Evelyn Gandy and Dr. James Hardy were also present. The board of trustees of Mississippi Department of Archives and History selected Wells. In a statement, Katie Blount, Mississippi Department of Archives and History Director, stated that the contributions and achievements of five Mississippians were “astonishing” and a true testimony to the character of the state. The Hall of Fame is enhanced by the addition of these women and men. Selections are made once every five years. Inductees are native Mississippians, adopted Mississippians, and must have been dead for at least five consecutive years. Gandy was the first woman to be elected to a state office in Mississippi. Gandy studied at the University of Southern Mississippi before she embarked on her revolutionary political career. She also attended the University of Mississippi Law School. Gandy was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1920. She was elected to the office of state treasurer in 1959. In 1972, she was elected the first woman to be an insurance commissioner. In 1975, she was elected Mississippi’s first female lieutenant governor. She was unsuccessful in both her attempts to become governor. Gandy passed away in 2007. Hardy was an outstanding pioneer in medicine. In 1955, he was elected chairman of the Department of Surgery of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In 1963, he performed the first ever lung transplant at UMMC Jackson. Hardy was born in Newala (Ala.) in 1918. Hardy received his medical degrees from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine before moving to Mississippi. Hardy passed away in 2003, six years after he retired. Henry was an important figure in the Civil Rights Era of Mississippi. Henry was a leader in the fight for human rights, organizing groups like the Regional Council of Negro Leadership or the Council of Federated Organizations. He led the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegation’s 1964 campaign to be seated in the Democratic national convention. Henry was elected to Mississippi House of Representatives, where he served until 1996. He was born in Dublin, Miss. in 1922. He served in the Army and then moved to New Orleans to pursue pharmacy studies at Xavier University. He returned to Clarksdale to finish his degree. Henry died in 1997. In 1935, the king of rock and rolling was born in Tupelo. Presley’s unique and unrivaled music and performing style captivated teens and adults in the 1950s. His musical influence eventually reached across generations, races and backgrounds. Presley’s talents reached No. Presley’s talent spanned No. 1 records, hit movies and ratings-topping TV specials. He also performed sold-out Las Vegas shows. Presley was buried in Graceland in Memphis, where he died in 1977. He was 42 years of age. Wells was born in Holly Springs as a slave. However, she overcame this huge barrier and many others to become a journalist and an advocate for human rights. Wells spoke out against social injustices and exposed the nation to the humaneness of lynchings taking place in the South. In 1909, she helped to organize the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Wells was elected to the Illinois State Legislature. She is the first African-American woman in the country who ran for public office. Wells died in 1931. Gandy and Henry, Presley, Henry, Presley, and Wells are just a few of the 136 well-known Mississippians who have been inducted into Mississippi’s Hall of Fame. They are the descendants of civil rights leader Medgar evers, William Faulkner, and blues musician Muddy waters. For more information on the nomination process visit http://www.mdah.ms.gov/new/about/mississippi-hall-of-fame/. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of all Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think.