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HB 1351

Ross Barnett Reservoir; rename as the "William F. Winter and Fannie Lou Hamer Reservoir."

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Daryl Porter and 1 co-sponsor

Mississippi bill to rename Ross Barnett Reservoir after civil rights leaders William F. Winter and Fannie Lou Hamer instead of a segregationist governor; died in committee February 2025.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 1351

Legislative bill overview

HB 1351 proposes renaming the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi to the "William F. Winter and Fannie Lou Hamer Reservoir." The bill seeks to replace the name of a water infrastructure project named after a historically controversial figure with names honoring two prominent civil rights leaders from Mississippi.

Why is this important

Reservoir naming reflects how states memorialize historical figures and can signal shifting public values regarding civil rights history. Ross Barnett was a Mississippi governor who strongly opposed desegregation, while William F. Winter and Fannie Lou Hamer were respected civil rights advocates, making this a symbolic statement about whose legacies communities choose to honor in public spaces.

Potential points of contention

  • Historical reckoning vs. institutional continuity: Supporters view renaming as correcting past injustices, while opponents may argue it's revisionist or costly to change established infrastructure names
  • Cost and practical concerns: Questions about expense of changing signage, maps, legal documents, and whether resources could be better directed elsewhere
  • Scope of commemoration: Debate over whether a dual naming of two figures (Winter and Hamer) adequately honors each individually, or if one name would be more practical

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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