Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter dies at 97
Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, “who championed education initiatives, job creation, and racial harmony throughout his life,” died Friday at age 97, his family said.
Winter, a Democrat, served as governor from 1980 to 1984 and is best known for pushing through the 1982 Education Reform Act, which overhauled the state’s public education system.
“Known as Mississippi’s Education Governor, Winter secured passage of landmark educational initiatives in 1982 bringing kindergartens, compulsory school attendance, and a range of other key reforms to a state plagued by poverty and illiteracy,” said a statement provided by Dick Molpus, family spokesperson and former Mississippi secretary of state.
Mississippi Superintendent of Education Carey Wright said in a statement that Winter’s work had “changed the course of education in our state.”
“(Winter) fought to bring equity to education through the Education Reform Act of 1982, which set high standards for students, teachers and schools and established free public kindergarten for all children.
“His work will live on in the generations of Mississippians whose lives were changed by the opportunities their education provided them,” she said.
Winter’s alma mater, the University of Mississippi, said on Twitter that he had been “a pillar of racial reconciliation and champion for Mississippi.”
