The Connecting the Dots Foundation Incorporated will unveil the bust of Mississippi Icon Alyce Griffin Clarke at Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center during an exhibit in her honor, called “Faces of Alyce Griffin Clarke”, at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 22. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be open to the public.

Clarke is the first African American woman elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives. She served District 69 for 40 years, from 1984-2024. In 2024, she became the first African American and the first woman to have a portrait permanently on display in the Mississippi State Capitol since joining the Union in 1817. The oil painting hangs permanently in the meeting room of the Education Committee, where she vigorously advocated for adequate funding of education in Mississippi. Her idea to fund education through a lottery was unsuccessful for 19 consecutive years until the state Legislature passed the Alyce G. Clarke’s Mississippi Lottery Law in 2018.

Clarke’s dedication and devotion to making the state of Mississippi a great place to live, especially the Capitol City of Jackson, will be captured in the museum exhibition. It will trace the trailblazer’s life from her early years through her professional career. The focal point will be the sculpture by artist Harold Miller, artifacts, text, and expressions from the Honorable Alyce Griffin Clarke.

The “Faces of Alyce Griffin Clarke” exhibition will be on display through March 31, 2025.

WHAT:         Faces of Alyce Griffin Clarke exhibition

WHEN:        Beginning 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22 through March 31, 2025 (museum hours)

WHERE:     City of Jackson’s Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center

                       528 Bloom St.

                        Jackson, MS

Museum hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call 601-960-1457.