Warren Central High School received a special visit from Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, a Vicksburg native, Thursday.

Hosemann was there to introduce his office’s 2017 Promote the Vote Campaign. With no statewide election taking place in Mississippi this year, the Promote the Vote the campaign is focusing on state history as part of Mississippi’s bicentennial celebration.

The goal of the program is for students to learn the value of understanding the history of the state and how we got here, as they begin the process of planning for the state’s future.

“These young men and women we are talking to will end up being the governor, running the banks and on the board of supervisors,” Hosemann said. “It is really important they understand how we got here and where they want to take us.”

As Hosemann said Thursday, not all of Mississippi’s history is positive or nice to hear and read. Every event that has happened, both the good and the bad, has shaped this state and the people that live here though.

As today’s students prepare to be the leaders of tomorrow it is important they understand and know the history of this state. The good parts, the bad parts and even the awful parts people wish could be forgotten and hidden away.

Decisions in the future must be made in context and that is impossible without an understanding of history.

“History is the platform,” Hosemann said. “That is the platform for everything, how we got here. Some of our history is unattractive when you go back and look at some of the things we did. All of it is a platform for where we go for the future.”

Whether that is a debate about the flag, the lottery or looking at longstanding issues with the state education system, none of the issues or the achievements of the state happened in a vacuum.

Tomorrow’s leaders are being shaped today and we commend Secretary Hosemann’s office for recognizing the importance of history and for students to be informed when it is time for them to cast a ballot and lead the state.

“Where they think we’re going is really important because that is where they are going to lead us in the end,” Hosemann said “Second of all, it gives us a vision of what we should be doing in the interim while they are preparing to take over.”