Neshoba County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neshoba County
|
|
---|---|
County
|
|
Neshoba County courthouse and Confederate Monument in Philadelphia
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of 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.
Contents
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
Adjacent counties
- Winston County (north)
- Kemper County (east)
- Newton County (south)
- Leake County (west)
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
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
- Philadelphia (county seat)
Town
- Union (mostly in Newton County)
Census-designated places
- Bogue Chitto (partly in Kemper County)
- Pearl River
- Tucker
Unincorporated communities
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Neshoba para niños