Editing Samson, Alabama

{{short description|City in Alabama, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Samson
| settlement_type                 = [[City]]
| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = 
| image_seal                      = 
| image_map                       = File:Geneva County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Samson Highlighted 0167800.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Samson in Geneva County, Alabama.
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_name1               = [[Alabama]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Geneva County, Alabama|Geneva]]
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = Mayor
| leader_name                     = Clay King (Deceased)
| established_date                = 
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 9.40
| area_total_sq_mi                = 3.63
| area_land_km2                   = 9.37
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 3.62
| area_water_km2                  = 0.02
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.01
| elevation_ft                    = 200
| elevation_m                     = 61
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 1874
| population_metro                = 
| population_density_km2          = 199.98
| population_density_sq_mi        = 517.97
| timezone                        = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| coordinates                     = {{coord|31|6|45|N|86|2|52|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 36477
| area_code                       = [[Area code 334|334]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 01-67800
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 0153310
| footnotes                       = 
| website                         = {{URL|http://www.cityofsamson.com/}}
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| population_est                  = 
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
| name                            = 
}}
'''Samson''' is a city in [[Geneva County, Alabama]], United States. It is part of the [[Dothan, Alabama]] Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 1,874, a decline from the figure of 1,940 tabulated in 2010. Samson incorporated in 1905 (according to the 1910 U.S. Census), although other sources cited 1906.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3348|title=Samson}}</ref>

During the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]], the T.S. Faulk and Company Store in downtown Samson purchased a large shipment of snuff, which remained stationary at the town's depot for an extended period of time. This led to Samson being nicknamed "Snuff City, U.S.A." The nickname is commemorated today with a [[List of objects dropped on New Year's Eve|New Year's drop]] of a Rooster snuff can.

In an attempt to shed this moniker, several community groups decided to plant extensive beds of red roses along all the roads leading into Samson. With this planting, they hoped the new slogan "City of a Million Roses" would take root. However, as the roses gradually disappeared, the old slogan resurfaced.

The town's current motto is "Samson...We Grow Friendly People." A Samson High School student devised the slogan during a high school contest. This contest received more than 50 entries, and the student emerged as the winner, earning $100. The contest committee deemed his slogan, "Samson-we grow friendly people," as a representation of the agricultural aspect and the amicability of the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City of Samson |url=https://www.cityofsamson.com/community.html |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=www.cityofsamson.com}}</ref>

==Geography==
Samson is located at {{coord|31|6|45|N|86|2|52|W|type:city}} (31.112574, -86.047865).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|3.6|sqmi|km2}} is land and 0.28% is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1350
|1920= 1646
|1930= 1656
|1940= 2182
|1950= 2204
|1960= 1932
|1970= 2257
|1980= 2402
|1990= 2190
|2000= 2071
|2010= 1940
|2020= 1874
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref><br>2013 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref>
}}

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 2,071 people, 894 households, and 575 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|572.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,016 housing units at an average density of {{convert|280.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 77.11% White, 20.42% Black or African American, 0.97% Native American, 0.63% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 2.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
Of the 894 households 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 33.3% of households were one person and 16.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.

The age distribution was 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.

The median household income was $18,594 and the median family income  was $25,188. Males had a median income of $25,767 versus $16,719 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,834. About 29.2% of families and 33.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 51.1% of those under age 18 and 32.0% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] there were 1,940 people, 814 households, and 513 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|538.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 968 housing units at an average density of {{convert|268.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 73.3% White, 17.9% Black or African American, 1.1% Native American, 5.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 8.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name="2010 census">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 24, 2015|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
Of the 814 households 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 32.3% of households were one person and 13.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.05.

The age distribution was 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% 65 or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median household income was $18,768 and the median family income  was $25,060. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $19,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,606. About 31.6% of families and 32.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 44.7% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Samson racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0167800&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 17, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,236
|65.96%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|300
|16.01%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|16
|0.85%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|4
|0.21%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|85
|4.54%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|233
|12.43%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,874 people, 763 households, and 434 families residing in the city.

==Notable people==
*[[Roy Brooks]] — guitarist, lived in Samson from 1971 to 1983
* [[Terry Owens (American football)|Terry Owens]] — football player, [[San Diego Chargers]]; graduated from Samson High School in 1962<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofsamson.com/success.html |title=Success Stories |publisher=Cityofsamson.com |accessdate=June 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125054135/http://www.cityofsamson.com/success.html |archivedate=January 25, 2013 }}</ref>
*[[James Thomas Jr.|James "J.T." Thomas, Jr.]] — winner of [[Survivor: Tocantins]]
*[[Bill Yates]] — cartoonist, born in Samson

==2009 shooting==
{{main|Geneva County shootings}}
On March 10, 2009, in the Alabama towns of [[Kinston, Alabama|Kinston]], Samson and [[Geneva, Alabama|Geneva]], the deadliest mass shooting in the state’s history took place in Geneva County. Twenty-eight-year-old Michael McLendon began this massacre by killing his mother and burning down her house in Kinston. He then headed east about 10 miles on Highway 52 and went on an hour-long shooting spree with two high-powered weapons in downtown Samson and a few of its neighborhoods. McLendon then headed to Geneva. McLendon killed ten people and wounded six others in the shooting rampage before committing suicide.
 
In response, troops from nearby [[Fort Rucker]] were deployed to the streets of Samson, where they manned barricades and guarded a makeshift morgue. This was later determined to be in violation of the [[Posse Comitatus Act]], which prohibits federal troops from performing law enforcement actions.<ref>[http://www.military.com/news/article/troop-use-after-ala-shootings-illegal.html?col=1186032310810 "Troop use After Ala. Shootings Illegal"] - Military.com</ref>

Reportedly, McLendon had talked to a confidant about being depressed and frustrated with his inability to become a Marine or a police officer.

Authorities also said McLendon admitted in a two-page, handwritten letter that he had killed his mother and planned to commit suicide. He mentioned a family dispute over a legal issue but did not reveal plans to kill anyone else. Investigators said they found the letter in a mailbox. They would not disclose its intended recipient.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2009 |title=Ala. shooter was depressed over failures |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29665786 |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Coord|display=title|31.112574|-86.047865}}
{{Geneva County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alabama]]
[[Category:Cities in Geneva County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Dothan metropolitan area, Alabama]]