Mulberry Street between Veto and Depot streets will be renamed for Dr. W. Briggs Hopson Jr. Friday at an 11 a.m. ceremony at the entrance of the Vicksburg Convention Center.

“Dr. Hopson’s contributions to Vicksburg are immeasurable, from improving Medicaid for the poor in our state to his leadership and support of the Miss Mississippi Scholarship Pageant,” said Mayor George Flaggs Jr.

“Dr. Hopson is a giant in this community. This is a well-deserved tribute to an individual whose work has changed Vicksburg, and our state, for the better.”

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen in June approved renaming the section of Mulberry Street in downtown Vicksburg “Dr. Briggs Hopson Boulevard” in honor of Hopson’s contributions to Vicksburg and the state of Mississippi.

“This is a tremendous honor that the Mayor and Aldermen have bestowed on my father,” said Hopson’s son, State Sen. Briggs Hopson III. “He has loved Vicksburg, Mississippi from the time he was a young boy.

“His affection for this community has made it easy for him to devote efforts to service in the areas of medicine, scholarship, philanthropy, and education, among other things. The entire family is grateful for this lasting recognition,” he said.

A native of Delhi, La., Dr. Hopson attended the University of Mississippi and went to medical school at the University of Tennessee. He began his practice in Vicksburg in 1967 after completing his internship and residency at the school’s medical center, serving as chief surgical resident and an instructor in surgery.

He retired in 2017 after serving 50 years as a physician and advocate for the medical profession and better medical care in the state.

Dr. Hopson has been a community activist who has served many local organizations from the Red Carpet Bowl to the Miss Mississippi Pageant and is recognized as a driving force in the design and development of Merit Health River Region, formerly River Region Medical Center.