Women Legislators’ luncheon honors Rep. Alyce Clarke

© Provided by Jackson WLBT Women Legislators’ luncheon honors Rep. Alyce Clarke

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - After serving nearly 38 years in the State Legislature, Representative Alyce Clarke announced her retirement earlier this year.

Sisters Taking Action and Nurturing Decision-Makers, also known as STAND, honored the District 69 lawmaker at its annual luncheon Thursday.

“Keep trying, you can do more than you think you can do. If Alyce Clarke can do it at the maturity she was, surely young people can get a lot of things done for our state, our city, and our nation,” Clarke said.

Representatives from social, community, and educational organizations attended as well as many female lawmakers from around the state.

“So many of my colleagues have talked about the accomplishments that she has helped to create for the state of Mississippi, but one thing about Ms. Clark is that the folks in the legislature don’t just see her as a democrat. They don’t just see her as a woman. They see her as someone who keeps the people first,” Representative Zakiya Summers said.

Representative Clarke served under seven governors and four speakers of the house.

She was a long term supporter of having the lottery to Mississippi.

After years of trying, “Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law” brought the lottery to the state of Mississippi in 2018.

“But I didn’t do half of the things I wanted to get done, but I’m just so blessed to have the opportunity to do what I could,” Clarke said.

As her final term comes to an end, Clarke was asked what the legislature could do to honor her legacy.

Representative Summers told the crowd the trailblazer’s final request.

“A portrait at the state capitol,” she said. “If you’ve ever been to the state capitol, you will not see a woman a portrait of a woman nor an African American on the walls of the state capitol. So when all the little boys and little girls come into the state capitol where they can see somebody that maybe looks like them, and they can also see somebody who fought for Mississippi.”

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