Born to Mrs. Hattie Snyder and the late Mr. Leon Rankins, Sr., Al was raised among 12 other brothers and sisters. “We were farmers,” Rankins recollects, “and we grew most of what we ate. There were a lot of us in the house, but we made ends meet and were very close.” Rankins adds that he and his siblings, most of whom live out of state, are still just as close.

After graduating from Simmons High School in Hollandale, Rankins attended Mississippi Valley State University, graduating in____. He also attended the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, the University of Virginia and Delta State University. After college, Rankins spent a tour of duty in Vietnam serving with the United States Air Force.

When he came back stateside, Rankins went into the Mississippi Law Enforcement Academy in Jackson. It was to be the beginning of a long career in public service.

“I served as a police officer for the City of Greenville for a little over 20 years,” Rankins says, retiring as Deputy Chief in January, 1990. When he started with the force in 1969, Rankins was one of the few African-Americans on the job.

“Looking back, that was not really that huge of an issue,” Rankins says of his minority status at the Greenville Police Department. “Of course, in hindsight, you realize that you were really blazing a trail while not realizing it.” Rankins says he never encountered any overt racism at the time and thoroughly enjoyed his work.

While on the force, Rankins found time to attend the National Crime Prevention Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, the Louisiana State University Law Enforcement Institute in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Around the time he joined the Greenville police department, Rankins married the former Mary White of Winona, MS. The two have now been together for some 33 years and have four children: Cecelia Horton, Alfred Rankins, Jr., Ansel Rankins, Sr. and Anthony Rankins. The couple also have four grandchildren.

After retiring as a policeman, Rankins ran for Board Supervisor for District Three in Washington County in 1990. Not only did he win, but he has stayed on in that capacity ever since and is currently President.

During his term as Supervisor, Rankins says he is most proud of being able to obtain a federal highway grant for $3.2 million for his district. “These funds went to help improve some of the most impoverished areas in the Delta,” Rankins says. “For instance, we were able to do an enormous amount of street improvement work in Metcalfe, MS. over a three year period.”

“I also helped establish the position of a road patroller to help enforce the area for litter laws,” Rankins says. “This helped keep our communities cleaner and much more attractive. The Mississippi legislature even funds this project now.”

“I truly enjoy this work,” Rankins says of his Board position. “I am in close contact with the citizens here and can actually see tangible results of the things we are trying to accomplish for this county.”

On top of his Board of Supervisors duties, Rankins has also served on the Mississippi Water Management Advisory Board, as past-president of Delta Council, chairman of the Delta Council Development Board and a member of the Allied Enterprise Advisory Board.

Along the way in his career, Rankins has been showered with accolades and honors. Among these are the Lifetime Achievement Award for Civil Service to the Community he received from the 100 Black Men of the Mississippi Delta, of which he has been president; the Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award from Mixon Garrett VFW Post #9732; the Outstanding Service to the Community Award from Serene Lodge #567 and the “Shad of the Year” Award he received in 2001 from the Shad Club, an auxiliary of Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Rankins has also served as a member of the American Red Cross Board, the United Way Allocation Board and the Mississippi Association of County Supervisors. He is an active member of New Hope First Baptist Church in Greenville, serving as a deacon, sunday school teacher and president of the Sanctuary Choir.

When he has spare time (“whenever I can find it,” he laughs) Rankins says he loves reading the Bible, playing golf when he can and enjoying time spent with his grandchildren.

Al Rankins, Sr. has devoted most of his adult life in improving the lives of others in his home county. A leader, a devout and committed man, he embodies the best of the “can do” Delta spirit that will keep our region competitive and prospering. DBJ