Phillips County, Arkansas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Phillips County
U.S. county
Phillips County courthouse in Helena-West Helena
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	May 1, 1820
Named for	Sylvanus Phillips
Seat	Helena-West Helena
Largest city	Helena-West Helena
Area
• Total	727 sq mi (1,880 km²)
• Land	696 sq mi (1,800 km²)
• Water	32 sq mi (80 km²) 4.4%%
Population (2010)
• Total	21,757
• Estimate (2019)	17,782
• Density	29.927/sq mi (11.555/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Phillips County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas, in what is known as the Arkansas Delta along the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,757. The county seat is Helena–West Helena. Phillips County is Arkansas's seventh (7th) county, formed on May 1, 1820, and named for Sylvanus Phillips, the area's first-known white settler and representative to the first Territorial Legislature of the Arkansas Territory. This lowland area was developed for cotton plantations in the antebellum area and is still largely rural.

The Helena-West Helena, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Phillips County.

From September 30-October 1, 1919 during the Elaine race riot in Phillips County, 237 African Americans were killed, attacked at large by armed whites trying to suppress the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America which was organizing in the county. Because the white mob actions were racial terrorism against African Americans, the deaths were classified as lynchings by the Equal Justice Initiative in its 2015 report on lynchings in the South. Based on this, Phillips County ranks as the county with the highest number of lynchings in U.S. history.

Geography
Demographics
- 2020 census
- 2010 census
Communities
Education
Notable people
See also

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 727 square miles (1,880 km²), of which 696 square miles (1,800 km²) is land and 32 square miles (83 km²) (4.4%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 49
Highway 1
Highway 39
Highway 85

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

St. Francis National Forest (part)
White River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	1,152	—
1840	3,547	207.9%
1850	6,935	95.5%
1860	14,877	114.5%
1870	15,372	3.3%
1880	21,262	38.3%
1890	25,341	19.2%
1900	26,561	4.8%
1910	33,535	26.3%
1920	44,530	32.8%
1930	40,683	−8.6%
1940	45,970	13.0%
1950	46,254	0.6%
1960	43,997	−4.9%
1970	40,046	−9.0%
1980	34,772	−13.2%
1990	28,838	−17.1%
2000	26,445	−8.3%
2010	21,757	−17.7%
2019 (est.)	17,782	−18.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2016

Age pyramid Phillips County

2020 census

Phillips County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White	5,541	33.44%
Black or African American	10,305	62.2%
Native American	38	0.23%
Asian	64	0.39%
Pacific Islander	4	0.02%
Other/Mixed	352	2.12%
Hispanic or Latino	264	1.59%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 16,568 people, 7,485 households, and 4,836 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 21,757 people living in the county. 63.1% were Black or African American, 35.0% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 1.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

Communities

Cities

Town

Lexa

Unincorporated places

Townships

Townships in Phillips County, Arkansas as of 2010

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Phillips County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi²)	Pop. density (/km²)	Total area (mi²)	Total area (km²)	Land area (mi²)	Land area (km²)	Water area (mi²)	Water area (km²)	Geographic coordinates
Big Creek	05-90273	00068945		425	11.05	4.26	38.474	99.65	38.474	99.65	0	0.000	34°29′04″N 90°53′36″W / 34.484468°N 90.893231°W / 34.484468; -90.893231
Cleburne	05-90849	00068946		660	29.12	11.24	22.692	58.77	22.665	58.70	0.027	0.06993	34°36′32″N 90°41′27″W / 34.608847°N 90.690904°W / 34.608847; -90.690904
Cleveland	05-90870	00068947		198	8.01	3.09	24.731	64.05	24.722	64.03	0.009	0.02331	34°28′46″N 90°58′19″W / 34.479487°N 90.971919°W / 34.479487; -90.971919
Cypress	05-91005	00068948		152	9.54	3.68	15.938	41.28	15.938	41.28	0	0.000	34°28′35″N 91°01′08″W / 34.476511°N 91.018900°W / 34.476511; -91.018900
Hickory Ridge	05-91704	00068949	Marvell	1,550	49.89	19.26	31.10	80.55	31.066	80.46	0.034	0.08806	34°35′11″N 90°56′11″W / 34.586411°N 90.936268°W / 34.586411; -90.936268
Hicksville	05-91707	00068950		231	6.99	2.70	33.046	85.59	33.046	85.59	0	0.000	34°35′11″N 91°01′00″W / 34.586511°N 91.016744°W / 34.586511; -91.016744
Hornor	05-91767	00068951	part of Helena-West Helena	9,697	265.48	102.51	36.526	94.60	36.526	94.60	0	0.000	34°32′24″N 90°40′45″W / 34.539980°N 90.679052°W / 34.539980; -90.679052
Lake	05-92094	00068953		41	0.91	0.35	50.741	131.4	44.870	116.2	5.871	15.21	34°24′38″N 90°40′36″W / 34.410535°N 90.676788°W / 34.410535; -90.676788
Marion	05-92391	00068955		589	14.42	5.57	40.865	105.8	40.846	105.8	0.019	0.04921	34°35′51″N 90°52′13″W / 34.597488°N 90.870256°W / 34.597488; -90.870256
Mooney	05-92547	00078865		179	1.70	0.66	115.059	298.0	105.231	272.5	9.828	25.45	34°11′30″N 90°58′10″W / 34.191547°N 90.969308°W / 34.191547; -90.969308
St. Francis	05-93276	00068956	most of Helena-West Helena	4,746	103.10	39.82	53.971	139.8	46.034	119.2	7.937	20.56	34°32′21″N 90°36′13″W / 34.539209°N 90.603521°W / 34.539209; -90.603521
Spring Creek	05-93462	00068958	Lexa, small part of Lake View	1,789	22.46	8.67	79.694	206.4	79.648	206.3	0.046	0.1191	34°31′40″N 90°45′56″W / 34.527768°N 90.765687°W / 34.527768; -90.765687
Tappan	05-93573	00068959	Elaine, most of Lake View	1,500	8.49	3.28	184.506	477.9	176.595	457.4	7.911	20.49	34°20′37″N 90°52′49″W / 34.343723°N 90.880168°W / 34.343723; -90.880168
Source: Source:

Education

School districts serving Phillips County include the Helena-West Helena School District, the Marvell–Elaine School District, and the Barton–Lexa School District.

Previously the Lake View School District served a portion of the county. On July 1, 2004, the Lake View district merged into the Barton–Lexa district. Previously the Elaine School District served another portion of the county. On July 1, 2006, the Elaine district merged into the Marvell district.

Marvell Academy, a private school founded in 1966 as a segregation academy, is in unincorporated Phillips County, near Marvell.

Notable people

Bruce Bennett, Arkansas Attorney General
Barry Williamson, attorney and member of the Texas Railroad Commission
Blanche Lincoln, U.S. Senator
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm, drummer and singer for The Band
Robert Lockwood Jr., blues guitarist and singer
Elias Camp Morris, African-American Baptist minister, also known as Dr. E.C. Morris. Founder of the National Baptist Convention & Morris - Booker College.
Angie Craig, U.S. Representative from Minnesota

Phillips County, Arkansas facts for kids

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