Mayor George Flaggs Jr. is among a list of 25 Mississippi residents selected as Our Mississippi magazine’s Most Influential African Americans for 2019. The list was announced Monday by the magazine’s publisher.

“What an awesome group of people,” Wesley Wells, Our Magazine publisher, said. “I’d like to thank the committee for doing an outstanding job. I know they had to make some tough decisions narrowing the list down to 25, especially with having to select people from different categories

Wells said the individuals were selected by an independent panel of statewide business and community leaders from nominations received from the public.

Wells said individuals were nominated in different categories that included business, education, politics, religion, media and servant leadership.

Flaggs was the lone politician to be named.

The group will be honored at a gala and reception Aug. 23 at the Hilton on County Line Road in Jackson.

“This is among the highest honors I have received,” Flaggs said, adding he learned of his selection Monday evening. “While I am honored, I give the credit to the people of Vicksburg for allowing me to serve.”

Also being honored that evening are six individuals chosen earlier as Legacies. They are The Honorable Alyce Clark, Dr. Don Cole, W.C. Gorden, John James, Flonzie Brown Wright and Dr. John Perkins.

“What an incredible group of individuals that have done so much for the State of Mississippi,” Wells said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to pay homage to them for all their contributions to this state. These are the kind of people society will be talking about 50-100 years from now.”

Those joining Flaggs on the list of Most Influential African Americans for 2019 include:

• Fred Banks, senior partner, Phelps Dunbar Law Firm in Jackson. Banks is a former Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, trial judge and legislator.
• David Beckley, president of Rust College in Holly Springs.
• Rodney Bennett, president of the University of Southern Mississippi.
• Michael Booker Sr., vice president, corporate banker with BancorpSouth in Jackson.
• Betina Brandon, manager of Workforce Development and Diversity at Entergy Corporation in Jackson.
• Bernard Bridges, market president, Trustmark Bank in Jackson.
• William Bynum, president of Jackson State University.
• Jasmin Chapman, chief executive officer of the Jackson-Hinds County Comprehensive Health Center.
• Wilbur Colom, businessman, founder and senior partner of the Colom Law Firm, with offices in Columbus and Jackson.
• Ronnie Crudup, administrative bishop for the Fellowship of International Churches. He is also senior pastor of New Horizon Church International, a congregation of over 3,000 members in Jackson.
• Nettie Davis, community activist, is currently the president of the Tupelo City Council. The former teacher is the first African American to hold that distinction in the city.
• Janell Edwards, executive director of the Fayette Community Service Organization, a 501 (c)3, rural, community-based organization located in Jefferson County that focuses on health and education.
• Moses Feagin, vice president, treasurer, chief financial officer and chief diversity officer, Mississippi Power.
• Juanita Gambrell Floyd, author and journalist and vice president of administration and finance with the Create Foundation in Tupelo.
• Chris Gillard, director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Col. Gillard oversees the day-to-day operation of the largest, statewide law enforcement agency in Mississippi.
• Hozay Hausley, president of Renasant Bank/Aberdeen-Amory Market.
• Carla Lewis, chief technology officer, C Spire in Ridgeland.
• Kenneth Mayfield, businessman and author. Mayfield is the founder and senior attorney with the Mayfield Law Firm in Tupelo, Southaven and Memphis.
• Mitzi Dease Paige, southeast regional director of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and also assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
• Carlton Reeves, United States District Court judge for the Southern District of Mississippi.
• Dorothy Shaw, director of compliance, ethics, community affairs, EEO/diversity & inclusion for Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula.
• LeRoy Walker, community activist, businessman and owner of LTM Enterprises in Jackson.
• Primus Wheeler, executive director of the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation in Jackson.
• Dorothy Wilson, brand strategist, author, publisher, speaker and chair-elect of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce.