text:
Clinton, Mississippi

Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the 10th most populous city in Mississippi. The population was 28,100 at the 2020 United States census.

History
Founded in 1823, Clinton was originally known as Mt. Salus, which means "Mountain of health". It was named for the plantation home of Walter Leake, third governor of Mississippi, which was located in Clinton and built in 1812. The road east from Vicksburg was completed to Mount Salus and the federal government located the United States General Land Office at Mount Salus in 1822. The original federal survey in 1822 references a spring called "Swafford's Spring" at the site of the town. In 1828, the city changed its name to Clinton in honor of DeWitt Clinton, the former governor of New York who led completion of the Erie Canal.

The first road through Mount Salus/Clinton was the Natchez Trace, improved from a centuries-old Native American path. Currently Clinton has three major highways that pass through the city: the Natchez Trace Parkway, U.S. Route 80, and Interstate 20.

Mississippi College, a Christian university located in Clinton, is the oldest college in the state of Mississippi. It was founded January 24, 1826, as Hampstead Academy, the second male college in the state after Jefferson College. Mississippi College is the second oldest Baptist university in the world, and was the first coeducational college in the United States to grant a degree to a woman. Clinton is home to sports teams known as the "Clinton Arrows" and "Mississippi College Choctaws". Hillman College, originally for women, was founded in 1853 as Central Female Institute, supported by the Central Baptist Association. It changed its name in 1891. Mount Hermon Female Seminary, a historically black college, was established in 1875 by Sarah Ann Dickey. It closed in 1924 as students moved to co-educational institutions.

The Clinton-Vicksburg Railroad was the second oldest in the state, incorporated in 1831. It contributed to the export of 20,000 bales of cotton annually from this city, the most of any city between Vicksburg and Meridian. Cotton from three surrounding counties was shipped through Clinton and by rail to Grand Gulf on the Mississippi.

During the Civil War, Confederate forces, as well as Union troops— the latter commanded by generals Ulysses S. Grant and Sherman—briefly occupied Clinton on their way to the Battle of Vicksburg in May 1863. Grant had mistakenly believed that John C. Pemberton, a Confederate general, would attack him at Clinton. Grant finally took Vicksburg in this campaign.

Clinton Riot
In September 1875 during the election campaign, a Republican political rally was held in downtown Clinton, where 3,000 people were gathered expecting Governor Adelbert Ames and other prominent speakers. White insurgents disrupted the rally, attacking blacks in what was called the "Clinton Riot." It resulted in the deaths of several white men and an estimated 50 blacks later that night and over the next few days. More armed whites arrived by train and attacked blacks. Among the black victims were schoolteachers, church leaders, and local Republican organizers.

Whites had been attacking black and white Republicans in every election cycle, and that year the paramilitary Red Shirts arose in the state as a force to intimidate blacks and suppress black voting. The governor appealed to the federal government for protection and the U.S. government sent more troops. But election-related violence continued through the fall and, together with fraud at the polls, resulted in white Democrats regaining control of the state legislature and, in 1876, the governor's seat. This political shift signaled the end of the Reconstruction era, confirmed when the federal government withdrew remaining troops in 1877.

20th century to present
During World War II, Camp Clinton was established as a German POW camp south of town; it housed about 3,000 German soldiers. Most of the prisoners were from the Afrika Korps. Of the 40 German generals captured in the war, Camp Clinton housed 35 of them. The German soldiers provided the labor to build a replica model of the Mississippi River Basin for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, used for planning and designing flood prevention.

Clinton, the smallest city to ever host a Fortune 500 company, was the headquarters for WorldCom from the mid-1990s until 2002. WorldCom went bankrupt due to what was at the time the largest accounting scandal in U.S. history. The financial dealings resulted in fraud-related convictions of Bernard Ebbers, CEO, and Scott Sullivan, CFO. The company changed its name to MCI and moved its corporate headquarters location to Ashburn, Virginia. Verizon, MCI's successor, owns SkyTel (no relation to Bell Mobility's Skytel brand). It still occupies the massive former WorldCom compound in Clinton.

On April 15, 2011, an EF3 tornado struck the city at about 11:00 am. CDT. It produced damage near Interstate 20, which included total destruction to the BankPlus building. Malaco Records was destroyed as well. Ten people were injured by the tornado.

Geography
According to the 2010 United States census, the city has a total area of 42.147 sqmi, of which 41.822 sqmi is land and 0.325 sqmi is water.

Demographics
Up from 2010's 25,216 people, the city of Clinton had a population of 28,100 people, 9,047 households, and 6,187 families according to the 2020 census. According to the 2020 census, its population was 51.3% non-Hispanic white, 38.1% Black and African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.6% Asian, 3.1% two or more races, and 2.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Government
Clinton operates as a code charter form of government, divided into six Wards. The local governing body consists of the mayor, one Alderman representing each of the six Wards and one Alderman-at-Large whose duty is to represent the entire community.

As of July 3, 2017, Philip R. Fisher, a retired major general in the Mississippi National Guard, is the city's mayor. The Board of Aldermen are Karen Godfrey (Ward 1), Jim Martin (Ward 2), Robert Chapman (Ward 3), Chip Wilbanks (Ward 4), Beverly Oliver (Ward 5), James Lott III (Ward 6) and Ricki Garrett (Alderwoman-At-Large).

Economy
At one point WorldCom (now Verizon) was headquartered in Clinton. In 2003 the company announced that it would move its headquarters to Virginia.

Automotive component manufacturer Delphi Corporation operated a plant in Clinton from the early 1970s until its closure in 2009, making cable and wiring connectors. When Delphi closed the plant in late 2009, with the loss of 280 jobs, production moved to Delphi's Warren, Ohio facility.

Universities and colleges

 * Mississippi College founded 1826, incorporating Hillman College 1853–1942
 * The local community college is Hinds Community College.

Primary and secondary schools
The city of Clinton's public schools are served by the Clinton Public School District.
 * Secondary
 * Clinton High School (Grades 10 through 12)
 * Sumner Hill Junior High School (Grade 9)
 * Clinton Junior High School (Grades 7 and 8)
 * Primary
 * Lovett Elementary School (Grade 6
 * Northside/Eastside Elementary School (Grade 2–5)
 * Clinton Park Elementary School (Grades K and 1)

Private schools:
 * Clinton Christian Academy (Grades K-4 through 12)
 * Mt. Salus Christian School (Grades K-4 through 12)

Public library
Jackson/Hinds Library System operates the Quisenberry Library in Clinton. In 2018 the Clinton city government, citing problems with the sanitary condition, closed the library. It stated that it would reopen if the library system revised the terms of the library lease.

Sports
The Mississippi Brilla is a soccer team competing in USL League Two (PDL), the fourth highest league of the American Soccer Pyramid, and play in the Mid-South Division of the Southern Conference. They play their home games at Traceway Park in the city of Clinton.

Notable people

 * Cam Akers – Professional football player
 * Mandy Ashford – singer, model, and member of Innosense.
 * Lance Bass – pop singer, actor and producer; member of the pop group *NSYNC
 * William Joel Blass – jurist, legislator, and lawyer
 * Charles Hillman Brough – governor of Arkansas from 1917 to 1921, was born in Clinton and taught at Mississippi College
 * Jon Brown – NFL kicker
 * Keith Carlock, jazz drummer and Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, was born in Clinton in 1971.
 * Cynthia F. Cooper – auditor, whistleblower
 * Ted DiBiase, Sr. – professional wrestler, minister
 * Ted DiBiase, Jr. – professional wrestler
 * Dominic Douglas – professional football player
 * Bernard Ebbers – Canadian businessman and the co-founder and CEO of WorldCom.
 * Jenna Edwards – model, former Miss Teen All-American, former Miss Florida
 * Meredith Edwards – country music singer
 * Shelly Fairchild – country music singer
 * Taryn Foshee – 2006 Miss Mississippi
 * Edgar Godbold – Mississippi College biology professor from 1906 to 1912; later president of two Baptist colleges
 * James E. Graves, Jr. – former Supreme Court of Mississippi judge; current United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit judge
 * Phillip Gunn – former Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives
 * Barry Hannah – writer, professor
 * Beth Holloway – author and mother of Natalee Holloway
 * Natalee Holloway – unsolved disappearance
 * Jaret Holmes – former Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars placekicker
 * Niesa Johnson – High School All-American, University of Alabama two time All-American, Professional Basketball Player
 * Daniel Curtis Lee – actor
 * Rory Lee – former vice president and interim president of Mississippi College
 * Robert S. McElvaine – writer, professor
 * Crystal Renn, plus-size model
 * Scott Savage – former drummer of Grammy and Dove award-winning band Jars of Clay
 * Leon Seals – former Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle
 * Jerod Ward – Former highly touted basketball recruit and former professional basketball player

title: Clinton, Mississippi


text:
Edwards, Mississippi

Edwards is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,034 at the 2010 census, down from 1,347 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Edwards is named for Dick Edwards, owner and proprietor of the Edwards House in Jackson, Mississippi.

Edwards was originally named "Amsterdam" and settled in the 1830s. In 1832, it suffered from a cholera epidemic and was then bypassed by the Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad. This happened in 1839 when R. O. Edwards' plantation became a stop on the railroad known as Edwards Depot.

The depot was burned to prevent its use during the Civil War in 1863. The current site of Edwards was chosen in 1866 and was incorporated in 1871.

In 1882, the Southern Christian Institute was opened by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the town to educate African Americans. It later became Bonner-Campbell College. In 1897, Edwards suffered an attack of yellow fever that killed many residents of the town.

Geography
Edwards is in western Hinds County, on high ground 1.5 mi east of the Big Black River, which forms the Warren County line. Interstate 20 runs along the northern border of the town, with access from Exit 19. I-20 leads east 26 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and west 17 mi to Vicksburg.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Edwards has a total area of 4.3 km2, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 995 people, 404 households, and 193 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,034 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 82.4% Black, 15.4% White, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 0.6% from two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,347 people, 461 households, and 335 families living in the town. The population density was 808.2 PD/sqmi. There were 505 housing units at an average density of 303.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 78.92% African American, 20.19% White, 0.15% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 461 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% were married couples living together, 33.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,231, and the median income for a family was $31,786. Males had a median income of $26,094 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,308. About 19.0% of families and 22.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Edwards is served by the Hinds County School District and is zoned to Bolton/Edwards Elementary-Middle School in Bolton and Raymond High School in Raymond.

Jackson/Hinds Library System operates the Lois A. Flagg Library in Edwards, adjacent to the Edwards Head Start Center.

Notable people

 * Rev. Carnella Barnes, pioneering African American Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister
 * Betty Currie, personal secretary of Bill Clinton, moved to Waukegan, Illinois as a child
 * George Flaggs Jr., mayor of Vicksburg, Mississippi
 * Johnny Fuller, blues and rock 'n' roll musician
 * Otis Harris, track and field athlete who won gold and silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics
 * George W. Lee, vice-president of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership
 * Fiddlin' Joe Martin, blues musician
 * Charlie Patton, blues musician and inductee in the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame; born near Edwards in 1891
 * Melvin Powell, Negro league baseball pitcher
 * Aurelius Southall Scott, educator and newspaper editor
 * Norman Francis Vandivier, aviator

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Edwards, Mississippi


text:
Learned, Mississippi

Learned is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States.

Population
The population was 94 at the 2010 census, up from 50 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Name
The community has the name of one Mr. Learned, an early settler.

Geography
Learned is located southwest of the center of Hinds County at 32.19778°N, -90.54722°W (32.197843, -90.547259). It is 25 mi southwest of Jackson, the state capital, and 27 mi southeast of Vicksburg.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.87 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 50 people, 22 households, and 17 families residing in the town. The population density was 167.4 PD/sqmi. There were 24 housing units at an average density of 80.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 82.00% White and 18.00% African American.

There were 22 households, out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 16.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,625, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,511. There were 27.8% of families and 23.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 52.9% of those over 64.

Education
The town is served by the Hinds County School District. Much of the town is zoned to Utica Elementary-Middle School in Utica, while a piece is zoned to Raymond Elementary School and Carver Middle School in Raymond. All of it is zoned to Raymond High School in Raymond.

Learned is also the home of Rebul Academy, a small private school serving Raymond, Edwards, Bolton, Utica, and Learned, Mississippi.

Notable people

 * Dudy Noble, football, basketball, and baseball player, track athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator
 * George Coleman Osborn (1904–1982), historian, professor, author

title: Learned, Mississippi


text:
Raymond, Mississippi

Raymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,933; in 2020, its population was 1,960. Raymond is one of two county seats of Hinds County (along with Jackson) and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College. Raymond is part of the Jackson metropolitan statistical area.

History
In 1829, three commissioners, including John B. Peyton, were appointed by U.S. President Andrew Jackson to find a place near the center of Hinds County for the county seat. The current location of Raymond is a ridge about a mile from the center of the county, and was selected because the actual center was low and subject to flooding. The town of Raymond received its charter from the Mississippi legislature on December 15, 1830. Because of its status as a seat of justice and its proximity to the Natchez Trace, Raymond developed quickly into a prosperous small town whose prosperity and small size have continued to this day.

In the late 1840s, Cooper's Well, a property near Raymond with a well that provided sulphured water, was developed into a resort for those seeking the perceived health benefits from its ingestion.

Construction of a new county courthouse was begun at the center of the town square in 1857 and completed in 1859; the work was largely done by enslaved African Americans. The courthouse is still in use as a secondary location of county legal matters (the city of Jackson having become the primary county seat). The Raymond courthouse is considered by many to be a prime example of southern Greek Revival architecture.

The Battle of Raymond was fought by Confederate and Union soldiers near Raymond on May 12, 1863 as part of General Ulysses S. Grant's Vicksburg Campaign during the Civil War. Four days later, the pivotal Battle of Champion Hill was won by Grant's troops and sealed the fate of Vicksburg. Grant stayed at Waverly, the plantation of John B. Peyton, and Union soldiers used St. Mark's Episcopal Church as a hospital. Blood stains can still be seen on the church's floor from that period.

Construction of a water tower was begun in 1903 in the center of the town square. It and the courthouse are landmarks for the town. A small agricultural high school was opened in 1917; it developed as Hinds Community College, which has several sites and the largest student body of any college in the state.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,960 people, 361 households, and 202 families residing in the city.

Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal Service operates the Raymond Post Office.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services operates the Oakley Training School in unincorporated Hinds County, near Raymond.

Education
Hinds Community College has a Raymond campus.

Residents are within the Hinds County School District, and are zoned to Raymond Elementary School, Carver Middle School, and Raymond High School.

Jackson Hinds Library System operates the Raymond Public Library at the Hinds Courthouse annex.

Notable people

 * Willie Banks, gospel music singer
 * Cory Carter, American football punter
 * Stephen Head, Major League Baseball scout
 * George Caldwell Granberry, former state legislator who served as postmaster of Raymond
 * Rick Lawson, gospel music singer
 * Muna Lee, Pan-American poet and first wife of Luis Muñoz Marín (first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico).
 * Kansas Joe McCoy, Delta blues singer
 * D. P. Porter, 25th Secretary of State of Mississippi
 * Susan Dabney Smedes, teacher and author
 * Jeremy Williams, American player of Canadian football
 * John Bell Williams, governor of Mississippi from 1968 to 1972, was born in Raymond; he formerly served in the United States House of Representatives.

title: Raymond, Mississippi


text:
Terry, Mississippi

Terry is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,063 at the 2010 census, up from 664 at the 2000 census. It is located along Interstate 55, about 15 mi southwest of Jackson and located in Supervisors District Five of Hinds County. The town is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The town of Terry, originally known as Dry Grove, changed its name in honor of W. D. Terry, whose land the town was built on. This information comes from the bronze plaque in the town's center at Utica and Cunningham streets. The area was established in 1811 by settlers from Virginia. In 1867, the town of Terry was established as a depot when the railroad was built through the area.

For a number of years, Terry was the home of Mississippi governor Albert G. Brown.

Geography
Terry is in southeastern Hinds County and is bordered to the north by the city of Byram. Interstate 55 passes through the west side of the town, with access from Exit 78. I-55 leads north 16 mi to Jackson and south 9 mi to Crystal Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Terry has a total area of 9.9 km2, of which 0.05 sqkm, or 0.50%, are water. The town is drained to the east by Rhodes Creek and Vaughn Creek, tributaries of the Pearl River.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,304 people, 449 households, and 348 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,063 people, 407 households, and 289 families residing in the town. The population density was 287.4 PD/sqmi. There were 288 housing units at an average density of 124.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 38.90% White, 59.30% African American, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 407 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 25.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.6 years. For every 100 females there were 79.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,192, and the median income for a family was $35,875. Males had a median income of $25,781 versus $24,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,011. About 17.0% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Joseph O. Kendrick Jr. was elected mayor of Terry on January 12, 2016, in a special election following the removal of the town's former mayor. The Board of Aldermen consists of Virginia Smith Bailey, Terry Johnson, April Owens Miley, Randy Shepherd, and Connie S. Taylor. Terry Johnson and Connie Taylor are the Democrats on the Board of Aldermen; Mayor Kendrick is also a Democrat. The others were elected as "independents."

Past mayors of Terry include Langston, Keith Davis, H. S. Clark, Rowean McCoy Luper, F. M. "Mike" Yates, Rev. Lester Williams, and William "Billy" Pechloff. Roderick T. Nicholson, the town's first African-American mayor, was elected three times in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Two Hinds County officials are from the Terry area: Pearlie B. Owens (Justice Court Judge for District Five), and Bennie Buckner (Constable for District Five).

The state senator representing the district including Terry is David Blount of Jackson. Terry is represented by Brad Oberhousen of Terry and Gregory Holloway of Hazlehurst in the state House of Representatives. Due to redistricting, Rep. Credell Calhoun and Gregory Dortch now represent a section near Terry. Sen. Blount, Rep. Holloway, Rep. Oberhausen, and Rep. Calhoun are active Democrats.

In August 2015, Rep. Brad Oberhausen was defeated in the Democratic primary by Jarvis Dortch.

All Hinds County officials and state of Mississippi officials representing the Terry area are Democrats.

Education
Terry is served by the Hinds County School District and is home to Terry High School. In addition to Terry High, residents are zoned to Gary Road Elementary School, Gary Road Intermediate School, and Byram Middle School in Byram.

Past principals of Terry High School include Mr. Bishop, Miss Estelle Scott, Roger McDaniel, Jimmy Russell, Gerald Huskey, Johnny Hines, and Dr. Martin Herrington.

The football field at the high school is named after B. C. Lee.

Jackson/Hinds Library System operates the Ella Bess Austin Library in Terry.

Media
Throughout the twentieth century, the town's weekly newspaper was The Terry Headlight. The Headlight was edited in Terry and printed in Crystal Springs in the office of the Crystal Springs Meteor. Editors of this publication included Mamie Birdsong, Willie Dean Sojourner Brister, Carolyn Booth Patrick, and Elsie Moss Berryhill. Among the columnists were Fanny Dulaney, Dot Champion, and Rev. Ryburn Stancil. The Terry Headlight ceased its publication approximately in 1990.

At the time of the demise of The Terry Headlight, the editor of the Hinds County Gazette (Mary Ann Keith) announced that an insert devoted to the town of Terry would be included in the Gazette. This insert was published for a few weeks, at which time a column about the Terry area was incorporated into the Gazette (as was being included about other towns in Hinds County). The writer of this was Elzena Kitchens Johnson.

In late 2013, The Hinds County Gazette suspended publication. At this time, The Terry Headlight was revived as a weekly online source of information by Elzena Kitchens Johnson. E-mail subscriptions to this were (and remain) free to readers who request a subscription.

In 2014, The Hinds County Gazette was purchased by The Magnolia Gazette of Pike County. The weekly Terry column continues in The Hinds County Gazette.

The Terry News was formerly published monthly to provide information about events in Terry and the surrounding area. The newspaper included a monthly column by Mayor Nicholson and was mailed to every household in the 39170 zip code. The Terry News ceased publishing in early 2015.

Notable people

 * Henry L. Brown, physician and World War I veteran
 * Bobby DeLaughter, former member of the Mississippi Supreme Court
 * Tommy Johnson, Delta blues musician
 * Luster Willis, artist

title: Terry, Mississippi


text:
Utica, Mississippi

Utica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 820 at the 2010 census, down from 966 at the 2000 census. Utica is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Utica was originally an area known as Cane Ridge. In 1837, it was given the name Utica at the suggestion of the then postmaster, Ozias Osborn, who came from Utica, New York. The town was incorporated in 1880.

Utica was located on the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. A weekly newspaper, the Herald, was established in 1897. In the early 1900s, Utica had several churches, eight hotels, a public school for white students, and an industrial college for black students. Agriculture consisted of watermelons, cotton and timber. The settlement had a sawmill, three cotton gins, and a brick plant. The population in 1907 was nearly 1,000.

Geography
Utica is in southwest Hinds County at the junctions of Mississippi Highways 18 and 27. Highway 18 leads northeast 32 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and southwest 28 mi to Port Gibson, while Highway 27 leads northwest 25 mi to Vicksburg and southeast 20 mi to Crystal Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Utica has a total area of 7.8 km2, of which 0.02 km2, or 0.25%, are water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Utica has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 636 people, 337 households, and 199 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 820 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 64.0% Black, 26.8% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% from some other race and 0.1% from two or more races. 8.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 966 people, 339 households, and 241 families living in the town. The population density was 323.0 PD/sqmi. There were 397 housing units at an average density of 132.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 30.54% White, 66.36% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 2.07% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.83% of the population.

There were 339 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 27.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,614, and the median income for a family was $30,083. Males had a median income of $28,594 versus $21,932 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,491. About 17.1% of families and 27.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.1% of those under age 18 and 24.5% of those age 65 or over.

Religion and society
Utica is the location of the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp, organized by the Union for Reform Judaism and dating to when there were more Jews in smaller communities throughout the South. Most now live in larger urban areas with more professional opportunities.

The town is home to several churches of various denominations, including the following on Main Street: Utica Baptist Church (founded in 1829 and affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention), Utica Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Utica United Methodist Church, and St. Peter's Missionary Baptist Church, a black Baptist church founded after the Civil War in 1867 by freedmen. Because black Baptists withdrew en masse from white Baptist churches across the South, St. Peter's was founded as a mission of the white Baptist church in Utica. Black Baptists soon founded independent state associations of their congregations and organized a national convention by the end of the century. There are several other houses of worship in the town proper, as well as others in the county nearby.

Education
Utica is served by the Hinds County School District. Students up to grade nine attend Utica Elementary-Middle School, and older students attend Raymond High School in Raymond.

It is also the home of the Utica campus of Hinds Community College. Founded in 1903 as Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a technical school for African Americans, the institute became known as Utica Junior College. Utica was also home to the former Hinds County Agricultural High School.

Jackson/Hinds Library System operates the Evelyn Taylor Majure Library in Utica.

Notable people

 * Woodrow Borah, historian
 * Alonzo Bradley who played for Texas Southern University and who was the MVP of the 1977 NAIA basketball championship
 * Zack Bragg, first mayor of West Memphis, Arkansas
 * Charles H. Griffin, member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi's 3rd congressional district from 1968 to 1973
 * William Henry Holtzclaw, educator and the founder of Utica Institute which became Hinds Community College
 * Lindsey Hunter, professional basketball player and coach
 * Robert Moreland, former basketball coach for Texas Southern
 * Sonny Boy Nelson, Delta blues musician
 * Derek Newton, offensive lineman for Houston Texans
 * Pete Perry, former professional basketball player
 * Willie Lee Simmons, former member of the Mississippi State Senate
 * Marcell Young, professional football defensive back

title: Utica, Mississippi


text:
Cruger, Mississippi

Cruger is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 268.

Geography
Cruger is in the northwest corner of Holmes County, in the Mississippi Delta region along U.S. Route 49E. Greenwood is 15 mi north of Cruger via US 49E, and Yazoo City is 37 mi to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Cruger has a total area of 2.5 km2, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 449 people, 161 households, and 112 families residing in the town. The population density was 462.5 PD/sqmi. There were 177 housing units at an average density of 182.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 74.16% African American 25.61% White and 0.22% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.23% of the population.

There were 161 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 30.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.46.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 15.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $15,417, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $22,813 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,125. About 32.8% of families and 44.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.7% of those under age 18 and 58.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, which operates between New Orleans and Chicago, passes through the town on CN tracks, but makes no stop. The nearest station is located in Greenwood, 15 mi to the north.

Education
The town of Cruger is served by the Holmes County School District.

Notable people

 * Abie Ames, blues and jazz pianist
 * Ray Roberts, former Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Robert Curtis Smith, Piedmont blues singer, guitarist and songwriter

title: Cruger, Mississippi


text:
Durant, Mississippi

Durant is a city near the central eastern border of Holmes County, Mississippi, United States, and Big Black River. The town was founded in 1858 as a station on the Mississippi Central Railroad, later part of the Illinois Central. Durant was named for Louis Durant, a Choctaw chief who had lived on this site before the United States undertook Indian Removal in the 1830s, forcing him and most of the Choctaw to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

The population of the rural city was 2,673 at the 2010 census, down from 2,932 at the 2000 census.

About 3 miles away is the Castalian Springs Hotel, believed in 2020 to be the only surviving such spa structure in the state. A dozen mineral springs resorts were identified in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Guide to Mississippi (1938), written during the Great Depression. Such springs were believed to have healing properties.

History
The Choctaw are a Native American tribe who occupied much of Mississippi as part of their territory well before any European exploration. They were among a succession of indigenous cultures established here for thousands of years. After they were forced to cede most of their land to the United States and to remove to Indian Territory in the 1830s, an increasing number of European Americans migrated here to develop the land for large cotton plantations. Before the Civil War, this was known as the "dark corner of the county."

Cotton plantations were developed along the waterfronts to take advantage of the fertile soil and to have access to the rivers, which was the basis of transportation until later in the 19th century, when trains were developed. Planters exploited the labor of numerous black enslaved African Americans. The county has a majority black population.

The Castalian Springs Hotel, a two-story wooden building, was associated with the spa based at natural mineral springs and developed as a resort. Located 3 miles west of Durant, it reportedly was one of many sites used as a hospital to treat the more than 10,000 casualties of Confederate troops following the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee in April 1862. Researchers are attempting to confirm if the existing building dates to the Civil War, or was a later replacement. Wounded troops were carried south by trains, and towns were asked if their people could care for them. Soldiers were taken from the train at the Durant station and carried by wagon to the hotel. About 90 Confederate soldiers died here through November 1863, and were buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery, about one-half mile away. All their graves were marked with new tombstones in the 1990s, as former temporary markers had been lost.

After the war, the hotel was adapted for other uses, first as a private girls' boarding school, educating the daughters of planters and others who could afford it. The large property, which included acreage, was later used for the state YMCA camp. Later still it became a missionary camp, to prepare Protestant missionaries for service in rural areas overseas. Finally the hotel was boarded up and vacant for some years. About 2020, it was purchased by a local pair of brothers. They have held some church retreats here and related large events, and may develop some of it as a hunting camp. The hotel is believed to be the only surviving mineral springs resort of what were a dozen in the state during the 1930s, according to the WPA Guide to Mississippi (1938).

20th century to present
Beginning in 1890, white Democrats in Mississippi passed a new constitution and laws disenfranchising African Americans and closing them out of formal political participation. Jim Crow laws were passed confining them to second-class status, which persisted for decades past the middle of the 20th century. Although thousands of African Americans left the state in the Great Migration, seeking better opportunities elsewhere, those who remained in Holmes County in working to regain their constitutional rights, including to register and vote.

About 1935, Hazel Brannon Smith, a recent college graduate from Gadsden, Alabama, bought the local weekly newspaper, the Durant News, which had been failing. Over the next several years, she turned it around, and served as its editor and publisher into the early 1970s.

In the 1950s she also acquired the Lexington Advertiser, and later two other small papers, and was based in Lexington, the county seat. She was among the first journalists to cover the African-American community for its positive contributions, for instance, noting in 1943 during World War II that a local civic group had donated money to the Red Cross. Later she became well known for her editorial writing about the civil rights movement; Holmes County had many activists involved in education and voter registration. In 1964 Smith was the first woman to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. The area is still largely rural and agricultural, but industrial-scale farming and mechanization reduced the need for labor decades ago. Many residents left, but among those who stayed, there is considerable unemployment. The population has declined although state and local government have sought redevelopment. The historic brick train depot (see photo above) is to be restored for new uses and is being highlighted as part of the area's heritage tourism. Other historic resources are being highlighted.

Since the late 20th century, missionary nurses from orders outside the state have been among those working on behalf of poor city and county residents. Local and state citizens were shocked on August 25, 2016 when two 68-year-old nuns were found stabbed to death at their home on Castalian Springs Road: Sister Paula Merrill was a nurse practitioner with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, and Sister Margaret Held was a nurse practitioner with the School Sisters of St Francis in Milwaukee. Rodney Earl Sanders, from nearby Kosciusko, was charged with the murders. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) participated in investigation of the case.

Geography
Durant is in eastern Holmes County on the west side of the valley of the Big Black River. U.S. Route 51 passes through the center of town, leading north 19 mi to Vaiden and south 8 mi to Goodman. Mississippi Highway 12 intersects US 51 in Durant; it leads east 17 mi to Kosciusko and west 13 mi to Lexington. Interstate 55 has an interchange with Highway 12 3 mi west of Durant; I-55 leads south 61 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and north 148 mi to Memphis.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Durant has a total area of 5.9 km2, of which 0.06 km2, or 1.04%, are water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,231 people, 886 households, and 644 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,673 people, 1,171 households, and 978 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,316.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of 542.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 13.80% White, 85.29% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.26% of the population.

There were 1,171 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.9% were married couples living together, 30.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 20 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 49, 15.7% from 50 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. There were 1,230 males and 1,443 females.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,659, and the median income for a family was $25,065. Males had a median income of $26,500 versus $20,200 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,210. About 27.9% of families and 35.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.1% of those under age 18 and 26.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Durant City limits is served by the Holmes County Consolidated School District, which operates Durant Elementary School (K-8) in Durant and Holmes County Central High School near Lexington in the center of the county.

Previously Durant city was served by the Durant Public School District, which had the K-12 Durant School as its only school. Areas outside the city limits were served by the county district. In 2016 Governor of Mississippi Phil Bryant signed a bill that required the Durant district to consolidate with the Holmes County district.

As a result of the consolidation, a new school board for Holmes County was assembled by 2018. Effective July 1, 2018 the two districts were combined as the Holmes County Consolidated School District.

In March 2018 the Holmes County school board voted to move high school students in Durant to Holmes County Central, an action opposed by area residents.

Notable people

 * John Howell, civil rights activist in Atlanta; son of Durant mayor William Edgar Howell
 * Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, born on a nearby plantation; migrated to California where she worked as an activist to preserve its deserts.
 * Jimmy W. "Jimi" Jamison, musician, frontman of Survivor
 * Alexander Lane, (1860-1911), educator, physician, politician: born in Durant to an enslaved mother, he went as a boy to Illinois and worked with a family; graduated in 1881 from Southern Illinois Normal University as the first male African-American student, worked as a principal for 10 years; attended Rush Medical College and became a physician in Chicago in 1895; in 1906 he was elected to the Illinois state legislature, serving two terms to 1911.
 * Tommy McClennan, Delta blues singer and guitarist
 * Buford McGee, former National Football League running back
 * Hazel Brannon Smith, journalist and publisher
 * Absolom M. West, planter and slaveholder, politician, Civil War general, labor organizer and vice presidential candidate; he owned a plantation near Durant prior to the Civil War

title: Durant, Mississippi


text:
Goodman, Mississippi

Goodman is a town in southeastern Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,258.

History
Goodman was settled by European Americans in 1860. It was first chartered on November 16, 1865, after the end of the Civil War; and rechartered on March 5, 1878. The town is named for the first president of the Mississippi Central Railroad.

Goodman is the birthplace of John A. Lomax (1867–1948), pioneering folklorist, and David Herbert Donald (1920–2009), Pulitzer-prize-winning historian.

Geography
Goodman is located in southeastern Holmes County at 32.96806°N, -89.9125°W (32.968057, -89.912625), west of the Big Black River. U.S. Route 51 passes through the center of town, leading northeast 8 mi to Durant and southwest 7 mi to Pickens. Mississippi Highway 14 crosses US 51 near the center of town, leading east 25 mi to Kosciusko and west 11 mi to Ebenezer. Highway 14 intersects Interstate 55 3 mi west of the center of Goodman, at Exit 146. I-55 leads south 50 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and north 158 mi to Memphis, Tennessee.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Goodman has a total area of 2.2 km2, of which 0.02 km2, or 0.91%, are water.

2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,252 people, 280 households, and 206 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,523.3 PD/sqmi. There were 303 housing units at an average density of 368.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 65.81% African American, 33.23% White, 0.16% Native American, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 280 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 32.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.58.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 39.0% from 18 to 24, 18.1% from 25 to 44, 10.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 20 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $13,929, and the median income for a family was $14,643. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,359. About 49.0% of families and 45.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 63.0% of those under age 18 and 35.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Goodman is served by the Holmes County School District. It is served by Goodman-Pickens Elementary School, between Goodman and Pickens. In 2006 the school had about 379 students. High school students go to Holmes County Central High School.

The Goodman Campus of Holmes Community College (formerly known as Holmes Junior College) is located here.

Notable people

 * Ode Burrell, former American Football League player
 * Charles Davis, jazz saxophonist and composer
 * Mattie Delaney, Delta blues singer and guitarist
 * David Herbert Donald (1920–2009), Pulitzer-prize-winning historian.
 * John Lomax, musicologist and folklorist
 * Buddy Scott, blues guitarist
 * Wirt Williams, novelist, journalist and professor of English, who was three times nominated for the Pulitzer Prize

title: Goodman, Mississippi


text:
Lexington, Mississippi

Lexington is a city in and the county seat of Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The county was organized in 1833 and the city in 1836. The population was 1,731 at the 2010 census, down from 2,025 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2018 was 1,496. It has declined from its high of 3,198 in 1950 due to the expansion of industrial-scale agriculture.

History
Incorporated in 1836, the city was founded by European-American settlers after most of the Choctaw people, who had long occupied this area, were forced to cede their land to the United States and remove to the Indian Territory. The new settlers initially developed riverfront land along the Yazoo and Black rivers for cotton plantations, primarily worked by enslaved African Americans. The enslaved people were brought by planters with them from the Upper South or transported in the domestic slave trade. In total, more than one million African Americans were transported to the Deep South, breaking up many families. The African-descended enslaved people soon constituted the majority of the Holmes County population.

On court days, the town served as a trading center for the county and attracted retail merchants. Lexington was a destination in the 1830s of some German-Jewish immigrants, who often became merchants. They were joined much later in the century by Russian Jewish immigrants. The Jewish community built Temple Beth El in Lexington in 1905; it closed in 2009 because of declining population. During the plantation era, the city was bustling, as planters grew wealthy from the booming demand for cotton in the North and Europe.

Among the early settlers in the 1830s was German-Jewish immigrant Jacob Sontheimer, who first worked caring for an elderly planter. After being bequeathed land, Sontheimer later became a merchant in town. His two daughters, Rose and Bettie, also became merchants, managing the Sontheimer business. He was joined by other Jewish immigrants from Germany, totaling about 20 by the late 1870s and 50 by 1900. In the later years Jewish immigrants also came from eastern Europe to Lexington. They developed tailoring and grocery businesses; the Lewis Grocery Store developed into a major wholesaler in the state.

After the Civil War, freedmen in Holmes County, who constituted the majority of the population, joined the Republican Party and elected several county sheriffs and other local officers. They sought education and some became landowners, clearing land in the bottomlands and selling their timber to raise money for purchase. This progress was before 1890, when they were essentially deprived of the vote by the state legislature passing a new constitution, which created barriers to voter registration and forced them out of politics for decades into the late 20th century. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, financial recession and lack of political clout meant that many freedmen lost their land; within a generation they had regressed to the status of sharecropper and tenant farmer.

20th century to present

Edmund F. Noel, an attorney in Lexington, was a son of planters Leland and Margaret Noel, from Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. His father had developed cotton plantations in Holmes County in the antebellum period. The younger Noel became a politician, elected as a state legislator and later as district attorney. In 1906 he was elected as governor of Mississippi, serving through 1912. His house at North Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its distinctive architecture, and is known as the "Gov. Edmond F. Noel House." It was bequeathed to him by his mother.

In the early 20th century, Mississippi planters recruited Chinese immigrant workers to satisfy the demand for farm labor, and some came to Holmes County. As the area suffered from the boll weevil infestation, the cotton crops suffered. Agricultural mechanization reduced the need for farm labor, leading to a decline in county and town populations from the 1930s on. Many African Americans fled the South for northern and midwestern industrial cities, seeking more opportunities and escape from the violence of lynchings and oppression of Jim Crow rules.

In the 1940s, two lynchings of black men took place in or near Lexington: singer B.B. King later recounted having seen a youth hanged in the courthouse square during the short time he was living there as a teenager, about 1942–1944. The body of 35-year-old Leon McTatie was found on 24 July 1946 in a bayou in nearby Sunflower County. He was beaten to death for allegedly stealing a saddle. Six white men were charged in his lynching but quickly acquitted at trial.

Lexington was distinguished by two nationally known women: Arenia Mallory, an African-American music teacher from Illinois, started teaching at the newly established Saints Academy in Lexington in 1926, which was affiliated with the Church of God in Christ. She led the school for more than 50 years, expanding its programs to grades 1–12, and establishing a junior college. She developed the school from the early 20th century as a model of academic excellence for African-American students. During her long tenure, she also founded an associated junior college. During the 1960s, she was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to national positions and committees in the federal government.

Hazel Brannon Smith, a white woman from an upper-class family, was based in Lexington, where she owned and published several rural newspapers. She promoted integration and change in the region during the civil rights era, winning a Pulitzer Prize for her editorials in 1964, the year of Freedom Summer and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, organized by African Americans before the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed by Congress.

More recently, in June of 2023, another brave woman, African American Civil Rights Attorney Jill Collen Jefferson (founder of Julian ) was illegally arrested and jailed on drummed up "resisting arrest" charges for filming police whom she had previously filed civil lawsuits against, filming them during an unrelated traffic stop. Police taunted, insulted and disrespected her during her malicious arrest. The police chief offered her a "deal" to let her pay a $35 fine and be released, which, she refused the "deal."

A 30 year old (non-lawyer!) judge upheld all charges but strangely commuted her sentence as complaints were made to the FBI and its parent the Department of Justice.

Ms Jefferson caused a federal babysitter to be appointed to the city's police and judicial system. Millions are watching the cases as they proceed in federal court.

Geography
Lexington is in the center of Holmes County on the north side of the valley of Black Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Yazoo River. Mississippi Highways 12 and 17 pass through the city, sharing four blocks of Carrollton Street north of the city center. Highway 12 leads east 13 mi to Durant and northwest 11 mi to Tchula, while Highway 17 leads north 30 mi to Carrollton and south 18 mi to Pickens.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.3 km2, of which 9785 sqm, or 0.16%, are water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lexington has a humid subtropical climate, in common with the vast majority of the American South.

Demographics
The table to the right shows two periods of dramatic population declines: from 1910 to 1920, and in the decades after 1960. These are periods of mechanization of agriculture and consolidation of land into large, industrial holdings. Many African Americans left the area in the Great Migration, particularly before passage of civil rights legislation, for better jobs elsewhere and to escape Jim Crow.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,602 people, 545 households, and 363 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the 2010 Census, the racial composition of the city was:
 * 71.8% Black or African American;
 * 27.0% White
 * 0.06% from other races;
 * 0.5% Asian;
 * 0.5% from two or more races;
 * 0.1% American Indian;
 * 0.0% Pacific Islander.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,025 people, 725 households, and 503 families residing in the city. The population density was 825.6 PD/sqmi. There were 802 housing units at an average density of 327.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 31.36% White, 67.26% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.64% Asian, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.

There were 725 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,163, and the median income for a family was $29,732. Males had a median income of $25,750 versus $17,328 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,614. About 32.7% of families and 37.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 54.5% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The city of Lexington is served by the Holmes County School District. William Dean Jr. Elementary School and Holmes County Central High School (in the former J. J. McClain High School) are located in the area. The community previously also housed Lexington Elementary School.

Lexington was previously home to Saints Industrial and Literary School, later known as Saints Academy. Founded in 1918, this private school for African-American students was established by the Church of God in Christ. Arenia Mallory, from Illinois, began as a music teacher and became principal and president of the school. She led its growth and the setting of high academic standards to provide opportunities to black students; the school had a national reputation. The school was expanded as Saints Academy and Junior College, and Saints College.

Another private school in the city, Central Holmes Christian School (formerly Central Holmes Academy), was established in 1967 as a segregation academy).

Notable people

 * Chalmers Archer, author, academic and U.S. Special Forces veteran
 * John C. Black, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1893 to 1895 and Medal of Honor recipient
 * Lee Cooper, blues guitarist
 * Minnie M. Cox, postmaster and teacher
 * Leonard B. Cresswell, major general in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Navy Cross
 * Buford Ellington, Governor of Tennessee from 1959 to 1963 and 1967 to 1971
 * Malachi Favors, jazz bassist
 * B.B. King, musician, lived in Lexington
 * Ronald Kirklin, Quartermaster General and Commandant of the Quartermaster School at Fort Lee, Virginia from 2014 to 2016
 * John R. Land, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice from 1921 to 1941
 * Alexander Lane (1857–1911), Illinois state representative and physician, born in Lexington
 * Ronnie Lewis (1944–2014), mayor of Dolton, Illinois
 * Arenia Mallory, African-American educator and activist, principal of the Saints Academy and founder of its junior college
 * Charles Harrison Mason, founder of the Church of God in Christ, an evangelical church which grew to have a national presence
 * Melany Neilson, author
 * William Nichols, architect
 * Edmond Favor Noel, attorney, Governor of Mississippi 1908–1912; son of Leland Noel, an early planter in Holmes County who migrated from Virginia and became one of the largest slaveholders before the Civil War
 * Milton L. Olive III, (1946-1965) United States Army Soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor
 * Lonnie Pitchford, blues musician born in Lexington
 * Monroe Saffold Jr., American bodybuilder, first place Masters Mr. America AAU, tall division 1990
 * Hazel Brannon Smith (1914–1994), owner and publisher of the Lexington Advertiser and other local newspapers; first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
 * Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, Chicago blues guitarist
 * Neely Tucker, journalist, author
 * Willie West, former National Football League defensive back
 * Hattie Winston, actress in television, film and theatre
 * Jill Collen Jefferson African American Civil Rights Attorney and Civil Rights activist

title: Lexington, Mississippi


text:
Pickens, Mississippi

Pickens is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 920.

History
The town was named for landowner James Pickens and was incorporated in 1858.

On May 9, 1919, an African American veteran was lynched as part of the Red Summer of 1919 because of an “improper note” written to a white woman.

Geography
Pickens is located in the southeast corner of Holmes County at 32.88667°N, -89.97°W (32.886672, -89.970092), on the west side of the Big Black River. It is bordered to the south by Yazoo County and to the east across the Big Black by Attala County.

U.S. Route 51 passes through the town, leading northeast 7 mi to Goodman and south 19 mi to Canton. Mississippi Highway 17 follows US 51 through Pickens, but leaves the highway south of town to lead southeast 13 mi to Camden, and splits from US 51 north of Pickens to lead north 18 mi to Lexington, the Holmes County seat. Mississippi Highway 432 leads west from Pickens 18 mi to Benton. Interstate 55 passes 3 mi west of Pickens, with access from Exit 139 (Highway 432) and Exit 144 (Highway 17). I-55 leads south 44 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and north 70 mi to Grenada.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Pickens has a total area of 3.4 km2, of which 0.07 km2, or 1.96%, are water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,325 people, 452 households, and 333 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,062.3 PD/sqmi. There were 496 housing units at an average density of 397.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 11.92% White, 87.70% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.08% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 452 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 33.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.52.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $17,330, and the median income for a family was $20,956. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $17,574 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,812. About 36.1% of families and 40.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.4% of those under age 18 and 41.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Pickens is served by the Holmes County School District. It is served by Goodman-Pickens Elementary School, between Pickens and Goodman. In 2006 the school had about 379 students. High school students are zoned to Holmes County Central High School.

Notable people

 * Gus Courts, civil rights activist
 * Odas Nicholson, attorney, judge and delegate to the Illinois Constitutional Convention

title: Pickens, Mississippi


text:
Tchula, Mississippi

Tchula is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2020 census, down from 2,332 in 2000.

A 2015 article in The Guardian described it as the poorest community in the United States.

History
The first permanent settlement at Tchula was made in the 1830s. The community takes its name from Tchula Lake.

In the 1960s most residents were farmworkers; the properties they worked on belonged to people living in other communities in the area. Mississippi columnist Sid Salter stated that the Tchula area had "Some of the best farmland in America" and "some of the most successful plantations".

In 1982, the city's first Black mayor, Eddie James Carthan, was incarcerated. Chris McGreal of The Guardian stated that the criminal charges were "trumped-up".

In the 2000s the community elected Yvonne Brown as mayor. She was a Republican, and the community hoped this would convince George W. Bush, the President of the United States, to provide additional funding. She was the first black Republican woman to be elected as a mayor in the country.

By 2015 many of the jobs in the area had vanished, partly due to increased use of machines in agriculture. Many businesses formerly in the town had disappeared.

Geography
Tchula is in western Holmes County along Tchula Lake, an old river channel in the Mississippi Delta region of the state. U.S. Route 49E passes through the center of town, leading north 25 mi to Greenwood and southwest 27 mi to Yazoo. Mississippi Highway 12 leads southeast from Tchula 11 mi to Lexington, the Holmes County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.7 km2, of which 0.1 km2, or 2.31%, is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,652 people, 735 households, and 400 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,332 people, 724 households, and 524 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,683.6 PD/sqmi. There were 772 housing units at an average density of 557.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 3.43% White, 95.93% African American, 0.09% Native American, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.

There were 724 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.4% were married couples living together, 45.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 37.9% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $11,571, and the median income for a family was $14,773. Males had a median income of $22,250 versus $16,310 for females. The per capita income for the town was $6,373. About 49.4% of families and 54.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 66.6% of those under age 18 and 55.8% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010, Tchula had the fifth-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.

Government and infrastructure
In 2015 McGreal stated that the police forces were under-equipped. The police chief himself had a second job.

Transportation
Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, which operates between New Orleans and Chicago, passes through the town on CN tracks, but makes no stop. The nearest station is located in Greenwood, 25 mi to the north.

Education
The town of Tchula is served by the Holmes County School District.

Current schools in the area include S.V. Marshall Elementary School and Holmes County Central High School.

The Holmes County Learning Center is in Tchula itself.

Previously Marshall's campus housed S.V. Marshall High School.

Notable people

 * Woodrow Adams, Delta blues guitarist and harmonica player
 * Yvonne Brown (1952–2012), politician elected in Tchula as the first black Republican female mayor in Mississippi, serving from 2001 to 2009. She was the Republican nominee for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district in 2006.
 * Jimmy Dawkins (1936–2013), blues guitarist and singer, who moved to Chicago at 18 or 19
 * Bess Phipps Dawson, painter and gallerist
 * Lester Davenport (1932–2009), blues musician
 * Chris Epps, former commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty to corruption-related charges
 * Addison Grace Hadley - Miss United States 2023
 * Johnny Mitchell, former National Football League tight end
 * Little Smokey Smothers (1939–2010), blues guitarist and singer
 * Hartman Turnbow (1905–1988), first black person in Mississippi to register to vote in the 1960s, following disfranchisement in 1890

title: Tchula, Mississippi


text:
West, Mississippi

West is a town in northeastern Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 153. The Mayor of West, MS as of December 2020 is Michael Fancher.

History
West made national news in 1989 when all-white East Holmes Academy, now closed but formerly located in West, initially refused to play a football game against Heritage Academy because Heritage had a black player. After seven East Holmes players quit the team, two board members resigned and the Mississippi Private School Association threatened to eject the school, East Holmes relented.

Geography
West is bordered to the east by the Big Black River, which is also the Attala County line. West is the easternmost municipality in Holmes county.

U.S. Route 51 passes through the center of town, leading north 10 mi to Vaiden and south 9 mi to Durant. Interstate 55 passes 3 mi west of town, with access from Exit 164 (Emory Road). I-55 leads south 70 mi to Jackson, the state capital, and north 140 mi to Memphis, Tennessee. Mississippi Highway 19 leads 17 mi southeast from West to Kosciusko.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of West has a total area of 1.4 km2, all land.

2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 220 people, 94 households, and 64 families residing in the town. The population density was 394.6 PD/sqmi. There were 113 housing units at an average density of 202.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 56.36% White, 42.73% African American, 0.45% Asian, and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.27% of the population.

There were 94 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 25.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,625, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $22,083 versus $12,396 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,398. About 14.9% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 31.2% of those 65 or over.

Education
The town of West is served by the Holmes County School District.

title: West, Mississippi


text:
Belzoni, Mississippi

Belzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,235 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County. It was named for the 19th-century Italian archaeologist/explorer Giovanni Battista Belzoni.

The area was named Farm-Raised Catfish Capital of the World in 1976 by then Governor Cliff Finch, since it produces more farm-raised catfish than any other U.S. county. About 40000 acres of the county are under water in ponds used to grow catfish. About 60% of U.S. farm-raised catfish are grown within a 65-mile (100-km) radius of Belzoni. The title "Catfish Capital" is also claimed by Savannah, Tennessee, Des Allemands, Louisiana, and Selkirk, Manitoba. Belzoni is known for the World Catfish Festival held every April.

History
The area that eventually became Belzoni was originally known as "Greasy Row" because of saloons along the bank of the Yazoo River, which was the main transportation route until replaced by railroads. In 1895, a charter was granted for the village of Belzoni, although the area had been settled by European Americans and African Americans for several decades previously. It was developed for cotton plantations before the Civil War and relied on agriculture well into the 20th century. Steve Castleman, who secured the charter, was elected as the first mayor of Belzoni. When Humphreys County was formed by the state legislature in 1918, Belzoni was selected as the county seat.

Civil Rights Movement
Belzoni was the site of the murder of an early civil rights pioneer. The Rev. George W. Lee, an African American minister who was seeking voting rights for the disenfranchised blacks of the Mississippi Delta and registered to vote, was murdered in 1955 in "Bloody Belzoni" by white residents committed to upholding segregation. His killers were never found, as the governor of Mississippi, Hugh L. White, refused to investigate the case. Many consider Lee the first martyr of the modern civil rights movement.

As an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, Margot Adler, later a National Public Radio correspondent, was active in the voter registration drive in Humphreys County (Belzoni) in the summer of 1965, before the passage of the Voting Rights Act on August 6 of that year. In 2000, she recalled: "'I remember how difficult it was to register people: the fear was palpable. I remember that after one month of daily work there were only seven people registered, and a bunch of us almost got ourselves killed after being chased onto private property by a group of men who belonged to the White Citizens Council'. She said that the civil rights movement changed Humphreys County, and bettered the lot of African Americans. 'There was real change in Belzoni. Streets were paved in hog town, sewers no longer overflowed into the dirt streets. Several black families I knew from then have held political office during the last decade'."

Recent history
In 2006, Belzoni elected Wardell Walton as mayor, the first African-American to hold the position. He was re-elected to a second term. He was succeeded in 2013 by Lenora Sutton, the first female mayor of Belzoni. In 2017 Carol M. Ivy was elected mayor.

Historical markers and attractions
Belzoni's role in history has been recognized primarily through historical marker campaigns. The Mississippi Blues Trail has two markers located in city limits: one for Denise LaSalle, who spent her childhood in Belzoni; and another for Turner's Drug Store, an early sponsor for radio shows that broadcast Delta blues, and location of some performances by native artists Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James. There is a marker for Reverend George Lee as part of the Mississippi Freedom Trail, detailing his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, located near his burial site. In 1990, the local African-American community placed concrete markers on each side of George Lee Avenue.

Other attractions located in Belzoni include the Catfish Museum; Jaketown Museum, which contains artifacts of a nearby Native American mound; Mama's Dream World, a museum commemorating Ethel Wright Mohamed; and Wister Gardens, a local garden highlighting local flowers and plant life, often used for events in the area.

In the early-2000s, the city, in conjunction with the Humphreys County Art Council and Belzoni-Humphreys Development Foundation, sponsored the art project Catfish on Parade, a collection of fiberglass catfish decorated by local artists. Each catfish's design is based on a reference to its specific commercial sponsor ("D. Fin-Der, Esquire" sponsored by a local law firm) or on a theme chosen by that sponsor ("Fishin' for Words", detailing works and images of famous Mississippi writers).

Geography
Belzoni is located at 33.1813°N, -90.4857°W (33.1813, -90.4857).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 mi2, all land.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Belzoni has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,938 people, 809 households, and 525 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,663 people, 934 households, and 640 families residing in the city. The population density was 2777.8 PD/sqmi. The 1,018 housing units averaged 1061.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 30.49% White, 68.08% Black, 0.04% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.60% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.35% of the population.

Of the 934 households, 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 28.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were not families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.49.

In the city, the population was distributed as 32.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,690, and for a family was $25,521. Males had a median income of $26,466 versus $15,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,022. About 29.3% of families and 35.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.4% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

Public schools
The City of Belzoni is served by the Humphreys County School District:
 * Humphreys County High School
 * Thomas C. Randle Career and Technical Center
 * Humphreys County Junior High School
 * O.M. McNair Upper Elementary School
 * Ida Greene Lower Elementary School

Private schools

 * Humphreys Academy

Media

 * Radio stations
 * WELZ 1460AM (Country)
 * WBYP 107.1FM (Country)
 * Newspaper
 * Belzoni Banner

Notable people

 * Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Delta blues musician
 * Jim Clark, head football coach at McNeese State University from 1966 to 1969
 * Boyd Gilmore, Delta blues singer and guitarist
 * Charles Gordon, film producer. Brother to Lawrence Gordon.
 * Lawrence Gordon, film producer and former president of 20th Century Fox and American International Pictures
 * Madolyn Hardy, first Miss Mississippi in 1934
 * Elmore James, blues guitarist
 * Denise LaSalle, blues singer and member of the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame was raised in Belzoni.
 * Ethel Wright Mohamed, 'Grandma Moses of Stitchery'
 * Ollie Mohamed, former member of the Mississippi Senate
 * Pinetop Perkins, Grammy Award winning blues musician, and Blues Hall of Famer was born in Belzoni in 1913.
 * Otis Spann, blues pianist and longtime member of Muddy Waters's band, also recorded with Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry, among others
 * Benjamin Swan, member of Massachusetts House of Representatives
 * Monroe Swan, Wisconsin State Senate
 * Ernie Terrell, boxer
 * Jean Terrell, R&B and jazz singer, replaced Diana Ross in The Supremes in 1970
 * Herb Washington, track and field athlete and Major League Baseball player
 * Annette Polly Williams, Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Ben Williams, former National Football League defensive end

title: Belzoni, Mississippi


text:
Isola, Mississippi

Isola is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States, on the banks of Lake Dawson. The population was 713 at the 2010 census, down from 768 at the 2000 census.

The name is derived from "isolation", due to the town's remote location when it was founded.

Geography
Isola is located in northern Humphreys County. It is bordered to the north by Sunflower County. U.S. Route 49W passes through the east side of the town, leading north 15 mi to Indianola and southeast 8 mi to Belzoni, the Humphreys County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 sqmi, all land. The southeast end of Lake Dawson, an old river channel, is near the northwest corner of the town. The lake leads northwest and connects via Pawson Bayou to the Big Sunflower River, a tributary of the Yazoo River.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 768 people, 279 households, and 191 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,040.5 PD/sqmi. There were 307 housing units at an average density of 415.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 63.67% African American, 32.68% White, 0.52% Native American, 2.73% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.12% of the population.

There were 279 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 25.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,063, and the median income for a family was $27,396. Males had a median income of $20,909 versus $17,639 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,487. About 25.1% of families and 30.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.0% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town is served by the Humphreys County School District. The children in Isola attend school in Belzoni.

Notable people

 * Willie Bailey, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
 * Hank Cochran, country music singer and songwriter

title: Isola, Mississippi


text:
Louise, Mississippi

Louise is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi. The population was 199 at the 2010 census, down from 315 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Louise is located in southern Humphreys County along Silver Creek in the Mississippi Delta region.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Louise has a total area of 0.46 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, 315 people, 117 households, and 80 families resided in the town. The population density was 1,898.5 PD/sqmi. The 125 housing units averaged 753.4 per square mile (283.9/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 54.29% African American, 44.13% White and 1.59% Asian. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.32% of the population.

Of the 117 households, 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were not families. About 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the population was distributed as 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,750, and for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,658. About 14.0% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 40.4% of those age 65 or over.

The per capita income for Humphreys County is $10,926 and ranked 76 of 82 counties. The per capita income for Louise, Mississippi, is $14,658 and ranked 129 of 329 places listed in Mississippi.

Education
The town of Louise is served by the Humphreys County School District.

Notable people

 * Houston Antwine, former professional football player
 * Leon Finney Jr., minister and community organizer
 * Hip Linkchain, Chicago blues guitarist
 * James D. Montgomery, attorney
 * Warren Smith, rockabilly singer

title: Louise, Mississippi


text:
Silver City, Mississippi

Silver City is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 217 at the 2021 census, a massive decline from the 2000 census.

History
The town was first named "Palmetto Home", after a nearby plantation.

2023 tornado
On March 24, 2023, a destructive wedge tornado directly hit Silver City. Numerous people were injured and several buildings were destroyed. The same destructive tornado had previously hit the towns of Rolling Fork and Midnight. The tornado was rated high-end EF4, although only EF2 damage occurred in the town.

Geography
Silver City is located in central Humphreys County at 33.09528°N, -90.49583°W (33.095335, -90.495814), in the Mississippi Delta region. It is bordered to the east by the Yazoo River. U.S. Route 49W passes through the town, leading north 7 mi to Belzoni, the county seat, and south 20 mi to Yazoo City. Mississippi Highway 149, an old alignment of US 49W, leads southwest from Silver City 10 mi to Louise.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Silver City has a total area of 1.6 km2, of which 0.06 km2, or 3.56%, are water.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 337 people, 124 households, and 76 families residing in the town. The population density was 553.7 PD/sqmi. There were 133 housing units at an average density of 218.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 21.66% White and 78.34% African American.

There were 124 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.59.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,083, and the median income for a family was $20,000. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,459. About 36.6% of families and 49.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 70.8% of those under age 18 and 38.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Silver City is served by the Humphreys County School District.

Notable people

 * Spencer Haywood, participated on the US Olympic gold medal-winning basketball team, then played professionally
 * Jack Reed, professional baseball player and member of the 1961 World Series champion New York Yankees

title: Silver City, Mississippi


text:
Mayersville, Mississippi

Mayersville is a town on the east bank of the Mississippi River, and the county seat for Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the Mississippi Delta region, known for cotton cultivation in the antebellum era. Once the trading center for the county, the town was superseded when railroads were built into the area. The population of the majority-black town was 547 at the 2010 census, down from 795 at the 2000 census.

History
Native Americans had lived in this area since prehistoric times. The Mayersville Archeological Site, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, is on privately owned land. It contains the remains of earthwork mounds constructed primarily in the Mayersville phase (AD 1200–1400) of the earlier Mississippian culture.

A 1950 survey by Philip Phillips of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology reported eleven ancient mounds. By the time the site was nominated by the state to the National Register of Historic Places, two mounds had been completely destroyed, a third one was nearly gone, three were reduced in size by plowing, and five remained nearly as described. Three mounds had enclosed a large plaza measuring roughly 170 by. The fourth side was bounded by three mounds. Among these was Mound I, which was found to have been re-occupied from 1400 to 1600, perhaps by the succeeding Choctaw people. A European-American family cemetery associated with a 19th-century plantation was developed on Mound A.

The first record of non-Native settlement was in 1830, when European-American Ambrose Gipson purchased a large body of land along the Mississippi River and founded "Gipson's Landing". This soon became the port on the river for shipping out the cotton of Issaquena and Sharkey counties. It attracted shifting populations of river crews, gamblers, and traders, as well as show boats during low water times. The shipping records for David Mayer, who owned nearby Mout Level Plantation, show that river freight was shipped from the port via steamboat to points in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Mississippi.

Mayer purchased Gipson's Landing in 1870, and the town of Mayersville was founded in 1871. The town was established in 1872 by the legislature as the Issaquena County seat.

In January 1885, black saloon keeper Ebenzer Fowler was rumored to have sent an insulting letter to a white woman in the town. An armed white posse confronted Fowler on the main street just before dark on January 30, 1885. They claimed that Fowler grabbed a gun from a posse member and fired a shot at them; they returned fire and shot him dead. Tension between the town's blacks, a majority of the population, and whites flared following the shooting. The county sheriff called in 22 members of Vicksburg's militia, the "Volunteer Southrons", for assistance. The militia left the following day when tensions had eased.

Mayersville's popularity as a shipping port began to decline in the mid-1800s when it had to compete with the railways being built across the South, though no railway was built to the town. The construction of a levee following the hugely destructive flood of 1927 cut off direct river access for the town, causing further decline. In the 21st century, Bunge North America operates a large grain port in Millers Landing north of town.

In 1958, the current county courthouse in Mayersville was built.

With federal legislation in the mid-1960s, African Americans regained the ability to register and vote. In 1976, famed civil rights activist Unita Blackwell was elected mayor of Mayersville and the first female African-American mayor in Mississippi.

Mayersville's small population and quiet character are in sharp contrast to its years as a booming Mississippi River port.

Geography
Mayersville is in northern Issaquena County, just east of the Mississippi River, from which it is separated by a levee. Mississippi Highway 1 passes through the town, leading north 39 mi to Greenville and south 22 mi to U.S. Route 61 at Onward. Vicksburg is 53 mi south of Mayersville via Highways 1 and 61. Mississippi Highway 14 has its western terminus in Mayersville and runs out of town to the northeast with Highway 1. Highway 14 leads east 11 mi to US-61 at Rolling Fork.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Mayersville has a total area of 2.9 km2, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 433 people, 155 households, and 66 families residing in the town.

2013 ACS
As of the 2013 American Community Survey, there were 652 people living in the town, a decline since 2000. The remaining population is increasingly African American. 90.2% were African American, 9.7% White and 0.2% from some other race. 0.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 795 people, 190 households, and 126 families living in the town. The population density was 710.7 PD/sqmi. There were 212 housing units at an average density of 189.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 88.05% Black or African American, 11.95% White, and 0.13% Hispanic or Latino.

There were 190 households, out of which 40.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.3% were married couples living together, 31.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.53.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 16.0% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 13.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 165.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 228.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $10,962, and the median income for a family was $15,208. Males had a median income of $20,917 versus $15,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $7,287. About 41.6% of families and 49.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 62.6% of those under age 18 and 51.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Mayersville is served by the South Delta School District.

Notable people

 * Unita Blackwell, civil rights leader and mayor of Mayersville from 1976-2001; first female African-American mayor in Mississippi.
 * Hazlewood Power Farish, Mississippi state senator from 1908 to 1912
 * William Stamps Farish II, president of Standard Oil.
 * Anthony Harris, professional football defensive tackle
 * Elza Jeffords, U.S. Representative from Mississippi's 3rd congressional district from 1883 to 1885
 * Willis Elbert Mollison (1859-1924), attorney and first African-American district attorney in Mississippi; migrated to Chicago between 1910 and 1920, where he continued to work at law.
 * Henry Sterling Sias, Sr. - Farmer and educator, devout civil rights activist. Began one of the first famed Freedom Schools after four of his children were expelled from school for wearing SNCC pins and refusing to take them off. He housed and facilitated civil rights notables, such as Stokley Carmichael, Marion Wright, Robert Wright, Ivanhoe Donelson, Charles Cobb, Willie Rollins and Louis Grant. He attended the Democratic Freedom Party Convention in Atlantic City with Fannie Lou Hamer.

title: Mayersville, Mississippi