Drew, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Drew, Mississippi
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Location of Drew, Mississippi
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 Drew, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Sunflower |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.12 sq mi (2.91 km2) |
| • Land | 1.12 sq mi (2.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 135 ft (41 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,927 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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1,608 |
| • Density | 1,433.16/sq mi (553.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
38737-38738
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| Area code(s) | 662 |
| FIPS code | 28-20020 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0669383 |
Drew is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi. The population was 1,927 at the 2010 census. Drew is in the vicinity of several plantations and the Mississippi State Penitentiary, a Mississippi Department of Corrections prison for men.
Contents
History
"At the same time the Yellow Dog Railroad was extended through (what is now) Drew and due to some disagreement between the railroad and some McLemore interests, the post office was moved (from Promised Land Plantation) to here. Both the Post Office and the town were named for Miss Drew Daniel, daughter of Andrew Jackson Daniel
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Todd J. Moye, author of Let the People Decide: Black Freedom and White Resistance Movements in Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1945-1986, said that the white residents of Drew "traditionally been regarded as the most recalcitrant in the county on racial matters." Moye explained that Whites in Drew were "considered the most recalcitrant of Sunflower County, and perhaps the state."
The Little Red Schoolhouse was built by matching funds from the Rosenwald Fund in 1928. In the 21st century it received a grant for renovation of the large school.
During the Civil Rights Movement, when attempts were made to move Fannie Lou Hamer's movement for poor people from Ruleville to Drew, the organizers, according to Moye, "faced stiff resistance." Mae Bertha Carter, a major figure in the area civil rights movement, was from Drew.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), all land. Because of its small size, Billy Turner of The Times-Picayune said "[y]ou can travel all over town in a few minutes." Drew is in the vicinity of several plantations and the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman), a Mississippi Department of Corrections prison for men.
Drew, in northern Sunflower County, is located on U.S. Route 49W, on the route between Jackson and Clarksdale. Drew is 8 miles (13 km) south of the Mississippi State Penitentiary, and it is north of Ruleville. Cleveland, Mississippi is 12 miles (19 km) from Drew. Drew is north of Yazoo City.
Many houses in Drew are government-owned. Some houses sold for $6,000 to $8,000 in the year until Saturday January 26, 2008. Some Drew residents said in 2008 that some houses, if put on the market, would sell for over $120,000.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 195 | — | |
| 1910 | 278 | 42.6% | |
| 1920 | 721 | 159.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,373 | 90.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,579 | 15.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,681 | 6.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,143 | 27.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,574 | 20.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,528 | −1.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,349 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,434 | 3.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,927 | −20.8% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 1,608 | −16.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 198 | 10.69% |
| Black or African American | 1,573 | 84.94% |
| Native American | 5 | 0.27% |
| Asian | 3 | 0.16% |
| Other/Mixed | 44 | 2.38% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 29 | 1.57% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,852 people, 729 households, and 503 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,927 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.7% Black, 16.0% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian and 0.2% from two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Transportation
Ruleville-Drew Airport is in unincorporated Sunflower County, between Drew and Ruleville. The airport is jointly operated by the cities of Drew and Ruleville.
Economy
At one time, Drew was the locality in the United States that had the most cotton gins. In 2008, it only had one cotton gin. Billy Turner of The Times-Picayune said "[t]here's some corn, some beans, but mostly, there's no business." By 2012 the SuperValu grocery store had closed. Melanie Townsend, a woman quoted in a 2012 Bolivar Commercial article, said that since the grocery store closed, few employment opportunities were available in Drew and that the Drew School District was the largest employer in the area.
Education
The City of Drew is served by the Sunflower County Consolidated School District. Elementary and middle school students attend schools in Drew: A. W. James Elementary School (K-5) and Drew Hunter Middle School (6-8). High school students attend Ruleville Central High School in Ruleville.
The North Sunflower Academy is in an unincorporated area of Sunflower County, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Drew. The school originated as a segregation academy, Mississippi Delta Community College has the Drew Center in Drew.
The Sunflower County Library operates the Drew Public Library.
History of education
Previously it was served by the predominantly African-American Drew School District. Prior to closure, the district's schools were Drew Hunter High School and A.W. James Elementary School. Prior to the 2010–2011 school year the school district had three school buildings, including A.W. James Elementary School, Hunter Middle School, and Drew High School. The Drew district was merged into Sunflower County schools in 2012. That year Drew High School's high school division was closed. High school students began attending Ruleville Central High School.
Prior to Federal Government Forced Integration, beginning with the 1970–1971 school year, the Drew school district had four school buildings: the predominantly and historically white Drew High School and A.W. James Elementary, and the newer African-American Hunter High School and the Lil’ Red Rosenwald School, which now houses a community center.
The Mae Bertha Carter children were the first and only African-Americans to attend all-white schools in the county. Jo Etha Collier, one of many African-Americans to attend Drew High School starting in the fall of 1970, was shot to death in 1971 at age 18. As of July 1, 2012, the Drew School District was consolidated with the Sunflower County School District. Drew Hunter closed as of that date, with high school students rezoned to Ruleville Central High School.
Notable people
- Mae Bertha Carter, Civil Rights activist.
- Boo Boo Davis, blues singer, released an album entitled Drew, Mississippi.
- Al Dixon, football player.
- Harold Dorman, rock and roll singer and songwriter.
- William Eggleston, internationally famous groundbreaking photographer, grew up in Drew.
- Archie Manning, former NFL quarterback.
- Billy Stacy, football player.
- Pops Staples and Cleotha Staples, members of The Staple Singers.
See also
In Spanish: Drew (Misisipi) para niños
