Mt. Olive Cemetery

STATUES

James Hill died in 1903 and statue was erected at his burial.  He was a former slave who was elected as Mississippi’s Secretary of State from 1874-1878. In 1912, an elementary school was named in his honor and was located on Lynch Street. Later the school transitioned into Jim Hill High School and is currently located on Fortune Street.

Ida Revels Redmond died in 1913 and a statue was erected at her grave.   She was the daughter of Hiram Revels, the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress to represent Mississippi in 1870 and 1871. She was the wife of local lawyer, physician, and businessman Sidney D. Redmond. She helped organize women’s self-improvement efforts through civic, education and social services.

Both statues represent how important these individuals were to our community.  The statues are hand carved and made out of granite and marble.  They are the only two statues in the cemetery and were some of the first statues built for African Americans in the state of Mississippi.

Over the years the statues were covered in mold and mildew.  JSU wanted to preserve the statues and wrote a grant to restore the statues to their former glory.  After several weeks of hard work and labor, the statues were preserved and are beaming bright.