MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Brown, Clarke, Whittington, Banks, Calhoun, Fleming, Robinson (63rd)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING JERRY MITCHELL UPON BEING NAMED WINNER OF THE INLAND PRESS FOUNDATION CONTEST AND THE GEORGE POLK AWARD FOR JUSTICE REPORTING.
WHEREAS, Jerry Mitchell, a special projects reporter for The Clarion-Ledger, recently won first place in the Inland Press Foundation contest education category for his story, The Preacher and the Klansman and named recipient of the George Polk Award for Justice Reporting, administered by Long Island University; and
WHEREAS, Mitchell spent six months researching, interviewing the story's characters, traveling to places described and collecting state Sovereignty Commission records and other documents to pen his award winner; and
WHEREAS, his research helped to reconstruct events, dialogue and details, and on October 26, 1998, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., he along with three other journalists were honored by the Anti-Defamation League for "their courage and conviction that the world must know of the brutality of hatred, injustice and inhumanity"; and
WHEREAS, having spent nearly two decades reporting on unpunished crimes from the civil rights era, Mr. Mitchell's work has allowed the hand of justice to prevail in cases that were once forgotten; and
WHEREAS, now 40 years of age, Mitchell, after having won this coveted honor, has plans underway for the publication to be offered as possible curriculum material to teachers across the nation; and
WHEREAS, no stranger to success, Mitchell has won numerous other awards for his work, including the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service, the Sidney Hillman Award for The Preacher and the Klansman and for his stories leading to the 1998 conviction of one-time Imperial Wizard Sam Bowers and also the recipient of the Heywood Broun Award; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend the literary excellence and success of one of our own great Mississippians such as Mr. Mitchell:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Jerry Mitchell upon winning the Inland Press Foundation contest in the education category, as well as being named recipient of the George Polk Award for Justice Reporting, administered by Long Island University, and extend our wishes for continued success in all his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Jerry Mitchell and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.