Issaquena County, Mississippi
| Issaquena County, Mississippi | |
 Location in the state of Mississippi |
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 Mississippi's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1844 |
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| Seat | Mayersville |
| Largest Town | Mayersville |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
441.36 sq mi (1,143 km²) 413.06 sq mi (1,070 km²) 28.30 sq mi (73 km²), 6.41% |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
1,406 3/sq mi (1.23/km²) |
Issaquena County is a county located in the Mississippi Delta region of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2010, the population was 1,406, making it the smallest county by population in Mississippi. Its county seat is Mayersville[1]. Issaquena is a Native American word which means Deer River. The county is highly based on agriculture.
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Slavery[edit]
Issaquena County is notable for its participation in slavery. In 1860, 92.5% of Issaquena County's total population were slaves, the highest concentration of slaves in the United States.[2] The U.S. Census for that year showed that 7,244 slaves were held in Issaquena County, and of 115 slave owners, 39 held 77 or more slaves.[3] Dr. Stephen Duncan of Issaquena County held 858 slaves, second only to Joshua John Ward of South Carolina.[4]
Geography[edit]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 441.36 square miles (1,143.1 km2), of which 413.06 square miles (1,069.8 km2) (or 93.59%) is land and 28.30 square miles (73.3 km2) (or 6.41%) is water.[5]
Major highways[edit]
Adjacent counties[edit]
- Washington County (north)
- Sharkey County (northeast)
- Yazoo County (east)
- Warren County (south)
- East Carroll Parish, Louisiana (west)
- Chicot County, Arkansas (northwest)
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Chicot County, Arkansas | Washington County | Sharkey County | |
| East Carroll Parish, Louisiana |  |
Yazoo County | ||
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| Warren County |
Demographics[edit]
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 2,274 people, 726 households, and 509 families residing in the county. The population density was 5.15 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 877 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 36.32% White, 62.75% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.22% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 4,478 |
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| 1860 | 7,831 | 74.9% | |
| 1870 | 6,887 | −12.1% | |
| 1880 | 10,004 | 45.3% | |
| 1890 | 12,318 | 23.1% | |
| 1900 | 10,400 | −15.6% | |
| 1910 | 10,560 | 1.5% | |
| 1920 | 7,618 | −27.9% | |
| 1930 | 5,734 | −24.7% | |
| 1940 | 6,433 | 12.2% | |
| 1950 | 4,966 | −22.8% | |
| 1960 | 3,576 | −28.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,737 | −23.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,513 | −8.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,909 | −24.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,274 | 19.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,406 | −38.2% | |
| MS Counties 1900-1990 GeoHive - 2000 & 2010 statistics |
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There were 726 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.60% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.70% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 113.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $19,936, and the median income for a family was $23,913. Males had a median income of $23,167 versus $17,115 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,581. About 25.90% of families and 33.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.20% of those under age 18 and 41.00% of those age 65 or over.
Issaquena County has the second lowest per capita income in Mississippi and the 36th lowest in the United States.
Communities[edit]
- Towns
- Unincorporated places
Education[edit]
There are no schools located in Issaquena County. Students attend campuses in neighboring Sharkey and Washington counties.
- Public School Districts
- South Delta School District – Based in Rolling Fork; Serves most of Issaquena County including Mayersville.
- Western Line School District – Based in Avon; Serves northwestern portion of Issaquena County.
- Private Schools
- Sharkey-Issaquena Academy – Located in Rolling Fork; Enrollment open to Issaquena County residents.
Famous Natives[edit]
- Muddy Waters, Blues Musician (1913–1983)
- Eliza Winston, Notable slave
See also[edit]
- Blackwell v. Issaquena County Board of Education, an important 1965 civil rights legal case
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Issaquena County, Mississippi
References[edit]
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Blake, Tom (2001). "Largest Slaveholders from 1860 Slave Census Schedules". Ancestry.com.
- ^ Franks, Bob (2010). "Issaquena County Slave Research". Issaquena Genealogy and History Project.
- ^ Blake, Tom (2004). "THE SIXTEEN LARGEST AMERICAN SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES". Ancestry.com.
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 32°44′N 90°59′W / 32.74°N 90.99°W
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