No state can hope to build a 21st century economy on 19th Century technology. And no state or nation can be prosperous unless all residents can actively participate in building its economy. All Americans want access to the jobs, health services and educational opportunities that broadband, or high-speed Internet, can provide. Rural communities of all colors and predominantly African American urban and rural communities in particular tend to have less access to affordable, reliable broadband service either because it simply is not available where they live or because it is priced beyond reach. In Mississippi, the most rural state in the nation and the state with the highest percentage of African Americans, the implementation of aggressive and fair broadband infrastructure policies is critical to building a 21st century economy.