Will Green Poindexter

William Green Poindexter was born on January 10, 1944, in Greenwood, Mississippi.[1] He graduated from Greenwood High School, and graduated from Mississippi State University in 1967 with a bachelor's degree, double majoring in history and government.[1] After his graduation, Poindexter spent one year under the staff of U. S. senator from Mississippi John C. Stennis in Washington, D. C.[1] Poindexter then returned to Sunflower and Leflore Counties in Mississippi where he farmed.[1]

Poindexter was elected Mayor of Inverness, Mississippi, in 1971, and became the youngest person elected to that office in town history.[1] After his tenure ended, Poindexter was elected to represent the 13th district (Sunflower County) in the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1975 for the 1976–1980 term.[1][2] He was re-elected in 1979 for the 32nd district for the 1980–1984 term, and was also re-elected in 1983 (31st district), 1987 (31st district), and 1991 (31st district).[1][3][4][5][6] In 1992, the House seats were required to be redistricted to better reflect the state's black population.[7] Poindexter lost the following 1992 election to William Richardson, a black teacher at Gentry High School in Indianola.[8] In 1993, Poindexter joined the staff of Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice as a legislative liaison. He also served as a liaison for Fordice on agricultural issues.[1]