"Thank God for Mississippi" is an
adage
An adage (; Latin: adagium) is a memorable and usually philosophical aphorism that communicates an important truth derived from experience, custom, or both, and that many people consider true and credible because of its longeval tradition, i.e. ...
used in the United States, particularly in the
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
, that is generally used when discussing rankings of U.S. states. Since the U.S. state of
Mississippi commonly ranks at or near the bottom of such rankings, residents of other states also ranking near the bottom may say, "Thank God for Mississippi," since the presence of that state in 50th place spares them the shame of being ranked last.
Examples include
rankings of educational achievement, business opportunities, obesity rates, overall health, the
poverty rate,
life expectancy, or other objective (or subjective) criteria of the quality of life or government in the 50 states. The phrase is in use even among state government officials and journalists, though occasionally with a slight twist.
Mississippi's poor reputation is such a common trope in American culture that when Mississippi does indeed rank well in something, the phrase "Thank God for Mississippi" may get brought up just to discuss how it does not apply in the given circumstance. The saying comes from Mississippi's poor ranking as compared to the other 49 states, not from a global perspective.
History
The saying has been attributed since before the induction of
Alaska and
Hawaii as states in 1959, and its use, while found throughout the entire country, is especially common in
Alabama, which shares significant cultural and historical ties with its neighbor and former
Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the western half of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Mississippi. T ...
co-constituent Mississippi. Its use is also noted in nearby
Arkansas and other frequently low-ranking states such as
Kentucky,
West Virginia and
Texas.
The saying has become something of a
cliché
A cliché ( or ) is an element of an artistic work, saying, or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being weird or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was consi ...
, and has seen usage across the nation with regard to rankings both serious and trivial, and the underlying logic has been extrapolated to other states and even countries.
The growing notoriety of the phrase has led some Mississippians themselves to despise the saying, not because it is false, but because it rings true and puts their state in a bad light. The phrase has been used as an attempt to rally Mississippians towards change.
See also
*
List of states and territories of the United States
*
Education in Mississippi
References
{{Reflist, 2
Adages
Mississippi society
American political catchphrases
Political metaphors referring to people
Society of the Southern United States
