Quitman County, Mississippi

Not to be confused with Quitman, Mississippi.

Quitman County
County
Quitman County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°15′N90°17′W / 34.25°N 90.29°W / 34.25; -90.29
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	1877
Named for	John A. Quitman
Seat	Marks
Largest town	Marks
Area
• Total	406 sq mi (1,050 km2)
• Land	405 sq mi (1,050 km2)
• Water	1.4 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,176
• Density	15/sq mi (5.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	quitmancountyms.org

Quitman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,176, ^[1] making it the third-least populous county in Mississippi. Its county seat is Marks. ^[2] The county is named after John A. Quitman, Governor of Mississippi from 1835 to 1836 and from 1850 to 1851.

Quitman County is located in the Mississippi Delta region of Mississippi.

History

The county was developed for cotton cultivation. Much of the bottomlands behind the riverfront were not developed until the late 19th century, and population continued to increase as the frontier was cleared and cultivated. The county reached its peak population in 1940. Agricultural mechanization reduced the need for farm labor, and workers were recruited to northern and midwestern industrial cities. Thousands of African Americans left in the Great Migration, many going upriver to St. Louis and Chicago.

Poor People's Campaign

Main article: Poor People's Campaign

Martin Luther King Jr. originally wanted the Poor People's Campaign to start in Quitman County because of the intense and visible economic disparity there. On March 18, 1968, King visited the town of Marks, Mississippi. He watched a teacher feeding black schoolchildren their lunch, consisting only of a slice of apple and some crackers, and was moved to tears.

After King's death, the Southern part of the Campaign began in Quitman County. Participants rode a train of mules to Washington, D.C. to protest about economic conditions. ^[3] According to wagonmaster Willie Bolden, white citizens of Marks harassed the mule train on its way out of town. Bolden stated that they "would drive by blowing their horns, purposely trying to spook the mules and us." ^[4] More recently, Quitman County residents have made an effort to promote tourism based on the county's role in the Poor People's Campaign. ^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 406 square miles (1,050 km²), of which 405 square miles (1,050 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (0.3%) is water. ^[5] It is the fourth-smallest county in Mississippi by land area and third-smallest by total area.

Major highways

• Mississippi Highway 3
• Mississippi Highway 6
• U.S. Route 278
• Mississippi Highway 315

Adjacent counties

• Tunica County (north)
• Panola County (east)
• Tallahatchie County (south)
• Coahoma County (west)

National protected area

• Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Reflecting the decreased need for farm labor after mechanization and the development of industrial farms, the population has declined by more than two thirds since its peak in 1940.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,407		—
1890	3,286		133.5%
1900	5,435		65.4%
1910	11,593		113.3%
1920	19,861		71.3%
1930	25,304		27.4%
1940	27,191		7.5%
1950	25,885		−4.8%
1960	21,019		−18.8%
1970	15,888		−24.4%
1980	12,636		−20.5%
1990	10,490		−17.0%
2000	10,117		−3.6%
2010	8,223		−18.7%
2020	6,176		−24.9%
2023 (est.)	5,546	[6]	−10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010-2013 [11]

2020 census

Quitman County racial composition ^[12]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	1,484	24.03%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	4,546	73.61%
Native American	1	0.02%
Asian	12	0.19%
Pacific Islander	3	0.05%
Other/Mixed	109	1.76%
Hispanic or Latino	21	0.34%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,176 people, 3,027 households, and 1,833 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 8,223 people living in the county. 69.6% were Black or African American, 29.0% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.3% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census ^[13] of 2000, there were 10,117 people, 3,565 households, and 2,506 families living in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km²). There were 3,923 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.62% Black or African American, 30.47% White, 0.13% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, there were 3,565 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.60% were married couples living together, 26.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.00% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 86.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $20,636, and the median income for a family was $25,394. Males had a median income of $23,571 versus $16,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,817. About 28.60% of families and 33.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.10% of those under age 18 and 30.60% of those age 65 or over.

Quitman County has the fifth-lowest per capita income in Mississippi and the 51st lowest in the United States.

Government and infrastructure

The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) operates the Quitman County Community Work Center (CWC) in an area near Lambert. ^[14] In addition MDOC operates the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman) in an unincorporated area in Sunflower County, in the area. Camp B, an inmate housing unit, was a satellite complex located away from the main Parchman prison property in unincorporated Quitman County, ^[15] near Lambert. ^[16] Camp B was one of Parchman's largest African-American housing units. ^[16] Camp B's buildings have been demolished. ^[17] The Mississippi Code (§ 47-5-131) gives Quitman County the right to "not over twenty (20) offenders from the Parchman facility for five (5) workdays of each week for the purpose of working the roads of Quitman County", and goes on to state that the "board of supervisors of Quitman County shall lay out and designate roads to be worked by the offenders, and the board of supervisors shall furnish transportation to and from the Parchman facility for offenders." ^[18]

United States presidential election results for Quitman County, Mississippi ^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	902	33.69%	1,725	64.44%	50	1.87%
2020	1,026	31.80%	2,150	66.65%	50	1.55%
2016	1,001	29.75%	2,312	68.71%	52	1.55%
2012	1,116	28.05%	2,837	71.30%	26	0.65%
2008	1,334	32.01%	2,803	67.25%	31	0.74%
2004	1,360	39.79%	2,032	59.45%	26	0.76%
2000	1,280	37.50%	2,103	61.62%	30	0.88%
1996	1,121	32.54%	2,186	63.45%	138	4.01%
1992	1,451	35.45%	2,422	59.17%	220	5.38%
1988	1,832	42.11%	2,497	57.39%	22	0.51%
1984	2,198	48.33%	2,343	51.52%	7	0.15%
1980	1,691	35.16%	2,926	60.83%	193	4.01%
1976	1,287	31.82%	2,621	64.80%	137	3.39%
1972	2,524	74.41%	790	23.29%	78	2.30%
1968	434	9.91%	1,502	34.30%	2,443	55.79%
1964	2,065	86.01%	336	13.99%	0	0.00%
1960	299	19.22%	583	37.47%	674	43.32%
1956	276	18.41%	954	63.64%	269	17.95%
1952	492	29.82%	1,158	70.18%	0	0.00%
1948	21	1.81%	91	7.84%	1,048	90.34%
1944	59	5.06%	1,106	94.94%	0	0.00%
1940	29	2.45%	1,152	97.46%	1	0.08%
1936	9	0.87%	1,025	99.03%	1	0.10%
1932	18	2.43%	720	97.04%	4	0.54%
1928	86	9.78%	793	90.22%	0	0.00%
1924	36	5.90%	574	94.10%	0	0.00%
1920	39	9.35%	377	90.41%	1	0.24%
1916	12	4.21%	272	95.44%	1	0.35%
1912	4	1.83%	195	89.04%	20	9.13%

Education

On July 24, 1969, federal judge William Keady found that Quitman County school officials were maintaining an unconstitutional de jure racially segregated school system, and he placed the school board under the supervision of United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. As of 1993, this order had not been set aside. ^[20] In March 1991, the school board asked the district court for permission to close Crowder elementary and junior high school, a majority-white school. The court gave permission, and a group of parents sued for an injunction to prevent the closing. The district court denied them an injunction, and this decision was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. ^[20]

By 1975, the majority of African-American students in Quitman County were attending public schools, which had earlier been segregated. But the majority of white students had been moved into newly established private academies. ^[4] This situation has continued; in 2007 the Mississippi Department of Education found that the students in the district were 97.92% African American, 1.81% White, and 0.27% Hispanic. ^[21]

Schools in Quitman County remain effectively segregated by race. White students almost exclusively attend private schools while Black children attend the local public schools.

School	Total Students	White Students	Black Students	Note
Delta Academy (Private)	175	147 (84.0%)	17 (9.7%)	[22]
M. S. Palmer High School (Public)	351	4 (1.1%)	347 (98.9%)	[23]
Combined (Public plus private)	526	151 (28.7%)	364 (69.2%)

• Public School Districts
  • Quitman County School District - The only school district in the county. ^[24]
• Private Schools
  • Delta Academy (Marks) ^[25]

Communities

City

• Marks (county seat)

Towns

• Crenshaw (mostly in Panola County)
• Crowder (partly in Panola County)
• Falcon
• Lambert
• Sledge

Census-designated place

• Darling

Other unincorporated communities

• Allen
• Barksdale
• Belen
• Birdie
• Bobo
• Chancy
• Denton
• Essex
• Hinchcliff
• Locke Station (partly in Panola County)
• Longstreet
• Oliverfried
• Riverview
• Sabino
• Vance (partly in Tallahatchie County)
• Walnut
• West Marks
• Yarbrough

Notable people

• Earl Hooker (January 15, 1929 — April 21, 1970) — blues guitarist. ^[26]
• Charley Pride (March 18, 1934 —December 12, 2020) — country music artist. ^[27]
• Snooky Pryor (September 15, 1921 — October 18, 2006) — harmonica player. ^[28]
• Sunnyland Slim (September 5, 1907 — March 17, 1995 ) — blues piano player. ^[29]
• Fred Smith (August 11, 1944-) Founder, President and CEO FedEx

See also

• Mississippi portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Quitman County, Mississippi

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Quitman County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Amy Bach (2009). Ordinary Injustice: How America Holds Court . New York: Metropolitan Books. p.  133. ISBN   978-0-8050-7447-5.
4. Amy Nathan Wright. "The 1968 Poor People's Campaign: Marks, Mississippi and the Mule Train". pp. 109–143. in Emilye Crosby, ed. (2011). Civil Rights History from the Ground Up: Local Struggles, a National Movement. University of Georgia Press. ISBN   978-0-8203-3865-1. at google books
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. "COMMUNITY WORK CENTERS Archived 2010-08-15 at the Wayback Machine ", Mississippi Department of Corrections; retrieved September 23, 2010.
15. "Quitman County General Highway Map ^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}", Mississippi Department of Transportation; retrieved September 20, 2010.
16. William Ferris (2009). Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues . University of North Carolina Press. ISBN   978-0-8078-3325-4. ; accessed November 17, 2014.
17. "FEATURED WRITER OF THE MONTH Interview with: WILLIAM FERRIS" Archived June 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , Oxford American , December 7, 2009; retrieved September 21, 2010. "While many of the communities in which I worked have changed dramatically—Parchman's Camp B buildings in Lambert, Mississippi, have been leveled to the ground,[...]"
18. "2010 Mississippi Code TITLE 47 Ch. 5 §47-5-131 - Offenders to work certain roads; Quitman County" . Retrieved August 6, 2011.
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
20. "1 F. 3d 1450 - Hull v. Quitman County Board of Education". September 2, 1993. p. 1450. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
21. "Mississippi Assessment and Accountability Reporting System". Office of Research and Statistics, Mississippi Department of Education. Archived from the original on March 23, 2007.
22. "Delta Academy". National Center for Educational Statistics. US Department of Education. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
23. "M S Palmer High School". National Center for Educational Statistics. US Department of Education. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
24. "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Quitman County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
25. Home. Delta Academy. Retrieved on April 8, 2012. "1150 Riverside Drive Marks, MS 38646"
26. Sebastian Danchin (2001). Earl Hooker, Blues Master. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN   978-1-57806-307-9. Available at Google Books
27. "Charley Pride". Country Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
28. Tony Russell (November 10, 2006). "Obituary of Snooky Pryor". The Guardian. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
29. Tony Russell (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 171. ISBN   1-85868-255-X.

34°15′N90°17′W / 34.25°N 90.29°W / 34.25; -90.29