Over the last 366 days, the Mississippi Free Press has published hundreds of stories covering timely news and cultural spotlights, as well as columns containing local and national opinions on issues affecting Mississippians. Thanks to your continued support—both by donating to our newsroom and by sharing our articles with your friends, colleagues and loved ones—the MFP is able to consistently produce content that furthers our mission of providing solutions-based journalism to our valued readership.
As the year 2024 comes to a close, we want to reflect on some of the stories that resonated with you all for one reason or another. Below, we have listed a dozen of our most-read stories from this year. From elections to corruption, from threats to tragedy, these articles demonstrate the efforts of our editorial staff as they resolve to report on topics that matter.
Browse our “12 Days of MFP: 2024” articles here, and stay tuned for more chart-topping stories in 2025. We wish you all a Happy New Year!
12
Meet the Candidates for U.S. Senate in Mississippi’s March 12 Primaries
Mississippi voters will select Republican and Democratic nominees for U.S. Senate in the primaries on Tuesday, March 12. These are the candidates.
11
‘Ready to Kill Some Folks’: Okolona School District Investigating Teachers’ Alleged Texts
Okolona Municipal Separate School District officials are investigating messages allegedly sent between two Okolona Middle School teachers.
10
Black 17-Year-Old Dies After Leland Officer Chased, Ran Him Over in Police Cruiser, Family Alleges
Kadarius Smith, a Black 17-year-old, died after a Leland, Miss., police officer ran him over in a police cruiser, attorney Ben Crump says.
9
Fact Check: Hinds County Pauper’s Field Not A ‘Secret’ Graveyard
Rampant misinformation about the Hinds County pauper’s graveyard on social media is “harmful,” Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba warned.
8
Brett Favre Denied Building Volleyball Stadium For Daughter In Sworn Deposition
Brett Favre denied during a sworn deposition that he sought funding to build a volleyball stadium at USM for his daughter’s benefit.
7
Brett Favre’s Attorneys to Depose Ex-Gov. Phil Bryant in Mississippi Welfare Case
Attorneys for retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre will depose former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant about the state’s welfare scandal.
6
Trump Encourages Russia to Attack American Allies: ‘Do Whatever the Hell They Want’
Former President Donald Trump would encourage Russia to attack U.S. allies whom he claims do not contribute enough to NATO defense costs, he told a crowd of supporters to cheers at a South Carolina rally on Saturday.
5
Mother Could Lose Custody Rights After Police Officer Shot 11-Year-Old Son
A Sunflower County, Miss., woman could lose custody rights to her children nearly a year after an Indianola police officer shot her 11-year-old son.
4
As Students Protest For Palestine, the Ghosts of UM’s Past Rise Again
A styrofoam cup full of icewater flew out of the hands of a counter protestor and across the partly cloudy sky toward a group of pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Mississippi on Thursday, marking the beginning of a tense hour on the Quad. Some among a mostly white, mostly male group of counter protesters…
3
Live 2024 Runoff Election Results: Mississippi Supreme Court and Appeals Court
In Supreme Court District 1 in Central Mississippi, voters are choosing between incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens and his challenger, Mississippi Jenifer Branning. You can find more information about Kitchens and Branning here. In Appeals Court District 5 in South Mississippi, voters are choosing between Jennifer Schloegel and Amy St. Pe’.
2
Project 2025 Offers Cuts to Education, Classroom Censorship and Expanded Book Bans
Project 2025 proposes education policies that would dramatically reshape Mississippi’s education system by promoting widespread censorship, reducing federal funding and eliminating programs like Head Start, silencing educators and removing protections for LGBTQ+ students.
1
Gov. Reeves Proclaims Confederate Heritage Month in Mississippi
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared April 2024 as Confederate Heritage Month in Mississippi, keeping alive a tradition that began in 1993.
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