Barbara Blackmon facts for kids

Barbara Anita Blackmon (born December 7, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician. She served in the Mississippi State Senate, representing the 21st district. She held this role from 1992 to 2004 and again from 2016 to 2024. Barbara Blackmon was also the Democratic Party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2003.

Barbara Blackmon's Early Life and Education

Barbara Martin was born on December 7, 1955, in Jackson, Mississippi. She was one of nine children. Her father worked as a farmer and in a lumber mill. Her mother, Willie Thelma Martin, was a homemaker who later earned her G.E.D. at age 50.

Growing Up and Learning

During summers, Barbara and her siblings helped on their grandparents' farm. This experience made her realize how important education was. She graduated from Wingfield High School at 16.

College and Law School

Barbara then attended Jackson State University, earning a business degree at 19. She got a second business degree from the University of Alabama at 20. After teaching for a few years, she went to law school at Santa Clara University School of Law in 1978. She later moved back to Mississippi and finished her law degree at the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1979. She then earned a special law degree in Taxation from New York University in 1982.

Barbara Blackmon's Career in Law and Politics

Barbara Blackmon is a member of the Mississippi State Bar and the New York State Bar. After finishing her studies, she worked in New York City for a pharmaceutical company. This experience gave her confidence that she could succeed anywhere. In 1983, she returned to Mississippi and started her own tax law practice. In 1986, she married Edward Blackmon Jr., who was also a politician.

Entering the State Senate (1992-1995)

In 1991, Barbara's husband encouraged her to run for the Mississippi State Senate. She wanted to change how the government spent money and create more chances for people. She won a special election on March 10, 1992, becoming a senator. She and her husband became the first married couple to serve in the Mississippi Legislature at the same time since 1951.

Later that year, election districts were changed. Barbara's home was moved to District 21. She ran against Ollie Mohamed, a long-serving senator. Barbara campaigned very hard, visiting many homes. She won the Democratic primary election. In the main election, she defeated Republican Cecil Cartwright. She was sworn in as senator in January 1993. As Vice-Chairwoman of the Senate's Finance Committee, she helped direct money to support minority businesses, historically black colleges, and small businesses.

Re-election and Key Issues (1995-1999)

In November 1995, Barbara Blackmon ran for re-election and again faced Cecil Cartwright. She won the election with a strong majority of votes. After starting her new term in 1996, she became the Vice Chairman of the Constitution Committee. She also served on many other important committees.

In 1997, she voted for the Adequate Education Act. This law aimed to give public schools the resources they needed to properly educate every student. For the 1998 session, she supported increasing salaries for teachers. She also wanted more money for Mississippi's colleges and universities.

Third Senate Term (1999-2003)

In 1999, Barbara Blackmon ran for re-election again and won without any opponents. In her new term starting in 2000, she became the Chairman of the State Library Committee. She also served on other committees like Finance and Public Health & Welfare.

In 2000, Blackmon and other senators tried to protest a decision about the state flag. They used a tactic to delay budget bills. This led to a legal case, but the Mississippi Supreme Court decided that courts should not get involved in disagreements within the legislature.

In 2002, legislative districts were being redrawn. Blackmon wanted the public to have more access to information about this process. She proposed changes to budget bills that would allow citizens to create their own redistricting plans. In 2003, she announced she would not run for re-election to the Senate. She wanted to run for a different statewide office.

Running for Lieutenant Governor (2003)

On February 21, 2003, Barbara Blackmon announced she was running for Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi. She traveled across Mississippi, campaigning for months. Her main goal as lieutenant governor would be to help the economy grow and create more jobs for people.

Between Senate Terms (2004-2015)

Barbara Blackmon's Senate term ended in January 2004. After leaving the Senate, she continued to practice law at her and her husband's law firm.

Returning to the Senate (2015-2019)

In 2015, Barbara Blackmon decided to run for the District 21 Senate seat again. She won the Democratic primary election by a very small number of votes. Since no Republicans were running in her district, her primary win meant she would return to the Senate in January 2016. In this term, she was the Vice Chair of the Enrolled Bills committee and served on several other important committees.

Final Senate Term (2019-2023)

In 2019, Barbara Blackmon ran for re-election and won without any opponents. She served her final term from 2020 to 2024. During this time, she chaired the Housing Committee and was Vice Chair of the Highways and Transportation Committee. In June 2020, she voted to change the Mississippi state flag. In 2023, she decided not to run for re-election, and her son, Bradford Blackmon, ran for her seat and won.

Personal Life

Barbara Blackmon is a Baptist. She is a member of the Mississippi State Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. She is also a Life Member of the NAACP, a civil rights organization. She has been married to state representative Edward Blackmon Jr. since 1986. They have two sons, Madison Edward and Bradford Jerome. Their son, Bradford Blackmon, was elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 2024, taking his mother's former seat.