Kelly James Hammond Papers

Kelly James Hammond was born in 1901 in Marion County, Mississippi. He attended Mississippi Southern College, received a degree from the University of Mississippi and his law degree from Cumberland University in Tennessee. He was a lawyer, farmer, and merchant in Marion County. Serving in the Mississippi House of Representatives, 1928-1932, he was a member of the "Little Three", a group that fought for Governor Bilbo's programs against the ultra-conservative bloc. The last colorful exponent of the Bilbo school, he often sported a red tie, red hankerchief, and horseshoe diamond stickpin. Hammond ran for the governorship of Mississippi in 1951, placing sixth in a field of seven candidates. In 1956, he was elected senator from the 39th district, representing Walthall, Marion, and Jefferson Davis counties. In the Senate he was chairman of the Constitution Committee, vide-chairman of the Corporations Committee, and a member of the Highways, Insurance, Judiciary, Universities and Colleges, and State Library Committees.

He was in favor of segregation, liberalization of social security, reform of the Columbia Training School, and the Homestead Exemption benefit. He opposed a new Mississippi constitution and was successful in blocking Governor Coleman's attempts to call a constitutional convention in the late 1950's. He was also opposed to consolidation of public schools.

Hammond died in 1960 in a Louisiana hospital after an illness of several weeks. His wife, Otelia, served the remainder of his senatorial term and in 1962 was elected to the House of Representatives. Kelly J. Hammond was a memberof the Baptist Church, Farm Bureau, Disabled American Veterans, and Mississippi Bar Association.