Gould, Arkansas
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Gould is a city in Lincoln County,
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
, United States. Its population was 663 at the 2020 census, down from 837 at the 2010 census. It is included in the
Pine Bluff, Arkansas Pine Bluff, officially the City of Pine Bluff, is the List of municipalities in Arkansas, tenth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, Jefferson County. The population of the city wa ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. Gould is a farming community.Brown, Robbie.
Arkansas Town Draws a Line on Clubs
" ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. July 19, 2011. Retrieved on July 27, 2011.
It was named after the American railroad magnate
Jay Gould Jason Gould (; May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American railroad magnate and financial speculator who founded the Gould family, Gould business dynasty. He is generally identified as one of the Robber baron (industrialist), robber bar ...
.


Geography

Gould is located in northeastern Lincoln County. U.S. Route 65 passes through the city, leading northwest to Pine Bluff and southeast to McGehee. Arkansas Highway 114 leads west from Gould to Star City, while Highway 212 leads east to Pendleton on the
Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city of Gould has a total area of , all land. It sits near the western edge of the
Arkansas Delta The Arkansas Delta is one of the six natural regions of the state of Arkansas. Willard B. Gatewood Jr., author of ''The Arkansas Delta: Land of Paradox'', says that rich cotton lands of the Arkansas Delta make that area "The Deepest of the Deep ...
in the Delta Lowlands sub-region. Gould is by highway southeast of
Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...
. The area is in proximity to the Cummins Unit state prison, as well as the Varner Unit state prison.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 663 people, 408 households, and 196 families residing in the city.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 1,305 people, 498 households, and 340 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 602 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.01%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 20.23%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.38% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.77% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. 1.07% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 498 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 32.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.17. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $19,031, and the median income for a family was $24,028. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $18,583 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $11,881. About 28.0% of families and 35.3% 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 ...
, including 42.9% of those under age 18 and 33.6% of those age 65 or over.


Government and infrastructure


Local government

Earnest Nash, Jr. was the mayor of Gould from 2011 to 2020. He is a member of the Gould Citizens Advisory Council, a political group. Around 2011 Gould had almost $300,000 ($ when adjusted for inflation) in unpaid taxes. The mayor, the group, and the city council experienced conflict over how to pay the taxes. The council believed that the citizen's group was trying to take too much influence in the city government. In June 2011 the council passed an ordinance saying that it is illegal to form any group without the permission of the city council. The mayor vetoed the law. On July 12, 2011, the council overrode the veto. The council also overrode a veto on a bill stating that the citizen's council may no longer exist and that the mayor may not meet with any organization in any location inside or outside the Gould city limits without the permission of the city council. The mayor stated that he refuses to stop meeting with groups, and that he would go to jail if given the choice between going to jail or not associating with the group. Nash said that the ordinances were not allowed under the
U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constituti ...
and that Gould citizens are generally ignoring them. On Monday, July 18, 2011, Sonya Farley, a council member, said that the council plans to rewrite the ordinances in a manner that is constitutional. In August 2011 the city council repealed the ordinances. Donna Terrell, a reporter at
KLRT-TV KLRT-TV (channel 16) is a television station in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Mission Broadcasting alongside ''de facto'' CW owned-and-operated station KASN (channel 38); Mission maint ...
Fox 16 News of
Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...
, said "You've got to be kidding me" when she heard about the ordinances. Terrell added that in communities "where everyone knows everyone" political conflict became very severe. Mark Hayes, the general counsel of the Arkansas Municipal League, said "I've seen some humdingers, but never any ordinance like this." Robbie Brown of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' said that the ordinances are an indicator that Gould's politics had become "nasty". Brown added that legal scholars said that the law forbidding the formation of groups without the city council's permission was blatantly unconstitutional. On July 28, 2011, a man assaulted Nash, who accused his assailant of being allied with his political opponents. On Wednesday August 20, 2011, the two men were arrested in connection with the assault. One individual was originally charged with a felony but in April 2012 the charges were downgraded to a misdemeanor, and the other individual had his criminal charges dismissed.


Federal representation

The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Gould Post Office.


Education

Prior to the advent of court-mandated integration, separate schools were maintained for White and Black students. When courts ordered the schools to integrate, Gould established a "freedom of choice plan". In 1968, the US Supreme court declared that Gould's plan was unacceptable, and ordered Gould to integrate the schools without further delay. When the newly integrated schools opened September 2, most White students did not attend, instead waiting until October 1 to enroll in Southeast Academy, a hastily-organized, unaccredited
segregation academy Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend Racial segregation in the United States, desegregated public schools. They ...
. Some White parents proposed reducing the property tax rate in order to defund the public schools and free up funds to support the segregation academy. In the fall of 1975 less than 70 students showed up for registration at Southeast Academy, and the school closed down. Many White students transferred to districts that were more predominantly White; between 1982 and 1986 at least 115 children transferred to either Star City or Dumas. The result of the students transferring cost the school district around $100,000 per year in state funding, and left the district's ability to meet state standards in doubt. Of the 148 students who attended the integrated high school on opening day in 1986, only one was White. In 2004, the Gould School District was incorporated into the Dumas Public School District"."
Arkansas Department of Education The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is a cabinet-level agency of the Arkansas state government overseeing public education for K-12, higher education institutions, and career and technical education. The ADE also contains the Arkansas ...
. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
in accordance with a law passed by the Arkansas Legislature that eliminated school districts with fewer than 350 students.Dumas inherits Gould district's deficit
." Arkansas News. May 11, 2005. Retrieved on March 7, 2011.
In the fall of 2005 the Dumas district planned to move all Gould students in grades 7-12 to the Dumas schools, and considered doing the same to the elementary school students from Gould.


Bankruptcy

In 2008 the town declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy.


Notable people

* John Donley, award-winning writer of many sitcoms including
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans (actor), Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was televis ...
and
Sanford and Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom '' Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC1 in the United Kingdom from 1962 to ...
. * Cleo Miller, retired running back for the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
and the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
; born in Gould * Ozell Sutton, civil rights activist, born near Gould on a plantationThe Historymakers-Ozell Sutton
/ref>


References


External links

{{authority control Cities in Arkansas Cities in Lincoln County, Arkansas Cities in Pine Bluff metropolitan area Government units that have filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy