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Neshoba County, Mississippi facts for kids

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Neshoba County
County
Neshoba County courthouse and Confederate Monument in Philadelphia
Neshoba County courthouse and Confederate Monument in Philadelphia
Map of Mississippi highlighting Neshoba County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Mississippi
Founded 1833
Seat Philadelphia
Largest city Philadelphia
Area
 • Total 572 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Land 570 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Water 1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 29,087
 • Density 50.85/sq mi (19.634/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd

Neshoba County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,087. Its county seat is Philadelphia. It was named after Nashoba, a Choctaw chief. His name means "wolf" in the Choctaw language.

The county is known for the Neshoba County Fair and harness horse races. It is home of the Williams Brothers Store, which has been in operation since the early 1900s.

In June 1964, civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were chased down, tortured, and murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan. They were buried in an earthen dam on private property off of Highway 21; Goodman was still alive. Initially treated as a missing persons case, their disappearance provoked national outrage and contributed significantly to the July enactment of the Civil Rights Act by President Johnson.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), a federally recognized tribe, is based here and has developed one of the largest casino complexes in the state on their reservation. The Silver Star and Golden Moon casinos are the first land-based casinos in Mississippi; these casinos are part of the MBCI's Pearl River Resort in the county.

History

Neshoba County is known as the site of one of the most infamous race-related crimes in American history. In 1964, three civil rights workers were murdered by white supremacists, allegedly including a deputy county sheriff, in Philadelphia, the county seat. The crime and decades-long legal aftermath inspired the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning.

President Ronald Reagan launched his 1980 presidential campaign from the Neshoba County Fair, delivering a speech about economic policy that drew attention for the use of the phrase "states' rights" in an area associated with the 1964 murders.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.

Major highways

  • Circle sign 15.svg Mississippi Highway 15
  • Circle sign 16.svg Mississippi Highway 16
  • Circle sign 19.svg Mississippi Highway 19
  • Circle sign 21.svg Mississippi Highway 21

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 2,437
1850 4,728 94.0%
1860 8,343 76.5%
1870 7,439 −10.8%
1880 8,741 17.5%
1890 11,146 27.5%
1900 12,726 14.2%
1910 17,980 41.3%
1920 19,303 7.4%
1930 26,691 38.3%
1940 27,882 4.5%
1950 25,730 −7.7%
1960 20,927 −18.7%
1970 20,802 −0.6%
1980 23,789 14.4%
1990 24,800 4.2%
2000 28,684 15.7%
2010 29,676 3.5%
2020 29,087 −2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2013

2020 census

Neshoba County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 16,426 56.47%
Black or African American 6,380 21.93%
Native American 4,913 16.89%
Asian 122 0.42%
Other/Mixed 812 2.79%
Hispanic or Latino 434 1.49%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 29,087 people, 10,657 households, and 7,184 families residing in the county.

Communities

Cities

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Neshoba para niños

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