Jackson

The Jackson Division is pleased to honor former Mississippi Governor William F. Winter, an advocate for civil rights and community service, as a recipient of the 2012 Director’s Community Leadership Award.

Throughout his long career as a public servant, Governor Winter fought for those things he believed were “good for Mississippi”—such as racial reconciliation, educational reform, and preservation of the state’s history. Through his personal example and quiet persuasion, he has been at the forefront of social change in Mississippi.

In 1999, The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi was named in his honor. In February 2012, the Winter Institute was awarded a $3.1 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to spur civil equity and community engagement while continuing to build communities worldwide. Part of the new three-year award from the Kellogg Foundation will help develop curricula to educate youth, groups, and individuals in racially disparate locations. Former President Bill Clinton has said, “Positive changes stem from great leadership, and William Winter is one of my guiding lights for Mississippi and America.”

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