A sign marking a portion of Highway 7 as the “Johnny Morgan Memorial Highway” was put up recently by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

The section of Highway 7, beginning at the intersection of Highway 7 North and County Road 299 in Oxford, and extending north for approximately one mile to 125 County Road 1018 in Oxford, was dedicated in memory of the late state senator and former president of the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors approved the dedication in November 2023.

The ceremony was held at the Johnny Morgan Shop on Oct 24, where Morgan founded the Good Ole Boys and Gals political event. The bipartisan gathering of friends, candidates and political enthusiasts from across the state, that draws people from all political parties and affiliations.

Northern Transportation Commissioner John Caldwell, Sen. Nicole Boyd, members of the Morgan family and other political leaders spoke at the dedication ceremony.

“Johnny was more than a friend. He was an impact player in the game of life,” Caldwell said.

A lifelong resident of Oxford and Lafayette County, Morgan graduated from Oxford High School in 1965 and graduated from the University of Mississippi with his degree in business administration.

Active in local, regional, and state civic roles, Morgan’s passion for Mississippi and its residents was evident to all who knew him. He served as State Senator from 1984-1992, representing Lafayette, Yalobusha and Calhoun counties. He was later elected to serve on the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors for District 2, serving as president of the board for several years.

Morgan also served as president of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, as well as serving on other boards such as the Oxford-University United Methodist Church, Mississippi Action for Progress, the local Powerhouse board, and Mississippi Blood Services.

He was an owner and founder of Morgan White Insurance Group and CEO of Johnny Morgan & Associates Realty Firm, as well as Vice President of Binswanger National.