Yazoo City is a U.S. city in
Yazoo County,
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 ...
. It was named after the
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi. It is considered by some to mark the southern boundary of what is called the Mississippi Delta, a broad floodplain that was cultivated for cotton plantations before the ...
, which, in turn was named by the French explorer
Robert La Salle
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 ...
in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the
Yazoo tribe
The Yazoo were a tribe of the Native American Tunica people historically located along the lower course of the Yazoo River in an area now known as the Mississippi Delta. They were closely related to other Tunica-language-speaking peoples, esp ...
living near the river's mouth. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City
Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
–Yazoo City
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
. According to the
2010 census, the population was 11,403.
The most important industry in 2021 is a group of federal prisons.
History
The community now known as Yazoo City was founded in 1824 with the name Hannan's Bluff. It was later renamed Manchester, then changed to Yazoo City in 1841. Yazoo City became the county seat in 1849. A
yellow fever
Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...
epidemic struck Yazoo City in 1853.
During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the Confederate ironclad
CSS ''Arkansas'' was completed at a makeshift shipyard in Yazoo City after the
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
loss of
and
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
. During her short career, the ''Arkansas'' challenged the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
navy's control of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
and helped avert the early fall of
Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to:
* Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States
* The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign
* The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle
Vicksburg is also the name of ...
. On May 21, 1863, as a Union fleet steamed up the Yazoo River, the Confederate forces burned down the shipyard to keep their foes from capturing the vessels being built there. The Federal forces then burned down the sawmill and lumberyard before withdrawing. After their
capture of Vicksburg in July 1863, another Union raid briefly occupied Yazoo City, but this time the Union ironclad
USS ''Baron DeKalb'' was sunk by a mine. Federal troops occupied the town in September and again in October 1863. Another occupation resulted in the
Battle of Yazoo City
The Battle of Yazoo City (March 5, 1864) was an engagement in Mississippi during a month-long Union expedition up the Yazoo River in the American Civil War. The Union force commanded by Colonel James Henry Coates repulsed an attack led by Confed ...
on March 5, 1864 between the Union troops and Confederates led by
Robert V. Richardson
Robert Vinkler Richardson (November 4, 1820 – January 6, 1870) was a Brigadier General (CSA), brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early life
Richardson was born in Granville County, North Carolina ...
and
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (September 27, 1838January 3, 1898) was the 19th governor of Texas, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and the seventh president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now ...
. The Union troops held their ground but departed the following day. The Federal forces returned again on May 19, 1864, doing more damage to the town.
Yazoo City was rebuilt, but yellow fever struck and took more victims in 1878. On May 25, 1904, a fire destroyed much of central Yazoo City.
[FLAMES SWEPT OVER THE CITY]
, in ''The Tacoma Times
''The Tacoma Times'' was a newspaper published in Tacoma, Washington from 1903 to 1949. It was founded by E. W. Scripps, with editorial personnel taken from ''the Seattle Star''.[antebellum
Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to:
United States history
* Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States
** Antebellum Georgia
** Antebellum South Carolina
** Antebellum Virginia
* Antebellum ar ...]
homes nearby. The town took almost two years to recover.
In 1915, the Orr Modern Motor Car Company was founded in Yazoo City by G.A. Wilson and C.D. Orr, with capital of $2,000,000 (). Despite its name, the company was focused just on making Orr's innovative worm drive and assembled only one automobile as a prototype. Not long after, Orr shut its doors.
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States, with inundated in depths of up to over the course of several months in early 1927. The uninflated cost of the damage has been estimat ...
did much damage to the entire Delta, but Yazoo City was restored and is now protected by an effective flood-prevention system.
Tornado History
A strong tornado, rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale
The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia.
The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
and with a path width of , hit Yazoo County on April 24, 2010. Four people were killed in the Yazoo City area, and a number were seriously injured; four of the victims were airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and is located in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. UMMC, also referred to as the Medical Center, is the state's only aca ...
in the capital city of Jackson, away. The Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American attorney, politician, and lobbyist who served as the 63rd governor of Mississippi from 2004 to 2012. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as chairman of the Republican ...
, toured the area in a National Guard helicopter and held a news conference on the disaster at 3:30 pm. The tornado and the aftermath were shown in an episode of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...
series ''Storm Chasers
''Storm Chasers'' is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on October 17, 2007, on the Discovery Channel. Produced by Original Media, the program follows several teams of storm chasers as they attempt to intercept ...
'', and several YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
videos show considerable detail and descriptions.
On November 29, 2010 around 8:05 pm local time, Yazoo City was struck by two EF2 tornadoes: the first one tracked southwest of town. The second went right through downtown causing significant damage to several buildings.
A high-end EF1 tornado passed through the southeast side of the city on May 2, 2021. Multiple mobile homes were destroyed and trees, power lines, and homes were damaged.
Geography
Yazoo City is located northwest of Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
at the junctions of U.S. Routes 49, 49E, and 49W, and MS Highways 3, 16, and 149, on the banks of the Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi. It is considered by some to mark the southern boundary of what is called the Mississippi Delta, a broad floodplain that was cultivated for cotton plantations before the ...
, near the Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is one of seven refuges in the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Mississippi. Established in 1978, Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge encompasses . Included in those acres is one of ...
.
U.S. Route 49W provides a fairly direct link between Yazoo City and Belzoni. The old highway segment, renamed Mississippi Highway 149, passes through Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and the communities of Louise
Louise or Luise may refer to:
* Louise (given name)
Arts Songs
* "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005
* "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984
* "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013
* "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929
*"Louise", by Clan of ...
and Midnight
Midnight is the transition time from one day to the next – the moment when the date changes, on the local official clock time for any particular jurisdiction. By clock time, midnight is the opposite of noon, differing from it by 12 hours. ...
before reconnecting with the new US 49W at Silver City, south of Belzoni. The new highway makes the town of Carter
Carter(s), or Carter's, Tha Carter, or The Carter(s), may refer to:
Geography United States
* Carter, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Carter, Mississippi, an unincorporated community
* Carter, Montana, a census-designated place
* Carter, ...
so near, it might be considered for annexation by Yazoo City. Two bridges now cross the Yazoo River at Yazoo City.
The section of MS 3 in Yazoo City is called Haley Barbour Parkway. Barbour, the former governor of Mississippi, grew up in Yazoo City and has a home on Wolf Lake, a lake north of Yazoo City. U.S. Route 49 (part of which was formerly U.S. 49E) through Yazoo City is named Jerry Clower
Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth o ...
Boulevard, after the famous comedian, a former resident of Yazoo City.
Yazoo City is also known as the "Gateway to the Delta" due to its location on the transition between the two great landforms that characterize the geography of Mississippi (the western part of the city lies in the Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo ...
and the eastern part lies in the loess bluffs that characterize most of eastern Mississippi).
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (1.19%) is covered by water.
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 10,316 people, 3,670 households, and 2,050 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 11,403 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.0% Black, 16.1% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian and 0.5% from two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
2000 census
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, 14,550 people, 4,271 households, and 2,968 families resided in the city. 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 1,349.2 people per square mile (521.1/km). The 4,676 housing units averaged 433.6 per mi2 (167.5/km2). The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 28.73% White, 69.68% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.47% of the population.
Of the 4,271 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% 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, 32.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were not families. About 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city, the population was distributed as 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $19,893, and for a family was $22,470. Males had a median income of $26,109 versus $18,650 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 city was $9,251. About 35.0% of families and 40.2% 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 52.5% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
Jewish community
The Institute of Southern Jewish Life
The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) is a non-profit Jewish organization serving a thirteen-state southern region. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, the ISJL provides programming throughout the South.
Overview
Mission: ...
stated that the Jewish community has been characterized by assimilation and was "small, but influential". 44 Jews lived in the community in 1878, but a flood of the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
in 1882 meant that additional Jews displaced by the flood came. There were 61 Jews in the city by 1937. The Jews in the community did not create a congregation, and the nearest houses of worship were, in the mid-20th century, in Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
and Greenwood.[
]
Economy
The Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
operates the Federal Correctional Complex, Yazoo City, which consists of FCI Yazoo City Low, FCI Yazoo City Medium, FCI Camp, and FCI USP Yazoo City.
Government
Diane Delaware was sworn in as the first female mayor of Yazoo City on April 14, 2014. She was re-elected to a second term on April 2, 2018.
Yazoo City's current mayor is David "Mel" Starling, who was sworn in on Monday, April 11, 2022.
The United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
operates the Yazoo City Post Office.
Education
Yazoo City is served by the Yazoo City Municipal School District;[SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Yazoo County, MS]
" 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 ...
. Retrieved on July 7, 2017. Yazoo City High School The Yazoo City Municipal School District is a public school district based in Yazoo City, Mississippi (USA).
The district boundaries parallel that of Yazoo City.
History
In 2019, the school district was taken over by the Mississippi Department o ...
is the public school of this district.
Yazoo County High School
Yazoo County High School (YCHS) is a public high school in unincorporated Yazoo County, Mississippi, near Yazoo City
Yazoo City is a U.S. city in Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the F ...
, outside of the city limits and a part of the Yazoo County School District
The Yazoo County School District (YCSD) is a public school district headquartered in unincorporated Yazoo County, Mississippi ( USA), near Yazoo City.
The district serves areas of Yazoo County not in the Yazoo City city limits; its area include ...
, does not serve areas in the Yazoo City city limits.[
The three private schools are Thomas Christian Academy (Pre-K–12), Manchester Academy (Pre-K–12), and Covenant Christian School (K–6th grade).
]
Media
WBYP and WYAZ, both FM, are two local radio stations. ''The Yazoo Herald'' is Yazoo County's only daily newspaper.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Yazoo City using the Yazoo City Station. The Amtrak station is located at 222 West Broadway.
Yazoo County Airport is in unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to:
* Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality
* Unincorporated entity, a type of organization
* Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...
Yazoo County,[ – Retrieved on September 23, 2010.] west of central Yazoo City. Lynne W. Jeter of the ''Mississippi Business Journal
''The Mississippi Business Journal'' is a statewide weekly business newspaper, located in Jackson, Mississippi.
Each issue contains news coverage relating to the Mississippi business world along with regular opinion and freelance columns. Issues ...
'' said in 2001 that the county airport "may have played an important role in landing the multiphase federal prison project that is currently under expansion."
Notable people
*Alexander Boarman
Alexander "Aleck" Boarman (December 10, 1839 – August 30, 1916) was a United States representative from Louisiana and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Previously, he served ...
, Yazoo City native served as mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is t ...
, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district
Louisiana's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district is located in the northwestern part of the state and is based in Shreveport- Bossier City. It also includes the cities of Minden, De ...
, and as a federal judge for 35 years until his death in 1916.
*Willie Brown (American football)
William Ferdie Brown (December 2, 1940 – October 21, 2019) was an American professional football player, coach, and executive. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL) ...
, Oakland Raiders, NFL Hall of Fame
*James Paul Clarke
James Paul Clarke (August 18, 1854 – October 1, 1916) was a United States Senator and the 18th Governor of Arkansas as well as a white supremacist.
Biography
Clarke was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. His father died when Clarke was seven ye ...
, United States Senator
The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...
and the 18th
18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19.
In mathematics
* Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...
Governor of Arkansas
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 r ...
*Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is an American attorney, politician, and lobbyist who served as the 63rd governor of Mississippi from 2004 to 2012. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as chairman of the Republican ...
, former Governor of Mississippi
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 r ...
*Jerry Clower
Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth o ...
, famous country comedian who spent more than 30 years as a resident of the town before moving back to the area he was born, Liberty, Mississippi, in 1988. Many of Clower's comical stories mention Yazoo City.
* Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman
*Mike Espy
Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. He was both the first African American and first person from the Deep South to h ...
, Secretary of Agriculture (1993–94); U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd district of Mississippi (1987–93)
* Kaleb Eulls, NFL Player
*W. C. Friley
William Christopher Friley, known as W. C. Friley (July 12, 1845 – April 11, 1911), was a Southern Baptist clergyman and college president. He was from 1892 to 1894 the first president of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, Abilene ...
, 19th-century Baptist clergyman in Yazoo City; later president of two Baptist colleges
*Kenneth Gainwell
Kenneth Gainwell (born March 14, 1999) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Memphis.
Early life and high school
Gainwell grew up in Yazoo City, Mi ...
, Running Back Philadelphia Eagles 2021 5th Round draft pick 150th overall. Cousin to Fletcher Cox
* Lawrence Gordon, film producer (''Die Hard
''Die Hard'' is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan, with a screenplay by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. Based on the 1979 novel '' Nothing Lasts Forever'', by Roderick Thorp, it stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Ale ...
'')
* Lynn Hamilton, actress
*Michael Henderson
Michael Earl Henderson (July 7, 1951 – July 19, 2022) was an American bass guitarist and vocalist. He was known for his work with Miles Davis in the early 1970s and on early fusion albums such as '' Jack Johnson'', '' Live-Evil'', and '' Agh ...
, R&B singer
* T. J. Huddleston, Sr., entrepreneur
*Wardell Jackson
Wardell Jackson (born July 18, 1951) is an American former professional basketball small forward who played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1974–75 season. Born in Yazoo ...
, professional basketball player
* Mary Johnson, blues singer and one-time wife of Lonnie Johnson
*Tommy McClennan
Tommy McClennan (January 4, 1905 – May 9, 1961) was an American Delta blues singer and guitarist.
Life and career
McClennan was born in Durant, Mississippi, and grew up in the town. He played and sang blues in a rough, energetic style.
He ...
, blues musician
* Patrick Claiborne Meagher, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected fo ...
(1916–1920)
*Mike Miley
Michael Wilfred Miley (March 30, 1953 – January 6, 1977) was a professional baseball player who played two seasons for the California Angels of Major League Baseball. He died in a one-car crash in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Miley attended Ea ...
, MLB player and Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
quarterback
* L.T. Miller, first medical director of the Afro-American Hospital and co-founder of the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association
* William Joseph Mills, Governor of the New Mexico Territory
*Willie Morris
William Weaks Morris (November 29, 1935 – August 2, 1999) was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' tradem ...
, writer who grew up in Yazoo City
*Jerry Moses
Gerald Braheen Moses (August 9, 1946 – March 27, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. A catcher, he signed a bonus contract with the Boston Red Sox in and spent his early Major League Baseball career with the Bosox, but over the ...
, MLB player
* Norman Albert Mott, member of the Mississippi Legislature (1911)
*Michael Passons
Michael Passons is an American singer-songwriter and the founding member of the Christian band Avalon.
Biography
Michael Passons was born and raised in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and as a toddler, began to sing and play piano. As a young musicia ...
, " Contemporary Christian Musician", founding former member of the Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely around ...
group Avalon
Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...
*Robert Petway
Robert Petway (born c. 1903, date of death unknown) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He recorded only 16 songs, but it has been said that he was an influence on many notable blues and rock musicians, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Wat ...
, blues musician
* Joseph A. Redding, US Army major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
who commanded the 39th Infantry Division in the 1950s
*Stella Stevens
Stella Stevens (born Estelle Eggleston; October 1, 1938) is a American former actress. She began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as '' Girls! Girls! Girls!'' (1962), '' The Nutty Professor'' (1963), ''The Courtship of ...
, actress
* Pecolia Warner, 20th-century quiltmaker
*James Wheaton
James Wheaton (January 11, 1924 – June 9, 2002), was an American motion picture, stage, and television actor. Wheaton's credits include '' THX 1138'', ''Trouble Comes to Town'' and ''Sanford and Son''.
In the early 1950s, he moved from h ...
, actor, spent his adolescent years in Yazoo City, and graduated from high school there
*Zig Ziglar
Hilary Hinton Ziglar (November 6, 1926 – November 28, 2012) was an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker.
Biography Early life and education
Zig Ziglar was born prematurely in Coffee County, Alabama, to John Silas Ziglar ...
, personal development speaker and trainer
References
Further reading
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Satellite images from the 24 April 2010 tornado outbreak (CIMSS Satellite Blog)
External links
City of Yazoo City
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yazoo City, Mississippi
Cities in Mississippi
Cities in Yazoo County, Mississippi
County seats in Mississippi
Populated places established in 1824
Micropolitan areas of Mississippi
1824 establishments in Mississippi