Scott Colom opened his victory speech in Jackson on Tuesday night by reaching back more than 150 years, telling supporters that his journey to the United States Senate began with prayer and with the Mississippi minister who made history long before him.
“For me, this journey started with a prayer, y’all,” Colom said. “And in Mississippi, our prayers have often changed the course of history. For people that don’t know, the first African American to be a United States Senator was from the great state of Mississippi. His name was Hiram Revels.”
Revels, a minister in Natchez, was elected to the state senate in 1869 and was chosen to deliver the opening prayer at the session. His prayer so impressed the lawmakers gathered that they decided he should represent Mississippi in Washington, and in 1870 he became the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.
“And the way he got to be a United States Senator was he was a minister in Natchez, Mississippi,” Colom said. “He was elected to be in the state house.” Colom, a Democrat, defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith to win the seat, a result that helped deliver control of the Senate. Supporters behind him held signs reading “Senator-Elect Scott Colom” as he spoke.
Video: Associated Press
