Louisville, Mississippi

For the extinct settlement in Jefferson County, see Shankstown, Mississippi.

Louisville, Mississippi
City
Main Street in Louisville, 2008
Flag Logo
Location of Louisville, Mississippi
Louisville, Mississippi Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°7′23″N89°3′22″W / 33.12306°N 89.05611°W / 33.12306; -89.05611
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Winston
Government
• Mayor	Will Hill
Area [1]
• Total	15.27 sq mi (39.56 km2)
• Land	15.10 sq mi (39.10 km2)
• Water	0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2)
Elevation	571 ft (174 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,072
• Density	402.17/sq mi (155.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	39339
Area code	662
FIPS code	28-42280
GNIS feature ID	0693835
Website	City Website

Louisville (pronounced LEW-iss-vill) ^[2] is a city in Winston County, Mississippi. The population was 6,631 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Winston County. ^[3]

History

Like Winston County, Louisville is named for Louis Winston (1784–1824), a colonel in the militia, a prominent lawyer, and a judge of the Mississippi Supreme Court. ^[4] In 1863 Union Colonel Benjamin Grierson marched 900 troops through Louisville during his raid through Mississippi. There was no fighting in Winston County. ^[5]

In 1927, a mob of 1,000 white men from Louisville, lynched two African-Americans, Jim and Mark Fox by wrapping them in barbed wire and setting them on fire. The Foxes were accused of killing Clarence Nichols, a white man who started a fight with them because they would not let him pass their Ford touring car in his Chevrolet. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9]}

On April 28, 2014, Louisville was hit by an EF4 tornado, resulting in ten fatalities. ^{[10] [11]}

Geography

Louisville is located at 33°7′23″N89°3′22″W / 33.12306°N 89.05611°W / 33.12306; -89.05611 (33.122931, -89.056182). ^[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.3 square miles (40 km²), of which 15.1 square miles (39 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (1.44%) is water. It is known by many as the "Front porch of the South". ^[13]

Climate

Climate data for Louisville, Mississippi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1891–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	84 (29)	87 (31)	92 (33)	92 (33)	101 (38)	105 (41)	107 (42)	107 (42)	106 (41)	97 (36)	88 (31)	83 (28)	107 (42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	55.0 (12.8)	58.9 (14.9)	67.8 (19.9)	75.0 (23.9)	82.5 (28.1)	89.0 (31.7)	91.5 (33.1)	91.0 (32.8)	86.2 (30.1)	76.5 (24.7)	64.8 (18.2)	56.8 (13.8)	74.6 (23.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)	44.4 (6.9)	48.0 (8.9)	55.7 (13.2)	63.0 (17.2)	71.4 (21.9)	78.2 (25.7)	81.0 (27.2)	80.5 (26.9)	75.2 (24.0)	64.5 (18.1)	53.5 (11.9)	46.5 (8.1)	63.5 (17.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	33.9 (1.1)	37.1 (2.8)	43.6 (6.4)	50.9 (10.5)	60.4 (15.8)	67.4 (19.7)	70.6 (21.4)	70.0 (21.1)	64.1 (17.8)	52.6 (11.4)	42.2 (5.7)	36.2 (2.3)	52.4 (11.3)
Record low °F (°C)	−3 (−19)	−13 (−25)	12 (−11)	26 (−3)	37 (3)	43 (6)	52 (11)	46 (8)	37 (3)	24 (−4)	10 (−12)	−3 (−19)	−13 (−25)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	5.05 (128)	5.68 (144)	5.47 (139)	5.31 (135)	4.96 (126)	3.95 (100)	4.62 (117)	4.76 (121)	4.05 (103)	4.21 (107)	4.21 (107)	5.24 (133)	57.51 (1,460)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	8.8	8.6	8.8	7.4	8.7	8.1	10.0	8.9	5.5	5.9	7.3	8.9	96.9
Source: NOAA [14] [15]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	385		—
1880	418		8.6%
1890	484		15.8%
1900	505		4.3%
1910	1,181		133.9%
1920	1,777		50.5%
1930	3,013		69.6%
1940	3,451		14.5%
1950	5,282		53.1%
1960	5,066		−4.1%
1970	6,626		30.8%
1980	7,323		10.5%
1990	7,169		−2.1%
2000	7,006		−2.3%
2010	6,631		−5.4%
2020	6,072		−8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [16]

2020 census

Louisville Racial Composition ^[17]

Race	Num.	Perc.
Black or African American	3,895	64.15%
White	1,925	31.7%
Other/Mixed	120	1.98%
Hispanic or Latino	96	1.58%
Asian	28	0.46%
Native American	7	0.12%
Pacific Islander	1	0.02%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 6,072 people, 2,309 households, and 1,589 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[18] of 2000, there were 7,006 people, 2,641 households, and 1,817 families living in the city. The population density was 464.5 inhabitants per square mile (179.3/km²). There were 2,884 housing units at an average density of 191.2 per square mile (73.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.29% White, 52.46% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.66% of the population.

There were 2,641 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 25.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,485, and the median income for a family was $31,750. Males had a median income of $29,951 versus $17,491 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,857. About 24.8% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Prior to 1970, Louisville maintained a dual system of schools for White and Black students. Black students were educated at the Louisville Colored School, also known as Camile Street School, whereas White students had their own schools, including Louisville High School. Several federal laws and U.S. Supreme Court decisions forced this to change. In 1967, due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the school adopted a desegregation plan that in theory allowed students to choose which schools to attend. ^[19] When the courts mandated that the schools be integrated, students from Louisville Colored School were allowed to attend Louisville High School. In order to preserve a segregated education for White students only, a segregation academy, Winston Academy was created. ^{[20] [21]} The City of Louisville is now served by the Louisville Municipal School District and Louisville High School. Private schools in Louisville include Winston Academy, which as of 2020 was still over 99% white, ^[22] and Grace Christian School.

Culture

The historic Strand Theatre in downtown Louisville; note that the Swastika incorporated into the building's facade is decorative rather than political, as the theatre antedates the Nazi era.

The American Heritage "Big Red" Fire Museum is located in Louisville. This museum features a collection of restored antique fire equipment and fire engines. ^[23] The Strand Theatre, in downtown Louisville, is an historic movie theater which now serves as an art and music venue. Louisville native Carl Jackson plays an annual Christmas concert at the theater to raise money for the building's restoration. ^[24]

Transportation

Mississippi Highway 14 enters east from the Alabama state line through Macon and when it enters in Louisville it is also known as Main Street. It leaves westbound eventually traveling to the Mississippi River where it ends.

Mississippi Highway 15 enters from the north from Ackerman, MS, then meets up with Mississippi Highway 25 just north of Louisville. M.S. 25 enters from the north from Starkville. M.S. 15 and 25 travel together along the western side of town. At the southern edge of town they separate: M.S. 15 traveling to Philadelphia & Interstate 20; and M.S. 25 to Jackson.

Notable people

• Van Chancellor, basketball coach
• Thomas D. Clark, noted historian
• Doug Cunningham, former professional football player
• Olu Dara (born Charles Jones), jazz musician, father of the rapper Nas
• Drew Eubanks, American basketball player
• Mark Hudspeth, football coach
• Carl Jackson, country music songwriter
• E. Grady Jolly, U.S. circuit judge
• Andy Kennedy, basketball coach
• Coby Miller, Olympic athlete
• Matthew Mitchell, basketball coach
• Kim Rosamond, basketball coach for Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles ^[25]
• Lisa Stewart, country music singer and TV host
• Marcus Thames, Major League Baseball player and coach

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
2. "The Hard To Pronounce Town In Every Single State". January 27, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  191.
5. "Winston County" . Retrieved January 15, 2019.
6. "Man Killed: Mob Negroes". Winston County Journal. June 17, 1927.
7. "Shal Law or Criminal Rule". Winston County Journal. June 17, 1927.
8. "Shall the law rule?". Newton Record. June 16, 1927. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
9. "Winston mob burns negroes at the stake". Clarion-Ledger. June 14, 1927. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
10. "Winston Tornado". Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
11. "Tornado Kills Nearly 220,000 Chickens in Direct Hit on Mississippi Farm".
12. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
13. "Louisville among top 5 safest cities in MS". September 3, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
14. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
15. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
16. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
17. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
18. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
19. "Notice of School Desegregation Plan". Winston County Journal. April 27, 1967.
20. Thompson, Jeremy S. (January 2014). "From Segregation To Integration: A Historical Study Of Music Education In The Colored School In Louisville, Mississippi Through 1970". Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
21. "300 Attend Foundation Meet Friday". The Winston County Journal. June 12, 1969. p. 1.
22. "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for WINSTON ACADEMY".
23. The American Heritage "Big Red" Fire Museum in Louisville
24. McCain, Joseph (December 13, 2006). "Strong cast of musicians serves up Christmas joy". Winston County Journal. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013.
25. https://www.ttusports.com/sports/wbkb/coaches/rosamond_kim?view=bio Kim Rosamond

External links

• City of Louisville