Yazoo County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

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

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 ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,065. The

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

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 French explorer Robert La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's ...

. It is named for 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 forms its western border. Its name is said to come from a

Choctaw language The Choctaw language (Choctaw: ), spoken by the Choctaw, an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, is part of the Muskogean language family. Chickasaw is separate but closely related language to Choctaw. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahom ...

word meaning "River of Death."Johnson's (revised) ''Universal Cyclopaedia.'' 1886.
/ref>

History

The area which is now Yazoo County was acquired by the State of Mississippi from the

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

Indians in 1820. Yazoo County was established on January 21, 1823. It was the 19th county established in the State of Mississippi, and remains the largest in area. It was developed for cotton plantations, and the first had access to the major river. The first county seat was at Beatties Bluff. In 1829, the county seat was moved to Benton. In 1849 the county seat was moved again, to

, where it remains. Yazoo County was a battlefield in 1863 and 1864 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 ...

. After the war, there was violence of whites against freedmen. Such violence continued after Reconstruction. In the period from 1877 to 1950, Yazoo County had 18 documented lynchings of African Americans.''Lynching in America'', 3rd edition
, Supplement by County, p. 6 Most occurred around the turn of the 20th century, as part of white imposition of

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

conditions and suppression of black voting. In 1900 there was a railroad disaster that killed engineer

Casey Jones John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi. Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...

; it took place in Yazoo County just north of

Vaughan Vaughan () (2021 population 323,103) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Regional Municipality of York, just north of Toronto. Vaughan was the fastest-growing municipality in Canada between 1996 and 2006 with its population increas ...

. 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 in Yazoo County.

Geography

According to the

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

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.2%) is water. It is the largest county in Mississippi by land area and third-largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

* Humphreys County (north) * Holmes County (northeast) * Madison County (east) *

Hinds County Hinds County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. With its county seats ( Raymond and the state's capital, Jackson), Hinds is the most populous county in Mississippi with a 2020 census population of 227,742 residents. Hinds Cou ...

(south) *

Warren County Warren County is the name of fourteen counties in the USA. Some are named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War: * Warren County, Georgia * Warren County, Illinois * Warren County ...

(southwest) * Issaquena County (west) * Sharkey County (northwest)

National protected area

* Hillside National Wildlife Refuge (part) *

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 ...

Demographics

USA Yazoo County, Mississippi age pyramid

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 26,743 people, 8,542 households, and 5,203 families residing in the county.

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 28,065 people living in the county. 57.1% were Black or African American, 40.0%

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

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% of some other race and 1.5% of two or more races. 4.6% were

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...

(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, there were 28,149 people, 9,178 households, and 6,644 families living in the county. 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 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 10,015 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 53.96%

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

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

, 44.74%

, 0.20% Native American, 0.36%

, 0.22% from

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

, and 0.52% from two or more races. 4.38% of the population were

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

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

of any race. 35.60% of the 9,178 households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.20% 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, 23.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.35. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males (boys). For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $24,795, and the median income for a family was $29,395. Males had a median income of $28,553 versus $19,797 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 county was $12,062. About 25.40% of families and 31.90% 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 42.90% of those under age 18 and 22.50% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

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

U.S. Highway 49 * US 49W

U.S. Highway 49W * US 49E

U.S. Highway 49E * Circle sign 3

Mississippi Highway 3 Mississippi Highway 3 (MS 3) is a north–south Mississippi state highway, located entirely within the Mississippi Delta region, running from Redwood, Mississippi, Redwood to Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, Lake Cormorant, both at an intersecti ...

Mississippi Highway 16 Mississippi Highway 16 (MS 16) is a state highway in central Mississippi. It runs east–west for , from the Mississippi Delta region to the Alabama state line. MS 16 serves 8 counties: Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Humphreys, Madison, Leake ...

Mississippi Highway 149 * Circle sign 433

Mississippi Highway 433

Airport

Yazoo County Airport is located in an

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Yazoo County, - Retrieved on September 23, 2010. west of central

.Jeter, Lynne W.
Airports an advantage when it comes to site selection
" ''

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 ...

''. March 26, 2001. Retrieved on September 21, 2010.

Education

* Public School Districts ** Yazoo City Municipal School District serves areas in the Yazoo City limits;
Text list

2010 Map2010 text list
/ref> its high school is

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 ...

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 ...

serves areas outside of the Yazoo City limits; its high school is

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 ...

* Private Schools ** Benton Academy (Benton) ** Manchester Academy (Yazoo City) ** Covenant Christian School (Yazoo City) ** Thomas Christian Academy (Yazoo City)

Politics

Communities

Cities

(county seat)

Town

* Bentonia

Villages

* Eden * Satartia

Census-designated place

* Benton

Unincorporated communities

* Anding *

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 ...

* Holly Bluff * Hopewell Landing * Little Yazoo * Midway * Oil City *

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

* Tinsley *

Ghost towns

* Claibornesville * Hilton *

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

Pearce Pearce may refer to: Places *Pearce, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb *Division of Pearce, an electoral division in Western Australia *Pearce, Arizona, United States, an unincorporated community *RAAF Base Pearce, the main Royal Australian Ai ...

* Plumville

Popular culture

Yazoo County, Mississippi has been featured in an

Independent Lens ''Independent Lens'' is a weekly television series airing on PBS featuring documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of ''Independent Lens'' were hosted by Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrence Ho ...

series documenting bullying.

Notable people

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 ...

, Governor of Mississippi * Willie Brown, football player *

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 ...

, comedian * Henry Espy, Mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi *

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 ...

, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture * Lawrence Gordon, motion picture producer * Lynn Hamilton, actress * Jesse E. Holmes, minister, community leader * Duck Holmes, blues musician * T. J. Huddleston, entrepreneur *

Skip James Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter. AllMusic stated: "This emotional, lyrical performer was a talented blues guitarist and arranger with an impressive ...

, blues musician *

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. H ...

, blues musician *

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 *

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 *

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 ...

, writer and motivational speaker

References

External links

*
Yazoo County Mississippi
on RootsWeb.com
Yazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau
{{Coord, 32.78, -90.40, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990 1823 establishments in Mississippi Mississippi counties Mississippi placenames of Native American origin Populated places established in 1823 Black Belt (U.S. region) Majority-minority counties in Mississippi

History

Geography

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Education

Politics

Communities

Cities

Town

Villages

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Popular culture

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

External links