Elaine, Arkansas
Elaine, Arkansas | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 05-20950 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 2403548[2] |
Elaine is a small town in
The city is best known as the location of the
History
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2024) |
Phillips County was developed in the antebellum years for cotton plantations, which relied on the labor of enslaved African Americans. Their work produced the wealth of the major large planters. Cotton continued to be the major commodity crop into the 20th century in this area but, after the war, blacks often had to work as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. By the turn of the century, Arkansas and other southern states had
Black sharecroppers began to try to organize a farmers' union after World War I. They were seeking better payment and accounting from white landowners of the area cotton plantations. Whites resisted any change and often tried to break up their meetings.
On September 30, 1919, two white men, including a local deputy, tried to break up a meeting of black sharecroppers who were trying to organize a farmers' union. After a white deputy was killed in a confrontation with guards at the meeting, word spread to town and around the area.
The county continues to rely on agriculture, but mechanization reduced the need for farm labor. Many African Americans left this area in the Great Migration of the early 20th century. In the 21st century, most farms are industrial scale. Some seasonal Hispanic migrant workers have been hired in this area since the late 20th century.
At 6:15 PM, April 26, 2011, a tornado – part of the 2011 Super Outbreak – hit the Elaine area.[7] The tornado was rated EF0, with estimated wind speeds of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h; 65 kn).[7] The tornado's path of destruction was 200 yards (180 m) wide and the tornado traveled a path of 21.5 miles (34.6 km) along Highway 61 and across the Mississippi state line, ending near Lula, Mississippi.[7] Most of the tornado's damage was concentrated in Friars Point and Coahoma, Mississippi.[7]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), all land.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1920 | 377 | — | |
1930 | 511 | 35.5% | |
1940 | 634 | 24.1% | |
1950 | 744 | 17.4% | |
1960 | 898 | 20.7% | |
1970 | 1,210 | 34.7% | |
1980 | 991 | −18.1% | |
1990 | 846 | −14.6% | |
2000 | 865 | 2.2% | |
2010 | 636 | −26.5% | |
2020 | 509 | −20.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000[9] | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 20010 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
327 | 231 | 136 | 37.80% | 36.32% | 26.72% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
470 | 385 | 359 | 54.34% | 60.53% | 70.53% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.16% | 0.00% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 16 | 10 | 3 | 1.85% | 1.57% | 0.59% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 52 | 9 | 11 | 6.01% | 1.42% | 2.16% |
Total | 865 | 636 | 509 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
At the
The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.5 males.
The median household income was $19,479 and the median family income was $22,813. Males had a median income of $22,386 versus $18,056 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,640. About 33.5% of families and 41.1% of the population were below the
Education
The Marvell–Elaine School District serves the community. Marvell Primary School and Marvell High School in Marvell serve Elaine.[13]
Previously the Elaine School District served the community. On July 1, 2006, the Elaine district merged into the Marvell district.[14] When the district existed, it operated Lucilia Wood Elementary School and Elaine High School.[15][16]
Notable people
- Levon Helm, musician
- John Hughey, country musician
- Jimmy McCracklin, blues musician, was born in Elaine
- Barry Williamson, Texas politician, was reared in Elaine.
- Richard Wright, author, resided in Elaine
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Elaine, Arkansas
- ^ a b Elaine Massacre, Arkansas Encyclopedia of History and Culture; accessed April 3, 2008.
- ^ Arkansas Assembly 2017
- ^ "US Map of 73 years of lynching", New York Times, February 10, 2015
- ^ a b Krug, Teresa (August 18, 2019). "A rural town confronts its buried history of mass killings of black Americans". The Guardian. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- ^ a b c d NWS Memphis Office Report
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Elaine city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Elaine city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Elaine city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Schools." Marvell-Elaine School District. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.
- ^ "Consolidation/Annexations of LEA's (1983–2010) Archived September 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.
- ^ "Lucilia Wood Elementary School." Information Network of Arkansas (State of Arkansas). Retrieved on March 2, 2011. "100 College St. Elaine, AR 72333"
- ^ "Elaine high School." Information Network of Arkansas (State of Arkansas). Retrieved on March 2, 2011. "100 College St. Elaine, AR 72333"