Dallas County, Alabama facts for kids

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Dallas County

U.S. county

Dallas County Courthouse in Selma. Built in 1901, it was given an extensive modern makeover in 1960

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Alabama

Alabama's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Alabama

Founded

February 9, 1818

Named for

Alexander J. Dallas

Seat

Selma

Largest city

Selma

Area

• Total

994 sq mi (2,570 km²)

• Land

979 sq mi (2,540 km²)

• Water

15 sq mi (40 km²) 1.5%

Population

(2020)

• Total

38,462

• Estimate

(2023)

36,165

• Density

38.694/sq mi (14.940/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

7th

County Number 27 on Alabama Licence Plates

Dallas County is a county located in the central part of Alabama, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 38,462 people lived there. The main city and county seat is Selma. The county was named after Alexander J. Dallas, who was an important government official called the United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1814 to 1816.

Dallas County is part of the Selma, AL area, which is a "Micropolitan Statistical Area." This means it's a smaller city area with close ties to nearby communities.

History of Dallas County

Dallas County was officially created on February 9, 1818. This happened when the Alabama territory was being formed. The land for the county came from Montgomery County. It was part of a large area of land that the Creek people had given to the U.S. government in 1814. The Creek were one of the "Five Civilized Tribes" in the Southeast, known for adopting some American ways of life. The county was named after Alexander J. Dallas, a government leader from Pennsylvania.

The Black Belt and Cotton Farming

Dallas County is in a part of Alabama known as the "Black Belt". This name came from the rich, dark soil that was great for farming. This area became famous for its large cotton farms, called plantations. For many years, enslaved African Americans were forced to work on these plantations.

After slavery ended, many African Americans stayed in the area. They often worked as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. This meant they farmed land owned by others and shared their crops or paid rent. Most people in Dallas County were African American during this time.

Rivers, Towns, and Changes

The Alabama River flows through Dallas County from the northeast to the southwest. The county shares borders with Perry, Chilton, Autauga, Lowndes, Wilcox, and Marengo counties.

The first county seat of Dallas County was Cahaba. For a short time, Cahaba was even the capital city of Alabama! But in 1865, the county seat moved to Selma. Today, Dallas County is still mostly rural, meaning it has more countryside than big cities. Other towns and communities include Marion Junction, Sardis, Orrville, Valley Grande, and Minter.

In the early 1900s, cotton farming faced a big problem: the boll weevil. This small insect damaged cotton plants, making it hard for farmers to grow enough cotton.

Voting Rights and the Great Migration

Around the same time, laws were passed that made it very hard for African Americans to vote. These laws included things like poll taxes (a fee to vote) and literacy tests (tests to prove you could read and write). These rules were designed to stop black citizens and many poor white citizens from voting.

From the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, many African Americans faced unfair treatment. They were often treated as if they were not equal to white people. To escape these difficult conditions, many black families moved from the South to cities in the North and West. This big movement of people is known as the Great Migration.

The Civil Rights Movement in Selma

In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans across the South began to fight for their right to vote and for equal treatment. Many brave people, including war veterans, worked hard to make changes.

From 1963 to 1965, Selma and Dallas County became a very important place for the Voting Rights Campaign. Local groups like the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL) and student activists from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organized protests. In late 1964, they asked for help from leaders of the SCLC, including Martin Luther King, Jr..

This campaign gained national and international attention in early 1965. On March 7, hundreds of peaceful marchers tried to walk from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital. As they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were met with violence from state troopers and local police. This event, known as "Bloody Sunday," was shown on national television and shocked many people.

The protesters tried again on March 21. This time, thousands of people from all over the country joined them. They also had protection from the federal government. About 25,000 people marched into Montgomery on the last day. Because of these powerful Selma to Montgomery marches, the U.S. Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in August of that year. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed it into law. This important law helped millions of African Americans in the South register and vote, allowing them to take part in the political system again.

Geography of Dallas County

The U.S. Census Bureau says that Dallas County covers a total area of 994 square miles (2,570 km²). Out of this, 979 square miles (2,540 km²) is land, and 15 square miles (39 km²) is water. About 1.5% of the county is covered by water.

Counties Nearby

Chilton County (north)
Autauga County (northeast)
Lowndes County (southeast)
Wilcox County (south)
Marengo County (west)
Perry County (northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail (part of the trail is in Dallas County)
Talladega National Forest (a small part of this forest is in the county)

Transportation in Dallas County

Main Roads

U.S. Highway 80
State Route 5
State Route 14
State Route 22
State Route 41
State Route 66
State Route 89
State Route 140
State Route 219

Airports

Craig Field (SEM) in Selma
Skyharbor Airport (S63) in Selma

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	6,003	—
1830	14,017	133.5%
1840	25,199	79.8%
1850	29,727	18.0%
1860	33,625	13.1%
1870	40,705	21.1%
1880	48,433	19.0%
1890	49,350	1.9%
1900	54,657	10.8%
1910	53,401	−2.3%
1920	54,697	2.4%
1930	55,094	0.7%
1940	55,245	0.3%
1950	56,270	1.9%
1960	56,667	0.7%
1970	55,296	−2.4%
1980	53,981	−2.4%
1990	48,130	−10.8%
2000	46,365	−3.7%
2010	43,820	−5.5%
2020	38,462	−12.2%
2023 (est.)	36,165	−17.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2020, the census counted 38,462 people living in Dallas County. There were 15,910 households and 10,328 families.

According to the 2020 census, the population of Dallas County was mostly African American. About 69.7% of the people were Black or African American. About 26.9% were White. Smaller groups included people who identified as Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, or of two or more races. About 0.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino (who can be of any race).

Education in Dallas County

Schools in areas outside of Selma are part of Dallas County Schools. Schools within the city of Selma are managed by Selma City Schools.

Communities in Dallas County

Cities

Selma (This is the county seat, meaning it's where the main government offices are.)
Valley Grande

Towns

Orrville

Census-designated places

Selmont-West Selmont (These are areas that are like towns but not officially incorporated as one.)

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Cahaba (A ghost town is a place where people used to live but have now left, often leaving behind empty buildings.)

Notable People from Dallas County

Kenneth D. McKellar, an American politician who served in the government from Tennessee.
Redoshi, a woman from Benin, West Africa, who was sadly kidnapped and sold to a slave owner in Dallas County.