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Macon County, Alabama facts for kids

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Macon County
Macon County Courthouse in Tuskegee
Flag of Macon County
Flag
Official seal of Macon County
Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Macon County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Alabama
Founded December 18, 1832
Named for Nathaniel Macon
Seat Tuskegee
Largest city Tuskegee
Area
 • Total 613 sq mi (1,590 km2)
 • Land 609 sq mi (1,580 km2)
 • Water 4.3 sq mi (11 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 19,532
 • Estimate 
(2023)
18,370 Decrease
 • Density 31.863/sq mi (12.302/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
  • County Number 46 on Alabama Licence Plates

Macon County is a county in the east central part of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, about 19,532 people live there. The main town and county seat is Tuskegee. The county is named after Nathaniel Macon. He was a important member of the United States Senate from North Carolina.

In the 1800s, the county was known for its large cotton farms. These farms were called plantations. Many enslaved people were forced to work on these farms. Because of this history, the county is part of the "Black Belt" region. It has had a majority of Black residents for a long time.

History of Macon County

For thousands of years, different groups of indigenous peoples lived in this area. When Europeans arrived, they met the Creek people. The Creek were descendants of the ancient Mississippian culture.

Macon County was created on December 18, 1832. This happened after the Creek people gave up their land. The US Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830. This law forced many Native American groups, including the Creek, to move. They had to go to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

New settlers came to the area. They brought enslaved people with them. These enslaved people were forced to work on large cotton plantations.

In the early 1900s, many African Americans left the county. This was part of the Great Migration. They moved to big cities in the North and Midwest. They hoped to find better jobs and escape unfair laws. The population of Macon County has dropped since 1950.

Macon County is famous for Tuskegee University. This historic university was founded by Booker T. Washington. It was first known as Tuskegee Institute.

Geography

Macon County covers about 613 square miles. Most of this area, 609 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 4.3 square miles, is water.

Major Roads

  • I-85 (AL).svg Interstate 85
  • US 29.svg U.S. Highway 29
  • US 80.svg U.S. Highway 80
  • Alabama 14.svg State Route 14
  • Alabama 49.svg State Route 49
  • Alabama 81.svg State Route 81
  • Alabama 138.svg State Route 138
  • Alabama 186.svg State Route 186
  • Alabama 199.svg State Route 199
  • Alabama 229.svg State Route 229

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

Railroads

  • CSX A&WP Subdivision
  • Former Seaboard Line (no longer used)

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 11,247
1850 26,898 139.2%
1860 26,802 −0.4%
1870 17,727 −33.9%
1880 17,371 −2.0%
1890 18,439 6.1%
1900 23,126 25.4%
1910 26,049 12.6%
1920 23,561 −9.6%
1930 27,103 15.0%
1940 27,654 2.0%
1950 30,561 10.5%
1960 26,717 −12.6%
1970 24,841 −7.0%
1980 26,829 8.0%
1990 24,928 −7.1%
2000 24,105 −3.3%
2010 21,452 −11.0%
2020 19,532 −9.0%
2023 (est.) 18,370 −14.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 Census Data

This table shows the different groups of people living in Macon County.

Macon County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 3,331 3,267 3,187 13.82% 15.23% 16.32%
Black or African American alone (NH) 20,298 17,631 15,395 84.21% 82.19% 78.82%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 39 28 48 0.16% 0.13% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 91 76 74 0.38% 0.35% 0.38%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 2 4 0.00% 0.01% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 10 12 45 0.04% 0.06% 0.23%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 162 204 418 0.67% 0.95% 2.14%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 173 232 361 0.72% 1.08% 1.85%
Total 24,105 21,452 19,532 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

In 2020, there were 19,532 people living in Macon County. There were 7,474 households. Also, there were 4,279 families.

2010 Census Data

In 2010, there were 21,452 people in the county. About 82.6% were Black or African American. Around 15.5% were White. About 0.4% were Asian. A small number, 0.1%, were Native American. About 0.3% were of another race. And 1.1% were of two or more races. About 1.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

Communities

Macon County has one city and several towns and small communities.

City

  • Tuskegee (This is the main town, or county seat)

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially towns or cities.

Places to Visit

Macon County has many interesting places to visit.

  • Tuskegee University: A famous university with a rich history.
  • Tuskegee National Forest: A beautiful forest for outdoor activities.
  • Tuskegee Lake: A lake where you can enjoy nature.
  • Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Museum: Learn about human rights and civil rights history.
  • Moton Field: This was the training site for the Tuskegee Airmen. They were brave African American pilots.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Macon (Alabama) para niños

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