Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and largest city) and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 45,989 at the 2010 census, with the population now being 48,730 in 2020. Hattiesburg is the principal city of the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses

Covington Covington may refer to: People * Covington (surname) Places United Kingdom * Covington, Cambridgeshire * Covington, South Lanarkshire United States * Covington, Georgia * Covington, Indiana * Covington, Kentucky, the largest American cit ...

, Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties. The city is located in the Pine Belt region. Development of the interior of Mississippi by European Americans took place primarily after the American Civil War. Before that time, only properties along the major rivers were developed as plantations. Founded in 1882 by civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a population of 400. Hattiesburg's population first expanded as a center of the lumber and railroad industries, from which was derived the nickname "The Hub City". It now attracts newcomers because of the diversity of its economy, strong neighborhoods, and the central location in South Mississippi. Hattiesburg is home to the University of Southern Mississippi (founded as Mississippi Normal College, for the training of teachers) and

William Carey University William Carey University (also known as Carey, William Carey, or WCU) is a private Christian university in Mississippi, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mississippi Baptist Convention. The main campus is in Hattiesbur ...

(formerly William Carey College). South of Hattiesburg is Camp Shelby, the largest

US National Guard The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force when activated for federal missions.Mississippi River, which hosts up to 100,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists annually.

History

Front Street, Hattiesburg, Mississippi (circa 1900)

During European colonization, this area was first claimed by the French. Between 1763 and 1783 the area that is currently Hattiesburg fell under the jurisdiction of the colony of British West Florida. After the United States gained its independence, Great Britain ceded this and other areas to it after 1783. The United States gained a cession of lands from the Choctaw and Chickasaw under the terms of the Treaty of Mount Dexter in 1805. After the treaty was ratified, European-American settlers began to move into the area. In the 1830s, the Choctaw and Chickasaw were relocated by United States authorities by treaties authorized by the Indian Removal Act, which sought to relocate the Five Civilized Tribes from the Southeast to west of the Mississippi River. They and their slaves were moved to Indian Territory in today's Kansas and

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. Hattiesburg developed at the confluence of the Leaf and Bouie rivers. It was founded in 1882 by Captain William H. Hardy, a civil engineer. The city of Hattiesburg was incorporated in 1884 with a population of approximately 400. Originally called Twin Forks and later Gordonville, the city received its final name of Hattiesburg from Capt. Hardy, in honor of his wife Hattie. Hattiesburg is centrally located less than 100 miles from the state capital of Jackson, as well as from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama.Reagan L. Grimsley, ''Hattiesburg In Vintage Postcards'', (SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.) In 1884, a railroad—known then as the New Orleans and Northeastern—was built from

Meridian Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to Science * Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon * ...

, Mississippi, in the center of the state, through Hattiesburg to New Orleans. The completion of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (G&SIRR) from Gulfport, to the capital of Jackson, Mississippi, also ran through Hattiesburg. It stimulated a lumber boom in 1897, with interior pine forests being harvested at a rapid pace. Although the railroad took 20 years to be developed, the G&SIRR more than fulfilled its promise. It gave the state access to a deep water harbor at Gulfport, more than doubled the population of towns along its route, stimulated the growth of the City of Gulfport, and made Hattiesburg a railroad center. In 1924, the G&SIRR operated as a subsidiary of the Illinois Central Railroad but lost its independent identity in 1946. Hattiesburg gained its nickname, the Hub City, in 1912 as a result of a contest in a local newspaper. It was named because it was at the intersection of a number of important rail lines. Later

U.S. Highway 49 U.S. Route 49 (US 49) is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with US Route 62/Highway 1/ Highway 139 (US 62/AR 1/AR 139). Its southern terminus is ...

U.S. Highway 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida, Pensacola and Apalachicola, F ...

and U.S. Highway 11, and later, Interstate 59 also intersected in and near Hattiesburg. The region around Hattiesburg was involved in testing during the development of weapons in the nuclear arms race of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

. In the 1960s, two nuclear devices were detonated in the salt domes near Lumberton, Mississippi, about 28 miles southwest of Hattiesburg. Extensive follow-up of the area by the EPA has not revealed levels of nuclear contamination in the area that would be harmful to humans. HattiesburgMississippiPostOffice

Hattiesburg Courthouse and Confederate Monument

Throughout the 20th century, Hattiesburg benefited from the founding of Camp Shelby (now a military mobilization center), two major hospitals, and two colleges,

The University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...

and

. The growing metropolitan area that includes Hattiesburg, Forrest and Lamar counties, was designated a Metropolitan Statistical Area in 1994 with a combined population of more than 100,000 residents. Although about inland, Hattiesburg was hit very hard in 2005 by

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

. Around 10,000 structures in the area received major damage of some type from the heavy winds and rain, as the hurricane tracked inland. Approximately 80 percent of the city's roads were blocked by trees, and power was out in the area for up to 14 days. The storm killed 24 people in Hattiesburg and the surrounding areas. The city has struggled to cope with a large influx of temporary evacuees and new permanent residents from coastal Louisiana and Mississippi towns to the south, where damage from Katrina was catastrophic. The City is known for its police department, as it was the first—and for almost a decade the only— Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies federally accredited law enforcement agency in the State of Mississippi. The department is served by its own training academy. It is considered one of the most difficult basic academies in the country, with a more than 50% attrition rate. The Hattiesburg Zoo at Kamper Park is a longstanding tourist attraction in the city. In 2011, the

Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood District Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County, Mississippi, Forrest County (where it is the county seat and largest city) and extending west into Lamar County, Mississippi, Lamar County. The city popu ...

was named one of the "Great Places In America," to live by the

American Planning Association The American Planning Association (APA) is a professional organization representing the field of urban planning in the United States. APA was formed in 1978, when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Pla ...

. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest. The twenty-five-block neighborhood has one of the best collections of Victorian-era houses in Mississippi, with more than ninety percent of the houses substantially renovated and maintained. The Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood District

HND HND or H&D may refer to: Transport * Haneda Airport, serving Tokyo, Japan * Hanborough railway station, in England * Henderson Executive Airport, in Nevada, United States * Hinterland Aviation, an Australian airline Other uses * Croatian Journ ...

was Hattiesburg's first recognized historic district and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is also part of an Historic Conservation District and protected by Historic Hattiesburg Design Guidelines. In 2013, the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood District celebrated the 38th Annual Victorian Candlelit Christmas and Holiday Tour of Homes. During the two nights of the Victorian Candlelit Christmas, thousands of candles burn in white bags lining the sidewalks. Christmas carolers from the three churches: Sacred Heart, Court Street Methodist, and Bay Street Presbyterian, stroll house to house singing Christmas music. Horse-drawn carriages carry visitors through the neighborhood at a walking pace. The Miss Hospitality Pageant began in 1949. Hattiesburg was chosen in 1997 to sponsor the state pageant. The purpose of the pageant is the selection and presentation of a young, knowledgeable lady to help promote the state in tourism and economic development. Contestants are judged on the following categories: panel interview, one-on-one interview competition, Mississippi speech competition, commercial/black dress competition, and evening gown competition. The 2011 winner was Ann Claire Reynolds, a junior at University of Southern Mississippi who was majoring in elementary and special education. Hattiesburg is home to the

African American Military History Museum The African American Military History Museum, also known as ''East Sixth Street USO Building'', located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, opened to the public on May 23, 2009. The museum building was originally constructed in 1942 as a USO Club for Af ...

. The building opened as a

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

club in 1942 to serve African Americans serving at Camp Shelby, as local facilities were racially segregated. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This building is the only remaining USO club site in the United States. It has been adapted for use as a museum interpreting African-American military history. Exhibits show their participation in all the major wars and the founding of Hattiesburg: exhibits include the Revolutionary War, Buffalo Soldiers, World Wars I and II, Desegregation, Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Global War on Terrorism, You Can Be A Soldier, Hattiesburg's Hall of Honor, and World Map. The museum is dedicated to the many African-American soldiers who have fought for their country.

Civil rights movement

Hattiesburg and the unincorporated African-American community of Palmers Crossing played a key role in the civil rights transitions of the 1960s. In 1959, black Korean War veteran

Clyde Kennard Clyde Kennard (June 12, 1927July 4, 1963) was an American Korean War veteran and civil rights leader from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In the 1950s, he attempted several times to enroll at the all-white Mississippi Southern College (now the Univers ...

applied to attend then all-white Mississippi Southern College (today University of Southern Mississippi). He was denied admission because of his race, as state colleges were legally segregated. When he persisted, the newly formed

Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission The Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission (also called the Sov-Com) was a state agency in Mississippi from 1956 to 1977 tasked with fighting desegregation and controlling civil rights activism. It was overseen by the Governor of Mississippi. T ...

, a taxpayer-supported agency ostensibly set up to encourage tourism, allegedly conspired to have him framed for a crime. He was sentenced to seven years in Parchman Prison. For years, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leaders Medgar Evers, Vernon Dahmer, and other Forrest County civil rights activists fought to overturn the conviction. The MSSC allegedly conducted outrageous activities against citizens of the state: it was claimed that agents investigated citizens, it created blacklists of activists and black professionals who were suspected of working for civil rights, it conducted economic boycotts against black-owned businesses, or arranged for blacks to be fired from state and local jobs. They reportedly also worked to have black activists or suspected activists evicted from rental housing. All of this was conducted in secret, until later allegations of revelations brought the state's activities into the open. March, King, April 8, 1968

Forrest County Registrar

Theron Lynd Theron Carl Lynd (May 30, 1920–January 1978) was an American circuit clerk and voter registrar in Forrest County, Mississippi, who refused to register Black people during the civil rights movement. Lynd was the first southern voter registrar t ...

prevented blacks in the area from registering to vote, based on such devices in the state constitution as poll taxes, and literacy and comprehension tests, subjectively administered by whites. In 1960, thirty percent of the population in the county was black, but less than 1% of blacks had been able to register, regardless of their education level. Registration by whites was close to 100%. In 1961, the U.S.

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 ...

filed suit against Lynd. He was the first southern registrar to be convicted under the

Civil Rights Act of 1957 The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the first federal civil rights legislation passed by the United States Congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The bill was passed by the 85th United States Congress and signed into law by President Dwigh ...

for systematically violating African-American voting rights. In 1962, the

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, often pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emerging in 1960 from the student-led sit-ins at segrega ...

(SNCC) began one of its first voter-registration projects in Hattiesburg under the auspices of the

Council of Federated Organizations The Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) was a coalition of the major Civil Rights Movement organizations operating in Mississippi. COFO was formed in 1961 to coordinate and unite voter registration and other civil rights activities in the sta ...

(COFO). By 1964, the

Delta Ministry The Delta Ministry played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi. It was begun in September 1964, by the National Council of Churches as a civil rights project operating in Mississippi to support the southern black freedom strug ...

was active in the city. In cooperation with the NAACP and local civil rights leaders, they formed the Forrest County Voters League. In conjunction with the 1963 elections, civil rights leaders organized a statewide Freedom Ballot, a mock election that claimed both the statewide pattern of voting rights discrimination and the strong desire of Mississippi blacks for the franchise. Despite the serious risk of both physical and economic retaliation, nearly half of Forrest County blacks participated, the highest turnout in the state. January 22, 1964, was "Freedom Day" in Hattiesburg, a major voter registration effort supported by student demonstrators and 50 northern clergymen. For the first time since Reconstruction, an inter-racial protest was allowed to picket the courthouse for voting rights without being arrested. Roughly 100 African Americans attempted to register, though only a few were allowed into the courthouse due to (occupancy and space constraints) and fewer still succeeded in gaining entry on the rolls. Each day thereafter for many months, activists resumed the courthouse protest in what became known as the "Perpetual Picket." During

Freedom Summer Freedom Summer, also known as the Freedom Summer Project or the Mississippi Summer Project, was a volunteer campaign in the United States launched in June 1964 to attempt to register as many African-American voters as possible in Mississippi. ...

in 1964, the Hattiesburg/Palmers Crossing project was the headquarters for all civil rights activity in

Mississippi's 5th congressional district Mississippi's 5th congressional district existed from 1855 to 2003. The state was granted a fifth representative by Congress following the 1850 census. From 1853 to 1855, the fifth representative was elected at-large instead of by district, favo ...

. This was the largest and most active site in the state, with more than 90 volunteers and 3,000 local participants. Hundreds of Forrest County blacks tried to register to vote at the courthouse, but blacks once again claimed without data that most were prevented from doing so. More than 650 children and adults attended one of the seven

Freedom Schools Freedom Schools were temporary, alternative, and free schools for African Americans mostly in the South. They were originally part of a nationwide effort during the Civil Rights Movement to organize African Americans to achieve social, political and ...

in Hattiesburg and Palmers Crossing, three freedom libraries were set up with donated books, and a community center was established. It was alleged that “many” whites opposed civil rights efforts by blacks, and both summer volunteers and local African Americans endured arrests, beatings, firings, and evictions. Forrest County was also a center of activity for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). It sent a slate of delegates to the National Democratic Convention in Atlantic City that year to challenge the seating of the all-white, pro-segregation delegates elected by the regular party in primaries from which African Americans had been largely excluded due to alleged voter registration barriers. Victoria Jackson Gray of Palmers Crossing ran on the MFDP ticket against incumbent Senator

John Stennis John Cornelius Stennis (August 3, 1901April 23, 1995) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member for his ...

, and John Cameron of Hattiesburg ran for Representative in the 5th District. With blacks not turning out to vote, these candidates knew they would not be elected, but their campaigns encouraged blacks to exercise their legal voting rights. Even after passage of the federal

Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...

and the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...

, resistance continued in Mississippi and Hattiesburg. On the night of January 10, 1966, the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan reportedly attacked the Hattiesburg home of NAACP leader Vernon Dahmer with firebombs and gunfire. Dahmer was the most prominent black leader in the county and had been the primary civil rights leader for many years. Just prior to the attack, he had announced that he would help pay a $2

poll tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...

() for black voters too poor to do so themselves. Dahmer held off the Klan with his rifle to give his wife, their three young children, and elderly aunt time to escape their burning home, but he died of burns and smoke inhalation the next day. His murder sparked large protest marches in Hattiesburg. A number of Klansmen were arrested for the crime, and four were eventually convicted. After four previous trials had ended in deadlocks, KKK Imperial Wizard Samuel Bowers was finally convicted in August 1998 for ordering the assassination of Dahmer. He was sentenced to life in prison. In 1970, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against trespass convictions of civil rights protesters in ''

Adickes v. S.H. Kress Co. ''Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.'', 398 U.S. 144 (1970), was a United States Supreme Court case where the majority ruling, written by Justice Harlan, asserted that the burden of showing a lack of factual controversy rests upon the party asserting ...

''. The case involved a

sit-in A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to mo ...

at the lunch counter of the S. H. Kress & Co. downtown.

Vela Uniform/Project Dribble nuclear tests

Vela Uniform Vela Uniform was an element of Project Vela conducted jointly by the United States Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Its purpose was to develop seismic methods for detecting underground nuclear testing, and it involved ...

was an element of Project Vela, conducted jointly in the 1960s by the United States Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Its purpose was to develop seismic methods for detecting underground nuclear testing. The Project Dribble program involved two underground nuclear detonations. Test SALMON occurred on October 22, 1964, with a 5.3 kiloton yield; test STERLING was detonated December 3, 1966, with a yield of 380 tons. Both detonations took place within Tatum Salt Dome, southwest of the Hattiesburg/ Purvis area.

Geography

Most of Hattiesburg is in Forrest County. A smaller portion on the west side is in Lamar County, with abundant commercial land gained in a 2008 annexation. This consists of first, a narrow stretch of land lying east of

I-59 Interstate 59 (I-59) is an Interstate Highway located in the southeastern United States. It is a north–south route that spans from a junction with I-10 and I-12 at Slidell, Louisiana, to a junction with I-24 near Wildwood, Georgia. ...

, and second, an irregularly shaped extension into West Hattiesburg. In the 2000 census, 42,475 of the city's 44,779 residents (94.9%) lived in Forrest County and 2,304 (5.1%) in Lamar County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.63%, is water. Hattiesburg is north of Biloxi and southeast of Jackson, the state capital.

Geology and paleontology

Hattiesburg is situated on an outcrop of the Pascagoula and Hattiesburg formation which is thought to be Miocene in age. Miocene plant and animal fossils discovered from the vicinity of Hattiesburg indicate the area was once more swamp-like and dominated by low-growing palm trees.

Climate

Hattiesburg has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Snowfall is extremely rare, but on December 11, 2008, areas around Hattiesburg received . As is the case throughout the southern United States, severe thunderstorms can pose a threat, particularly during spring. Such storms spawn frequent lightning, heavy rain, occasional large hail, and tornadoes. An EF4 tornado struck the Hattiesburg area on February 10, 2013, between roughly 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. CST. This tornado formed in Lamar County just west of Oak Grove and quickly increased in size and intensity. Although the most severe damage occurred in the Oak Grove area, especially near Oak Grove High School, the tornado continued eastward into Hattiesburg, causing widespread EF1-EF3 damage to the southern portion of the University of Southern Mississippi campus and the areas just north of downtown. It then moved into neighboring

Petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

and rural Forrest County. More than 80 injured were reported but no fatalities. The prevention of deaths was attributed to the nearly 30-minute lead time of the tornado warning. The most recent tornado struck on January 21, 2017, when an EF3 hit the city early in the morning, killing four and injuring twenty. Some 10,000 people were left without power.

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 48,730 people, 17,778 households, and 9,165 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, there were 45,989 people living in the city. 52.8% were African American, 40.5% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.9%

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 ...

, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race and 1.1% from two or more races. 4.3% were Hispanic or

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.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 44,779 people, 17,295 households, and 9,391 families residing within the city limits. The population density was 909.0 people per square mile (351.0/km²). There were 19,258 housing units at an average density of 391.0 per square mile (150.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.95% White, 47.34% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.22%

, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or

people of any race were 1.41% of the population. There were 17,295 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.1% 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, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 24.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were approximately 81.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,409, and the median income for a family was $32,380. Males had a median income of $26,680 versus $19,333 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,102. About 21.5% of families and 28.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.3% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

In 2010 the Hattiesburg Metropolitan area has an Evangelical Protestant majority with 66,000 members. The

Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...

has 85 congregations and 53,000 members. The United Methodist Church has 35 congregations and 9,000 members. The third largest is the Presbyterian Church in America with 5 congregations and 1,518 members.

Economy

Hattiesburg is home to several national business branches that hold thousands of jobs across the Pine Belt. It was headquarters to the now defunct

International Filing Company The International Filing Company was a manufacturer of filing supplies for the printing industry and several other businesses. They manufactured products such as filing folders, radiology jackets and preservers, labels, expansion pockets, and inde ...

and currently hosts branches of Kohler Engines and

BAE Systems Inc. BAE Systems Inc. (formerly BAE Systems North America) is an American subsidiary of British defense, security, and aerospace company BAE Systems plc. The American subsidiary operates under a Special Security Agreement which allows it to work o ...

, as well as Berry Plastics and the

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. is a private Coca-Cola bottling company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, US. Coca-Cola United is the largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in the United States and the second largest in which the C ...

, Pepsi Cola Bottling Co., and Budweiser Distribution Co. Companies such as

Sunbeam A sunbeam, in meteorological optics, is a beam of sunlight that appears to radiate from the position of the Sun. Shining through openings in clouds or between other objects such as mountains and buildings, these beams of particle-scattered sunl ...

(shared with

Mr. Coffee Mr. Coffee is a registered trademark of Newell Brands. The Mr. Coffee brand manufactures automatic-drip kitchen coffee machines, as well as other products. The brand was founded in the early 1970s. Mr. Coffee has often been referenced in popular ...

, and the Coleman Company) and Kimberly Clark used to manufacture in Hattiesburg.

Regions Financial Corporation Regions Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in the Regions Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The company provides retail banking and commercial banking, trust, stockbrokerage, and mortgage services. Its banking subsidia ...

operates a large operations center in the city, which employs nearly 500 people. The main shopping mall is

Turtle Creek Mall Turtle Creek Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. Opened in 1994, its anchor stores are At Home, JCPenney, Dillard's, Belk, and Urban Planet. There is 1 vacant anchor store that was once Sears. ...

Arts and culture

Theaters

* The Saenger Theatre was one of the seven built and operated by the Saenger brothers. It hosts an annual Mississippi Miss Hospitality Competition, along with other productions. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. * William Carey Center and Dinner Theater * University of Southern Mississippi Theatre Department features original productions and broadcasts of ''National Theatre Live!'' from London, UK.

Galleries

* A GALLERY, 134 E. Front Street * Hattiesburg Arts Council Gallery at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center, 723 Main Street * Lucile Parker Art Gallery is located in the Thomas Fine Arts Building on William Carey University's Hattiesburg campus. The collection consists of 141 artworks by Lucile Parker, and 17 by Marie Hull. From August to May, the gallery features exhibitions of local, state, and nationally known artists. * Sarah Gillespie Collection at William Carey University, 498 Tuscan Avenue, is an extensive collection of twentieth century Mississippi art. * University of Southern Mississippi Art Gallery

Museums

, 305 E. 6th Street *

Mississippi Armed Forces Museum The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum is located at Camp Shelby Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training ...

at Camp Shelby * Freedom Summer Trails * Hattiesburg Area Historical Society Museum, 723 Main Street * De Grummond Children's Literature Museum

Train depot

The Hattiesburg Train Depot was constructed in 1910 by the Southern Railway Company, and was the city's largest and most architecturally significant depot. The City of Hattiesburg purchased the depot and of land from

Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...

in 2000, and began a seven-year, $10 million restoration. The completed depot now functions as an intermodal transportation center for bus, taxi and rail, as well as a space for exhibitions, meetings and special events.

Government

Hattiesburg is governed via a mayor-council system. The mayor, currently

Toby Barker Toby Barker (born December 31, 1981) is an American people, American politician and the current List of mayors of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In 2007, he was elected a member of the Mississippi House of Represent ...

, is elected at large. The city council consists of five members who are each elected from one of five wards, known as single-member districts. The current city council consists of the members (Council President) Ward 1 - Jeffrey George, Ward 2 - Deborah Delgado, Ward 3 - Carter Carroll, (Council Vice President) Ward 4 - Dave Ware, and Ward 5 - Nicholas Brown.

Education

Public education in most of Hattiesburg is served by the

Hattiesburg Municipal Separate School District The Hattiesburg School District was a public school district based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. Most of the district is located in Forrest County, but a small portion extends into Lamar County. Schools High schools *Hattiesbur ...

, serving grades K–12. Portions of Hattiesburg are served by Forrest County Schools. Portions of Hattiesburg in Lamar County are zoned to

Lamar County School District The Lamar County School District (LCSD) is a public school district based in Purvis, Mississippi (USA). In addition to Purvis, the district also serves the town of Sumrall; the communities of Arnold Line, Baxterville, Lumberton, Oak Grove, a ...

. Hattiesburg High School is a part of the Hattiesburg district. North Forrest High School (grades 7–12) is a part of the Forrest school district. Oak Grove High School (grades 9–12) is under the Lamar County School District.

Forrest County Agricultural High School Forrest County Agricultural High School (FCAHS) is a public, secondary school in Brooklyn, in unincorporated Forrest County, Mississippi (United States). The school provides education to grades 9 12. Forrest County AHS is the only independently f ...

is an independent public high school near Hattiesburg.

Colleges

Hattiesburg is home to the main campuses of two institutions of higher learning: the public University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the private Baptist-supported

. Both have campuses in other locations; USM has a campus in Long Beach, Mississippi, and William Carey has campuses in Gulfport, and New Orleans, Louisiana. The Forrest County Center of Pearl River Community College, a public institution, is located in Hattiesburg, with the main campus located in Poplarville, Mississippi.

Private schools

Presbyterian Christian High School (3298083367)

* Sacred Heart Catholic School (grades Pre-K–12) *

Presbyterian Christian School Presbyterian Christian School (PCS), is a private Christian school in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It was originally founded as Bay Street Christian Day School in 1976. It serves preschool through grade 12. Grades K5-6 attend one campus, while 7-12 at ...

(grades PreK–12) * School of Excellence (grades K–6) (now Early Learning Center, 6 weeks to Pre-K) * Lamar Christian School (grades Pre-K-12) * Bass Christian Elementary (grades K–8) * Bass Memorial Academy (grades 9–12) * Central Baptist School (grades K–12) * Benedict Day School (grades K–8) *Innova Prep (grades K-12) * The Adept School

Libraries

Forrest County Public Library serves the city. The library has a location in downtown Hattiesburg as well as in neighboring Petal.

Media

FM radio

WUSM-FM WUSM-FM (88.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a AAA format. Licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, the station serves the Hattiesburg-Laurel area. The station is currently owned by the University of Southern Mississippi. WU ...

88.5 (

Public Radio Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...

) * WAII 89.3

American Family Radio American Family Radio (AFR) is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian Conservative Christianity, Christian-oriented programming to over 30 states.Christian Contemporary) *

WJMG WJMG (92.1 FM, "G 92.1") is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County, Mississippi, Forrest County (where it is the co ...

92.1 ( Urban Contemporary) *

WGDQ WGDQ (93.1 FM, "WGDQ") is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Sumrall, Mississippi, United States, and serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station broadcasts an urban gospel format. Its transmitter is located in Rawls Springs, ...

93.1 ( Urban Gospel) *

WKZW WKZW (94.3 FM broadcasting, FM, "KZ-94.3") is a radio station city of license, licensed to serve the community of Sandersville, Mississippi, and serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station is owned by Blakeney Communications, Inc. It airs ...

94.3 ( Hot Adult Contemporary) *

WBBN WBBN (95.9 FM, "B-95") is a radio station licensed to the community of Taylorsville, Mississippi, and serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station is owned by Blakeney Communications, Inc. It airs a country music format. The station was as ...

95.9 ( Country music) * WBBL 96.5 (

Southern Gospel Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...

) *

WFMM Telesouth Communications Inc, also known as SuperTalk Mississippi Media, is an American, commercial radio network based in Jackson, Mississippi. Its stations across Mississippi broadcast either a music format, or conservative news / talk and sp ...

97.3

Supertalk Mississippi Telesouth Communications Inc, also known as SuperTalk Mississippi Media, is an American, commercial radio network based in Jackson, Mississippi. Its stations across Mississippi broadcast either a music format, or conservative news / talk and sp ...

(Talk) *

WMXI WMXI (98.1 FM, "News Radio 98.1") is a news/talk formatted radio station licensed to Ellisville, Mississippi, serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg Arbitron market. History WMXI started as an alternative rock formatted radio station as "98X". Sometim ...

98.1 (

News News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the tes ...

Talk Talk may refer to: Communication * Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people * Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people * Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct ...

) *

WLAU WLAU (99.3 FM, "SuperTalk Mississippi 99.3") is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Heidelberg, Mississippi. The station is licensed to and owned by TeleSouth Communications, Inc. Licensed as "WEEZ" since 1979, the stat ...

99.3 Supertalk Mississippi (

) *

WNSL WNSL (100.3 FM, "SL100") is a Top 40 music formatted radio station licensed to Laurel, Mississippi, serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg Arbitron market. Programming SL100 is an affiliate of the syndicated Johnjay and Rich. It is also an affiliate ...

100.3 ( Pop music), ( Top 40) * W266CT 101.1 ( Classic Hip Hop), ( Urban Oldies), (

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

) (Simulcast of WHJA AM 890) *

WJKX WJKX (102.5 FM, "102JKX") is a radio station licensed to the community Ellisville, Mississippi, and serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and the license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. It airs an urban adult c ...

102.5 ( Urban Adult Contemporary) *

WFFX WFFX (103.7 FM, "103.7 The Fox") is a mainstream rock music formatted radio station licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg Arbitron Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United ...

103.7 (

Active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...

) *

WXRR WXRR (104.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, the station serves the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station is currently owned by Blakeney Communications. The station' ...

104.5 ( Classic rock) *

WQID-LP WQID-LP (105.3 FM, "Hot 105.3") is a low-power FM radio station licensed to serve the community of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg area. The station airs an urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known ...

105.3 ( Urban Contemporary) *

WZLD WZLD (106.3 FM, "Wild 106.3") is a mainstream urban music formatted radio station licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg Arbitron Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United Sta ...

106.3 ( Urban Contemporary) *

WLVZ WLVZ is a radio station on 107.1 FM in Collins, Mississippi, US serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area. The station serves as the Hattiesburg-area transmitter for the K-Love Christian radio network. History On January 10, 1977, Covington ...

107.1 (Contemporary Christian)

AM radio

WHJA WHJA (890 AM, "Power 101") is a radio station licensed to the community of Laurel, Mississippi, and serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area. The station is owned by Donald Pugh, Sr., through licensee Eternity Media Group LLC. It airs a class ...

890 ( Classic Hip Hop), ( Urban Oldies), (

) *

WHSY WHSY (950 AM, "The Legend") is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, the station serves the Hattiesburg-Laurel area. The station is currently owned by Timothy D. Lee's Lee Airw ...

950 ( Classic Country) * WFOR 1400 (

Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio is an American sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports division and iHeartMedia, parent company ...

) *

WORV WORV (1580 AM, "Heartbeat of the Hub City") is a radio station broadcasting a religious format. Licensed to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, the station serves the Laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * La ...

1580 (

Gospel Music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...

)

Television

WDAM WDAM-TV (channel 7) is a television station licensed to Laurel, Mississippi, United States, serving the Hattiesburg area as an affiliate of NBC and ABC. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains studios and transmitter facilities on US 1 ...

br>Channel 7
( NBC) (

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

) * WHLTbr>Channel 22
( CBS) *

WHPM-LD WHPM-LD (channel 23) is a low-power television station in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, affiliated with the Fox network and owned by Waypoint Media. The station's studios are located on Mayfair Road in Hattiesburg, and its transmitter ...

br>Channel 23
(

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

)

Newspapers

* ''

Hattiesburg American The ''Hattiesburg American'' is a U.S. newspaper based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, that serves readers in Forrest, Lamar, and surrounding counties in south-central Mississippi. The newspaper is owned by Gannett. History The ''Hattiesburg ...

'', Hattiesburg's thrice weekly newspaper, a

Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Amtrak's Crescent train connects Hattiesburg with the cities of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, Philadelphia,

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. The

Amtrak station This is a list of train stations and Thruway Motorcoach stops used by Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation in the United States). This list is in alphabetical order by station or stop name, which mostly corresponds to the city ...

is located at 308 Newman Street. Rail freight service is offered by three Class I railroads: CN to Jackson and Mobile, Kansas City Southern to Gulfport, and Norfolk Southern to

and New Orleans.

Mass transit

Hattiesburg owns and operates the city's mass transit service, HCT, Hub City Transit. HCT offers daily routes to many major thoroughfares. The Intermodal Depot downtown services Amtrak as well as the city transit services. Due to recent growth in passenger transport in the city, HCT is currently planning additional routes and services, including bus service to the suburbs of Oak Grove and Petal.

Air

Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport is located in an unincorporated area in Jones County, near

Moselle The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...

. It offers daily flights from Hattiesburg to Houston. The airport also has a business park located on the premises. The city of Hattiesburg maintains the

Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport in Forrest County, Mississippi is owned by the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, City of Hattiesburg and is five miles southeast of downtown. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 F ...

(HBG) in the Hattiesburg/Forrest County Industrial Park. Located four miles south of the city center, the municipal airport provides business and general aviation services for much of South Mississippi.

Highways

* * * * * * * *

Major local routes

Major east-west roads include: 4th Street, Hardy Street/

US Route 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...

, Oak Grove Road, Lincoln Road, Classic Drive, 7th Street, and Old MS Highway 42. Major north-south roads include: Interstate 59,

US Route 11 {{Infobox road , country=USA , type=US , route=11 , map={{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, frame-height=330, type=line, from=U.S. Route 11.map , map_custom=yes , map_notes=US 11 in red, US 11E in blue, US 11W in ...

/Broadway Drive/Veterans Memorial, West Pine Street, Main Street,

US Highway 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida, Pensacola and Apalachicola, F ...

, 28th Avenue, Golden Eagle Avenue, 38th Avenue, 40th Avenue, Westover, Weathersby Road, and King Road/Old Highway 11.

Notable people

Victoria Jackson Gray Adams Victoria Jackson Gray Adams (November 5, 1926 – August 12, 2006) was an American civil rights activist from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She was one of the founding members of the influential Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Early life and ed ...

, educator and civil rights leader * Fred Armisen, actor, comedian and musician, star of '' Portlandia'' * Steven Barthelme, writer and critic *

Wally Berg Wally Berg (born 1955) is a mountaineer from the United States. He was the first American to summit Lhotse in 1990, and he soloed Cho Oyu in 1987. He has summited Mount Everest four times. Berg now operates Berg Adventures International, an advent ...

, first American mountaineer to summit

Lhotse Lhotse ( ne, ल्होत्से ; , ''lho tse'', ) is the fourth highest mountain in the world at , after Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga. The main summit is on the border between Tibet Autonomous Region of China and the Khumbu ...

, in 1990 *

Raylawni Branch Raylawni Branch (born 1941, Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi, United States) is a black Mississippi pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, a professional nursing educator and US Air Force Reserve officer. She is best known for her leading ...

, civil rights activist and nurse educator *

Roger Brent Roger Brent (born December 28, 1955) is an American biologist known for his work on gene regulation and systems biology. He studies the quantitative behaviors of cell signaling systems and the origins and consequences of variation in them. He is ...

, biologist * Jesse L. Brown, first African-American naval

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

in United States Navy *

Shelby Cannon Shelby Cannon (born August 19, 1966) is an American retired professional tennis player. Cannon enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career, he won three doubles titles and finished runner-up an additional six ti ...

, tennis player *

Paul Ott Carruth Paul Ott Carruth, Jr. (born July 12, 1961) is a former running back in the National Football League and the United States Football League. Biography Carruth, Jr. was born on July 12, 1961, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His father, Paul Ott Carru ...

, NFL player * Robert Carson, pitcher for New York Mets *

John Prentiss Carter John Prentiss Carter (February 7, 1840 - July 24, 1925) was an American politician. He served in both houses of the Mississippi Legislature and was the Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from 1904 to 1908. Early life John Prentiss Carter was b ...

, lieutenant governor of Mississippi (1904–1908) * Lewis Elliott Chaze, journalist and author of 10 novels * Shea Curry, actress * Vernon Dahmer, civil rights leader killed in Hattiesburg by

Klansmen The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

in 1966 * Tyler Dickerson, singer *

Adam Doleac Adam Doleac is an American country music singer/songwriter signed to Arista Nashville. He has written songs with Darius Rucker and Kane Brown. Background Doleac grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His father and grandfather ran an electric ...

, singer *

Bob Dudley Robert Warren Dudley (born September 14, 1955) is an American-born businessman who is a former group chief executive of BP. He had been president and chief executive of TNK-BP and on June 18, 2010, was assigned to be BP executive in charge of th ...

, BP executive in charge of Deepwater Horizon oil spill * Ernest Duff (1931–2016), businessman, lawyer and Mormon bishop *

Wesley Eure Wesley Eure (born Wesley Eure Loper; August 17, 1951) is an American actor, singer, author, producer, director and educator. He is best known for appearing as Michael Horton on the American soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1974 to 1981, dur ...

, actor in ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

'' and ''

Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to: * Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series * Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...

'' * Woody Evans, writer and librarian *

Barbara Ferrell Barbara Ann Ferrell, Mrs. Edmonson (born July 28, 1947, Hattiesburg, Mississippi) is an American former track and field athlete who competed mainly in the 100-metre dash. She was the U.S. national champion in that event in 1967 and 1969 and i ...

, Olympic gold and silver medalist in National Track and Field Hall of Fame * Tim Floyd, basketball coach, University of Texas at El Paso,

Iowa State Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...

USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...

, Chicago Bulls *

Joey Gathright Joey Renard Gathright (born April 27, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Early life Gathright attended ...

, MLB outfielder 2004–2011 *

Naomi Gray Naomi Jean Thomas Gray (18 May 1922 - 29 December 2006) was the first female Vice President of Planned Parenthood and the first female social work instructor at San Francisco State University. She was a professor at San Francisco State Universit ...

, first female Vice President of

Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...

* Todd Grisham, ESPN anchor, former WWE announcer * Gary Grubbs, actor *

Ray Guy William Ray Guy (December 22, 1949 – November 3, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a punter for the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Guy was a first-team All-American selection ...

, Oakland Raiders punter in College and Pro Football Hall of Fame *

Charlie Hayes Charles Dewayne Hayes (born May 29, 1965) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and former coach for the FCL Phillies. Hayes played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yanke ...

, MLB infielder,

1996 World Series The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion (and defending World Series champion ...

champion * Melinda Haynes, novelist *

Beth Henley Elizabeth Becker Henley (born May 8, 1952) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actress. Her play ''Crimes of the Heart'' won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play, and a ...

, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright *

Eddie Hodges Samuel "Eddie" Hodges (born March 5, 1947) is an American former child actor and recording artist (his 1961 cover of the Isley Brothers’ “I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door” reached #12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100), who left show business as ...

, actor and singer * Clifton Hyde, musician and member of Blue Man Group * Harold Jackson, NFL wide receiver, 5-time Pro Bowl selection * Fred Lewis, outfielder for Hiroshima Toyo Carp *

Louis Lipps Louis Adam Lipps (born August 9, 1962) is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL who played nine seasons in the NFL, eight for the Pittsburgh Steelers and one for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers ...

, NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver, 1984 AFC Rookie of the Year,

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

* Hank Lott, Republican

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

; born in Hattiesburg in 1974 * Jack Lucas, youngest Marine to receive Medal of Honor * Mark Mann, artist * Danny Manning, basketball player, NCAA champion for Kansas, 1st selection of

1988 NBA Draft The 1988 NBA draft took place on June 28, 1988, in New York City, New York. The length was reduced from seven rounds in the previous year to three rounds. This was also the first draft for the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, prior to their i ...

, Olympic medalist, 2-time NBA All-Star *

Walter E. Massey Walter Eugene Massey (born April 5, 1938) is an American educator, physicist, and executive. President emeritus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and of Morehouse College, he is chairman of the board overseeing construction ...

, president of

Morehouse College , mottoeng = And there was light (literal translation of Latin itself translated from Hebrew: "And light was made") , type = Private historically black men's liberal arts college , academic_affiliations ...

, director of National Science Foundation under

George Bush George Bush most commonly refers to: * George H. W. Bush (1924–2018), 41st president of the United States and father of the 43rd president * George W. Bush (born 1946), 43rd president of the United States and son of the 41st president Georg ...

, president of

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...

Oseola McCarty Oseola McCarty (March 7, 1908 – September 26, 1999) was a local washerwoman in Hattiesburg, Mississippi who became The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) most famous benefactor. McCarty drew global attention after it was announced in J ...

, benefactor and winner of

Presidential Citizens Medal The Presidential Citizens Medal is an award bestowed by the President of the United States. It is the second-highest civilian award in the United States and is second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Established by executive order on Nov ...

* Matt Miller, professional baseball player *

Mississippi Matilda Matilda Powell Williams, (January 27, 1914 – November 15, 1978) known in her professional career as Mississippi Matilda, was an American Delta blues singer and songwriter. In 1936, at her only recording session, she waxed four self-penned songs ...

Delta blues Delta blues is one of the earliest-known styles of blues. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, and is regarded as a regional variant of country blues. Guitar and harmonica are its dominant instruments; slide guitar is a hallmark of the s ...

singer and songwriter who, in 1936, recorded four songs for Bluebird Records *

Picasso Nelson Picasso Nelson (born May 1, 1973) is a former American football linebacker who played two seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos. He played college football at Jackson State University and attended ...

, football player *

Jonathan Papelbon Jonathan Robert Papelbon (; born November 23, 1980) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Boston Red Sox, with whom he was an All-Star in four cons ...

, Major League Baseball pitcher, 6-time All-Star * Van Dyke Parks, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor * Jamal Peters , professional Canadian football defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). * Patrik-Ian Polk, film director, writer, and producer * Todd Pinkston, NFL player for Philadelphia Eagles *

Johnny Rawls Johnny Rawls (born September 10, 1951) is an American soul blues singer, guitarist, arranger, songwriter and record producer. He was influenced by the deep soul and gospel music of the 1960s, as performed by O. V. Wright, James Carr, and Z. Z. ...

, soul blues singer and guitarist *

Purvis Short Purvis Short (born July 2, 1957) is a retired American professional basketball player who played with the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1978 to 1990. A 6'7" small forwa ...

, NBA player *

Taylor Spreitler Taylor Danielle Spreitler (born October 23, 1993) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Days of Our Lives characters (2000s)#Mia McCormick, Mia McCormick in the soap opera series ''Days of Our Lives'' (2009–2010), Lennox Sc ...

, actress *

Robert L. Stewart Robert Lee Stewart (born August 13, 1942) is a retired brigadier general of the United States Army and a former NASA astronaut. Personal Stewart was born August 13, 1942, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Hattiesburg High School in Hattie ...

, NASA astronaut *

Walter Suggs William Walter Suggs, Jr. (May 15, 1939 – September 5, 2022) was a college and professional American football player. An offensive and defensive lineman, he played college football at Mississippi State University, and played professionally in ...

, professional football player, Houston Oilers * James Wheaton, actor, director, educator (resident infancy to age 12) * Webb Wilder, musician and actor *

Iola Williams Iola M. Williams (February 2, 1936 – April 4, 2019) was an American politician, public official, civil rights activist and museum executive. In 1979, Williams became the first African-American to join the San Jose City Council, an office she he ...

, politician and activist, first African-American member of the

San Jose City Council The San Jose City Council, officially San José City Council, is the legislature of the government of the City of San Jose, California. As the Mayor of San Jose, Sam Liccardo casts the 11th vote on matters before the council and acts as chair ...

, founder and former executive director the

Amos Wilson Amos Nelson Wilson (February 23, 1941 (or 1940) — January 14, 1995) was an African-American theoretical psychologist, social theorist, Pan-African thinker, scholar, author and a professor of psychology at the City University of New York.Our T ...

, author and activist *

Henry Winston Henry M. Winston (April 2, 1911December 13, 1986) was an African-American political leader and Marxist civil rights activist. Winston, committed to equal rights and communism, was an advocate of civil rights for African Americans decades before ...

, Chairman of the American Communist Party (1966-1986) and Marxist civil rights activist * Craig Wiseman, songwriter *

Walter H. Yates, Jr. Major General Walter Harvey Yates Jr. (born November 6, 1941) is a retired United States Army officer who served as Deputy Commanding General of the Fifth United States Army. He is a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and 1963 graduate of The Uni ...

, major general, U.S. Army * Walter Young, professional baseball player

References

External links

City of Hattiesburg
official website
Hattiesburg.com
- visitor and business information {{Authority control Cities in Mississippi County seats in Mississippi Cities in Hattiesburg metropolitan area Populated places established in 1882 Cities in Forrest County, Mississippi Cities in Lamar County, Mississippi