Miss. Controversy Over Proclamation

The Associated Press/March 5, 2002

Jackson, Miss. -- Gov. Ronnie Musgrove proclaimed Monday as "Spirit of America Day,'' but didn't realize he was honoring a program sponsored by a white supremacist, a spokesman for the governor said.

Richard Barrett of Learned, a leader of the white supremacist Nationalist Movement, filed papers with the governor's office asking Musgrove to sign a proclamation for "Spirit of America Day.''

The day honors high school athletes and corresponds with the Mississippi High School state basketball tournament this week.

Barrett ran for governor in 1999 and criticized Musgrove as a "shill for the Black Caucus.''

Musgrove signed the proclamation in January. John Sewell, a spokesman for the governor, said Barrett's name was not on any of the papers sent to Musgrove. " We did not know he was involved,'' Sewell said Monday.

Former Gov. Kirk Fordice, a Republican, also recognized the program in the 1990s.