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[[Council of Federated Organizations|COFO]], and the [[Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party|MFDP]] were all active in Greenwood. During this period hundreds were arrested on nonviolent protests, civil rights activists were subjected to repeated violence, blacks were denied the right to vote and economic retaliation was used against African-Americans who attempted to register to vote.<ref>[http://www.crmvet.org/tim/timhis62.htm#1962greenwood Mississippi Voter Registration — Greenwood] ~ Civil Rights Movement Veterans</ref> The city's police dog, Tiger, was set on protesters while white counter-protesters yelled "Sic 'em" from the sidewalk.<ref name=hend>{{cite book | last = Hendrickson | first = Paul | title = Sons of Mississippi | publisher = [[Alfred A. Knopf]] | year = 2003 | place = New York | isbn = 0375404619}}</ref> When [[Martin Luther King]] visited the city later in 1963, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] distributed a flyer which stated in part (capitalization in original):
[[Council of Federated Organizations|COFO]], and the [[Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party|MFDP]] were all active in Greenwood. During this period hundreds were arrested on nonviolent protests, civil rights activists were subjected to repeated violence, blacks were denied the right to vote and economic retaliation was used against African-Americans who attempted to register to vote.<ref>[http://www.crmvet.org/tim/timhis62.htm#1962greenwood Mississippi Voter Registration — Greenwood] ~ Civil Rights Movement Veterans</ref> The city's police dog, Tiger, was set on protesters while white counter-protesters yelled "Sic 'em" from the sidewalk.<ref name=hend>{{cite book | last = Hendrickson | first = Paul | title = Sons of Mississippi | publisher = [[Alfred A. Knopf]] | year = 2003 | place = New York | isbn = 0375404619}}</ref> When [[Martin Luther King]] visited the city later in 1963, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] distributed a flyer which stated in part (capitalization in original):
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
TO THOSE OF YOU ''NIGGERS'' WHO GAVE OR GIVE AID AND COMFORT TO THIS CIVIL RIGHTS SCUM, WE ADVISE YOU THAT YOUR IDENTITIES ARE IN THE PROPER HANDS AND ''YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED.'' WE KNOW THAT THE NIGGER OWNER OF COLLINS SHOE SHOP ON JOHNSON STREET "ENTERTAINED" MARTIN LUTHER KING WHEN THE "BIG NIGGER" CAME TO GREENWOOD. WE KNOW OF OTHERS AND WE SAY TO YOU — AFTER THE SHOWING AND THE PLATE-PASSING AND STUPID STREET DEMONSTRATIONS ARE OVER AND THE IMPORTED AGITATORS HAVE ALL GONE, ONE THING IS SURE AND CERTAIN — YOU ARE STILL GOING TO BE ''NIGGERS'' AND WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE WHITE MEN. YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOUR BEDS AND NOW YOU MUST LIE IN THEM.<ref name=hend />
</blockquote>
On December 3rd, 2010, the body of Frederick Jermaine Carter, an African-American man, was found dead, hanging from a tree in Greenwood. The Leflore county coroner ruled the death a suicide, but the [[NAACP]] and Mississippi state senator [[David Lee Jordan | David Jordan]] are concerned that that explanation may be wrong and that foul play may be involved. Jordan explicitly tied the black community's suspicions about the verdict to Greenwood's blood-soaked reputation, stating that "We're not drawing any conclusions. We're skeptical, and rightfully we should be, given our history. We can't take this lightly. We just have to wait and see."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-12-06-suicide-mississippi_N.htm | title = NAACP contests suicide as cause of hanged man's death | publisher = USA Today | date = | author = Larry Copeland | accessdate = 19 August 2011}}</ref>
On December 3rd, 2010, the body of Frederick Jermaine Carter, an African-American man, was found dead, hanging from a tree in Greenwood. The Leflore county coroner ruled the death a suicide, but the [[NAACP]] and Mississippi state senator [[David Lee Jordan | David Jordan]] are concerned that that explanation may be wrong and that foul play may be involved. Jordan explicitly tied the black community's suspicions about the verdict to Greenwood's blood-soaked reputation, stating that "We're not drawing any conclusions. We're skeptical, and rightfully we should be, given our history. We can't take this lightly. We just have to wait and see."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-12-06-suicide-mississippi_N.htm | title = NAACP contests suicide as cause of hanged man's death | publisher = USA Today | date = | author = Larry Copeland | accessdate = 19 August 2011}}</ref>
The first settlement on the banks of the Yazoo River was a trading post founded by John Williams in 1830 and known as Williams Landing. The settlement quickly blossomed, and in 1844 was incorporated as "Greenwood," named after Chief Greenwood Leflore. Growing into a strong cotton market, the key to the city's success was based on its strategic location in the heart of the Delta; on the easternmost point of the alluvial plain and astride the Tallahatchie River and the Yazoo River. The city served as a shipping point to New Orleans, Louisiana, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Greenwood continued to prosper until the latter part of the American Civil War. The end of the Civil War in the mid-1860s and the following years of reconstruction severely diminished the cotton industry and crippled the city's previously thriving economy.
The arrival of railroads in the 1880s allowed the city to revitalize, with two rail lines running to downtown Greenwood, close to the Yazoo River. Once again, Greenwood emerged as a prime shipping point for cotton. Downtown's Front Street bordering the Yazoo filled with cotton factors and other related businesses, earning that section the name Cotton Row. The city continued to prosper in this way well into the 1940s. Recent years have seen a decline in cotton planting.[1]
Greenwood's Grand Boulevard was once named one of America's 10 most beautiful streets by the U.S. Chambers of Commerce and the Garden Clubs of America. The 1,000 oak trees lining Grand Boulevard were planted in 1916 by Sally Humphreys Gwin, a charter member of the Greenwood Garden Club. In 1950, Gwin received a citation from the National Congress of the Daughters of the American Revolution in recognition of her work in the conservation of trees.[2][3]
In 1955, following the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the White Citizens' Council was founded by Robert B. Patterson in Greenwood to fight against racial integration.[4] From 1962 through 1964, Greenwood was a center of protests and voter registration struggles during the Civil Rights Movement. SNCC,
COFO, and the MFDP were all active in Greenwood. During this period hundreds were arrested on nonviolent protests, civil rights activists were subjected to repeated violence, blacks were denied the right to vote and economic retaliation was used against African-Americans who attempted to register to vote.[5] The city's police dog, Tiger, was set on protesters while white counter-protesters yelled "Sic 'em" from the sidewalk.[6] When Martin Luther King visited the city later in 1963, the Ku Klux Klan distributed a flyer which stated in part (capitalization in original):
On December 3rd, 2010, the body of Frederick Jermaine Carter, an African-American man, was found dead, hanging from a tree in Greenwood. The Leflore county coroner ruled the death a suicide, but the NAACP and Mississippi state senator David Jordan are concerned that that explanation may be wrong and that foul play may be involved. Jordan explicitly tied the black community's suspicions about the verdict to Greenwood's blood-soaked reputation, stating that "We're not drawing any conclusions. We're skeptical, and rightfully we should be, given our history. We can't take this lightly. We just have to wait and see."[7]
Geography
Greenwood is located at 33°31′7″N90°11′2″W / 33.51861°N 90.18389°W / 33.51861; -90.18389Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (33.518719, -90.183883)Template:GR. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.7 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.9 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it is water. The total area is 3.15% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 18,425 people, 6,916 households, and 4,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,997.8 people per square mile (771.6/km²). There are 7,565 housing units at an average density of 820.3 per square mile (316.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 32.82% White, 65.36% Black, 0.11% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 6,916 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% are married couples living together, 27.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $21,867, and the median income for a family was $26,393. Males had a median income of $27,267 versus $18,578 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,461. 33.9% of the population and 28.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 47.0% of those under the age of 18 and 20.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Mississippi Blues Trail markers
Radio station WGRM on Howard Street was the location of B.B. King's first live broadcast in 1940. On Sunday nights, King performed live gospel music as part of a quartet.[8] In dedication to this event, the Mississippi Blues Trail has placed its third historic marker in this town at the site of the former radio station.[9][10]
Another Mississippi Blues trail marker is placed near the grave of blues singer Robert Johnson.
[11] There is also a Blues Trail marker at the Elks Lodge.[12]
Government and infrastructure
Local government
Greenwood is governed under the city council form of government composed of council members from seven wards and headed by a mayor.
Greenwood is served by two major rail lines. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Greenwood, connecting New Orleans to Chicago from Greenwood station.
