Robert Clark, Mississippi’s first Black lawmaker after Civil Rights era, dies at 96

Mississippi’s first Black lawmaker of the 20th century died Tuesday. Robert G. Clark’s son and successor, state Rep. Bryant Clark, said his father died at home in Holmes County.

Robert Clark was a teacher and coach before he won a seat in the legislature in 1967. He was initially ostracized — no white lawmaker would sit with him in the House chamber or at official dinners.

But he rose to the second-highest leadership role in the statehouse, House speaker pro tempore, in 1992.

He held onto that job for a dozen years before retiring in 2004.