Tuskegee, Alabama

Coordinates: 32°25′53″N 85°42′24″W / 32.431506°N 85.706781°W / 32.431506; -85.706781
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Tuskegee, Alabama
FIPS code
01-77304
GNIS feature ID0128211
Websitetuskegeealabama.gov

Tuskegee (/tʌˈskɡi/ tuh-SKEE-ghee[3]) is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. General Thomas Simpson Woodward, a Creek War veteran under Andrew Jackson, laid out the city and founded it in 1833. It became the county seat in the same year and it was incorporated in 1843.[4] It is the most populous city in Macon County. At the 2020 census the population was 9,395,[2] down from 9,865 in 2010 and 11,846 in 2000.

Tuskegee has been important in

African-American history and highly influential in United States history since the 19th century.[peacock prose] Before the American Civil War
the area was developed for cotton plantations, dependent on enslaved African-American people.

After the war many

freedmen
and their children.

In 1923, the Tuskegee Veterans Administration Medical Center was established, initially for the estimated 300,000 African-American veterans of World War I in the South, when public facilities were racially segregated. Twenty-seven buildings were constructed on the 464-acre campus.[5]

The city was the subject of a civil rights case, Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960), in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature had violated the Fifteenth Amendment in 1957 by gerrymandering city boundaries as a 28-sided figure that excluded nearly all black voters and residents, and none of the white voters or residents.[6] The city's boundaries were restored in 1961 after the ruling.

Etymology

The name "Tuskegee" comes from Spanish "Tasquiqui", which came from the Muskogee word "Taskeke", a name of a Creek settlement at this site, meaning "warriors".[7]

History

The

President Andrew Jackson's goals, most of the Creek bands were removed from their homelands in the Southeast to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River
.

Pioneer white planters and other migrants moved into the area, mostly from eastern Southern states. The planters brought or purchased enslaved African Americans to clear woods and develop cotton plantations. Invention of the cotton gin had made short-staple cotton profitable to process and it became the chief commodity crop of the Deep South through the 19th century. Short-staple cotton could be cultivated in the upland areas of Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Designated as the county seat of rural Macon County, Tuskegee developed as its only city.

Late 19th century

In 1881, the young

Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers on the grounds of a former plantation. It was founded to train teachers for the segregated school system and freedmen for self-sufficiency. Washington established a work-study program by which students practiced skills and trades. Over the decades, the programs were expanded. This was later named the Tuskegee Institute. Graduate courses were added and it became Tuskegee University
.

Washington was known for his emphasis on

rural areas to which most would return.[8] Teaching was a highly respected calling, as education was a major goal among the freedmen and their children. Washington believed that African Americans would achieve acceptance by Southern whites when they had raised themselves.[9]

Washington led the school for

to develop models for rural schools, to be used with Rosenwald's matching funds to build more schools for black children in the South.

Early 20th century

Beginning in 1932, the

sexual partners. Those in the study who had syphilis were not told, nor were they informed that treatment was available for their disease, even after antibiotics had been developed.[11]

One of the most famous teachers at Tuskegee was

sweet potatoes
.

During World War II, Tuskegee and Tuskegee Institute were also home to the famed

U.S. Military
for service in that war.

Tuskegee University in the 21st century is a center of excellence for African-American education. The heart of the university has been designated as a National Historic District and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The

medical residency program at the hospital. He also worked to ensure accessibility for graduates to good medical positions in the federal government.[12]

In the 1930s, a group of black men from the Tuskegee Men's Club began efforts to get more black

civic duties. Though the existing support for the TCA was not often vocalized, many black community members wanted to challenge the political system that was present in Macon County. The group shed a light on the disparities in the numbers of black people applying for voter registration and those who were successful, even going as far as talking to the United States Commission on Civil Rights.(See also United States Commission on Civil Rights.)[13]

Voting rights challenge

Following passage of the

literacy tests
.

In 1957, a total of 1000 voters were registered, with the 400 registered black voters nearly equaling the number of white voters. But in the city, African Americans outnumbered whites on a four-to-one basis; among them were many highly educated, professional African Americans working at the Tuskegee Institute and the Veterans Administration hospital. That year, without debate and against the protests of many African Americans, the state legislature redrew the boundaries of the city, enacting Local Law 140, which created an irregular, 28-sided city boundary that left only ten black voters within the newly defined city, and excluded 420 black voters.[14] Those excluded included the entire professional staff of the Institute and the hospital. No white voters were excluded by the change.[6]

The law was intended to guarantee that minority whites could retain control of the city even if more blacks succeeded in the arduous process of registering to vote. Some 3,000 African-American residents protested passage of the law at a church in Tuskegee; they also began an economic boycott of white businesses in the city.[15] They referred to the boycott as a "selective buying campaign" due to the fact that boycotting was illegal under state law. It lasted about four years, during which twenty-six businesses operated by white proprietors closed down.[14]

African Americans also organized a legal challenge to the law, supported by the NAACP, in a case known as Gomillion v. Lightfoot. The law was initially upheld by the US District Court and affirmed by the Appeals Court based in New Orleans. However, it was struck down by the US Supreme Court in 1960, with the ruling implemented in 1961.[15] The court ruled that the gerrymandering of city boundaries was racially motivated and violated the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which states that "states were not insulated from federal judicial review when they jeopardized federally protected rights."[6] The exclusionary gerrymandering was overturned and the previous boundaries of the city were restored.

This case was cited in the later

state legislatures had to be based on population, under the "one man, one vote
" doctrine, and that such districts had to be regularly updated to reflect population changes.

Post-Gomillion

In 1963, Tuskegee was to have been the first Alabama community to comply with a federal order to

state troopers on September 3, 1963, to block the opening of Tuskegee High School.[17] The school was integrated on September 10, 1963, after President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard and 13 Black students were among only 165 students to begin the school year, against a total enrollment of about 550.[18]

Johnny Ford was elected the first black mayor of the city in 1972, and served six consecutive terms in office. Lucenia Williams Dunn was elected the first black woman mayor in 2000.

Governance

Tuskegee Municipal Complex

In the 21st century, Tuskegee has a council–manager government led by a four-member city council, a mayor, and an appointed city manager.

The

ceremonial
.

Geography

Tuskegee is located in central Macon County at 32°25′53″N 85°42′24″W / 32.43139°N 85.70667°W / 32.43139; -85.70667 (32.431506, −85.706781).[19]

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.3 square miles (44.9 km2), of which 17.1 square miles (44.2 km2) are land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km2), or 1.56%, are water.[1]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Tuskegee has a humid subtropical climate (abbreviated Cfa).

Climate data for Tuskegee, 1991–2020 simulated normals (453 ft elevation)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 56.8
(13.8)
61.2
(16.2)
68.7
(20.4)
75.7
(24.3)
82.9
(28.3)
88.3
(31.3)
90.9
(32.7)
90.1
(32.3)
86.0
(30.0)
77.0
(25.0)
66.9
(19.4)
59.2
(15.1)
75.3
(24.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 45.7
(7.6)
49.3
(9.6)
56.1
(13.4)
63.0
(17.2)
71.1
(21.7)
77.7
(25.4)
80.6
(27.0)
79.9
(26.6)
75.2
(24.0)
64.9
(18.3)
54.5
(12.5)
48.2
(9.0)
63.9
(17.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 34.5
(1.4)
37.6
(3.1)
43.5
(6.4)
50.4
(10.2)
59.4
(15.2)
67.1
(19.5)
70.2
(21.2)
69.6
(20.9)
64.4
(18.0)
53.1
(11.7)
42.1
(5.6)
37.0
(2.8)
52.4
(11.3)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.87
(123.74)
4.88
(124.04)
5.15
(130.74)
4.42
(112.36)
3.82
(97.11)
4.49
(113.96)
4.92
(125.08)
4.35
(110.46)
3.68
(93.35)
3.19
(81.14)
4.19
(106.38)
5.31
(134.95)
53.27
(1,353.31)
Average dew point °F (°C) 36.5
(2.5)
39.0
(3.9)
43.9
(6.6)
51.3
(10.7)
60.1
(15.6)
67.5
(19.7)
70.7
(21.5)
70.2
(21.2)
65.3
(18.5)
55.0
(12.8)
45.0
(7.2)
39.9
(4.4)
53.7
(12.0)
Source: PRISM Climate Group[20]

Attractions

The Hangar One Museum at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field
Lake Tuskegee is a city-owned recreational area with playgrounds, picnic areas, and some 92 acres of water providing fishing, sailing, and water skiing opportunities.

Downtown Tuskegee includes aspects of history in Tuskegee/Macon County from the time of incorporation to the present. It also has a site serving as the Tuskegee Visitor Center and is home to the Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Multicultural Center.

Tuskegee area attractions include:

Demographics

The table at right shows the effects of the state passing a law in 1957 to redefine the city of Tuskegee in a way that excluded nearly all black residents, dramatically reducing the population by 1960. The city and other officials were sued under Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960); the US Supreme Court ruled against the state's action.[6] The city boundaries were reinstituted, as reflected by the dramatic "increase" of population in the city recorded in 1970. The population in 1960, with the restored borders, was 7,240, according to the 1970 U.S. Census.[23] Because of lack of economic opportunities in the largely rural area, both the city and rural county have lost population since the late 20th century.

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18501,563
18802,370
18901,803−23.9%
19002,17020.4%
19102,80329.2%
19202,475−11.7%
19303,31433.9%
19403,93718.8%
19506,71270.5%
19607,2407.9%
197011,02852.3%
198013,32720.8%
199012,257−8.0%
200011,846−3.4%
20109,865−16.7%
20209,395−4.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[24]

2010 census

As of the

Latino
of any race.

There were 3,749 households, out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 19.0% were married couples living together, 28.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.8% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.5% under the age of 18, 27.8% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,251, and the median income for a family was $43,472. Males had a median income of $40,653 versus $26,631 for females. The

poverty line
, including 40.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Tuskegee Racial Composition[26]
Race Num. Perc.
White
171 1.82%
Black or African American
8,863 94.34%
Native American
18 0.19%
Asian
59 0.63%
Pacific Islander
4 0.04%
Other/Mixed
174 1.85%
Latino
106 1.13%

As of the

2020 United States Census
, there were 9,395 people, 2,936 households, and 1,470 families residing in the city.

Media

Tuskegee has one weekly newspaper,

The Tuskegee News, which has operated since 1865.[27]

Transportation

U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 80 pass through Tuskegee. State Route 81 goes north from the town. Four miles north up Route 81 is the interchange with Interstate 85.

A short distance beyond I-85 is the hamlet of Chehaw, where Southern Railway passenger trains made stops at the Western Railway of Alabama Depot. Into the mid-1960s both the Southern's Crescent and its Piedmont Limited made stops at the depot.[28] The railway's Crescent was the last train to make stops at the station.[29] The Southern Railway moved the train out in 1970 for a rerouting from an Atlanta-Montgomery-New Orleans itinerary to an Atlanta-Birmingham-New Orleans itinerary.

Notable people

Sister cities

See also

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Tuskegee city, Alabama: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  3. ^ See "Pronunciation of Tuskegee." thefreedictionary.com.. Retrieved: October 3, 2010.
  4. ^ Sarah Lawless, Auburn University (June 25, 1957). "Tuskegee". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Tuskegee Veterans Administration Medical Center Celebrates - 85 Years of Service", press release, Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS), 2008
  6. ^ a b c d Allen Mendenhall, "Gomillion v. Lightfoot", Encyclopedia of Alabama, May 2, 2011
  7. ^ "Tuskegee | Origin and history of Tuskegee by Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  8. ^ "The Booker T. Washington Era (Part 1)", African American Odyssey, Library of Congress, March 21, 2008, retrieved September 3, 2008
  9. ^ Richard B. Sobol, "Reviewed Work: Gomillion versus Lightfoot: The Tuskegee Gerrymander Case by Bernard Taper", Columbia Law Review Vol. 62, No. 4 (Apr. 1962), pp. 748–751 (subscription required)
  10. ^ Richard H. Pildes, Democracy, Anti-Democracy, and the Canon, Constitutional Commentary, vol.17, 2000, pp.13–14 Accessed March 10, 2008
  11. ^ Duff-Brown, Beth (January 6, 2017). "The shameful legacy of Tuskegee syphilis study still impacts African-American men today". Stanford Health Policy. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  12. ^ Elizabeth D. Schafer. "Tildon, Toussaint Tourgee", American National Biography Online, February 2003, published by Oxford University Press, Inc., copyright 2000 American Council of Learned Societies
  13. Ture, Kwame; Hamilton, Charles
    (1966). Black Power.
  14. ^ .
  15. ^ a b Richard B. Sobol, "Reviewed Work: Gomillion versus Lightfoot: The Tuskegee Gerrymander Case by Bernard Taper", Columbia Law Review, Vol. 62, No. 4 (Apr. 1962), pp. 748–751, Published by: Columbia Law Review Association, Inc., accessed January 17, 2015 (subscription required)
  16. OCLC 32739924
    .
  17. ^ Sitton, Claude (September 3, 1963). "Alabama Police Prevent Opening of Tuskegee High". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  18. ^ Sitton, Claude (September 11, 1963). "Wallace Ends Resistance as Guard Is Federalized; More Schools Integrate". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  19. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  20. ^ "PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University". Northwest Alliance for Computational Science & Engineering (NACSE), based at Oregon State University. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  21. ^ We Shall Overcome – Butler Chapel AME Zion Church. Cr.nps.gov (June 25, 1957). Retrieved on July 12, 2013.
  22. ^ Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System East Campus – Locations. .va.gov. Retrieved on July 12, 2013.
  23. ^ "00496492v1p2.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  24. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  25. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  26. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  27. ^ "The Tuskegee News". Thetuskegeenews.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  28. ^ "Western Railway of Alabama, Table 1". Official Guide of the Railways. 98 (2). National Railway Publication Company. July 1965.
  29. ^ "Western Railway of Alabama, Table 1". Official Guide of the Railways. 101 (1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1968.

External links

32°25′53″N 85°42′24″W / 32.431506°N 85.706781°W / 32.431506; -85.706781