Amidst a backdrop of gospel melodies and calls for political vigilance, the Sunflower County NAACP Branch No. 5333 held its Annual Black History Program on Feb. 14 at the Gentry High School gymnasium, featuring a keynote address by U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson.
The event, themed "The Fierce Urgency of Now," brought together local leaders, educators, and community members to celebrate African American heritage while addressing contemporary challenges in education, voting rights, and public safety.
A highlight of the afternoon occurred when Mayor Kenneth Featherstone presented Congressman Thompson with the key to the City of Indianola. The gesture honored Thompson’s decades of advocacy for the Mississippi Delta and his rise from a grassroots organizer in Bolton to a national leader in Washington.
Thompson, a proud native of Bolton who was recently awarded the 2025 Presidential Citizens Medal, also received a special recognition award from the Motor Mouse Motorcycle Club. The award, presented by James Hull, recognized Thompson for his 33 years of outstanding dedication and service to the Second Congressional District.
A Call to the Ballot Box
In his keynote address, Thompson used his platform to reflect on his early days working alongside civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer in Ruleville. However, his primary message was a stark warning about the current political climate and the power of the vote.
"We are in difficult times as a country," Thompson told the crowd. "Part of what has happened is when people don’t go vote, then bad things happen. We have to cast an intelligent ballot."
Thompson emphasized that federal representation directly impacts local pockets, citing his work to protect the SNAP program and pandemic relief funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). He urged the audience to remain engaged in the upcoming midterm elections to ensure the "flame of democracy" stays alive.
Legislative Battles in Jackson
State Representative Otis Anthony provided a legislative update, focusing heavily on the defeat of House Bill 2, a school choice measure that critics argued would drain essential funding from rural districts.
"It would have pulled dollars away from Delta schools," Anthony said. "It’s like taking bricks off the top of a wall and saying the bottom still has to support it. The Delta has fewer choices than anywhere else; if the nearest choice is 45 minutes away, that’s not choice—that’s a transportation problem.”
Community and
Heritage
The program was punctuated by powerful performances that filled the gymnasium. The Harmony of Boyle energized the crowd with soulful renditions of "Wake Up Everybody" and "A Change is Gonna Come," while the Merritt Junior High School Choir and Gentry High School Drama Club offered a moving dramatization of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.
Central District Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons provided the "Occasion," tracing the history of Black History Month from Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s 1926 "Negro History Week" to the present. Simmons reminded the audience that the story of America is incomplete without the contributions of Black citizens.
Local Concerns
Sunflower County NAACP President Charles Modley addressed the recent wave of violence in Indianola, calling for unity and self-reflection.
"Who taught our Blacks to hate one another?" Modley asked. "Who taught us to destroy our own communities?" Modley urged the community to stay focused: "We must vote, as the NAACP says: when we fight, we win."
The Sunflower County NAACP will continue its outreach, including a focus group on voter mobilization which was scheduled for Feb. 19 at the county courthouse.
