Mississippi
First Black Woman Named To Lead Episcopal Diocese Of Mississippi
by Daniel Johnson
July 22, 2024
Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells made history on July 20 when she was formally installed as the newest bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, becoming the first Black person and the first woman to hold the position.
Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells made history on July 20 when she was formally installed as the newest bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, becoming the first Black person and the first woman to hold the position. Wells has held the position since being elected in February 2024 and has been active in the role since May, but it now becomes formally acknowledged by the church with her installation.
According to Al.com, Wells doesn’t focus on the historical significance of her appointment, instead, she wants the congregation she serves to showcase radical love and hospitality to their neighbors. “If it ends when our time together ends on Sunday mornings, then we have already missed the message,” Wells told the outlet. “That should be the beginning. When we walk out the doors, that becomes the beginning of us showing that radical love and hospitality.”
According to USA Today, Wells replaces Brian Seage, who guided the state’s Diocese through the COVID-19 pandemic and the Jackson, Mississippi, water crisis. Shortly after Wells’ election, Seage told the outlet, “This is a historic moment and this marks a new chapter in our history. It’s the first time we have elected a woman and the first time we have elected an African American as the bishop of the diocese. I think this speaks dramatically for this movement within our church.”
The installation was presided over by Michael Curry, who was the first Black person to be the presiding bishop of the Catholic Church and gained worldwide acclaim for his sermon at Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding in 2011.
Wells’ election came after Sharma Lewis became the first Black woman to serve as bishop of the Mississippi United Methodist Church in 2022.
After her election, Wells told USA Today, “I am truly humbled by the confidence that the council has placed in me, and I am so looking forward to working with the good people of the Diocese of Mississippi. We are reading all kinds of statistics and reports about declining church attendance and declining church engagement, but we know God is in the midst of all of this and I am looking forward to exploring with this Diocese all of the ways we can continue love God and love one another and serve our neighbors and care for the people around us.”
Wells hails from Mobile, Alabama, and earned a degree in vocal performance from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She also holds a Juris Doctorate from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, a master’s degree in divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in ministry from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Wells expressed her desire to engage with the community and familiarize herself with the various congregations in Mississippi, telling USA Today, “When we had our meet and greets when I was able to get to know some of the people in the Diocese, I said then that I really want to get out into the districts.”
Wells added, “I want to meet people. I want to meet clergy and I want to meet lay folks in these different convocations. I want to see what is happening in their ministry, and I want to get some good conversations going so that we can be good relationship builders together and be about the business of exploring the ways that we can serve God.”
RELATED CONTENT: Episcopal Church of New York Apologizes For Participating In The Transatlantic Slave Trade, Pledges $1 Million Against Racism
Mississippi
Thompson defeats Turnage to highlight U.S. House primaries in Mississippi – SuperTalk Mississippi
Political newcomer and Capitol Hill attorney Evan Turnage proved no match for longtime U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who defeated him and one other challenger to earn the Democratic nomination for Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday.
Some politicos thought Turnage – who went to Yale and later worked for some of Thompson’s Democratic colleagues, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) – wouldn’t necessarily win but could make waves as one of the more viable candidates to challenge Thompson in recent years. However, that wasn’t the case as Thompson garnered approximately 85% of the vote when the race was called.
Thompson, 78, is seeking an 18th term. The civil rights leader who chaired the Jan. 6 Committee was first elected in 1993 and serves as a ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee. He will face either Ron Eller or Kevin Wilson on the Republican side, a race yet to be called as of late Tuesday night, and independent Bennie Foster in November’s general.
All of Mississippi’s U.S. House seats are up for grabs this year.
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican Rep. Trent Kelly ran unopposed, while civil rights attorney and University of Mississippi School of Law professor Cliff Johnson beat former state lawmaker Kelvin Buck in the Democratic primary. Libertarian challenger Johnny Baucom awaits Kelly and Johnson in the general.
In the 3rd Congressional District, both Republican Rep. Michael Guest and Democrat Michael Chiaradio ran unopposed. They will meet Libertarian Erik Kiehle in the general.
In the 4th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Mike Ezell had over 80% of the vote when his race was called against former Mississippi Department of Marine Resources officer and political staffer Sawyer Walters. State Rep. Jeffrey Hulum easily won the Democratic nomination over Paul Blackman and D. Ryan Grover. Ezell and Hulum will face independent Carl Boyanton in the general.
Arguably the most watched races of the night occurred in the state’s lone U.S. Senate seat in this year’s cycle. Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith had no problem with Ocean Springs doctor Sarah Adlakha, seeing her name bolded around 30 minutes after the polls closed. It wasn’t long after that when Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom was announced the winner of the Democratic primary over Priscilla Till and Albert Littell. Independent Ty Pinkins will meet Hyde-Smith and Colom in the general on Nov. 3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mississippi
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Staff
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House
2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books
3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday
4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House
5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press
6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday
7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House
8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company
9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House
10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead
Children and young adults
1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown
2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press
3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing
4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins
5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster
Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619
— Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).
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