Sollie Norwood
Sollie Norwood | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 28th district | |
| Assumed office March 4, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Alice Harden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 5, 1952 |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Jackson State University (BA) (MscEd) |
Sollie B. Norwood (born August 5, 1952) is an American politician who has served in the Mississippi State Senate from the 28th district since 2013.
A graduate of Jackson State University, Norwood held a variety of public service and administrative roles, including serving as president of the Jackson State University Staff Senate, as a member and president of the Jackson School Board, and as director of the Division of Community Services within the Mississippi Department of Human Services. He works as a realtor.
Early life and education
Norwood was born in Florence, Mississippi, on August 5, 1952.[1] He attended Good Hope Elementary School and McLaurin High School in Florence.[1][2]
He graduated from Jackson State University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 1974 and a Master's of Science in Education in guidance and counseling in 1977.[3][4] He continued his education at the University of Mississippi, focusing on student personnel in higher education.[3]
Career
In the early 1980s, he worked as a dormitory counselor and coordinator for Upward Bound at Jackson State University.[4] He also worked at Mississippi Power for some time.[5] In 1985, he was elected the Jackson State Staff Senate president in 1985.[6]
In the early 1990s, he was the Interim Director of the Division of Community Services for the Department of Human Services before becoming the full-time director in 1992.[7][8] In the position, he managed four statewide programs, totaling over $20 million in state funding.[2] He concluded this role around the time he became a state senator.[9]
He has also worked as a realtor.[10]
Political offices
In 1985, he ran in the special election for District 69 in the Mississippi House of Representatives to replace Fred L. Banks.[11] During the campaign, he pushed for increasing teacher pay, more benefits for the elderly, and support for small businesses.[5] Of the 9 candidates, he made it to the runoff against Alyce Clarke, a fellow political novice.[12] Clarke defeated Norwood, who secured around 40 percent of the vote.[13] He unsuccessfully challenged her again in 1987, running as an Independent.[14]
Norwood was nominated and confirmed to the Jackson School Board in 2006 by former Jackson mayor Frank Melton.[3][15] Becoming the board president, his term on the board concluded in March 2010.[16]
In 2013, he defeated Marshand Crisler, a former Jackson councilman, in a special election runoff for District 28 in the Mississippi State Senate, a seat previously held by Alice Harden until their death.[3] He was inaugurated in March 2013.[17]
Personal life
He is widowed with two children.[18] He is Baptist.[1]
He is a member of the NAACP and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, where he has held varying levels of chapter leadership.[1][4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Sollie B. Norwood". Mississippi State Senate. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b Senate Resolution No. 44, 2004 Reg. Sess. (Miss. 2004). https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2004/pdf/SR/SR0044IN.pdf
- ^ a b c d "Sollie Norwood sworn in to Senate District 28 seat". The Mississippi Link. Associated Press. March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c "People You Know". Clarion-Ledger. January 29, 1981. p. 103.
- ^ a b Stringfellow, Eric (March 4, 1985). "69th District legislative race: Short on time, long on candidates". Clarion-Ledger. p. 15.
- ^ "Names in the News". The Northside Sun. October 24, 1985. p. 7.
- ^ Pillate, Dessie (October 23, 1991). "News: Community Action Day". The Newton Record. p. 12.
- ^ "Financial Support". Clarion-Ledger. May 14, 1992. p. 68.
- ^ Gates, Jimmie E. (July 23, 2014). "Reconsideration urged at hearing: Funding, privacy issues unresolved, critics contend". Clarion-Ledger. pp. A4.
State Sen. Sollie Norwood, D-Jackson, who was a longtime administration at the Department of Human Services
- ^ Bradley-Phillips, Terricha (January 18, 2013). "District 28 foes eye hurdles". Clarion-Ledger. pp. B3.
- ^ Austin, Peggy (March 2, 1985). "9 vie for 69th District House post in Tuesday's election". Clarion-Ledger. p. 11.
- ^ Stringfellow, Eric (March 17, 1985). "69th race a matter of style". Clarion-Ledger. p. 19.
- ^ "A fourth woman prepares to enter the House". The Picayune Item. March 20, 1985. p. 2.
- ^ "Election". Clarion-Ledger. June 14, 1987. p. 23.
- ^ "Past parent of the year nominated for the board". Clarion-Ledger. August 24, 2006. p. 18.
- ^ Brown, Marquita (February 10, 2010). "Debate continues over school board nominee". Clarion-Ledger. p. 12.
- ^ Tillman, Laura (March 5, 2013). "Senate inaugurates Democrat Norwood". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. p. 4.
- ^ "As Senator Sollie B. Norwood and family grieve the passing of wife and mother Joan W. Norwood, they ask supporters to consider donating to the Empower JSU Students with Norwood Fund, via gofundme". Jackson Advocate. May 15, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2026.