About Us The Mississippi First team is a group of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to promote the mission of Mississippi First.
Our Focus Areas At Mississippi First, we lead change by advancing ideas through the policy continuum. We are a leading voice for high-quality early education, high-quality public charter schools, access to highly effective teachers and leaders, and creating a future for public schools.
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Dr. Marvin P. King, Jr. Board Member

Dr. Marvin P. King, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Political Science and African American
Studies at the University of Mississippi, where he has spent nearly two decades teaching and
writing about political inequality, African American politics, federalism, the politics of the
American South, and the legal foundations of racial inequity. His scholarship explores the
political forces that structure opportunity and inequality in the United States, and his work has
appeared in leading journals such as Politics & Policy, Journal of Black Studies, and Publius. He
is currently completing two major book projects—Mississippi’s Mess: Political Inequality,
Stratification Economics, and Inadequate Economic Development (Lexington Books) and The
Politics of Stratification Economics (Palgrave Macmillan). These manuscripts each offer a
comprehensive critique of how political decision-making produces and sustains economic
disparities.

Dr. King is equally known for his extensive community engagement across Mississippi. He has
served as an expert witness in federal redistricting trials, providing testimony and research on
race and representation. He is a former commissioner on both the Oxford Planning Commission
and Oxford Parks Commission, where he oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets, personnel
decisions, land-use planning, and citywide recreation programming. As founder, president, and
race director of Run Oxford, he created a thriving nonprofit running organization responsible for
major local races and more than $50,000 raised for community causes, along with thousands of
donated books for local youth and families.

King’s campus and statewide leadership includes founding TEDxUniversityofMississippi,
directing The Residential College South, mentoring hundreds of students, and organizing a 2023
Inclusive Economies Roadshow, in partnership with state agencies and nonprofit coalitions to
promote equitable economic development across Mississippi. A frequent speaker for civic
groups, universities, and public forums, he regularly engages audiences on topics such as voting
rights, political empowerment, race, and democracy.

Through his scholarship, public service, and community leadership, Dr. King bridges academic
research with civic impact. He continues to work at the intersection of inequality, democracy, and public policy to advance institutions and organizations committed to equity, democratic
participation, and inclusive development.