Lexington, Mississippi

Lexington, Mississippi
City
FIPS code		28-40600
GNIS feature ID	0672434

Lexington is a city in and the

On court days, the town served as a trading center for the county and attracted retail merchants. Lexington was a destination in the 1830s of some German-Jewish immigrants, who often became merchants. They were joined much later in the century by Russian Jewish immigrants. The Jewish community built Temple Beth El in Lexington in 1905; it closed in 2009 because of declining population.[4] During the plantation era, the city was bustling, as planters grew wealthy from the booming demand for cotton in the North and Europe.

Among the early settlers in the 1830s was German-Jewish immigrant Jacob Sontheimer, who first worked caring for an elderly planter. After being bequeathed land, Sontheimer later became a merchant in town. His two daughters, Rose and Bettie, also became merchants, managing the Sontheimer business. He was joined by other Jewish immigrants from Germany, totaling about 20 by the late 1870s and 50 by 1900. In the later years Jewish immigrants also came from eastern Europe to Lexington. They developed tailoring and grocery businesses; the Lewis Grocery Store developed into a major wholesaler in the state.^[4][5]

After the Civil War,

Lexington was distinguished by two nationally known women: Arenia Mallory, an African-American music teacher from Illinois, started teaching at the newly established Saints Academy in Lexington in 1926, which was affiliated with the Church of God in Christ. She led the school for more than 50 years, expanding its programs to grades 1–12, and establishing a junior college. She developed the school from the early 20th century as a model of academic excellence for African-American students. During her long tenure, she also founded an associated junior college. During the 1960s, she was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to national positions and committees in the federal government.

In September 2024, the Department of Justice concluded an investigation into the City of Lexington, and the Lexington Police Department. The investigation revealed a pattern of misconduct, including excessive force, discriminatory arrests, and a reliance on fines and fees that disproportionately burden Black residents and those struggling financially. These practices erode public trust and undermine the very principles of justice that law enforcement agencies are meant to uphold. The DOJ's findings led to a series of recommendations aimed at reforming the police department and improving its practices.^[8]

Lexington is in the center of Holmes County on the north side of the valley of Black Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Yazoo River. Mississippi Highways 12 and 17 pass through the city, sharing four blocks of Carrollton Street north of the city center. Highway 12 leads east 13 miles (21 km) to Durant and northwest 11 miles (18 km) to Tchula, while Highway 17 leads north 30 miles (48 km) to Carrollton and south 18 miles (29 km) to Pickens.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), of which 9,785 square metres (2.4 acres), or 0.16%, are water.^[2]

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,602 people, 545 households, and 363 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 Census, the racial composition of the city was:

• 71.8%
  Black or African American
  ;
• 27.0%
  White
• 0.06% from other races;
• 0.5%
  Asian
  ;
• 0.5% from
  two or more races
  ;
• 0.1% American Indian;
• 0.0% Pacific Islander.

As of the

There were 725 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,163, and the median income for a family was $29,732. Males had a median income of $25,750 versus $17,328 for females. The

The city of Lexington is served by the

Lexington was previously home to Saints Industrial and Literary School, later known as Saints Academy. Founded in 1918, this private school for African-American students was established by the Church of God in Christ. Arenia Mallory, from Illinois, began as a music teacher and became principal and president of the school. She led its growth and the setting of high academic standards to provide opportunities to black students; the school had a national reputation. The school was expanded as Saints Academy and Junior College, and Saints College.

Another private school in the city, Central Holmes Christian School (formerly Central Holmes Academy), was established in 1967 as a segregation academy.^[14]

• Chalmers Archer, author, academic and U.S. Special Forces veteran
• John C. Black, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1893 to 1895 and Medal of Honor recipient^[15]
• Lee Cooper, blues guitarist^[16]
• Minnie M. Cox, postmaster and teacher^[17]
• major general in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Navy Cross^[18]
• Buford Ellington, Governor of Tennessee from 1959 to 1963 and 1967 to 1971
• Malachi Favors, jazz bassist
• B.B. King
  , musician, lived in Lexington
• Fort Lee, Virginia from 2014 to 2016^[19]
• John R. Land, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice from 1921 to 1941^[20]
• Alexander Lane (1857–1911), Illinois state representative and physician, born in Lexington^[21]
• Arenia Mallory, African-American educator and activist, principal of the Saints Academy and founder of its junior college
• Charles Harrison Mason, founder of the Church of God in Christ, an evangelical church which grew to have a national presence
• Melany Neilson, author^[22]
• William Nichols, architect^[23]
• Edmond Favor Noel
  , attorney, Governor of Mississippi 1908–1912; son of Leland Noel, an early planter in Holmes County who migrated from Virginia and became one of the largest slaveholders before the Civil War
• Milton L. Olive III, (1946–1965) United States Army Soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Lonnie Pitchford, blues musician born in Lexington
• Monroe Saffold Jr., American bodybuilder, first place Masters Mr. America AAU, tall division 1990
• Hazel Brannon Smith (1914–1994), owner and publisher of the Lexington Advertiser and other local newspapers; first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
• Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, Chicago blues guitarist^[24]
• Neely Tucker, journalist, author
• Willie West, former National Football League defensive back^[25]
• Hattie Winston, actress in television, film and theatre
• Jill Collen Jefferson African American Civil Rights Attorney and Civil Rights activist

• Lexington Historic District