Discover the story of the song > Down In Mississippi – Mavis Staples

The protagonist is from Mississippi and has been working in agriculture her whole life. She remembers a time when she couldn't drink from the same fountain as white people and had to use a separate one labeled "colored only". Despite the racism she faced, she integrated a laundromat and inspired other black women to do the same. The singer is proud of her experiences and acknowledges the progress that was made when the signs were taken down thanks to Dr. King's activism.