partner that can do wonders just because he cares.
asserted
he → have → wonders
But more importantly, he listens.
asserted
he → listen → ?
And that’s something that we haven’t had in this state in a long time.”
asserted
we → ’ → time
Aznii Welchlin, who was active in the months-long campaign to mobilize voters following Louisiana v Callais, the supreme court decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act, spoke with Walker Lake, president of Mississippi State University’s college Democrats.
asserted
that → mobilize → Democrats
Welchlin, president of Tougaloo’s student government association, led a march by students to vote and helped in the process to cure affidavit ballots following the election.
asserted
Welchlin → lead → election
To the audience, she quoted Sam Cooke’s famous song: “It’s been a long time coming, but a change is going to come.”
asserted
change → quote → song
Colom ended with a pledge to Mississippians:
“My commitment to you, each and every one of you, is that first I’m going to treat your children like I want my children to be treated.
asserted
children → end → children
I’m going to treat your parents the way I want my parents to be treated.
asserted
parents → go → parents
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
