[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4259-4260]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MILDRETTE N. WHITE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 2016

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. 
Mildrette White, who is a remarkable Educator and Public Servant.
  Born July 15, 1948, the second oldest of five children born to J. W. 
and Cora V. Netter in the small Delta town of Rosedale, MS. Mildrette 
attended elementary, junior high and high school in the West Bolivar 
County School District where her extracurricular activities
included basketball, band, track and cheerleading. Because of her 
successful performance in track and the efforts of her high school 
coach, Willie McCoy, she was invited by the track coach at Tennessee 
State University in Nashville, TN, to participate in his summer 
training camp for high school girls during the summer of her junior and 
senior year of high school in hopes of getting a track scholarship. At 
that time, Tennessee State was the nearest University to her that had a 
women track program. None of the Colleges and Universities in 
Mississippi had women track programs. After she was rejected, basically 
because of her height and being from Mississippi, she thought her track 
career and her chance to go to college was over. The coach preferred 
taller girls and didn't particularly care for girls from Mississippi 
because of previous unpleasant experiences.
  Mildrette later realized that being turned down by the coach was a 
blessing in disguise. The disappointment of not getting the scholarship 
she thought she deserved made her more determined to go to college 
because she did not want to spend the rest of her life chopping and 
picking cotton. Mildrette was also able to take the skills and 
knowledge gained and come back to Mississippi and open the doors for 
other young girls to get a track scholarship to go to college, and 
still be blessed with what God had for her. Little did she know then, 
that she would become the first and only African American to represent 
the state of Mississippi in the Olympics, who attended a Historical 
Black College or University.
  After graduating from high school in May, 1967, because of her faith 
in God, a positive attitude and help from a few people who believed in 
her, Mildrette entered Alcorn State University in the fall as a 
freshman on a Work

[[Page 4260]]

Study Program where she was assigned to work in the gym. Growing up in 
the Mississippi Delta in the sixties wasn't easy and she was determined 
to get an education to make a better life for herself, her family and 
become a productive citizen in society.
  Alcorn's men track coach took a chance and gave Mildrette the 
opportunity to prove herself. She finally earned a track scholarship by 
training and traveling with the men's track team to other states and 
competing in individual events only. During the process she qualified 
for the 1968 Nationals and Olympic trials. That was the beginning of a 
long and successful collegiate track career. She received numerous 
accolades, honors and awards to include: three time All-SWAC and All 
NAIA; AAU International Track Team that competed in Norway and Poland; 
U.S. Olympic Track and Field team (68,72); Gold medal winner, 4X100 
meter relay, Mexico City Summer Olympics (68); U.S. European Track and 
Field Tour; Held the third best 100-meter time in the world (68) and 
selected Female of the year, 100% Wrong Club of Atlanta (69).
  The experience, education, exposure and extensive travel, (nationally 
and internationally) received while attending Alcorn, prepared 
Mildrette to be successful in her careers as an athlete, classroom 
teacher, track coach and athletic director. After graduating from 
Alcorn in May, 1972 with honors and a Bachelor of Science degree in 
Health and Physical Education, Mildrette began a twenty-eight year 
teaching and coaching career in the state of Mississippi. Some of the 
honors and accomplishments achieved were: Delta Valley Conference Coach 
of the year five times; U.S. Southeast Region High School Coach of the 
year (79); Six District Titles; two South State Titles; Two Big Eight 
Eastern Zone Titles; and District Five Coach of the Year (88). During 
her coaching career, a number of Mildrette athletes were able to earn 
track scholarships to go to college.
  Other educational accomplishments include: Master of Science-Health 
Physical Education, Athletic Administration/Coaching and Biological 
Science Alcorn State University (1981), Continuing Education and 
Secondary Administration/Supervision courses (1997-2000) Delta State 
University.
  During her Athletic, Teaching and Coaching careers, other honors 
received include: Alcorn State Hall of Honors (1992), SWAC Hall of Fame 
(1995), Alcorn State Athletic Hall of Fame (1996), Rosedale-West 
Bolivar High School Hall of Fame (1998), Bob Hayes Track Hall of Fame 
(2001), Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (2003), and Clarksdale/Coahoma 
Sports Hall of Fame (2013).
  After retiring from teaching and coaching in 2002, Mildrette served 
as Athletic Director of the Tutwiler Community Education Center for six 
years. A key part of the mission was to make a difference in the 
community in which they served. Some of the organizations and community 
involvements she currently participates in are: President of the Mass 
Choir and Hospitality Ministry of the Greater Pleasant Grove Church, 
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alcorn State University National 
Alumni, ASU Athletic Club, Montgomery-Carroll-Grenada County ASU Alumni 
Chapter, Grenada Smile Team, Grenada Area Chamber of Commerce 
Leadership Committee member and the Finch-Henry Job Corps Center 
Community Relations Council.
  Mildrette is the mother of two children and is the grandmother of 
two. She is currently married to her college sweetheart, Willie White. 
After thirty-eight years of separation, they reconnected in 2006 and 
married in 2008. In addition to enjoying their retirement, traveling 
and spending time with the grandchildren, Mildrette and husband are 
still busy giving back to the community in their current hometown of 
Grenada, Mississippi.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing an 
Educator and Public Servant, Ms. Mildrette White, for her dedication to 
serving others and giving back to the African American community.

                          ____________________