Video: MSU Honors ‘Firsts’ During Black History Celebration

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State University honors area African-Americans who were the first in their fields.

A reception Friday morning wrapped up a two-day event that featured lectures and classroom visits by Earnest Green, one of the nine students who intergrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.

In addition to paying tribute to GreenFriday, the university honored firsts from the surrounding area, including Philadelphias’ first African-American mayor, James Young.

Young said, “Today’s climate is conducivc to prosperity and growth if we just make up our minds to do it.”

Other honorees included Constance Slaughter-Harvey, the first African-American female graduate from the University of Mississippi Law School and Willie Johnson, Starkville’s first African-American fire chief.