Wall Doxey

Wall Doxey (August 8, 1892 – March 2, 1962) was an American lawyer and politician from Holly Springs, Mississippi. A Democrat, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1929 to 1941 and the United States Senate from 1941 to 1943.

Early life Wall Doxey was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on August 8, 1892, a son of John Sanford Doxey and Sarah Corrolla (Jones) Doxey. He was raised and educated in Holly Springs, and graduated from the University of Mississippi with an A.B. in 1913. They were the parents of a son, Wall Doxey Jr.

Early political and community activities A Democrat, Doxey served as prosecuting attorney of Marshall County from 1915 to 1923.

Throughout his political career, Doxey represented a district with a black-majority population. Black voters were largely affiliated with the Republican Party in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but they were effectively excluded from Mississippi's political system by the state constitution and legal restrictions that prevented them from registering to vote.

U.S. Senate

After the death of U.S. Senator Pat Harrison, Doxey won a special election to fill the seat, and served in the United States Senate from 1941 until 1943.

Later career Doxey served as United States Senate Sergeant at Arms from February 1, 1943, to January 3, 1947. He served for the rest of 1947 as a hearing examiner for the United States Department of Agriculture. Construction of the park took place from 1935 to 1938, and it was the eighth of ten Mississippi parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Originally named Spring Lake State Park, the site was renamed in 1956. In 1997, the older part of the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Wall Doxey State Park Historic District.