Former Vicksburg Mayor Robert Walker Has Passed

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Former Vicksburg Mayor Robert Major Walker has passed away.

Walker first began his political career in 1984 when he was elected to the Warren County Board of Supervisors in District 3. He was re-elected in 1988 but vacated the seat after running for and winning the position of Vicksburg’s Mayor in a special election in 1988. He was re-elected in 1989 and went on to serve a full four-year term. In 1993, he came up short of a victory after losing to Joe Loviza in his bid for reelection.

A determined Walker stayed at it and ran against Loviza in 1997 to retake the Mayor’s office serving from 1997-2001. He then served as a professor at Tougaloo College and Jackson State University until being called to serve as the city of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton’s Chief Administrative Officer in 2005.

“Mayor Walker has always been someone I looked up to as a leader in our community. He encouraged me when I was Alderman and said I could be mayor of this city one day,” said Mayor Willis Thompson. “He wrote me a letter when I got elected offering his support in any way. I just had a long discussion with him at the Malcolm Butler camp and he again offered his support and said he didn’t need any recognitions, but was concerned about the betterment of his city. Mayor Walker left a lasting impression on many and was a true statesman. The city will honor him by lowering flags to half staff.”

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mayor Robert Walker, a man I was honored to call both a mentor and a friend. Just last week, we spend nearly two hours talking and had made plans to go to lunch this week. It’s hard to believe that conversation would be our last,” said former Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. “Mayor Walker was the most progressive mayor Vicksburg has ever had. He led with vision, courage, and a deep commitment to the people of this city. His leadership left an indelible mark on Vicksburg, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations. I will miss his guidance, his friendship, and the genuine love he had for this city. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

In 2019 the city annex building was renamed in his honor.

A proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Walker has spent a life in service to better Vicksburg and Mississippi as the Field Secretary of the NAACP. Walker also co-founded and coordinated the Mississippi Legal Services Coalition.

In addition to becoming Vicksburg’s first black mayor since reconstruction, Robert Walker was also the first African-American to receive a Master’s Degree from Ole Miss. Other achievements include leading the effort to win an African-American Civil War Monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park and working with other civil rights activists on voter registration. Walker has also served a couple of terms as the interim athletic director for JSU a couple of times, always stressing academic success as a primary goal.

Walker was a trailblazer

Walker was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and attended Jackson State University, where he earned a double major in history and political science and later received a master’s degree in both from University of Mississippi. Before entering politics, he was the Field Director for the NAACP before running for District 3 supervisor.

Walker was elected as Vicksburg’s mayor in 1988 during a special election, becoming the first African American to hold the office since reconstruction. He was elected to a full term in 1989 and was re-elected in 1997, serving until 2001. During his tenure, Walker advocated for the establishment of a monument honoring African American soldiers who served in the American Civil War, which now stands in the Vicksburg National Military Park.

In 2019, the City of Vicksburg renamed its City Hall Annex as the Robert M. Walker Annex to honor his contributions to the city.

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11:41 a.m. – Edited to add the quote from former Mayor Flaggs

11:05 a.m. – Edited to add the quote from Mayor Thompson.