James K. Vardaman (July 26, 1861 - June 25, 1930) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Mississippi. Vardaman was raised in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, and eventually studied law and became editor of a newspaper, the Greenwood Commonwealth (still in publication today). As a Democrat, he served in the state house of representatives from 1890 to 1896 and was speaker of that body in 1894. He was a major in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War. After two failed attempts in 1895 and 1899, Vardaman won the governorship in 1903 and served one 4-year term (1904-1908), advocating a policy of extreme racism against African-Americans, even to the point of supporting lynching in order to maintain Vardaman's vision of white supremacy. He was elected to the U.S. Senate and served one term lasting from 1913 until 1919, having been defeated in his reelection bid in 1918. The main factor in his defeat was his opposition to the Declaration of War which had enabled the United States to enter World War I.
Preceded by: Andrew H. Longino Governor of Mississippi 1904-1908 Succeeded by: Edmond Noel Governors of Mississippi Holmes • Poindexter • Leake • Brandon • Holmes • Brandon • Scott • Lynch • Runnels • Quitman • Lynch • McNutt • Tucker • Brown • Matthews • Quitman • Guion • J. Whitfield • Foote • Pettus • McRae • McWillie • Pettus • Clark • Sharkey • Humphreys • Ames • Alcorn • Powers • Ames • Stone • Lowry • Stone • McLaurin • Longino • Vardaman • Noel • Brewer • Bilbo • Russell • H. Whitfield • Murphree • Bilbo • Conner • White • Johnson • Murphree • Bailey • Wright • White • Coleman • Barnett • Johnson Jr. • Williams • Waller • Finch • Winter • Allain • Mabus • Fordice • Musgrove • Barbour
