Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee, Alabama | ||
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FIPS code 01-77304 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0128211 | |
Website | tuskegeealabama |
Tuskegee (/tʌˈskiːɡi/ 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
After the war many
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
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
Washington was known for his emphasis on
Washington led the school for
Early 20th century
Beginning in 1932, the
One of the most famous teachers at Tuskegee was
During World War II, Tuskegee and Tuskegee Institute were also home to the famed
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
In the 1930s, a group of black men from the Tuskegee Men's Club began efforts to get more black
Voting rights challenge
Following passage of the
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
Post-Gomillion
In 1963, Tuskegee was to have been the first Alabama community to comply with a federal order to
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
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
Geography
Tuskegee is located in central Macon County at 32°25′53″N 85°42′24″W / 32.43139°N 85.70667°W (32.431506, −85.706781).[19]
According to the
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
Parts of this article (those related to this section) need to be updated.(February 2010) |
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:
- Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site (including the Oaks, Grey Columns, and George Washington Carver Museum) [1]
- Moton Field [2]
- Main Street Historic District and North Main Street Historic District
- The Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Multicultural Center
- Butler Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church,[21] site of protests against 1957 state gerrymandering of the city
- Tuskegee Veterans Administration Medical Center[22]
- The Tuskegee Repertory Theatre/Jessie Clinton Arts Center [3]
- Tuskegee City Lake
- Tuskegee National Forest·· [4]
- Kirks Old Farm Museum
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.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 1,563 | — | |
1880 | 2,370 | — | |
1890 | 1,803 | −23.9% | |
1900 | 2,170 | 20.4% | |
1910 | 2,803 | 29.2% | |
1920 | 2,475 | −11.7% | |
1930 | 3,314 | 33.9% | |
1940 | 3,937 | 18.8% | |
1950 | 6,712 | 70.5% | |
1960 | 7,240 | 7.9% | |
1970 | 11,028 | 52.3% | |
1980 | 13,327 | 20.8% | |
1990 | 12,257 | −8.0% | |
2000 | 11,846 | −3.4% | |
2010 | 9,865 | −16.7% | |
2020 | 9,395 | −4.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[24] |
2010 census
As of the
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
2020 census
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
Media
Tuskegee has one weekly newspaper,
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
- Ajiona Alexus, actress; born in Tuskegee
- George Washington Carver, agricultural scientist, died in Tuskegee in 1943
- Sadie Peterson Delaney, chief librarian of the Veterans Administration Hospital
- Tom Joyner, radio host/personality; born in Tuskegee and went to Tuskegee University
- Nella Larsen, nurse, librarian, and novelist; worked at Tuskegee Institute in 1915
- activist in the 1950s in Montgomery, Alabama, contributing to the more than year-long Montgomery bus boycottthat achieved desegregation of the city system
- Lionel Richie, rhythm & blues singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and occasional actor; born in Tuskegee
- Robin Roberts, news anchor, Good Morning America; born in Tuskegee
- Rory White, basketball player
- Bill Winston, pastor, televangelist, author and entrepreneur; born in Tuskegee
- Sammy Younge Jr., civil rights activist; born in Tuskegee
Sister cities
- South Berwick, Maine, USA
See also
- List of people from Tuskegee, Alabama
- Civil Rights Movement
- Tuskegee Airmen
- Tuskegee Syphilis Study, an infamous clinical study
Gallery
-
Tuskegee Post Office (ZIP code:36083)
-
A view of the Macon County Courthouse from the park in the town square The Main Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 1984.
-
A statue of a Confederate soldier in the town square park is shown. The pedestal reads: "Erected by TheDaughters of the Confederacy to the Confederate Soldiers of Macon County".
-
The North Main Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 1985.
-
Built in 1857, Grey Columns now serves as the home of the president of Tuskegee University. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1980.
-
The Butler Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 1995.
References
- ^ a b "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b "Tuskegee city, Alabama: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ See "Pronunciation of Tuskegee." thefreedictionary.com.. Retrieved: October 3, 2010.
- ^ Sarah Lawless, Auburn University (June 25, 1957). "Tuskegee". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ a b "Tuskegee Veterans Administration Medical Center Celebrates - 85 Years of Service", press release, Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS), 2008
- ^ a b c d Allen Mendenhall, "Gomillion v. Lightfoot", Encyclopedia of Alabama, May 2, 2011
- ^ "Tuskegee | Origin and history of Tuskegee by Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ "The Booker T. Washington Era (Part 1)", African American Odyssey, Library of Congress, March 21, 2008, retrieved September 3, 2008
- ^ 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)
- ^ Richard H. Pildes, Democracy, Anti-Democracy, and the Canon, Constitutional Commentary, vol.17, 2000, pp.13–14 Accessed March 10, 2008
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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
- Ture, Kwame; Hamilton, Charles(1966). Black Power.
- ^ ISBN 9780679743132.
- ^ 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)
- OCLC 32739924.
- ^ Sitton, Claude (September 3, 1963). "Alabama Police Prevent Opening of Tuskegee High". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ Sitton, Claude (September 11, 1963). "Wallace Ends Resistance as Guard Is Federalized; More Schools Integrate". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University". Northwest Alliance for Computational Science & Engineering (NACSE), based at Oregon State University. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ We Shall Overcome – Butler Chapel AME Zion Church. Cr.nps.gov (June 25, 1957). Retrieved on July 12, 2013.
- ^ Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System East Campus – Locations. .va.gov. Retrieved on July 12, 2013.
- ^ "00496492v1p2.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ "The Tuskegee News". Thetuskegeenews.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ "Western Railway of Alabama, Table 1". Official Guide of the Railways. 98 (2). National Railway Publication Company. July 1965.
- ^ "Western Railway of Alabama, Table 1". Official Guide of the Railways. 101 (1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1968.