The inauguration of Tate Reeves. The ceremony took place in the House chamber, and festivities extended throughout the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Brenda Whittington (left), Mississippi Governor’s Mansion Curator Megan Bankston (center) and Jim Rosenblatt (right) at the Governor’s Mansion walk through, where members of the public were invited to see the inside of the second-oldest continuously occupied governor’s home in the US. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Conner Snyder signs the guest book at the Governor’s Mansion. Photo by Drew Dempsey
David Tipton (left), Brock Thompson (center) and Bujuana Thompson (right) at the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
David Wilson (left) and David Barber (right) at the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Delbert Hosemann speaking at Tate Reeves’ inauguration ceremony. Photo by Drew Dempsey
The Lowndes Young Leaders from Lowndes, Miss., pose for a photo inside the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Randolph swears Tate Reeves in. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Nathan and Wendy Barrett inside the Governor’s Mansion. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Peyton Holliday (left), Terry Laudadio (center) and Mia Robertson (right) inside the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
(Left to right) Rep. Tom Weathersby, Haley Huest, Weathersby’s wife Mrs. Beverly Weathersby and Rep. Fred Shanks at the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Stephani Pigott Miller (left), Jeremy Holmes (center) and Jimmy Williams (right), father of Tate Reeves’ wife Ellie Reeves, at the Capitol rotunda. Photo by Drew Dempsey
Tate Reeves speaks at his inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. Photo by Drew Dempsey

Republican Tate Reeves is now the governor of Mississippi, presiding over a deeply red government and a legion of interests looking for pieces of the state government’s full coffers after taking the oath of office in downtown Jackson on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.