Welcome to Mississippi! This is a phrase not unoften heard in my home state. Mississippi is a place teaming with destinations, yet so often in the past, Mississippi was merely a place through which to travel to reach other destinations. Finally, the rest of the nation is realizing the enormous wealth of history, culture, and entertainment events that are here in our state.

For instance, did you know that Mississippi is the home of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil? Or, did you know that Mississippi has played host to numerous international-quality exhibitions from Russia, Egypt, and Spain, and other places? The last of these was the Majesty of Spain exhibit, for which the king and queen of Spain, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia visited Jackson for the opening. And did you know that Jackson, our state's capital, is one of only four homes of the International Ballet Competition? Did you know that Mississippi is one of the top retirement destinations in the country, with 20 certified retirement cities? We in Mississippi are not surprised at all. In fact, we almost take such events for granted. That's because examples of progressive thinking come not only from the present, but even from the past. Mississippi was the first state in the Union to pass legislation protecting the property rights of married women. It was also the first state to outlaw imprisonment for debtors. Mississippi was the first state to be represented in Washington by an African-American senator. The first PTA in the nation was established in Crystal Springs. The list goes on and on and on..... Mississippi may have gotten a bad rap in the past (and rightly so, perhaps). But there is so much to be proud of as well. It is on the positive that we focus today.

When King Juan Carlos was in Jackson for the opening of the Majesty of Spain exhibit, a New York journalist asked him "Why? Why Mississippi, of all the more cosmopolitan venues for such an exhibit?" His Majesty replied, "Because, sir, they asked!" Such is the progressive attitude of Mississippians. We strive to make life in Mississippi even better than it already is. Our leaders look forward with eagerness at what the future can be. And we are reaping the results. The 21st century is shaping up to be Mississippi's second Golden Age. It is our anticipation of the opportunities that tomorrow can bring that drives our state to take the chance and seek out industries that have left our neighbors and their larger cities in the dust. Such is our determination to keep our children in Mississippi when they grow up that we have gone to the far corners of the world to attract business and industries and bring them home. We have so much in Mississippi. And if we don't have it yet, stick around. It won't be long before we do!

Statewide Overview
Mississippi Geography

Jackson Prairie
Jackson	Philadelphia	Meridian	Kosciusko
The Delta & Loess Bluffs
Vicksburg	Natchez	Windsor Plantation	The Mississippi Delta
The Pine Belt
Laurel	Hattiesburg	Columbia	Picayune
The Gulf Coast
Biloxi	Gulf Islands National Seashore	Gulfport	Stennis Space Center
Northern Highlands
Oxford	Columbus	Tishomingo County	Holly Springs

If Mississippians want history in their flag, then this is the flag for them.
Click the Flag Proposal to See More

State Government
The State of Mississippi	The Governor of Mississippi	The Secretary of State
The Mississippi Supreme Court	The Mississippi Senate	The Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi's U.S. Senators 108th Congress
Senator Trent Lott (R)
Senator Thad Cochran (R)
Mississippi's U.S. Representatives 108th Congress
Rep. Roger Wicker (R) 1st Congressional District	Rep. Bennie Thomposon (D) 2nd Congressional District	Rep. Chip Pickering (R) 3rd Congressional District
Rep. Gene Taylor (D) 4th Congressional District
Tourism and Community/Economic Development
Mississippi Division of Tourism	Mississippi Gaming Association	Mississippi Development Authority
Mississippi Tourism Association	Mississippi Economic Council	New Mississippi
Education (Top Three Public & Private Institutions)
University of Mississippi	University of Southern Mississippi	Mississippi State University
Millsaps College	Mississippi College	Belhaven College
The Local Press (Representative Newspapers From Around the State)
(Jackson & Statewide)	(Biloxi & The Gulf Coast)	(Hattiesburg & The Pine Belt)
(Natchez & The River Region)	(Meridian & The Central Prairies)	(Cleveland & The Delta)
(Columbus & The Black Prairie)	(Oxford & North Mississippi)	(University of Mississippi)
Culture and Entertainment
The Mississippi Writers Page Ole Miss Dept.of English	The Mississippi Delta Blues Society Itta Bena, MS	The Center for the Study of Southern Culture at Ole Miss
Mississippi's African-American Authors Mississippi State University Libraries	Old Capitol Museum Jackson, Mississippi	Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Laurel, Mississippi
USA International Ballet Competition Jackson, Mississippi

Like the rest of society, the gay community in Mississippi is growing. We still have a long way to go, but it won't be long before gay life in Mississippi is just as exciting as San Francisco (ok, maybe that's pushing it, but you get the point). In spite of less enlightened legislation (left over from less enlightened days), gay and lesbian Mississippians enjoy a surprisingly high quality of life, which often astounds gay visitors to the sate. Of course, we've had our share of problems, not the least of which is the tremendous hold on our state by the un-Christian policies of the Southern Baptist Convention and other fundamentalist "Christian" sects. Regardless, we are slowly breaking free from the chains with which we have been shackled by the religious right and their cohorts in the legislature. Yet, as is the painful lesson from history, change in Mississippi comes slowly - and sometimes by force, but it does inevitably come.

Articles of Interest to Gay Mississippians
A Report on the State of the Gay Family in Mississippi	The AFA: The Real Agenda of a Methodist Hate Group	A Southern Tradition: The Clinton Inspiration For "Don't Ask Don't Tell"