By Mary Spiller
www.blackenterprise.com
Priscilla Williams-Till, a cousin of Emmett Till and founder of the Emmett Till Justice for Families Foundation, has entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Mississippi, pledging to carry forward a legacy of civil rights and social justice. The election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026, with primaries set for March 10. Williams-Till announced her candidacy as a Democrat, challenging Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Free Press reports.
“I am running for United States Senator to help shape and enact laws that promote social justice and civil rights protections at a national level in Mississippi,” Williams-Till said in her campaign launch. “I want to ensure that the perspectives and needs of our communities are represented with the federal government contributing to a more inclusive political dialogue.”
Williams-Till’s family connection to Emmett Till — the 14-year-old boy whose brutal 1955 murder in Mississippi galvanized the civil rights movement — is central to her campaign. She said her work leading a foundation that advocates for federal accountability in hate crimes and racial justice cases has prepared her for this moment.
A Jackson native, Williams-Till is a graduate of Lanier Junior Senior High School, Jackson State University, and Belhaven University. She said she hopes to be a strong advocate for her community in Congress.
“My purpose for running for United States Senate (is that) I can influence the legal system by introducing laws that help shape legal interpretation that address systemic injustice, federal investigation into police departments, police reform or even discriminating zoning laws,” she told the Mississippi Free Press on Sept. 5.
Healthcare is another major focus of her campaign. Williams-Till supports expanding Medicaid and protecting services for rural hospitals. “We need a system set up to help people get health insurance for the ones who are cut out of Medicaid across the state,” she said.
On abortion, Williams-Till emphasized her belief in personal choice. “I think people have a right to decide whatever they want to do with their bodies. That’s between them and God. I don’t think any man or woman should dictate to a woman what she should do to her body,” she told the Mississippi Free Press.
During an Aug. 28 press conference at the Mississippi Capitol, Williams-Till wore a T-shirt featuring images of Emmett Till and his mother as she addressed lawmakers and supporters. She criticized Hyde-Smith’s record, citing the senator’s controversial 2018 remark about a public hanging. “To bring about justice is to change justice with leadership, and that’s the most important thing that can happen, is you have to show leadership by example,” she said.
Williams-Till enters a competitive field. Ty Pinkins, who ran as a Democrat against Republican Sen. Roger Wicker in 2024, is now campaigning against Hyde-Smith as an independent. On Sept. 3, Democratic prosecutor Scott Colom also announced his run for the Democratic nomination.
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