Ponchatoula Creek Southeastern footbridge

Tangipahoa Parish (;

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''Paroisse de Tangipahoa'') is a

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

located in the southeast corner of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 121,097. The

parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Amite City, while the largest city is

Hammond Hammond may refer to: People * Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist * Hammond (surname) * Justice Hammond (disambiguation) Places Antarctica * Hammond Glacier, Antarctica Australia *Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in South ...

Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it becam ...

is located in Hammond.

Lake Pontchartrain Lake Pontchartrain ( ) is an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It covers an area of with an average depth of . Some shipping channels are kept deeper through dredging. It is roughly oval in shape, about from west ...

borders the southeast side of the parish. The name ''Tangipahoa'' comes from an

Acolapissa The Acolapissa were a small tribe of Native Americans of North America, who lived in the Southeast of what is the present-day United States. They lived along the banks of the Pearl River, between present-day Louisiana and Mississippi. They are beli ...

word meaning "ear of

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

" or "those who gather corn." The parish was organized in 1869 during Reconstruction. Tangipahoa Parish comprises the Hammond, LA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

, which is also included in the New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MS Combined Statistical Area. It is one of what are called the

Florida Parishes The Florida Parishes ( es, Parroquias de Florida, french: Paroisses de Floride), on the east side of the Mississippi River—an area also known as the Northshore or Northlake region—are eight parishes in the southeastern portion of the U.S. stat ...

, at one time part of

West Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...

History

Tangipahoa Parish was created by Louisiana Act 85 on March 6, 1869, during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

. The parish was assembled from territories taken from

Livingston Parish Livingston Parish (Louisiana French: ''La Paroisse Livingston'') is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is the town of Livingston. Livingston Parish is one of the Florida Parishes, a region which, unlike the rest of the sta ...

, St. Helena Parish,

St. Tammany Parish St. Tammany Parish (french: Paroisse de Saint-Tammany) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana named after Tamanend, the legendary Lenape Chief of Chiefs and the "Patron Saint of America." At the 2020 census, the population was 2 ...

, and Washington Parish. It was named after the

Tangipahoa River The Tangipahoa River ( ) originates northwest of McComb in southwest Mississippi, and runs south U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 20, 2011 through Lake Tangipahoa in ...

and the historic

Tangipahoa The Tangipahoa were a Native American tribe that lived just north of Lake Pontchartrain and between the Pearl River and the Mississippi River. Etymology The name Tangipahoa is derived from the Muskogean words ''(tonche pahoha)'' which translates ...

Native American people of this area. Tangipahoa is the youngest parish in the ''

'' region of southern Louisiana. Parts of this area had already been developed for sugar cane plantations when the parish was organized, but yeomen farmers occupied areas in the piney woods and resisted planters' dominance. African Americans comprised about one-quarter of the population overall in the Florida Parishes before the war. The region developed rapidly during and after Reconstruction. There were conflicts in Tangipahoa Parish among interests related to construction of railroads, exploitation of timber, yeoman farmers in the piney woods keeping truck farms, and the beginning of manufacturing. Sugar cane depended on the labor of large gangs of enslaved African Americans before the Civil War. After the war and emancipation, some freedmen stayed to work on the plantations as laborers. Others moved to New Orleans and other cities, seeking different work. This area had rapid development and a high rate of immigrants and migrants from other areas of the country. The eastern Florida Parishes had the most mob violence and highest rate of lynchings in southern Louisiana. Especially after Reconstruction, whites helped black communities with flowers and food. Piney woods whites resisted the planters' efforts to restore their power, but imposed their own brutal violence on freedmen. Tangipahoa Parish was made more volatile by a "pronounced in-migration" of northerners (from the Midwest) and Sicilian immigrants, coupled with "industrial development along the

Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...

, and crippling political factionalism." During the period of 1877–1950; a total of 24 blacks were

lynched Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...

by whites in the parish as a means of racial terrorism and intimidation. This was the sixth highest total of any parish in Louisiana and the highest number of any parish in southern Louisiana.Michael James Pfeifer, ''Rough Justice: Lynching and American Society, 1874-1947''
University of Illinois Press, 2004, pp. 83-84 Twenty-two of these murders took place from 1879 to 1919, a time of heightened violence in the state. Unlike some other parishes, Tangipahoa did not have a high rate of legal executions of blacks; the whites operated outside the justice system altogether. Among those lynched and hanged by a mob was Emma Hooper, a black woman who had shot and wounded a constable. In 1898 the Louisiana state legislature disenfranchised blacks by raising barriers to voter registration, excluding them from politics for decades, until after passage of federal civil rights legislation. In the first half of the 20th century, many African Americans left Tangipahoa Parish to escape the violence and oppression of

Jim Crow 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 ...

, moving to industrial cities in the Great Migration. During World War II, they moved to the West Coast, where the buildup of the defense industry opened up new jobs. In the 21st century, they constitute a minority in the parish. Timber, agriculture and industry are still important to the parish. It suffered flooding in 1932 and in the early 1980s. In 2016, Tangipahoa was one of many parishes declared a

Federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

disaster area A disaster area is a region or a locale that has been heavily damaged by either natural, technological or social hazards. Disaster areas affect the population living in the community by dramatic increase in expense, loss of energy, food and serv ...

due to historic flooding from rainfall and storms in both March and August.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 parish has a total area of , of which is land and (3.9%) is water.

lies on the southeast side of the parish. Most of the parish south of

Ponchatoula Ponchatoula is the second-largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. The population was 6,559 at the 2010 census and 7,545 at the time of the 2020 population estimates program. Etymology It is speculated that the name is derived from the Cho ...

consists of

Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...

coastal swamp and marsh—gray-to-black clays of high organic content and thick peat beds underlying freshwater marsh and swamp.

Adjacent counties and parishes

Amite County Amite County is a county located in the state of Mississippi on its southern border with Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,720. Its county seat is Liberty. The county is named after the Amite River, which runs through the ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

(northwest) * Pike County,

(northeast) *

(east) * Washington Parish (east) *

St. John the Baptist Parish St. John the Baptist Parish (SJBP, french: Paroisse de Saint-Jean-Baptiste) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 42,477. The parish seat is Edgard, an unincorporated area, and the largest c ...

(south) *

(west) * St. Helena Parish (west)

Transportation

Railroads

Amtrak's daily ''

City of New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Illinois Central The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...

that carries freight through the parish is now part of CN. It continues to be busy.

Highways

Interstate 12 Interstate 12 (I-12) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Louisiana. It spans a total of in an east–west direction from I-10 in Baton Rouge to an interchange with both I-10 and I-59 in Slidell. Along the ...

Interstate 55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...

U.S. Route 51 U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south-north United States highway that extends from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Highw ...

U.S. Route 190 U.S. Route 190 (US 190) is an east–west United States Highway in Louisiana and Texas. Segments of US 190 will be upgraded to Interstate 14 (I-14); the first segment was opened on January 26, 2017. Route description , - , TX , , - , ...

Louisiana Highway 10 Louisiana Highway 10 (LA 10) is a state highway located in southern Louisiana. It runs in an east–west direction from U.S. Highway 171 (US 171) south of Leesville to the Mississippi state line east of Bogalusa. The route connects a ...

Louisiana Highway 16 Louisiana Highway 16 (LA 16) is a state highway located in southeastern Louisiana. It runs in a general east–west direction from LA 22 south of French Settlement to LA 21 in Sun. The route makes a wide arc through the Florid ...

Louisiana Highway 22 Louisiana Highway 22 (LA 22) is a state highway located in southeastern Louisiana. It runs in a general east–west direction from the junction of LA 75 and LA 942 in Darrow to U.S. Highway 190 (US 190) in Mandeville. T ...

Louisiana Highway 38 Louisiana Highway 38 (LA 38) is a state highway located in southeastern Louisiana. It runs in an east–west direction from LA 10 in Coleman Town to LA 430 south of Hackley. The route traverses the rural pine forests in three ...

Louisiana Highway 40 Louisiana Highway 40 (LA 40) is a state highway located in southeastern Louisiana. It runs in an east–west direction from LA 43 south of Montpelier to LA 41 in Bush. The route travels through the rural area between the parall ...

Louisiana Highway 440 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 442 * Louisiana 443

Louisiana Highway 443 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

Louisiana Highway 445 Louisiana Highway 445 (LA 445) is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Tangipahoa Parish. It spans in a south to north direction. Near its north end, it is known as Husser Road. Route description From the south, LA 445 begins near Lee's ...

Louisiana Highway 1040 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1045 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1046 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1048 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

Louisiana Highway 1049 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1050 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1051 * Louisiana 1053

Louisiana Highway 1053 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1054 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1055 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1056 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1057 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1061 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1062 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1063 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1064 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 1065 Louisiana Highway 1065 (LA 1065) is a mostly rural highway in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana between Hammond and Independence. In its more trafficked southern end it is known as North Cherry Street and outside Hammond, North Cherry Street Extension. ...

Louisiana Highway 1067 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

Louisiana Highway 1249 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

Louisiana Highway 3158 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 3234 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is border ...

Louisiana Highway 3260 Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

Demographics

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 133,157 people, 46,526 households, and 31,420 families residing in the parish. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 100,588 people, 36,558 households, and 25,773 families residing in the parish. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 127 people per square mile (49/km²). There were 40,794 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 69.76%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 28.35%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.39%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.24% Native American, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.46% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 36,558 households, out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 16.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.19. In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 12.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males. The median income for a household in the parish was $29,412, and the median income for a family was $36,731. Males had a median income of $31,576 versus $20,066 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the parish was $14,461. About 18.00% of families and 22.70% 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 28.60% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

The parish is part of both

Louisiana's 1st congressional district Louisiana's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district comprises land from the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain south to the Mississippi River delta. It covers most of New Orleans' sub ...

and

Louisiana's 5th congressional district Louisiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The 5th district encompasses rural northeastern Louisiana and much of central Louisiana, as well as the northern part of Louisiana's Florida paris ...

. Since the late 20th century most of the conservative, white-majority voters have left the Democratic Party and shifted to the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

. African Americans have largely continued to support the Democratic Party and its candidates. The parish government is governed by the

Louisiana State Constitution The Louisiana Constitution is legally named the Constitution of the State of Louisiana and commonly called the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, and the Constitution of 1974. The constitution is the cornerstone of the law of Louisiana ensuring the ...

and the Tangipahoa Parish Home Rule Charter. The Parish Government of Tangipahoa is headed by a parish president and a parish council (president-council government). The council is the legislative body of the parish, with authority under Louisiana State Constitution, the Parish Home Rule Charter, and laws passed by the

Louisiana State Legislature The Louisiana State Legislature (french: Législature d'État de Louisiane) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 represen ...

. The Parish

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

is the chief law enforcement officer; other elected officers include the coroner, assessor, and clerk of court. Keith Bardwell,

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

for the parish's 8th

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

(

Robert, Louisiana Robert is an unincorporated community in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies east of Hammond, at the intersection of US 190 and LA 445, from which it has a signed exit on Interstate 12. Robert is the largest settlement in Tangi ...

), attracted attention in October 2009 for refusing to officiate the wedding of an

interracial couple Interracial marriage is a marriage involving spouses who belong to different races or racialized ethnicities. In the past, such marriages were outlawed in the United States, Nazi Germany and apartheid-era South Africa as miscegenation. In 196 ...

. Bardwell, a justice of the peace for 34 years, had concluded that "most black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society". He said he does not perform weddings for

interracial marriage Interracial marriage is a marriage involving spouses who belong to different races or racialized ethnicities. In the past, such marriages were outlawed in the United States, Nazi Germany and apartheid-era South Africa as miscegenation. In 19 ...

s because "I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves." Bardwell said he had refused to perform the weddings of four couples during the 2½-year period before the news of his actions was publicized, resigned effective November 3, 2009. Governor

Bobby Jindal Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (born June 10, 1971) is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of Louisiana from 2008 to 2016. The only living former Louisiana governor, Jindal also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives a ...

said that the resignation was "long overdue."

Parish officers

* Parish PresidentCharles Robert "Robby" Miller, Jr. (R), since 2016 * SheriffDaniel H. Edwards (D), since 2004 * Clerk of CourtGary Stanga (D), since 2017 * CoronerDr. Rick Foster (D), since 2000 * AssessorJoaquin "Junior" Matheu (D), since 2005

Parish Council

Tangipahoa Parish is governed by an elected ten-member Council, each representing a geographic district and roughly equal populations. As of October 2016 its chairman was Bobby Cortez. Kristen Pecararo is the clerk of the council.Council page on Parish website
accessed 1 December 2019. The council members are: District 1Trent Forrest (D) from Kentwood District 2John Ingraffia (R) from Husser District 3Louis Nick Joseph (D) from Independence District 4Carlo S. Bruno (R) from Independence District 5H. G. "Buddy" Ridgel (D) from Hammond District 6Emile "Joey" Mayeaux (R) from Hammond District 7Lionell Wells (D) from Hammond District 8David Vial (R) from Hammond District 9Brigette Delatte Hyde (R) from Ponchatoula District 10Kim Landry Coates (R) from Hammond

President of Tangipahoa Parish

In 1986, the former governing body of Tangipahoa Parish, the Tangipahoa Police Jury, and the voters of the Parish approved a "home rule charter" style of government. The charter provided for the election of a parish president, essentially a parish-wide mayor. Democrat Gordon A. Burgess was elected to an initial one-year term and re-elected the following year for a four-year term. Burgess was repeatedly re-elected as parish president until he retired in 2015. In 2016, Republican businessman Robert "Robby" Miller succeeded Burgess. In April 2016, the Parish hired its first chief administrative officer, Shelby "Joe" Thomas, Jr. to handle operating functions.

Law enforcement

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office is headquartered in

. The Sheriff's office was excluded from a

DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic enf ...

task force in 2016 after the

Justice Department A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

charged two deputies with stealing money and drugs seized in raids. The office maintains: * a uniformed patrol unit * a

SWAT In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

unit, called the "Special Response Team." * a police-dog unit * a mounted unit * a system of reserve deputies * the parish's jail

Education

The parish is served by the

Tangipahoa Parish School System Tangipahoa Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in Amite City, Louisiana, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The district serves Tangipahoa Parish. Robert L. Frye (1927-2011), the Republican nominee for state educatio ...

is located in

. On seven occasions, the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

has sued the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, along with other defendants, for having allegedly sponsored and promoted religion in teacher-led school activities.

School Board

The elected school board governs and oversees the Tangipahoa Parish School System (TPSS). The board appoints the superintendent of schools, who leads the school system and oversees is functioning. The current superintendent is Melissa M. Stilley. The president of the board is Sandra Bailey-Simmons, and the vice president is Tom Tolar. Melissa M. Stilley, superintendent Janice Fultz Richards (D), District A Tom Tolar (R), District B Robin Abrams (R), District C Glenn Westmoreland (R), District D Brett Duncan (I), District E Randy Bush (R), District F Jerry Moore (D), District G Sandra Bailey-Simmons (R), District H Rose Quave Dominguez (R), District I The Board has a long history of racial discrimination in the hiring of teachers. In 1975, it was ordered to ensure one-third of the teaching staff were Black. Both the Board and the Court ignored the mandate for more than thirty years. During the period from 1998 to 2008, the Board hired fewer Black teachers than any other school system in the state. In 2010, a second ruling strengthened the first.

National Guard

The parish is home to the

204th Theater Airfield Operations Group Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

and the Forward Support Company of the 205th Engineer Battalion. This 205th Engineer Battalion is a component of the

225th Engineer Brigade The 225th Engineer Brigade is a combat heavy engineer brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard. It is one of the largest engineer formations in the United States Army National Guard. The 225th Engineer Brigade is headquartered at Camp Beaure ...

of the

Louisiana National Guard The Louisiana National Guard is the armed force through which the Louisiana Military Department executes the U.S. state of Louisiana's security policy. Consisting of the Louisiana Army National Guard, a reserve component of the United States Army; ...

. These units reside within the city of

. A detachment of the 1021st Engineer Company (Vertical) resides in

Independence, Louisiana Independence, originally known as Uncle Sam, is a town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,665 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. History The move to establish Indepen ...

. The

236th Combat Communications Squadron The United States Air Force's 236th Combat Communications Squadron (236 CBCS) is an Air National Guard combat communications unit located at Hammond, Louisiana. It is part of the Louisiana Air National Guard. In late 2011, approximately 30 member ...

of the

Louisiana Air National Guard The Louisiana Air National Guard (LA ANG) is the aerial militia of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is, along with the Louisiana Army National Guard, an element of the Louisiana National Guard. As state militia units, the units in the Louisiana A ...

also resides at the Hammond Airport.

Communities

Map of Tangipahoa Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

(largest municipality) *

Towns

* Amite City (parish seat) *

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

* Kentwood * Roseland

Villages

Tickfaw Tickfaw was founded in 1852 and is a village in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 694 at the 2010 census. Tickfaw is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. It was originally inhabited by Italian-Ameri ...

Census-designated place

* Natalbany

Other unincorporated places

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

* Fluker * Husser * Loranger *

Manchac Manchac (also known as Akers) is an unincorporated community in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. Etymology Dr. John R. Swanton, a linguist who worked with Native American languages, suggested that the name Manchac is derived from '' ...

(Akers) * Pumpkin Center *

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

Rosaryville Rosaryville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located south of Cinton and Upper Marlboro beside U.S. Route 301. Per the 2020 census, the population was 11,548. including ...

* Wilmer

Notable people

Chris Broadwater Christopher D. Broadwater, known as Chris Broadwater (born March 22, 1972), is an attorney in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who was a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 86, which encompasses within Tangipahoa Pa ...

, current District 86 state representative, resides in Hammond *

Nick Bruno Nick Joseph Bruno (born June 4, 1951) has been the president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, also known as ULM, since November 8, 2010. He was appointed by the Baton Rouge-based University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. Brun ...

, president of

University of Louisiana at Monroe The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) is a public university in Monroe, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System. History ULM opened in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later it became the Northeast Cen ...

Hodding Carter William Hodding Carter, II (February 3, 1907 – April 4, 1972), was a Southern U.S. progressive journalist and author. Among other distinctions in his career, Carter was a Nieman Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner. He died in Greenville, Missis ...

, 20th-century journalist *

John L. Crain John Luther Crain (born 1960, in Franklinton, Louisiana) is an American accountant and academic administrator, currently serving as president of Southeastern Louisiana University, having been appointed to the position on February 17, 2009, by the B ...

, president of

John Bel Edwards John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 56th governor of Louisiana since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of ...

, current

Governor of Louisiana A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

; former Minority Leader of

Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...

; former District 72 state representative, resides in Amite *

Lucy Fleming Eve Lucinda "Lucy" Fleming (born 15 May 1947) is a British actress. Biography Early life and ancestry Fleming was born in Nettlebed, England. She is the second daughter of actress Celia Johnson and writer Peter Fleming (brother of James Bo ...

, singer *

C. B. Forgotston Charlton Bath Forgotston, Jr., known as C. B. Forgotston (January 19, 1945 – January 3, 2016), was an American attorney, political pundit and state government watchdog from Hammond in southeastern Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronu ...

, political activist *

Barbara Forrest Barbara Carroll Forrest is a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. She is a critic of intelligent design and the Discovery Institute. Biography Forrest is a graduate of Hammond High School. She re ...

, critic of

intelligent design Intelligent design (ID) is a pseudoscientific argument for the existence of God, presented by its proponents as "an evidence-based scientific theory about life's origins". Numbers 2006, p. 373; " Dcaptured headlines for its bold attempt to ...

Tim Gautreaux Timothy Martin Gautreaux (born 1947 in Morgan City, Louisiana) is a novelist and short story writer. His writing has appeared in ''The New Yorker'', ''Best American Short Stories'', ''The Atlantic'', '' Harper's'', and '' GQ''. His novel ''The N ...

, writer * Dennis Paul Hebert, state representative for Tangipahoa Parish, 1972-1996 *

Bolivar E. Kemp Bolivar Edwards Kemp Sr. (December 28, 1871, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana – June 19, 1933, Amite, Louisiana), was an attorney and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana's 6th congressional district. In 1897, ...

, U.S. representative, 1925–1933 *

Bolivar Edwards Kemp, Jr. Bolivar Edwards Kemp Jr. (September 23, 1904 – October 27, 1965), was the attorney general of Louisiana from 1948 to 1952 during the administration of Louisiana Governor Earl Kemp Long. A Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may r ...

Louisiana Attorney General The office of attorney general of Louisiana (french: Procureur général de la Louisiane) has existed since the colonial period. Under Article IV, Section 8 of the Constitution of Louisiana, the attorney general is elected statewide for a four-yea ...

, 1948–1952 *

Wade Miley Wade Allen Miley (born November 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Miley in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the ...

, professional baseball pitcher *

James H. Morrison James Hobson Morrison (December 8, 1908 - July 20, 2000) was an American lawyer and politician who served twelve terms as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana from 1943 to 1967. Early life and caree ...

, represented

Louisiana's 6th congressional district Louisiana's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located in south-central Louisiana, the district contains most of the state capital of Baton Rouge, the bulk of Baton Rouge's suburbs, and contin ...

from 1943 to 1967 *

Kim Mulkey Kimberly Duane Mulkey (born May 17, 1962) is an American college basketball player and coach. She is the head coach for Louisiana State University's women's basketball team. A Pan-American gold medalist in 1983 and Olympic gold medalist in 1984, ...

, college basketball player, United States Olympic Team, Baylor head women's basketball coach *

Rufus Porter Rufus Porter may refer to: *Rufus Porter (painter) (1792–1884), American painter, inventor, and founder of ''Scientific American'' magazine *Rufus Porter (American football) Rufus Porter (born May 18, 1965) is an American former professional ...

, professional football player * Henry "Tank" Powell, state representative from 1996 to 2008 * Billy Reid, fashion designer *

Weldon Russell Robert Weldon Russell III, known as Weldon Russell (born 1946), is a Democrat and former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives who served from District 72 between 1984 and 1988 during the third administration of Governor Edwin Washing ...

, former state representative from Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes *

Jackie Smith Jackie Larue Smith (born February 23, 1940) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Northwestern Louisiana State College (Northwestern ...

, former professional football player, St. Louis Cardinals and

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...

, NFL Hall of Famer *

Irma Thomas Irma Thomas ( Lee; born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans". Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial succ ...

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

-winning singer * Harry D. Wilson, Louisiana state representative and state agriculture commissioner; pushed for the establishment of the town of Independence in 1912 * Justin Wilson, chef and humorist *

Robert Alford Robert J. Alford (born December 10, 1950 in Edson, Alberta) is a Canadian politician. He married in 1975 and raised two daughters. Education Alford graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (S.A.I.T.) in 1971 with a diploma i ...

, professional football player,

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...

Harlan Miller Harlan Miller (born June 20, 1994) is an American football Safety (gridiron football position), safety for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played college football at Southeastern Louisiana Lions football, Southe ...

, professional football player,

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

* Kevin Hughes, professional football player,

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arri ...

and

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

Donald Dykes Donald Ray Dykes is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for four seasons for the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers. He also played in the United States Football League. He was an assistant football coach at th ...

, former professional football player,

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

and

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

* Earl Wilson, former major league baseball player for

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

and

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

LaBrandon Toefield LaBrandon Cordell Toefield (born September 24, 1980) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University. Toe ...

, former professional football player,

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...

and

Devonta Smith DeVonta Smith ( ; born November 14, 1998) is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he recorded over 1,800 yards with 23 touchdowns as a ...

, professional football player,

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

, 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner,

Alabama Crimson Tide football The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama (variously Alabama, UA, or Bama) in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Asso ...

References

External links

* * * {{Coord, 30.62665, -90.40568, format=dms, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:wikidata 1869 establishments in Louisiana Louisiana parishes Louisiana placenames of Native American origin Populated places established in 1869 Southeastern Louisiana University Swamps of Louisiana

History

Geography

Adjacent counties and parishes

Transportation

Railroads

Highways

Demographics

Government and politics

Parish officers

Parish Council

President of Tangipahoa Parish

Law enforcement

Education

School Board

National Guard

Communities

Cities

Towns

Villages

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Notable people

See also

References

External links