Bennie Thompson is a civil rights icon who became a household name as the Chairman of the January 6th Select Committee, where his calm, methodical leadership guided the historic investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
He represents Mississippi’s 2nd District, a vast, rural district that covers the Mississippi Delta and parts of Jackson. It is the only Democratic district in the state and consistently ranks as one of the poorest congressional districts in the nation, making federal aid for agriculture, HBCUs, and infrastructure his top priorities.
As the Ranking Member (and former Chairman) of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Thompson was the first Democrat to ever chair the committee. His focus is distinct from his peers: he champions disaster equity (ensuring FEMA serves poor communities as well as rich ones) and securing funding for rural first responders.
His roots in activism run deep: he began as a field organizer for Fannie Lou Hamer and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s. Before Congress, he served as the Mayor of Bolton, where he famously had to sue the town's white establishment just to take his seat as an Alderman.
"He started his career registering voters in the Jim Crow South with Fannie Lou Hamer. Fifty years later, Bennie Thompson used that same steely resolve to investigate a President."
Bennie Thompson: The Dean of the Delta
Representative Bennie Thompson is the longest-serving African American elected official in the history of Mississippi. He is the "Dean" of the state's delegation and its only Democrat. But to understand Bennie Thompson, you have to understand the soil he comes from. Born and raised in Bolton, a tiny town west of Jackson, Thompson came of age during the violent peak of the Civil Rights Movement. He attended Tougaloo College and Jackson State University, the intellectual hubs of Black resistance in Mississippi, and cut his teeth as a volunteer for the legendary Fannie Lou Hamer.
His entry into politics was a fight for survival. In 1969, he was elected Alderman in his hometown, but the white mayor refused to certify the results. Thompson sued in federal court and won. Four years later, he ran for Mayor and won again. He spent decades in local government—as Mayor and then as a Hinds County Supervisor—building a reputation as a relentless advocate for paved roads, clean water, and fire protection in neglected Black neighborhoods.
In Washington, Thompson’s style is the opposite of the modern "show horse" politician. He rarely raises his voice. He speaks in a slow, deliberate Southern baritone. This demeanor is exactly why Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose him to chair the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack. While the investigation was a political firestorm, Thompson’s steady hand kept the committee focused on facts and testimony, turning what could have been a circus into a methodical legal case.
Beyond the headlines, Thompson is a master of the Homeland Security Committee. He views "homeland security" through a lens of equity. After seeing the failures of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated his district, Thompson spent years reforming FEMA to ensure that poor, rural communities weren't left behind during disasters. He is also the champion of the Mississippi Delta, fighting for the region's catfish farmers and its historic network of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), securing hundreds of millions in funding for institutions that have been underfunded for a century.
District Context: Mississippi 2nd (U.S. Census Data)
The "Delta": This district covers almost the entire western edge of the state, following the Mississippi River. It includes the legendary Mississippi Delta (the birthplace of the Blues), parts of Jackson, and rural counties stretching down to Natchez.
Population: ~726,000.
Demogr...
