Phillips County, Arkansas

Phillips County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas, in what is known as the Arkansas Delta along the Mississippi River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,568.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Helena–West Helena.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Phillips County is Arkansas's seventh (7th) county, formed on May 1, 1820. It was named for Sylvanus Phillips, the area's first-known white or European-American settler; he was elected as representative to the first Territorial Legislature of the Arkansas Territory. This fertile lowland area was developed for cotton plantations in the antebellum area and is still largely rural and agricultural.Template:Citation needed The Helena-West Helena, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Phillips County.

History

From September 30 – October 1, 1919, during the Elaine race riot in Phillips County, at least 237 African Americans were killed, attacked at large by armed whites trying to suppress the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America which was organizing in the county. Because the white mob actions were racial terrorism against African Americans, the deaths were classified as lynchings by the Equal Justice Initiative in its 2015 report on lynchings in the South. Based on this, Phillips County ranks as the county with the highest number of lynchings in U.S. history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Crime

For the years from 2016 to 2020, Phillips County had the highest rate of gun homicides of any county in the United States. Adjusting county data for the age of the population, Phillips County had a rate of 55.45 gun deaths per 100,000 population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (4.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

• File:US 49.svg U.S. Highway 49
• File:Arkansas 1.svg Highway 1
• File:Arkansas 39.svg Highway 39
• File:Arkansas 85.svg Highway 85

Adjacent counties

• Lee County (north)
• Tunica County, Mississippi (northeast)
• Coahoma County, Mississippi (east)
• Bolivar County, Mississippi (southeast)
• Desha County (south)
• Arkansas County (southwest)
• Monroe County (northwest)

National protected areas

• St. Francis National Forest (part)
• White River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

File:USA Phillips County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid Phillips County<ref>Based on 2000 census data</ref>

2020 census

Phillips County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	5,541	33.44%
Black or African American	10,305	62.2%
Native American	38	0.23%
Asian	64	0.39%
Pacific Islander	4	0.02%
Other/Mixed	352	2.12%
Hispanic or Latino	264	1.59%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,568 people, 7,485 households, and 4,836 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 21,757 people living in the county. 63.1% were Black or African American, 35.0% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 1.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 26,445 people, 9,711 households, and 6,768 families living in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 10,859 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 59.04% Black or African American, 39.25% White, 0.43% from other races, 0.32% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. At over 58% of the county's population, Phillips County has the highest percentage of African Americans in the state of Arkansas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

There were 9,711 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.30% were married couples living together, 25.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.20% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 84.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,231, and the median income for a family was $26,570. Males had a median income of $24,675 versus $17,520 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,288. About 28.70% of families and 32.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.50% of those under age 18 and 26.20% of those age 65 or over.

For the period 2000–2009, the Helena-West Helena statistical area lost 20.89% of its population, the largest decline of any statistical area in the country.

Government and politics

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Phillips County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief executive officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Phillips County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>

Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Clark Hall	Democratic
County Clerk	Shakira Winfield	Democratic
Circuit Clerk	Tamekia Franklin	Democratic
Sheriff/Collector	Neal Byrd, Sr.	Democratic
Treasurer	Santresa "Tot" Mayfield	Democratic
Assessor	Jerome Turner	Democratic
Coroner	Earnest Larry	Democratic

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 8 Democrats and 1 Republican. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• District 1: Edward Carter (D)
• District 2: Patrick Roberson (D)
• District 3: Oscar Hoskins (D)
• District 4: Isaac Ike Tribune (D)
• District 5: Betty Brimley (D)
• District 6: Shirley Moss-Larry (D)
• District 7: William Kyle Storer (D)
• District 8: Martin Rawls (R)
• District 9: Lita Moore-Johnson (D)

Additionally, the townships of Phillips County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Hornor: Wilburt Strotter (D)
• Marion: John Jason O'Neal (D)
• Spring Creek: Lewis Hall (D)
• Tappan: Edgar Williams III (D)

Politics

As a majority-black county, Phillips County is strongly Democratic. It has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in all but two elections in the last century. Strom Thurmond carried the county in his whites-only Dixiecrat effort in 1948. At that time, Democrats were composed chiefly of conservative whites, as most blacks had been disenfranchised at the turn of the century. Prior to that, they had been affiliated with the Republican Party.

Richard Nixon carried the county in his 1972 landslide. Blacks were not yet voting in full force, following passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as some states and counties continued to have ways to suppress their vote.

In modern times, heavy depopulation and the state's strong rightward shift has shrunk the margins for Democrats, though Black voters remain strongly Democratic and thus keep the county safely blue.

Education

School districts serving Phillips County include the Helena-West Helena School District, the Marvell–Elaine School District, and the Barton–Lexa School District. <ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

Previously the Lake View School District served a portion of the county. On July 1, 2004, the Lake View district merged into the Barton–Lexa district. Previously the Elaine School District served another portion of the county. On July 1, 2006, the Elaine district merged into the Marvell district.<ref name="School districts">"Template:Usurped." Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Marvell Academy, a private school founded in 1966<ref>"About Template:Webarchive." Marvell Academy. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.</ref> as a segregation academy,<ref>"Private Schools: The Last Refuge." TIME. Friday November 14, 1969. Retrieved on March 2, 2011.</ref> is in unincorporated Phillips County, near Marvell.<ref>"Marvell Academy Principals." Manta. Retrieved on March 2, 2011. "645 Highway 243 Marvell, AR 72366."</ref>

Communities

Cities

• Elaine
• Helena–West Helena (county seat)
• Lake View
• Marvell

Town

• Lexa

Unincorporated places

• Barton
• Modoc
• Poplar Grove
• Lambrook

Townships

File:Phillips County Arkansas 2010 Township Map small.jpg

Townships in Phillips County, Arkansas as of 2010

Template:Arkansas Townships About <ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi2)	Pop. density (/km2)	Total area (mi2)	Total area (km2)	Land area (mi2)	Land area (km2)	Water area (mi2)	Water area (km2)	Geographic coordinates
Big Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		425	11.05	4.26	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Cleburne	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		660	29.12	11.24	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Cleveland	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		198	8.01	3.09	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Cypress	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		152	9.54	3.68	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Hickory Ridge	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Marvell	1,550	49.89	19.26	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Hicksville	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		231	6.99	2.70	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Hornor	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	part of Helena-West Helena	9,697	265.48	102.51	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Lake	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		41	0.91	0.35	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Marion	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		589	14.42	5.57	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Mooney	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		179	1.70	0.66	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
St. Francis	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	most of Helena-West Helena	4,746	103.10	39.82	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Spring Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Lexa, small part of Lake View	1,789	22.46	8.67	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Tappan	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Elaine, most of Lake View	1,500	8.49	3.28	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Source: Template:Cite web Source: Template:Cite web

Notable people

• Bruce Bennett,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Arkansas Attorney General
• Barry Williamson, attorney and member of the Texas Railroad Commission
• Blanche Lincoln, U.S. Senator
• Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm, drummer and singer for The Band
• Robert Lockwood Jr., blues guitarist and singer
• Angie Craig, U.S. Representative from Minnesota

See also

• List of lakes in Phillips County, Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Phillips County, Arkansas

External links

• Phillips County, Arkansas entry on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture