Bryant Clark facts for kids

Bryant W. Clark (born October 31, 1974) is an American politician from Mississippi. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Clark serves in the Mississippi House of Representatives, representing the 47th district. He has been a member of the Mississippi House since 2004. He took over this role from his father, Robert G. Clark Jr..

His district covers parts of Attala, Holmes, and Yazoo counties. These areas are in central Mississippi. The district includes both hilly areas and the Mississippi Delta region.

Early Life and Education

Bryant Clark grew up in Ebenezer. This town is in southern Holmes County. His father was elected in 1967. He was the first African American state legislator in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era. His father served until 2003.

Bryant Clark graduated from McClain High School in Lexington in 1993. After high school, he went to Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi. He earned his Associate of Arts degree there in 1995.

He then attended Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi. In 1998, he graduated with high honors. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. During his college years, he also studied at Stillman College and the University of Mississippi.

In 2000, Clark began studying law at the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi. While in law school, he was active in student government. He was also a member of the Black Law Student Association. In December 2002, he earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor. This degree allows him to practice law. He is now a licensed lawyer in Mississippi. He can practice in many different courts, including the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Career and Community Work

Bryant Clark is the President of the Holmes County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The NAACP is a civil rights organization. It works to ensure equal rights for all people.

He was also a leader in the Young Democrats of Mississippi. This group helps young people get involved in the Democratic Party. In 2004, he was elected to important leadership groups within the Democratic Party. For four years, he served as the Secretary of the State Democratic Executive Committee. In 2002, he received an award as a "Distinguished Young Democrat."

Mississippi House of Representatives

Working in Committees

As a state representative, Clark has served on many important committees. Committees are small groups of lawmakers. They study different topics and propose new laws. He has been on committees for Education, Justice, and Public Health. He also worked on committees for Wildlife, Water, and Transportation.

He was the Vice Chair of the Rules Committee. He was also the Secretary of the Public Health & Human Services Committee. Currently, he is the Vice Chair of the Water & Conservation Committee. Clark is also part of several groups within the House. These include the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus. In 2012, he became the Deputy Leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

Time in Office

Clark was first elected to the Mississippi legislature in 2003. This was after his father, Robert G. Clark, Jr., retired. Bryant Clark was reelected in 2007 and 2011.

His father was very involved in the civil rights movement. He was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1967. This happened after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. This act helped African Americans register and vote in the South. Robert Clark Jr. was the first African American elected to the Mississippi State Legislature since the Reconstruction era. He was reelected for over three decades. When he retired in 2003, he was serving as Speaker Pro Tempore. This is a high-ranking leadership position in the state house.