Marks, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marks, Mississippi
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Location of Marks, Mississippi
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 Marks, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Quitman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
| • Land | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,444 |
| • Density | 1,125.49/sq mi (434.69/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
38646
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| Area code(s) | 662 |
| FIPS code | 28-45240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0673138 |
Marks is a city in and the county seat of Quitman County, Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,735.
History
Marks is notable for being the starting point of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Poor People's Campaign in 1968.
The town of Marks was named after Leopold Marks (1851-1910) who left Germany to avoid conscription by the German army. He landed in New York in 1868. He knew no English and arrived with only $0.27 in his pockets.
Nonetheless, Marks was Quitman County's first representative to the state legislature and served in that capacity for eight years. In 1875 he married; his wife, Pauline, was born in 1852 but her year of death is unknown.
Leopold Marks realized the potential of the Coldwater River region and the dense forests and the fertile banks of Cassidy's Bayou when he bought a small trading boat and peddled goods up and down the river area. He opened his store and began to buy land at $0.40 per acre. He also peddled jewelry across the county until he reached Friars Point.
Prejudice at first kept him from obtaining the land grant that he sought. He was shot at several times. (Source: page 77-78 "Jews of Early Mississippi" published by University Press of Mississippi) He skirted the issue by forming the Marks Townsite Company and did manage to get the grant.
He encouraged the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad to come into the area by giving the railroad company, without cost, the right-of-way through his plantation plus 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land. Leopold Marks' son Henry donated land to the town to be used as a cemetery.
The official "founding" of the town is considered to be May 12, 1907; on May 12, 2007, the town celebrated its centennial.
Geography
Marks is located at 34°15′18″N 90°16′22″W / 34.25500°N 90.27278°W (34.254918, -90.272784).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 670 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,020 | 52.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,258 | 23.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,818 | 44.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,209 | 21.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,572 | 16.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,609 | 1.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,260 | −13.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,758 | −22.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,551 | −11.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,735 | 11.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,444 | −16.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 381 | 26.39% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,031 | 71.4% |
| Asian | 4 | 0.28% |
| Other/Mixed | 23 | 1.59% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5 | 0.35% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,444 people, 699 households, and 425 families residing in the city.
Education
The City of Marks is served by the Quitman County School District.
Delta Academy, a private school, is in Marks.
Notable people
- Larry Garron, Professional football player
- Frederick W. Smith, Founder and CEO of FedEx Corporation
- Carolyn Stanford Taylor, Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Gallery
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Martin Luther King Jr. conducted a memorial service at Valley Queen Missionary Baptist Church in Marks in 1966. King apologized for not wearing a tie while in the pulpit, saying he had come to the area to lead marches and not funerals.
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Veterans Memorial
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Post office
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Courthouse
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Memorial
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Road sign
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Main Street
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Fire hall
See also
In Spanish: Marks (Misisipi) para niños
