Shaw, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shaw, Mississippi
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Mississippi Blues Trail marker for David "Honeyboy" Edwards in Shaw
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Location of Shaw, Mississippi
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 Shaw, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| Counties | Bolivar, Sunflower |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.11 sq mi (2.88 km2) |
| • Land | 1.11 sq mi (2.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 135 ft (41 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,457 |
| • Density | 1,309.07/sq mi (505.46/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
38773
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| Area code(s) | 662 |
| FIPS code | 28-67000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405451 |
Shaw is a city in Bolivar and Sunflower counties, Mississippi, United States, located in the Mississippi Delta region. The name was derived from an old Indian tribe northeast of this region. The population was 1,952 at the 2010 census.
History
On June 30, 1914, Jack Farmer, an African-American resident of Shaw, was being sought by a white posse for allegedly murdering Earl Chase, a white man, also a resident of Shaw. Two deaths took place during the intense search: Jennie Collins, an African-American woman thought to have assisted Farmer in his flight, and James Jolly, a member of the posse who was mistaken for Farmer in the darkness. Both were shot and killed as the posse swept through a local swamp where Farmer was believed to be hiding. Farmer was never located.
Shaw gained national attention in 1971 when a group of local residents led by Andrew Hawkins sued the town for violating their Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection under the law. In Hawkins v. Town of Shaw, the residents claimed the town had discriminated against black neighborhoods in the way it distributed public services, noting that while 99 percent of homes occupied by whites had access to sewers, only 80 percent of black-occupied homes had sewer access. Water pressure was also lower in black neighborhoods. The Fifth Circuit Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, and ordered Shaw to equalize access to public services such as fire hydrants, water mains, lighting, sewers and street paving. The ruling was considered a watershed civil rights victory, with some commentators comparing it to Brown v. Board of Education. However, the case did not encourage a wave of similar lawsuits in other jurisdictions.
Geography
Shaw is almost entirely in Bolivar County, with a small portion extending east into adjacent Sunflower County. In the 2000 census, all of the city's 2,313 residents lived in Bolivar County. Although no residents lived in the Sunflower County portion in 2000, that figure had risen to 1 by 2006.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.9 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 201 | — | |
| 1900 | 422 | 110.0% | |
| 1910 | 871 | 106.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,375 | 57.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,612 | 17.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,669 | 3.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,892 | 13.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,062 | 9.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,513 | 21.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,461 | −2.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,349 | −4.6% | |
| 2000 | 2,312 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,952 | −15.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,457 | −25.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 51 | 3.5% |
| Black or African American | 1,376 | 94.44% |
| Asian | 8 | 0.55% |
| Other/Mixed | 12 | 0.82% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10 | 0.69% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,457 people, 737 households, and 548 families residing in the city.
Education
Most of Shaw is served by the West Bolivar Consolidated School District, while the small portion of the city that lies in Sunflower County is served by the Sunflower County School District. McEvans Elementary School and Shaw High School (at one time together as McEvans Warriors K-12 School) are the schools in town; Shaw High School and McEvans Elementary School merged effective 2020. As of 2024[update] they are separate institutions again.
The Bolivar County part of Shaw was in the Shaw School District until July 1, 2014, when that district was consolidated into West Bolivar Consolidated.
Notable people
- Katie G. Dorsett, Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly
- David Honeyboy Edwards, blues singer and guitarist
- Boo Ferriss, former professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Paul Gallo, radio show host
- Louis Satterfield, musician
- Bill Triplett, football player
See also
In Spanish: Shaw (Misisipi) para niños
