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Wilcox County, Alabama

(Redirected from History of Wilcox County, Alabama)

Wilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,600.[1] Its county seat is Camden.[2]

Wilcox County
County
Wilcox County Courthouse in Camden, Alabama
Wilcox County Courthouse in Camden, Alabama
Official seal of Wilcox County
Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Wilcox County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°59′06″N 87°18′39″W / 31.985°N 87.310833333333°W / 31.985; -87.310833333333
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 13, 1819
Named forJoseph M. Wilcox
SeatCamden
Largest cityCamden
Area
 • Total907 sq mi (2,350 km2)
 • Land888 sq mi (2,300 km2)
 • Water19 sq mi (50 km2)  2.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,600
 • Estimate 
(2023)
9,944 Decrease
 • Density12/sq mi (4.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
  • County Number 66 on Alabama Licence Plates

History

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Wilcox County was established on December 13, 1819. The county was named after Joseph M. Wilcox, a United States Army lieutenant who was killed in Alabama during the Creek War.[3]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 907 square miles (2,350 km2), of which 888 square miles (2,300 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (2.1%) is water.[4]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18202,917—
18309,548227.3%
184015,27860.0%
185017,35213.6%
186024,61841.9%
187028,37715.3%
188031,82812.2%
189030,816−3.2%
190035,63115.6%
191033,810−5.1%
192031,080−8.1%
193024,880−19.9%
194026,2795.6%
195023,476−10.7%
196018,739−20.2%
197016,303−13.0%
198014,755−9.5%
199013,568−8.0%
200013,183−2.8%
201011,670−11.5%
202010,600−9.2%
2023 (est.)9,944[5]−6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010–2020[1]

2020 Census

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Wilcox 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[10] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 3,611 3,110 2,866 27.39% 26.65% 27.04%
Black or African American alone (NH) 9,423 8,420 7,425 71.48% 72.15% 70.05%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 19 14 11 0.14% 0.12% 0.10%
Asian alone (NH) 8 4 7 0.06% 0.03% 0.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 1 5 0.02% 0.01% 0.05%
Other race alone (NH) 0 2 16 0.00% 0.02% 0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 23 47 158 0.17% 0.40% 1.49%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 97 72 112 0.74% 0.62% 1.06%
Total 13,183 11,670 10,600 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,600 people, 3,854 households, and 2,284 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,670 people living in the county. 72.5% were Black or African American, 26.8% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% of some other race and 0.4% of two or more races. 0.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

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As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 13,183 people, 4,776 households, and 3,376 families living in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km2). There were 6,183 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.90% Black or African American, 27.51% White, 0.14% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Nearly 0.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,776 households, out of which 36.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.80% were married couples living together, 26.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. Nearly 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.31.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.70% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $16,646, and the median income for a family was $22,200. Males had a median income of $26,216 versus $17,274 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,903. About 36.10% of families and 39.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.40% of those under age 18 and 32.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

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Wilcox County leans heavily towards the Democratic Party. The only Republican to carry the county since 1900 has been Barry Goldwater in 1964 – when little to none of the county's black majority had voted for over seven decades and opposition by the voting white minority to Civil Rights meant that national Democrat Lyndon Johnson was not allowed on the ballot. Even after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, black registration was so slow that segregationist George Wallace comfortably carried the county in 1968, but since then the Democratic presidential candidate has carried Wilcox in every election. It was one of only six Wallace counties[a] to vote for George McGovern against Richard Nixon's 3,000-plus-county landslide of 1972.

United States presidential election results for Wilcox County, Alabama[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,833 31.05% 4,048 68.58% 22 0.37%
2016 1,742 28.45% 4,339 70.86% 42 0.69%
2012 1,679 25.61% 4,868 74.26% 8 0.12%
2008 1,868 28.77% 4,612 71.02% 14 0.22%
2004 1,834 32.28% 3,838 67.55% 10 0.18%
2000 1,661 32.40% 3,444 67.19% 21 0.41%
1996 1,454 30.00% 3,303 68.15% 90 1.86%
1992 1,671 31.50% 3,439 64.84% 194 3.66%
1988 1,739 33.98% 3,369 65.83% 10 0.20%
1984 2,337 38.81% 3,663 60.83% 22 0.37%
1980 2,280 31.40% 4,951 68.19% 30 0.41%
1976 1,824 32.78% 3,723 66.90% 18 0.32%
1972 2,641 44.42% 3,254 54.74% 50 0.84%
1968 237 5.34% 1,658 37.38% 2,540 57.27%
1964 1,789 91.93% 0 0.00% 157 8.07%
1960 513 36.00% 905 63.51% 7 0.49%
1956 499 33.85% 778 52.78% 197 13.36%
1952 725 42.30% 988 57.64% 1 0.06%
1948 14 1.19% 0 0.00% 1,162 98.81%
1944 30 2.42% 1,209 97.42% 2 0.16%
1940 20 1.29% 1,534 98.71% 0 0.00%
1936 11 0.80% 1,365 99.13% 1 0.07%
1932 23 1.67% 1,358 98.33% 0 0.00%
1928 266 21.35% 979 78.57% 1 0.08%
1924 6 0.63% 938 97.81% 15 1.56%
1920 2 0.18% 1,099 99.73% 1 0.09%
1916 1 0.12% 866 99.88% 0 0.00%
1912 7 0.78% 878 97.77% 13 1.45%
1908 2 0.19% 1,027 99.81% 0 0.00%
1904 2 0.22% 912 98.92% 8 0.87%
1900 30 1.44% 2,031 97.46% 23 1.10%
1896 45 1.48% 2,956 96.95% 48 1.57%
1892 215 3.96% 4,687 86.25% 532 9.79%
1888 607 11.20% 4,811 88.80% 0 0.00%
1884 1,541 38.82% 2,429 61.18% 0 0.00%
1880 1,264 40.46% 1,860 59.54% 0 0.00%
1876 3,599 70.72% 1,490 29.28% 0 0.00%
1872 3,958 75.77% 1,266 24.23% 0 0.00%
1868 3,396 69.59% 1,484 30.41% 0 0.00%
1860 0 0.00% 113 8.69% 1,188 91.31%
1856 0 0.00% 813 64.58% 446 35.42%
1852 286 34.42% 398 47.89% 147 17.69%
1848 639 57.16% 479 42.84% 0 0.00%
1844 585 48.19% 629 51.81% 0 0.00%
1840 778 64.09% 436 35.91% 0 0.00%
1836 607 71.50% 242 28.50% 0 0.00%
1832 0 0.00% 642 100.00% 0 0.00%

Religion

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According to the Association of Religion Data Archives at Pennsylvania State University, religious affiliation in Wilcox County in 2010 was as follows:[15]

Education

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All public schools in the county are operated by the Wilcox County School District[16] and include Camden School of Arts and Technology and Wilcox Central Academy. The community is also served by one private school, Wilcox Academy, founded in 1970 as a segregation academy.[17] The public schools are effectively all-Black.

Economy

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Major industries in the county include a paper mill operated by International Paper, based in Memphis, Tennessee, on the Alabama River near Pine Hill that employs roughly 400 people, and a copper tubing plant owned by Golden Dragon Copper Group of Xinxiang, China in Sunny South that opened in 2014; it employs approximately 300.[18][19][20]

Communities

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City

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns

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Places of interest

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Wilcox County is home to Roland Cooper State Park, Lake Dannelly, and Bridgeport Beach.

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Joseph M. Wilcox • Cullum's Register • 72".
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wilcox County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilcox County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilcox County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  14. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  15. ^ "Wilcox County, Alabama". The Association of Religion. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  16. ^ "Schools". Wilcox County Schools. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  17. ^ Carla Crowder (October 27, 2002). "Private white academies struggle in changing world". Birmingham News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  18. ^ Mitchell, Ellen (September 11, 2012). "International Paper Co. plans $27 million maintenance project for Pine Hill mill". Press-Register. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  19. ^ McDonald, George. "Crews Clearing Site of Golden Dragon Copper Plant in Wilcox Co". WAKA CBS 8. Bahakel Communications, Ltd. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  20. ^ "Wilcox County Demographics". March 14, 2014.

Notes

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  1. ^ The others were the fellow Alabama counties of Bullock and Lowndes with similarly delayed black registration after 1965, and the white majority, historically secessionist Middle Tennessee trio of Houston County, Perry County and Stewart County.
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31°59′06″N 87°18′39″W / 31.98500°N 87.31083°W / 31.98500; -87.31083

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