Vicksburg police honor first Black officers known as Lucky 7

The Vicksburg Police Department honored the first Black officers to serve its community in a Facebook post, calling them the “Lucky 7” and noting they stepped forward in the 1960s during a period of major social change.

The department identified the seven as Lieutenant Roosevelt Bunch; Captain John Minor; Assistant Chief Walter Cole; Chief Herman Redick; Officer James Chiplin; Captain Clyde Harris; and Lieutenant Tom Harris.

The post said Redick went on to become the first Black deputy chief and later the first Black chief of the department, Cole became the first Black captain and Clyde Harris became the first former police officer to serve on the Civil Service Commission.

It noted that a monument dedicated in 2021 stands outside the Vicksburg Police Department as a permanent reminder of their courage and service. The post called the men “trailblazers who helped pave the way for progress within law enforcement and our community” and included photographs from The Vicksburg Post. We will provide more information as it becomes available.