“I just believe if you’re elected and they imbue you with trust and faith then you represent them as well as you can…we did that over four terms in the US Congress, went on to become a cabinet secretary, and it’s my goal now to become the next United States Senator for the same reasons.”
On today’s special mid-week episode, Secretary Mike Espy is here. Well known as the first African-American congressman from Mississippi since Reconstruction and then as the Secretary of Agriculture for President Bill Clinton, he is now running for the Unites States Senate. In this rare, personal look into the life of such a public figure, we hear moving tales about Espy’s childhood in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and we learn about the experiences that convinced him a life of public service was what he desired most. We also hear, of course, about his favorite music—being from Mississippi, he has lots of music opinions.
Mike Espy was born in Yazoo City, MS, and graduated from Howard University and Santa Clara Law School. He returned to practice law in the Mississippi Delta and then became Assistant Secretary of State. He then became Mississippi’s Assistant Attorney General where he was the Director of Consumer Protection.
Later, he was elected the first African American Congressman from Mississippi since the Reconstruction Era. After four terms in the US Congress, President-elect Bill Clinton nominated him to be Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the first Black person to hold that position, too. He negotiated foreign trade deals expanding markets for American farmers and took on entrenched interests to adopt badly needed reforms in the food inspection system.
He is now running for the Unites States Senate.
He lives with his wife, Portia, in Jackson, Mississippi, and is a proud father and grandfather.
