15 Odd Facts About Mississippi

The state has a complex history.

MississippiPhoto byDerrick PaytononUnsplash

To say that the perception of Mississippi isn’t generally positive is an understatement. People generally associate it with poverty and a lack of education. Of course, those two things often go hand in hand. Mississippi is the birthplace of the patriarch of the Manning clan, Archie Manning, so there is that.

It is also the birthplace and home of another NFL QB, Brett Favre. However, despite his fame as a QB, his popularity took a hit based on his interest in photography and charity. Many of you know what I mean. If you don’t you can take my word for it or google some of that, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially that photography thing. Against this bleak background, here are some things you didn’t know about Mississippi.

1: Mississippi is 35th in the nation in population and has the lowest per capita income in the nation.

Based on that, that 35th in population thing could easily change.

2: In 1860, slaves made up 55% of the population.

That’s not a pretty stat and I can’t whitewash it.

3: Mississippi does produce more than half of the nation’s farm raised catfish.

In Mississippi catfishing can be a respected vocation.

4: The state ranks high among states in religiosity.

Hmm, the state is religious and poor with a history of slave ownership. No wonder it’s the birthplace of the blues.

5: Starting in 1822 Mississippi enacted laws to give slaves some protection. After that, it was illegal to willfully kill a slave. In most cases.

That last part is really bothersome.

6: 1913 saw the beginning of the Great Migration. Blacks from Mississippi left, often by train, to northern cities such as Chicago.

Blacks saw more opportunity in the North. Including such basic opportunity as the opportunity to survive.

7: The Second Great Migration took place form the 1940’s till 1970.

About a half a million people left Mississippi during this time, about three quarters of them were black. Many of those migrants went north, but some went west, especially to California. Many worked at defense jobs. Like Jed Clampett, they heard California is the place they ought to be.

8: In 1966, Mississippi became the last state to officially repeal prohibition on a statewide basis.

Well, they took their time to see how that was working out.

9: The Commonwealth Fund has Mississippi ranked 50th among states in healthcare.

Well, by being last, Mississippi makes other states feel better about themselves.

10: Mississippi was the 20th state to join the union and the second to secede.

Maybe when they joined, they forgot to read the fine print.

11: The state was named after the river.

So, it’s not like that chicken and egg thing. We know which came first.

12: Mississippi wasn’t always poor. Before the Civil War, Mississippi was the fifth wealthiest state in the Union.

Man, going from Union to non-union was really rough.

13: Mississippi is the birthplace of The King.

England has the royal family, but Mississippi has Elvis Presley.

14: The first football player to appear on a Wheaties box was from Mississippi.

So why would football players resort to steroids when they had access to Wheaties?

15: Stickball originated in Mississippi.

That shocked me. So, take that New York.