Atlantic Beach is a town in

Horry County Horry County ( ) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 351,029. It is the fourth-most populous county in South Carolina. The county seat is Conway. Horry County is the central ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, United States, part of the

Grand Strand The Grand Strand is an arc of beach land on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina, United States, extending more than from Little River to Winyah Bay. It is located in Horry and Georgetown Counties on the NE South Carolina coast. The term G ...

tourist region. The population was 334 at the 2010 census. Most of the land around the town is annexed into the city of

North Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was created in 1968 from four existing municipalities, and is located about northeast of Myrtle Beach. It serves as one of the primary tourist destinations along ...

History

Atlantic Beach is commonly nicknamed "The Black Pearl"; the rich culture of the town of Atlantic Beach was formed of mostly

Gullah The Gullah () are an African Americans, African American ethnic group who predominantly live in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, within the coastal plain ...

people, descendants of slaves who lived for 300 years on the Sea Islands from

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

. In the early 1930s, defying

Jim Crow laws The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the Sout ...

in the segregated South, debunking black stereotypes, and broadening the enterprises of the Gullah people, black men and women opened hotels, restaurants, night clubs, and novelty shops in Atlantic Beach. Visitors would travel along

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...

US 17 U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (US 17), also known as the Coastal Highway, is a north–south United States Highway that spans in the southeastern United States. It runs close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length, with ...

and SC 9, coming from nearby southern states, where racial segregation took its toll. In October of 2022, a serving city councilman, James Dewitt II, and his wife were allegedly shot to death by a family member. The suspect, Matthew Dewitt, was taken into custody by the Richland County Sheriff's Office.

Geography

Atlantic Beach is located at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 195 people, 87 households, and 39 families residing in the town.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 351 people, 132 households, and 83 families in the town. The population density was 2,214.5 people per square mile (847.0/km²). There were 244 housing units at an average density of 1,539.4 per square mile (588.8/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the town was 9.69% White, 82.05% African American, 7.12% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.97%. Of the 132 households 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 18.9% were married couples living together, 37.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 6.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.17. The age distribution was 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 15.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. The median household income was $24,375 and the median family income was $20,313. Males had a median income of $16,477 versus $17,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,492. About 31.3% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 37.0% of those under age 18 and 27.6% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

* {{authority control Towns in Horry County, South Carolina Towns in South Carolina Populated places in South Carolina established by African Americans