Twenty-five years ago it would have been unthinkable for many to believe that an African-American from north of the Tallahatchie River would be president of the Panola County Board of Supervisors.

In a county with remnants of sectionalism and racism still smoldering, Robert Avant did the unthinkable and not only served several terms as president of that board, but was the most powerful local political figure in Panola County. With his election in 1987, Avant secured a place in local history as the first black person to be elected supervisor since Reconstruction.

Not only was he a mighty political force within his supervisor district, almost all county-wide elected officials and many of the county’s district office holders needed Avant’s assistance in their campaigns along the way. It was an influence for which he was both revered and resented. He earned the power that he wielded subtly but effectively in Panola politics and policy.

In addition to being able to sway political opinion locally, Avant also had the ear of Washington. He was close to then-Representative Mike Espy who was later appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as Secretary of Agriculture. When the election was held to fill Espy’s former position, Avant backed a somewhat obsure candidate, a fellow supervisor from Hinds County by the name of Bennie Thompson.

Thompson not only won, but later appointed Avant’s son, Lanier, as his chief of staff.

Often criticized for his style of politics and some of his decisions, fellow supervisors continued to select him to lead their board while he learned early on to deflect the criticism with a thick skin.

During his terms of service, Panola County has seen curbside garbage pickup, a new jail facility, paved roads, rural fire departments, land use regulations and other advancements, but Avant was probably most proud of the establishment of the North Panola Water Association that provided community water for his area.

He pushed supervisors to assume non-traditional responsibilities to improve the living standards of those with the least in Panola County.

Three generations of reporters from this newspaper learned from Avant that the needs of citizens differ not only nationally, but in a rural county in Mississippi.

Those who knew him realized that Avant had his priorities in order with God and family.

Those who didn’t know him need to know that he also loved Panola County and served it with his all.

The death Friday of Panola Supervisor Robert Avant leaves a void that will challenge county leadership.