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 2020 census, the population was 16,568.[1] The county seat is Helena–West Helena.[2]
Phillips County | |
|---|---|
 Phillips County courthouse in Helena-West Helena | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas | |
 Arkansas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 34°23′25″N 90°52′11″W / 34.390277777778°N 90.869722222222°W | |
| 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 (2020) | |
| • Total | 16,568 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 15,906 |
| • Density | 23/sq mi (8.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | phillipscounty |
Phillips County is Arkansas's seventh (7th) county, formed on May 1, 1820. It was named for Sylvanus Phillips, the area's first-known white or European-American settler; he was elected as representative to the first Territorial Legislature of the Arkansas Territory. This fertile lowland area was developed for cotton plantations in the antebellum area and is still largely rural and agricultural.[citation needed]
The Helena-West Helena, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Phillips County.
History
editFrom September 30 – October 1, 1919, during the Elaine race riot in Phillips County, at least 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.[3]
Crime
editFor the years from 2016 to 2020, Phillips County had the highest rate of gun homicides of any county in the United States. Adjusting county data for the age of the population, Phillips County had a rate of 55.45 gun deaths per 100,000 population.[4]
Geography
editAccording 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.[5]
Major highways
edit
Adjacent counties
edit- Lee County (north)
- Tunica County, Mississippi (northeast)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi (east)
- Bolivar County, Mississippi (southeast)
- Desha County (south)
- Arkansas County (southwest)
- Monroe County (northwest)
National protected areas
editDemographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% | |
| 2020 | 16,568 | −23.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 14,961 | [6] | −9.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2021[1] | |||
2020 census
edit| 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
editAs 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).
2000 census
editAs of the 2000 census,[13] there were 26,445 people, 9,711 households, and 6,768 families living in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 10,859 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 59.04% Black or African American, 39.25% White, 0.43% from other races, 0.32% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. At over 58% of the county's population, Phillips County has the highest percentage of African Americans in the state of Arkansas.[14]
There were 9,711 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.30% were married couples living together, 25.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.20% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 84.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $22,231, and the median income for a family was $26,570. Males had a median income of $24,675 versus $17,520 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,288. About 28.70% of families and 32.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.50% of those under age 18 and 26.20% of those age 65 or over.
For the period 2000–2009, the Helena-West Helena statistical area lost 20.89% of its population, the largest decline of any statistical area in the country.
Government
editAs a majority-black county, Phillips County is strongly Democratic. It has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in all but two elections in the last century. Strom Thurmond carried the county in his whites-only Dixiecrat effort in 1948. At that time, Democrats were composed chiefly of conservative whites, as most blacks had been disenfranchised at the turn of the century. Prior to that, they had been affiliated with the Republican Party.
Richard Nixon carried the county in his 1972 landslide. Blacks were not yet voting in full force, following passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as some states and counties continued to have ways to suppress their vote.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,417 | 38.72% | 3,623 | 58.04% | 202 | 3.24% |
| 2016 | 2,446 | 35.18% | 4,310 | 61.99% | 197 | 2.83% |
| 2012 | 2,598 | 32.76% | 5,202 | 65.60% | 130 | 1.64% |
| 2008 | 3,097 | 34.53% | 5,695 | 63.50% | 177 | 1.97% |
| 2004 | 3,161 | 35.65% | 5,642 | 63.62% | 65 | 0.73% |
| 2000 | 3,154 | 33.87% | 6,018 | 64.62% | 141 | 1.51% |
| 1996 | 2,205 | 25.73% | 5,715 | 66.69% | 650 | 7.58% |
| 1992 | 2,695 | 27.40% | 6,456 | 65.63% | 686 | 6.97% |
| 1988 | 3,892 | 39.47% | 5,580 | 56.59% | 389 | 3.94% |
| 1984 | 4,686 | 43.70% | 5,946 | 55.45% | 91 | 0.85% |
| 1980 | 4,270 | 38.31% | 6,642 | 59.59% | 234 | 2.10% |
| 1976 | 3,342 | 30.06% | 7,774 | 69.93% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1972 | 6,235 | 58.90% | 4,283 | 40.46% | 68 | 0.64% |
| 1968 | 2,154 | 18.78% | 5,039 | 43.92% | 4,279 | 37.30% |
| 1964 | 3,963 | 40.48% | 5,818 | 59.43% | 9 | 0.09% |
| 1960 | 2,168 | 32.47% | 4,105 | 61.48% | 404 | 6.05% |
| 1956 | 2,826 | 40.72% | 3,917 | 56.44% | 197 | 2.84% |
| 1952 | 2,592 | 40.88% | 3,741 | 59.01% | 7 | 0.11% |
| 1948 | 351 | 11.33% | 1,018 | 32.85% | 1,730 | 55.82% |
| 1944 | 501 | 19.66% | 2,046 | 80.30% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1940 | 245 | 9.88% | 2,235 | 90.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 94 | 3.98% | 2,259 | 95.60% | 10 | 0.42% |
| 1932 | 142 | 4.52% | 2,976 | 94.66% | 26 | 0.83% |
| 1928 | 487 | 19.08% | 2,061 | 80.76% | 4 | 0.16% |
| 1924 | 454 | 19.65% | 1,785 | 77.27% | 71 | 3.07% |
| 1920 | 868 | 30.54% | 1,965 | 69.14% | 9 | 0.32% |
| 1916 | 552 | 27.35% | 1,466 | 72.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 198 | 15.06% | 926 | 70.42% | 191 | 14.52% |
| 1908 | 393 | 24.65% | 1,194 | 74.91% | 7 | 0.44% |
| 1904 | 251 | 14.83% | 1,434 | 84.75% | 7 | 0.41% |
| 1900 | 388 | 22.23% | 1,349 | 77.31% | 8 | 0.46% |
| 1896 | 815 | 41.20% | 1,085 | 54.85% | 78 | 3.94% |
Education
editSchool districts serving Phillips County include the Helena-West Helena School District, the Marvell–Elaine School District, and the Barton–Lexa School District. [16]
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.[17][18]
Marvell Academy, a private school founded in 1966[19] as a segregation academy,[20] is in unincorporated Phillips County, near Marvell.[21]
Communities
editCities
edit- Elaine
- Helena–West Helena (county seat)
- Lake View
- Marvell
Town
editUnincorporated places
editTownships
edit
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. [22][23]
Notable people
edit- Bruce Bennett,[24] 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
- Angie Craig, U.S. Representative from Minnesota
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "U.S Census Bureau QuickFacts: Phillips County, Arkansas". Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Robertson, Campbell (February 10, 2015). "History of Lynchings in the South Documents Nearly 4,000 Names". The New York Times.
- ^ "Residents grapple with endemic gun violence". Kaiser Health News. Carolina Public Press. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ Based on 2000 census data
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Arkansas Black Population Percentage by County". www.indexmundi.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Phillips County, AR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2023. - Text list
- ^ "Consolidation/Annexations of LEA's (1983-2010) Archived 2010-09-24 at the Wayback Machine." Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.
- ^ "Education Board approves mergers, removes Greenland from fiscal distress". March 13, 2006. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
- ^ "About Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine." Marvell Academy. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.
- ^ "Private Schools: The Last Refuge." TIME. Friday November 14, 1969. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.
- ^ "Marvell Academy Principals." Manta. Retrieved on March 2, 2011. "645 Highway 243 Marvell, AR 72366."
- ^ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Phillips County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
- ^ "Bruce Bennett (1917-1979)". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
