Information on the Council of Conservative Citizens and Mississippi Politicians

(The following information was compiled by the Arkansas Delta Peace & Justice Center (ADPJC) from source material of the Temple of Democracy and the Southern Poverty Law Center. As detailed below, the ADPJC has collected mentions of Mississippi and the state's politicians in the Council of Conservative Citizens publication, Citizens Informer, from 1999-2003. For an introduction that relates this post to the other content on this blog, see my previous post, The Southern Strategy of George W. Bush. --BG)

The Council of Conservative Citizens is a reincarnation of the White Citizens Councils that sprang up in the South in the 1950s and 1960s to oppose school desegregation. Like the League of the South, a neo-confederate group to which it has many links, the 15,000-member Council has tried without success to mask its white supremacist ideology to better promote a right-wing political agenda.The link to the Council of Conservative Citizens is www.cofcc.org.

The official publication of the Council of Conservative Citizens is the Citizens Informer.

excerpts from the

Citizens Informer 1999 to 2003

Mississippi related items/individuals
Note that all are white
                 almost all are males
                 almost all are Republicans

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Vol. 30 -- 1st Quarter 1999

on page 1 is the media attention and a photo of Governor Fordice at the Nov. 7, 1998 conference in Jackson, Mississippi.

Page 3 -- Pictures from the Nov. 6-7 1998 CofCC Conference in Jackson, Mississippi. In attendance, Crystal Springs Mayor Dan Gibson, State. Rep. Ken Stribling, Gov. Fordice, State Senator Bill Minor,

Page 7 - Mississippi activites. In Marshal County Oct. 19 meeting is attended by: Mark Garriga, chief of staff for Gov. Kirk Fordice; State Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm); Supervisor L.E. Malone; Fred Blek, prosecutor; Clark Bell, member of Mississippi Republican Executive Party.

Page 7 - Mississippi. Black Hawk rally is claimed to be a success even though news reports claimed turnout by candidates way down. Speakers were: State Rep. Terry Brown, candidate for Lt. Gov.; Dan M. Gibson, candidate for Governor; State Senator Robert Huggins (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/huggins.htm) was a moderator. At local chapters: State Sen. Bill Hawks and Mark Garriga spoke in Calhoun; State Rep. Mark Formby (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/formby.htm), State Rep. John L. Moore (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/moore.htm), State Rep. Terry Brown, & State Senator Dean Kirby (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/kirby.htm) spoke in Jackson; State Senator Bill Minor ( spoked in Marshall; State Rep. Terry Brown, Jim Jiles, Nick Walters, and Dan Gibson mayor of Crystal Springs spoke in Webster.

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Volume 30 Dec. 1999

pp. 15 Continued; Calhoun County Mississippi CofCC has Miss. Secretary of State candidate Nick Walters speak; Greater Jackson Mississippi CofCC has National Rifle Association Safari Club Vice-President Dick Withers speaks. Also, Sate Rep. Terry Brown speaks to CofCC. Jared Taylor video shown.; Marshall County Mississippi CofCC has three members of Mississippi State legislature attend meeting but do not mention their name.

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Vol. 31 Feb. 2000

pp. 18 Calhoun CofCC in Mississippi has French TV visit for documentary on private schools.

pp. 19 Mississippi Greater Jackson CofCC has State Senator Bill Hinson speak.

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Vol. 31 March 2000

Mississippi. Address by State Rep. Rita R. Martinson(http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/martinson.htm). Address by State Senator William R. Minor. Current issues is the Confederate flag and Mississippi state flag.

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Vol. 31 May/June 2000

pp. 15  Caroll County Mississippi CofCC at Confederate Memorial day ceremonies with the UDC and SCV. Greater Jackson Mississippi has City Councilman Ben Allen speaker to them. In general Mississippi CofCC is starting a Mississippi State flag campaign.

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July-August 2000

pp. 12 Mississippi, Marshall County, Confederate Memorial Day observance. State Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm) address CofCC meeting. Piney Woods CofCC rally attended by Sate Sen. Joseph T. Stogner, State Rep. Herb Frierson (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/frierson.htm), State Rep. Kenney Moore, State Rep. Mark Formby (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/formby.htm), and State Rep. Joey Fillingane (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/fillingane.htm).

pp. 20 "Mississippi Bungling" about Jesse Jackson Jr. in Mississippi.

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September-December 2000

pp. 13 Mississippi: Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Kay Cobb attends CofCC meeting with Virginia Abernethy. Also, there was Byhalia mayor Bill Fisher, U.S. Representative Roger Wicker. Also, attending was State Sen. Bill Minor and State Rep. Tommy Woods. News on the Mississippi flag fight.

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January - February 2001  Vol. 32

pp. 10 "Mississippi Flag Vote is Crucial for our Heritage" by William Lord Jr. He is very upset with Rev. Don Wildmon.

pp. 14 Trent Lott's uncle T.A. Watson. Joe Sobran speaks to CofCC in Washington D.C.

pp. 15 Mississippi CofCC.

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March -- April 2001 Vol. 32

pp. 1 "Victory In Mississippi" by Samuel Francis.

pp. 14 Marshall, Mayor Robert Smith of  Memphis, Mississippi, (not Memphis, Tennessee). Also Rep. Tommy Wood and Senator Bill Minor. (Both state I presume) Webster, former State Rep. James Blue. Rep. Gary A. Chism (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/chism.htm).

pp. 15 Dr. Gary Lee Roper organizes 58 Christian ministers to support the Confederate Battle flag as a Christian symbol.

pp. 17 Ad by 58 ministers for the Mississippi state flag from the DeSoto Times.

pp. 19 Three columns by Samuel Francis, "Scientists Lie about Race and the Genome", "Real Reasons against Reparations," "Mississippi Sets the Clock Right."

pp. 24 Dover Cylinder Head ad. Mississippi vote.

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May - June 2001 Vol. 32 No. 3

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July - August 2001 Vol. 32 No. 4

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Nov. - Dec. 2001 Vol. 32 No. 6

pp. 6 Council News, short items about local chapters. Mississippi State Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm) attends meeting.

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Nov. - Dec. 2001 Vol. 32 No. 6

pp. 12 Mississippi Marshall County function has the Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Cikerson, Byhalia Police Chief Mike Novay, MS representatives Jack Gadd (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/gadd.htm) and Tommy Woods(http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm). CofCC members at Macedonia Baptist Church in Calhoun City.

pp. 13 Mississippi meetings.

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Jan. - Feb. 2002 Vol. 33 No. 1

pp. 15  Mississippi section. Jackson county chapter wants to place Mississippi flag in Constitution. State Sen. Charlie Ross (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/ross.htm) speaks to Feb. 21 meeting of CofCC. State Rep. Gary Chism (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/chism.htm) spoke at same meeting about the state flag. State Rep. Eric Robinson (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/robinson_(84th).htm) special guest.

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March - April 2002 Vol. 33 No. 2

pp. 15 Republican Congressional Candidate Charlotte Reeves speaks at the Carroll County CofCC. Charlotte Reeves at Greater Jackson, Southern Magnolia, and Piney Woods CofCC Southern Heritage event. State Senator Glenn Hamilton speaks at Webster County CofCC.

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May - June 2002 Vol. 33 No. 3

pp. 13  Mississippi, State Senator Bill Minor, State Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm)

pp. 14 Mississippi candidate for Congress send representatives to CofCC even in Jackson, Mississippi. Chip Pickering and Ronnie Show. Marshall County CofCC has SCV commander Gene Ingram, Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm), Dorothy Herron of the UDC, Byhalia Mayor Dempsey, State Senator Bill Minor.

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July - Sept. 2002 Vol. 33. No. 4

pp. 13 Mississippi, pictures, Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm) State Rep., Tim Johnson, State Senator at CofCC meeting in Marshall County.

pp. 17 Mississippi items: Byhalia project to put Mississippi flag license plates on police cars in that town. August Marshal County meeting with State Sen. Tim Johnson. Webster County has State Rep. Gary Chism (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/chism.htm).

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Oct. -- Dec. 2002 Vol. 33 No. 5

pp. 1 Bill Lord, "Alabama Judge Orders Ten Commandments Monument Removed."

pp. 2 Editorials, About the Trent Lott affair and the Dixiecrats.

pp. 6 Samuel Francis, "Lott May Have Unintentionally Said Something True."

pp. 13 Mississippi, Southern Heritage Political Rally near Jackson, MS. Shoney's donates a door prize.

pp. 20 Mary Elizabeth Sanders, "Help Bring a Confederate Monument to Its Rightful Place." Port Hudson Confederate monument. A lot of resistance to this Confederate monument.

pp. 23 Robert Slimp. "My J. Strom Thurmond Stories." 

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Jan.-Feb. 2003

pp. 14 short items. Mississippi State Rep. Bobby B. Howell (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/howell.htm) speaks at Carroll County meeting. Arnie Watson, uncle of Trent Lott dies. Jackson meeting, Miss. State Rep. John Moore (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/moore.htm).

pp. 18 Bob Patterson, "The Race Card." Upset with a revival of the Emmitt Till case.

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March - April 2003

pp. 13 Mississippi State Senator Dean Kirby (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/kirby.htm), State Represenative Clayton Smith (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/smith_(59th).htm) speak at CofCC meeting. Marshall County CofCC greeted at state capitol by State Senator Bill Minor, Rep. Tommy Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm), Rep. Jack Gadd (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/gadd.htm), and Rep. Wander Jennings (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/jennings.htm).

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May - June 2003

pp. 12 Short items. National Conference in Olive Branch, Mississippi, a suburb of Memphis. Panels, "The Attack on White Culture," Peter Gemma, Miles Wolpin, Samuel Francis. Panel, "Christian Response to Liberalism Panel," Benny Hill, pastor of Duncan Hill Baptist Church, Robert Slimp, Steve Woods. Panel: Immigration Invasion, Brent Nelson, Wayne Lutton, Virginia Abernathy, Saturday Luncheon, speaker was Gregg Stewart, chairman of the coalition that defended the Mississippi flag. Also, attending was Mississippi Rep. Thomas Woods (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/woods.htm), and Gary Chism (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/chism.htm).

pp. 13 Black Hawk Barbecue, with "twenty-six state candidates attending," including Lt. Governor Amy Tuck, GOP gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour and Mitch Tyner. Picture on page.  Many other candidates attended.

pp. 14 Attendees at Black Hawk dinner. MS state rep., Bobby Howell (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/house/howell.htm) at, State Senator Bill Minor. Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck.

pp. 24 Dover Cylinder Head ad. Ms State Senator Dean Kirby (http://www.ls.state.ms.us/senate/kirby.htm) addresses Greater Jackson and Southern Magnolia chapters of the CofCC.

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Fall 2003 Vol. 34 No. 3-6 Special Edition

pp. 13 Mississippi, Mitch Tyner speaks to CofCC.

pp. 14 Shannon Warnock speaks to Mississippi CofCC soliciting votes for Haley Barbour. Rev. Cripps speaks to CofCC in Jackson.