‘One Mississippi’ replaces state tune that had racist roots

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi is ditching a state tune that’s primarily based on the marketing campaign tune of a former governor who pledged to protect segregation.

The present governor, Republican Tate Reeves, signed a invoice Thursday to switch “Go, Mississippi“ with a brand new tune known as “One Mississippi.” The change will occur July 1 — two years after Mississippi retired a Confederate-themed state flag.

“Go, Mississippi” makes use of the tune, however not the lyrics, from a 1959 marketing campaign jingle of Democratic Gov. Ross Barnett. “Roll With Ross” included the lyrics, “For segregation, 100%. He’s not a average, like a few of the gents.“

Barnett unsuccessfully resisted integration of the College of Mississippi in 1962. Legislators adopted a state tune that 12 months setting new phrases to his marketing campaign music: “Go, Mississippi, maintain rolling alongside. Go, Mississippi, you can not go incorrect.”

The brand new state tune was composed by nation music singer and songwriter Steve Azar, who’s a Mississippi native, for the state’s 2017 bicentennial celebration.

The lyrics of “One Mississippi” play on the hide-and-seek counting recreation (One Mississippi … two Mississippi … three Mississippi …). The tune makes use of acquainted pictures, together with magnolia timber, fried catfish, hurricanes and kudzu.

The brand new legislation additionally creates a committee to advocate that legislators designate extra state songs later. Tennessee is amongst states with a number of official songs.

____ Comply with Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.

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