Leflore County, Mississippi

Leflore County, Mississippi
Location in the state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	1871
Seat	Greenwood
Largest city	Greenwood
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	606.35 sq mi (1,570 km²) 591.93 sq mi (1,533 km²) 14.42 sq mi (37 km²), 2.38%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	32,317 55/sq mi (21.1/km²)

Leflore County is a county located in the Mississippi Delta region of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2010, the population was 32,317. The county seat is Greenwood. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area. Leflore County is named for Choctaw leader Greenwood LeFlore.

History

Leflore County was a major site of activism and violence during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968). In 1963, the county had over 13,000 blacks of legal voting age, and fewer than 270 were registered. Meanwhile 95% of eligible white voters were registered. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee had moved its headquarters to Greenwood in early 1963, and by late March of that year, eight SNCC members were arrested while trying to register voters. The United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division filed suit against the city of Greenwood and Leflore county to obtain their release. The petition was denied by a local court, but the city of Greenwood entered into a voluntary agreement to release the students anyway. In June 1963, 45 residents of Itta Bena were arrested in Leflore county while marching to protest an attack on churches where voter registration drives were being held. The Civil Rights Division filed suit against the county to obtain their release as well, but to no avail.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 606.35 square miles (1,570.4 km²), of which 591.93 square miles (1,533.1 km²) (or 97.62%) is land and 14.42 square miles (37.3 km²) (or 2.38%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 49
• U.S. Highway 82
• Mississippi Highway 7
• Mississippi Highway 8

Adjacent counties

• Tallahatchie County (north)
• Grenada County (northeast)
• Carroll County (east)
• Holmes County (southeast)
• Humphreys County (southwest)
• Sunflower County (west)

National protected area

• Mathews Brake National Wildlife Refuge
• Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,947 people, 12,956 households, and 8,887 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile (25/km²). There were 14,097 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 30.00% White, 67.73% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. 1.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the the census of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Leflore County were African 67.73%, English 19%, and Scots-Irish 9.4%

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	10,246		—
1890	16,869		64.6%
1900	23,834		41.3%
1910	36,290		52.3%
1920	37,256		2.7%
1930	53,506		43.6%
1940	53,406		−0.2%
1950	51,813		−3.0%
1960	47,142		−9.0%
1970	42,111		−10.7%
1980	41,525		−1.4%
1990	37,341		−10.1%
2000	37,947		1.6%
2010	32,317		−14.8%
MS Counties 1900-1990 GeoHive - 2000 & 2010 statistics

There were 12,956 households out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.00% were married couples living together, 27.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% 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 3.33.

In the county the population was spread out with 29.70% under the age of 18, 13.10% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,518, and the median income for a family was $26,059. Males had a median income of $25,959 versus $18,497 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,553. About 29.10% of families and 34.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.00% of those under age 18 and 24.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

• Cities
  • Greenwood
  • Itta Bena

• Towns
  • Morgan City
  • Schlater
  • Sidon

• Unincorporated places
  • Berclair
  • Browning
  • McNutt
  • Minter City
  • Money
  • Rising Sun
  • Ruby
  • Shellmound
  • Sunnyside
  • Swiftown
  • Quito

• Ghost Town
  • Colony Town

Government and infrastructure

The Delta Correctional Facility, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, is located in Greenwood in Leflore County.

Education

• Colleges and Universities
  • Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena)

• Public School Districts
  • Greenwood Public School District
  • Leflore County School District

• Private Schools
  • Pillow Academy — formerly a segregation academy.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Leflore County, Mississippi