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.