Another William Winter

Thirty-one years ago, Mississippi elected a Rebel, a Mississippian, a Southerner and a great leader to the office of governor.

The man fought tirelessly for equality in everyday life. That man was William F. Winter.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Lenten Luncheon speaker series at Oxford University United Methodist Church, where Governor Winter spoke about leadership from a civic and religious perspective.

After Winter’s former education policy adviser Andy Mullen gave the introduction, I was convinced that Mississippi needs another governor like Winter.

He is a champion for public education and racial reconciliation in Mississippi.

His effective leadership spans back to one of his most prideful accomplishments, the 1982 Education Reform Act, which was the first major step in the improvement of public education and the creation of public kindergartens in over 20 years preceding its passage.

Winter was recently quoted saying, “History is the process whereby we understand who we are and where we’ve come from and what our responsibilities as citizens are.”

His willingness to openly discuss our racial history and how we can move forward as a state is key to our moving forward today.

We cannot forget our past, but seeking to understand where we come from is key to developing progressive policies that move our state in the right direction.

Winter provided leadership in one of the most difficult periods in Mississippi history, speaking out against the White Citizens’ Council, as well as demonstrating other acts of leadership, which have prompted his continuous commitment to ensuring that all Mississippians have the same quality of life.

Today, our state is in a unique position with unemployment at an all-time high, a failing education system that ranks 50th in public education and a continual decline of the median family income.

We need effective leadership, much like Winter provided.

It is important to highlight the progress we have made in Mississippi through leaders of both political parties — Winter for the Education Reform Act of 1982 and Governor Haley Barbour for his tireless work on bringing a civil rights museum to Mississippi.

We can’t stop there as we select our next governor of Mississippi; we need to consider the effective leadership of Winter and his tireless work.

Former Governor Kirk Fordice was often quoted saying, “You are the sovereign, and I am the servant.”

We need servant leadership from our next governor, much like the servant and leader Winter was and still is today.