Former Representative Alyce Clarke, the first Black woman elected to the Mississippi Legislature, made history again by becoming the first Black person and woman to have a portrait in the state Capitol.
Clarke was recognized by friends, fans, and other lawmakers at the unveiling of his oil painting, which now hangs in the House Education Committee chamber. The celebration was attended by several luminaries.
She stated, “Thank God, I’ve had more good days than terrible days. And I’d simply like to thank everyone who is here. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me get here, because I accomplished nothing on my own.”
Ryan Mack, the artist, utilized an image of Clarke from the mid-1980s, according to the Associated Press. He stated, “I’m a true believer and witness to the good she has done,” alluding to Clarke’s work on education and nutrition programs.
Clarke, an 84-year-old Democrat from Jackson, has opted not to compete for reelection in 2023, following 39 years in government. According to the Associated Press, Clarke won a special election in March 1985, and Jacksonian Democrat Alice Harden, a Black woman, was elected to the Mississippi Senate two years later.
Clarke’s early work for Born Free, a drug and alcohol rehab facility for expecting mothers, was a highlight of her legislative career. She led the creation of Mississippi’s first drug courts in the 1990s, which provide treatment, drug testing, and supervision in an effort to keep offenders out of jail.
Her role to the founding of the state lottery was significant. Clarke proposed lottery proposals for 19 years until lawmakers passed one in 2018 to help fund roadways.
The measure was named the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law by both the House and the Senate. Clarke bought the ceremonial first lottery ticket in a Jackson convenience store when they went on sale in 2019.