Mississippi State Conference NAACP Denounces Insensitive and Inflammatory Statement by Cindy Hyde-Smith

The Mississippi State Conference NAACP (MS NAACP) is deeply concerned by the insensitive and potentially inflammatory comment made by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith about her willingness to be in the “front row” at a “public hanging.” The tone-deaf nature of such a comment in a state plagued by the lynching of African-Americans and allies of people of color is inexcusable, especially considering the recent hanging of a man in Scott County, Mississippi that has been virtually ignored by state and federal authorities.

The results of the midterm election are clear evidence that citizens will not stand idly by while this divisive, and often openly racist, rhetoric is shared by our elected officials. Mississippians know all too well how quickly violent language can lead to violent action in the forms of hangings and other forms of lynching. We encourage Mississippians to defeat all hate of this kind by exercising their right to vote and holding public officials accountable for the language they use and the policies they support.

About the Mississippi State Conference NAACP
Formed in 1945, the Mississippi State Conference NAACP (MS NAACP) has been on the frontlines of all major civil rights battles in the state and across the South. With a revolving membership of more than 11,000 and at least one member in 74 of Mississippi’s 82 counties, the MS NAACP advocates for economic, educational, political and social justice for all people to ensure a society that is free from racial discrimination and division.