Kirksey was also pivotal in the change Jackson made from the commission form of government to the present mayor-council form.
Kirksey was elected to the state Senate in 1979 and served two four-year terms. He also made several unsuccessful bids for public office, including for two runs as an independent candidate for lieutenant governor. He also ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate and mayor of Jackson.
In 1992, he joined Tougaloo College in north Jackson as an adjunct professor of political science.
Most recently, Kirksey opposed the construction of the Jackson Metro Parkway, which will connect west Jackson to downtown. In December 2001 construction began on the parkway. Kirksey felt the parkway was unnecessary and "violated people's rights to own property," Phillips said.
Zander said her father's ashes will be spread over the cemetery where his parents were laid to rest. A memorial service will be held in January.
He is also survived by his son, Henry Kirksey Jr. of Los Angeles, and three granddaughters.
— Associated Press
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