Neshoba County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neshoba County
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Neshoba County courthouse and Confederate Monument in Philadelphia
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Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
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 Mississippi's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1833 |
| Named for | Choctaw for “wolf” |
| Seat | Philadelphia |
| Largest city | Philadelphia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 572 sq mi (1,480 km2) |
| • Land | 570 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 29,087 |
| • Density | 50.85/sq mi (19.634/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Neshoba County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,087. Its county seat is Philadelphia.
The county is known for the Neshoba County Fair and harness horse races. It is home of the Williams Brothers Store, which has been in operation since the early 1900s.
In June 1964, civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were chased down and murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Initially treated as a missing persons case, their disappearance provoked national outrage and contributed significantly to the July enactment of the Civil Rights Act by President Johnson. The crime and decades-long legal aftermath of investigation and trials inspired the 1988 movie Mississippi Burning.
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), a federally recognized tribe, is based here and has developed one of the largest casino complexes in the state on their reservation, the Pearl River Resort.
Contents
History
At the time of European encounter, this was part of the territory of the historic Choctaw people, who occupied most of what later was defined as Mississippi. Under President Andrew Jackson, the United States conducted Indian removal in the 1830s in the Southeast, and most of the Choctaw were removed to west of the Mississippi River, to land in Indian Territory, now part of Oklahoma.
Neshoba was founded by European American settlers in 1833.
Descendants of the Choctaw who remained in the state continued to identify as Choctaw. They lived in relatively distinct communities and reorganized in the 1930s, gaining federal recognition as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Even in the 1970s, eighty percent of their people continued to speak Choctaw.
Late 19th century to present
The white-dominated state legislature passed a new constitution in 1890, that effectively disenfranchised most freedmen and other non-whites, such as Native Americans. This exclusion was maintained well into the 20th century, but activists in the 1960s increasingly worked to restore voting rights throughout the state.
At various times, 76 post offices were established within the county. Around the turn of the 20th century, 40 small post offices were operating at the same time. By 1971, only the post offices in Philadelphia and Neshoba were still operational. Today, only the one in Philadelphia remains.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan launched his presidential campaign at the Neshoba County Fair to deliver a speech on economic policy and refer to states' rights.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Major highways
Mississippi Highway 15
Mississippi Highway 16
Mississippi Highway 19
Mississippi Highway 21
Adjacent counties
- Winston County (north)
- Kemper County (east)
- Newton County (south)
- Leake County (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 2,437 | — | |
| 1850 | 4,728 | 94.0% | |
| 1860 | 8,343 | 76.5% | |
| 1870 | 7,439 | −10.8% | |
| 1880 | 8,741 | 17.5% | |
| 1890 | 11,146 | 27.5% | |
| 1900 | 12,726 | 14.2% | |
| 1910 | 17,980 | 41.3% | |
| 1920 | 19,303 | 7.4% | |
| 1930 | 26,691 | 38.3% | |
| 1940 | 27,882 | 4.5% | |
| 1950 | 25,730 | −7.7% | |
| 1960 | 20,927 | −18.7% | |
| 1970 | 20,802 | −0.6% | |
| 1980 | 23,789 | 14.4% | |
| 1990 | 24,800 | 4.2% | |
| 2000 | 28,684 | 15.7% | |
| 2010 | 29,676 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 29,087 | −2.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 28,789 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White | 16,426 | 56.47% |
| Black or African American | 6,380 | 21.93% |
| Native American | 4,913 | 16.89% |
| Asian | 122 | 0.42% |
| Other/Mixed | 812 | 2.79% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 434 | 1.49% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 29,087 people, 10,657 households, and 7,184 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Philadelphia (county seat)
Town
- Union (mostly in Newton County)
Census-designated places
- Bogue Chitto (partly in Kemper County)
- Pearl River
- Tucker
Unincorporated communities
Education
School districts include:
- Neshoba County School District
- Philadelphia Public School District
- Union Public School District
Choctaw Tribal School System maintains Bogue Chitto Elementary School, Pearl River Elementary School, Tucker Elementary School, Choctaw Central Middle School, and Choctaw Central High School in the county.
