Philadelphia, Mississippi

Last updated

Philadelphia, Mississippi
Neshoba County Mississippi Courthouse.jpg
Neshoba County courthouse in Philadelphia
Neshoba County Mississippi Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Philadelphia Highlighted.svg
Location of Philadelphia, Mississippi
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Philadelphia, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 32°46′27″N89°6′46″W / 32.77417°N 89.11278°W / 32.77417; -89.11278
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Neshoba
Named for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [1]
Government
  Mayor James Young
Area
[2]
  Total12.22 sq mi (31.66 km2)
  Land12.21 sq mi (31.63 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
423 ft (129 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total7,118
  Density582.92/sq mi (225.07/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39350
Area code 601
FIPS code 28-56960
GNIS feature ID0675674
Website City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, [3] [4] Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,118 at the 2020 census.

Contents

History

Courthouse Square Beacon Street, Courthouse Square, Philadelphia, Mississippi.jpg
Courthouse Square

Philadelphia is incorporated as a municipality; it was given its current name, after Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, [1] in 1903, two years before the railroad brought new opportunities and prosperity to the town. The history of the town and its influences- social, political and economic- can be seen in the many points of interest within and beyond the city limits. These range from the large ceremonial Indian mound and cave at Nanih Waiya, built approximately 1700 years ago and sacred to the Choctaw; to the still thriving Williams Brothers Store, a true old-fashioned general store founded in 1907 and featured in National Geographic in 1937 as a source of anything from "horse collars to straw hats." [5]

Murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner

State of Mississippi roadside marker denoting the location where the 1964 murders of American civil rights workers Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner took place Goodman Cheney and Schwerner Murder Site Marker.jpg
State of Mississippi roadside marker denoting the location where the 1964 murders of American civil rights workers Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner took place

In the mid-20th century, Mississippi was a battleground of the civil rights movement as, like other states of the South, it had long disfranchised blacks and subjected them to racial segregation and Jim Crow laws. Philadelphia in June 1964 was the scene of the murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, a 21-year-old black man from Meridian, Mississippi; Andrew Goodman, a 20-year-old Jewish anthropology student from New York City; and Michael Schwerner, a 24-year-old Jewish CORE organizer and former social worker, also from New York. Their deaths demonstrated the risks that civil rights workers took to secure the constitutional rights of African Americans.

Ku Klux Klan members (including Cecil Price, a deputy sheriff of Neshoba County) released the three young men from jail, took them to an isolated spot, and killed them, then buried them in an earthen dam. It was some time after they disappeared before the bodies were discovered, as a result of an FBI investigation and national media attention. [6] The national outrage over their deaths helped procure support for Congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The murders and related conspiracy gave rise to the "Mississippi Burning" trial, United States v. Price .

Reagan's visit

On August 3, 1980, Ronald Reagan gave his first post-convention speech at the Neshoba County Fair after being officially chosen as the Republican nominee for President of the United States. He said: "I believe in states' rights ... I believe we have distorted the balance of our government today by giving powers that were never intended to be given in the Constitution to that federal establishment." He went on to promise to "restore to states and local governments the power that properly belongs to them". [7]

Dupree's record breaker

Marcus Dupree played high school football for the Philadelphia High School Tornadoes from 1978 to 1981. He was an outstanding athlete who was widely recognized for his achievements. [8] [9] Dupree scored 87 touchdowns total during his playing time in high school, breaking the record set by Herschel Walker by one. [10] In 1981, Marcus's final High School football game was played at Warriors Stadium of the tribal high school at the Choctaw Indian Reservation. [11] The author Willie Morris described the audience at Dupree's final high school game as "the most distinctive crowd I had ever seen ... four thousand or so people seemed almost an equal of mix of whites, blacks, and Indians ... " [12]

First black mayor

In May 2009, Philadelphia elected its first black mayor, James A. Young, a 53-year-old Pentecostal preacher and a former county supervisor. [13] He defeated Rayburn Waddell, a white, three-term incumbent, by 46 votes in the Democratic primary (there was no Republican challenger). [14] Jim Prince, publisher of the local The Neshoba Democrat newspaper said, "Philadelphia will always be connected to what happened here in 1964, but the fact that Philadelphia, Mississippi, with its notorious past, could elect a black man as mayor, it might be time to quit picking on Philadelphia, Mississippi." [13] Young's campaign staff credited Barack Obama's presidential campaign for increasing registration of black and young voters in Philadelphia, many of whom voted for Young. [14] His term began July 3, 2009.

2011 tornado

On April 27, 2011, the town and surrounding areas were ravaged during the 2011 Super Outbreak when an EF5 tornado with winds of up to 205 MPH carved a path through town. Despite its incredible strength at the top of the Enhanced-Fujita Scale, only three people died as a result. It would be one of four EF5 tornadoes to strike on that day, and one of two in the state of Mississippi (the town of Smithville further north was decimated a short while later). It also became the first F5/EF5 tornado to strike in Mississippi in 45 years.[ citation needed ]

Past Mayors

PortraitNameTerm in officeLength of service
1Lee Johnston Catledge1909

1910
1 year
2W. H. Jenkins1910

Unknown
Unknown
3W. H. Jenkins1913

Unknown
Unknown
4Samuel Hurd Spivey1916

1916
1 year
5Joseph Eades Jolly1917

Unknown
Unknown
6Samuel Hurd Spivey1919

1920
1 year
7Ambrose Benjamin McCraw1923

Unknown
Unknown
8Joseph Eades Jolly1929

Unknown
Unknown
9John Kindred Gillis1932

Unknown
Unknown
10Ethelbert Dees Stribling1940

Unknown
Unknown
11Marshall Prince1944

Unknown
Unknown
12Ethelbert Dees Stribling1950

Unknown
Unknown
13Norman A. Johnson, Jr.1953

1955
2 years
14Clayton Lewis1956

1961
5 years
15Abner Davis Harbour1961

1968
7 years
Williams Brothers Store Williams Brothers store.JPG
Williams Brothers Store
Philadelphia, Mississippi seen from the east end of town. Philadelphia Mississippi.JPG
Philadelphia, Mississippi seen from the east end of town.
Philadelphia - Neshoba County Library Philadelphia Neshoba County Library.jpg
Philadelphia - Neshoba County Library

Geography

Philadelphia is located at 32°46′27″N89°6′46″W / 32.77417°N 89.11278°W / 32.77417; -89.11278 (32.774070, -89.112891). [15]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27 km2), of which 10.6 square miles (27 km2) are land and 0.04-square-mile (0.10 km2) (0.19%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 101
1910 1,209
1920 1,66938.0%
1930 2,56053.4%
1940 3,71145.0%
1950 4,47220.5%
1960 5,01712.2%
1970 6,27425.1%
1980 6,4342.6%
1990 6,7585.0%
2000 7,3038.1%
2010 7,4772.4%
2020 7,118−4.8%
Source: 1910–2010 [16]

2020 census

Philadelphia Racial Composition [17]
RaceNum.Perc.
White 2,89940.73%
Black or African American 3,61550.79%
Native American 2173.05%
Asian 540.76%
Other/Mixed 1992.8%
Hispanic or Latino 1341.88%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 7,118 people, 2,836 households, and 1,804 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census [18] of 2000, there were 7,303 people, 2,950 households, and 1,899 families residing in the city. The population density was 688.1 inhabitants per square mile (265.7/km2). There were 3,302 housing units at an average density of 311.1 per square mile (120.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 55.54% White, 40.12% African American, 2.01% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 1.51% of the population.

There were 2,950 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 20.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,438, and the median income for a family was $30,756. Males had a median income of $30,731 versus $20,735 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,787. About 25.1% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Museums and other points of interest

Education

Philadelphia High School PhiladelphiaHSMS.JPG
Philadelphia High School

Most of the City of Philadelphia is served by the Philadelphia Public School District. A portion is zoned to the Neshoba County School District. [19]

Media

The Neshoba Democrat is published in Philadelphia. It is a weekly newspaper that was established in 1881. [20]

Infrastructure

Public utilities

Cable television services for the city of Philadelphia are contracted to MetroCast Communications. [21] Electrical utilities, as well as water and sewer service, are provided by the City of Philadelphia as Philadelphia Utilities. The natural gas utility is CenterPoint Energy. AT&T is the local telephone service provider.

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newton County, Mississippi</span> County in Mississippi, United States

Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,291. Its county seat is Decatur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neshoba County, Mississippi</span> County in Mississippi, United States

Neshoba County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,087. Its county seat is Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choctaw County, Mississippi</span> County in Mississippi, United States

Choctaw County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,246. Its northern border is the Big Black River, which flows southwest into the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg. The county seat is Ackerman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Goodman (activist)</span> American civil rights activist and murder victim (1943–1964)

Andrew Goodman was an American civil rights activist. He was one of three Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) workers murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1964. Goodman and two fellow activists, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, were volunteers for the Freedom Summer campaign that sought to register African-Americans to vote in Mississippi and to set up Freedom Schools for black Southerners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bogue Chitto, Mississippi</span> Census-designated place in Mississippi, United States

Bogue Chitto is a census-designated place (CDP) situated in Kemper and Neshoba counties, Mississippi. The population was 864 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation and the population is 93% Choctaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Schwerner</span> American activist and KKK murder victim (1939–1964)

Michael Henry Schwerner was an American civil rights activist. He was one of three Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) field workers killed in rural Neshoba County, Mississippi, by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Schwerner and two co-workers, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman, were killed in response to their civil rights work, which included promoting voting registration among African Americans, most of whom had been disenfranchised in the state since 1890.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Chaney</span> American activist and KKK murder victim (1943–1964)

James Earl Chaney was an American civil rights activist. He was one of three Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) civil rights workers killed in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by members of the Ku Klux Klan on June 21, 1964. The others were Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner from New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgar Ray Killen</span> Ku Klux Klan organizer convicted of manslaughter (1925–2018)

Edgar Ray Killen was an American Ku Klux Klan organizer who planned and directed the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, three civil rights activists participating in the Freedom Summer of 1964. He was found guilty in state court of three counts of manslaughter on June 21, 2005, the forty-first anniversary of the crime, and sentenced to 60 years in prison. He appealed the verdict, but the sentence was upheld on April 12, 2007, by the Supreme Court of Mississippi. He died in prison on January 11, 2018, at age 92.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner</span> 1964 murders of three activists in Mississippi, US

The murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner, also known as the Freedom Summer murders, the Mississippi civil rights workers' murders, or the Mississippi Burning murders, were the abduction and murder of three activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in June 1964, during the Civil Rights Movement. The victims were James Chaney from Meridian, Mississippi, and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner from New York City. All three were associated with the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) and its member organization, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). They had been working with the Freedom Summer campaign by attempting to register African Americans in Mississippi to vote. Since 1890 and through the turn of the century, Southern states had systematically disenfranchised most black voters by discrimination in voter registration and voting.

Marcus L. Dupree is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the United States Football League (USFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his playing in high school attracted national attention. A highly touted and sought-after college football recruit, he played for the Oklahoma Sooners, earning Football News Freshman of the Year, second-team All-American and Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year honors. He left in the middle of his sophomore season and briefly attended the University of Southern Mississippi. Marcus played spring football for the Golden Eagles and finished college at the university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence A. Rainey</span> Sheriff of Neshoba County, MS, implicated in murders of civil rights workers in June 1964

Lawrence Andrew Rainey Sr. was an American police officer and white supremacist who served as Sheriff of Neshoba County, Mississippi, from 1963 to 1968. He gained notoriety for his alleged involvement in the June 1964 murders of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. He was accused of aiding and abetting members of the Ku Klux Klan in the murders by having his officers keep watch over the men's position in town. Rainey was a member of Mississippi's White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and had previously gone to court for the shooting of an unarmed black motorist in 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil Price</span> Ku Klux Klan member, convicted of conspiracy in murders of 3 workers in Mississippi, 1964

Cecil Ray Price was an American police officer and white supremacist. He was a participant in the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in 1964. At the time of the murders, Price was 26 years old and a deputy sheriff in Neshoba County, Mississippi. He was a member of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is one of three federally recognized tribes of Choctaw people, and the only one in the state of Mississippi. On April 20, 1945, this tribe was organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Their reservation included lands in Neshoba, Leake, Newton, Scott, Jones, Attala, Kemper, and Winston counties. The Mississippi Choctaw regained stewardship of their mother mound, Nanih Waiya mounds and cave in 2008. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw have declared August 18 as a tribal holiday to celebrate their regaining control of the sacred site. The other two Choctaw groups are the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the third largest tribe in the United States, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, located in Louisiana.

The Neshoba County School District is a public school district based in Neshoba County, Mississippi (USA). The district headquarters are in Philadelphia, Mississippi. See Philadelphia.

The Choctaw Tribal School System is a school system based in the community of Choctaw, Mississippi (US). An entity operated by the federally recognized Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the district consists of eight schools in three counties: Neshoba, Leake, and Newton. It has a total enrollment of 1,700 to 1,800 students. It is the largest unified and locally controlled Indian school system in the United States. It is affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The current Director of Schools is Mr. Terry Ben.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Reagan's 1980 States' rights speech</span> 1980 speech by Ronald Reagan

On August 3, 1980, presidential candidate Ronald Reagan appeared at the Neshoba County Fair in Neshoba County, Mississippi, to give a speech on states' rights. The location, which was near the site of the 1964 murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner was, according to critics, evidence of racial bias.

James A. Young is an American politician, who was elected mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi in May 2009. His election was especially noted as he is the first African-American mayor of the city, which was previously best known for the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner by members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1964.

Rita Schwerner Bender is an American civil rights activist and lawyer. She and her first husband, Michael Schwerner, participated in the Freedom Summer of 1964, where Michael was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. As his young widow, she drew national attention for her commentary on racial prejudice in the United States, delivered at a press conference after her husband went missing. After the Civil Rights Movement, Schwerner became an attorney, practicing family law in Washington state. She continues to advocate for civil rights through her law practice and public presentations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olen Lovell Burrage</span> Implicated in the murders of 3 civil rights workers in Mississippi in June 1964

Olen Lavelle Burrage was a Mississippi farmer and businessman. He was alleged to have been linked to the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner who were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in June 1964. The bodies of the Civil Rights workers were found buried in an earthen dam that was under construction on a farm owned by Burrage.

"Here's to the State of Mississippi" is a civil rights protest song by Phil Ochs, an American topical singer and songwriter in the 1960s. Ochs is best known for his anti-war and freedom songs. "Here's to the State of Mississippi" was released in 1965 as the last track on his album I Ain't Marching Anymore. The song criticizes the state of Mississippi for its oppression of African Americans. It describes how Jim Crow laws and white supremacy in the South maintained the inequality of African Americans in states such as Mississippi. "Here's to the State of Mississippi" touches on segregation, corrupt and biased school systems, the frequent murders of African Americans and civil rights activists and the crookedness of government officials who ignored or collaborated in the murders.

References

  1. 1 2 "Philadelphia". Encyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  3. "Profile for Philadelphia, Mississippi". ePodunk. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. Hildebrand, J.R. "Machines Come to Mississippi". The National Geographic Magazine. Vol. LXXII, no. Three (September 1937 ed.). Washington, D.C.: The National Geographic Society. p. 288. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  6. Lynching of Chaney, Schwerner & Goodman ~ Civil Rights Movement Archive
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Could Marcus Dupree make another run at pro football?". WLOX. September 27, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  9. Young, R.J. (November 9, 2010). "The story of Marcus Dupree". The Oklahoma Daily . Archived from the original on April 18, 2012.
  10. Deitch, Richard (November 9, 2010). "Marcus Dupree's doc; Howard Stern's most wanted sports guests". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on November 11, 2010.
  11. Morris, Willie (1999). The Courting of Marcus Dupree. pp. 291–302. ISBN   9780878055852 . Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  12. Morris, Willie (October 1, 1992). The Courting of Marcus Dupree. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN   0-87805-585-1 . Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  13. 1 2 Lavandera, Ed (May 22, 2009). "Black mayor of Mississippi town brings 'atomic bomb of change'". CNN.
  14. 1 2 Brown, Robbie (May 21, 2009). "First Black Mayor in City Known for Klan Killings". The New York Times . Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  15. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  16. Resident Population Data. "Resident Population Data - 2010 Census". 2010.census.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  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. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Neshoba County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022. - Text list
  20. "The Neshoba Democrat". The Neshoba Democrat. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  21. "High Speed Internet, Cable TV, & Digital Phone". MetroCast. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  22. "'Blondy' was decades ahead of his time". msfame.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  23. "Former legislator laid to rest". The Neshoba Democrat. February 4, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  24. "C. Scott Bounds' Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  25. "Josh Boyd". hailstate.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  26. "Jenifer B. Branning". Mississippi State Senate. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  27. "Terry Burton's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  28. Rowland, Dunbar, ed. (1927). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi: State of Mississippi. p. 111.
  29. "Mike Dennis". msfame.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  30. Mississippi. Legislature (January 1, 1980). "Hand book : biographical data of members of Senate and House, personnel of standing committees [1980]". Mississippi Legislature Hand Books.
  31. "Grady Michael 'Mike' Eakes". The Daily Leader. August 15, 2005. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  32. "Tim Edwards". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  33. "Greg Eiland". hailstate.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  34. "Derek George". fluidrev.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  35. "Lideatick Griffin". hailstate.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  36. "Jarquez Hunter". auburntigers.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  37. Goldstein, Richard (January 13, 2018). "Edgar Ray Killen, Convicted in '64 Killings of Rights Workers, Dies at 92". The New York Times .
  38. Brozan, Nadine (April 29, 2006). "Florence L. Mars, 83, Who Was Spurned for Rights Work, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  39. Ramsey, Marshall (April 28, 2021). "Mississippi Stories: Dick Molpus". Mississippi Today. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  40. "Northwest La. Football Coach Devone Payne Dies". Hattiesburg American . Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Associated Press. March 20, 1958. p. 4. Retrieved November 19, 2023 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .
  41. "Payback: Gaming pioneer Redd looks back on a lifetime of giving to those in need". Las Vegas Sun. June 25, 2001. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  42. "Miss Georgia Tann Dies In Memphis". The Clarion-Ledger . Jackson, Mississippi. Associated Press. September 16, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved November 19, 2023 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .
  43. "Gloria Williamson". Jackson Free Press. August 15, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  44. "WINSTEAD, William Arthur". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved November 20, 2023.