Mrs. Melba Clark-Payne

Melba Baird Clark-Payne, a native of Ashland, MS, is a graduate of Old Salem High School in Ashland, received her B. S. Degree in Business Education from Rust College, Holly Springs, MS and a Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of West Alabama.

Clark taught Business Education at Old Salem and Secondary English in the Meridian Public School System Meridian, MS. She is co-founder of Cedric D. Clark Memorial Funeral Home and founder of Uni-Fam Publishers, and editor and publisher of Uni-Fam Churchletter.  

Clark is a charter member of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club and served as its president from 1972-1976. She is a member of Meridian Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and served as its president from 1989-1993.  She is a member of the Lauderdale County Democratic Party and served as its president from 2000-2007. She served as Secretary of Democratic 3rd Congressional District.  She was founder of  Mahogany Performing Arts, a community playhouse.  She was named woman of the Year in 1984 by the Meridian NAACP, and she is a former Sunday School teacher at Historic First Union Baptist Church where the funeral for James Chaney, who was killed with Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman during the Civil Rights era, was held.