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Former Gov. William Winter died at age 97.
Editor’s note: This obituary was provided to Mississippi Today by the family of Gov. William Winter and was written by longtime family friend David Crews.
JACKSON Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, who championed education initiatives, job creation and racial harmony throughout his life, died Friday at age 97.
Known as Mississippi’s Education Governor, Winter secured passage of landmark educational initiatives in 1982 bringing kindergartens, compulsory school attendance, and a range of other key reforms to a state plagued by poverty and illiteracy. During his remarkable 75 years of public service, Winter linked education with economic devel
âMississippi has lost a giantâ: William Winter leaves behind an impactful legacy William Winter (Source: William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation/Associated Press) By Justin Dixon | December 19, 2020 at 12:31 PM CST - Updated December 21 at 7:07 AM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippiâs former governor, William Winter, leaves behind a impactful legacy as people across the state react to the news of his death on Saturday.
He died Friday night at the age of 97.
Winter will be remembered for pushing Mississippi lawmakers to enact the Education Reform Act of 1982, serving as co-chairman of a national commission on racial reconciliation created by President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, and encouraging the change of the Mississippi flag in 2000 and 2001.
Former Governor William Winter dead at 97
Former Gov. William Winter (William Winter Center for Racial Reconciliation)
Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, a Democrat who pushed to strengthen public education and improve race relations, has died.
Posted: Dec 19, 2020 10:09 AM
Updated: Dec 19, 2020 10:44 AM
Posted By: Emily Wagster Pettus
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, a Democrat who pushed to strengthen public education and improve race relations, has died.
He was 97.
Family spokesman Dick Molpus says Saturday that Winter died Friday night at home in Jackson.
Molpus is a former Mississippi secretary of state who had worked on Winter’s gubernatorial staff.
Fmr. Mississippi Governor William Winter dies at age 97 William Winter (Source: WLBT Archives) By Justin Dixon | December 19, 2020 at 9:51 AM CST - Updated December 19 at 10:14 AM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Former Mississippi Governor William Winter died Friday at the age of 97, the Associated Press reported.
Winter was Mississippiâs 58th governor from 1980-1984.
He is known for the Education Reform Act of 1982, which is considered the most significant educational legislation enacted in Mississippi since the establishment of its public school system in 1870.
Winter also led the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees for nearly fifty years.
He joined the board in 1957, was elected president in 1969, and served in that role until 2007. During that time, he oversaw the opening of the Eudora Welty House, the restoration of the Old Capitol, and the construction of a state-of-the-art archives building that the state legislature named for him.