Indianola, Mississippi

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Indianola, Mississippi
settlement_type = City
nickname = 'Nola, I-town
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Indianola, Mississippi


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Mississippi
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Sunflower
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
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leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 22.5
area_land_km2 = 22.3
area_water_km2 = 0.2
area_total_sq_mi = 8.7
area_land_sq_mi = 8.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 12066
population_density_km2 = 540.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1400.3

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 37
elevation_ft = 121
latd = 33 |latm = 26 |lats = 53 |latNS = N
longd = 90 |longm = 38 |longs = 51 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 38749, 38751
area_code = 662
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 28-34740
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0671704
website =
footnotes =

Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower CountyGR|6.

History

Indianola was originally named Indian Bayou, for the stream on which it was built. Between 1882 and 1884, the town's name was changed from Indian Bayou to Eureka, then to Belengate, and finally Indianola. As with most Mississippi Delta towns, Indianola was built on the site of ancient Indian camps. A story has been circulated about the town being named after an Indian princess named "Ola." A search by this author in the papers of Mr. W. R. French, a local historian, in the early 1970s revealed that many other Indianolas in the United States claimed the same origin for their name. The story about the origin of the town coming from an Indian princess named "Ola" is folk etymology. The last Choctaw Indians had been forcibly removed from the area through the Treaty of Doak's Stand in 1820, and the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830. Indianola was not incorporated under its current name until 1886. (Brieger, Hometown Mississippi 1980). Mr. French speculated that name was selected by the Board of Supervisors in memory of Indianola, Texas, which had been totally destroyed by a hurricane in 1875.

Geography

Indianola is located at coor dms|33|26|53|N|90|38|51|W|city (33.447999, -90.647414)GR|1 at the junction of MS Highways 82 and 49W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.7 square miles (22.5 km²), of which, 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.03%) is water. including Indian Bayou, which runs the length of the city and beyond.

The topography of Indianola is flat. The only significant elevation changes are along waterways such as Indian Bayou.

The city is still roughly segregated by the railroad tracks, with the south side predominantly populated by African-Americans. Public school enrollment is almost entirely African-American and the private school, Indianola Academy, Caucasian with few exceptions. Most of Indianola's white residents are slowly relocating to the rural areas outside of town. Many signs of more overt racism, such as public displays of power by the White Citizens Council (which was founded in Indianola), have receded. Many public venues, such as the world-renowned Blues venue Club Ebony, have slowly become friendly, relaxed, integrated places of communal celebration.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 12,066 people, 3,899 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,400.3 people per square mile (540.5/km²). There were 4,118 housing units at an average density of 477.9/sq mi (184.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 25.73% White, 73.38% African American, 0.01% Native American, 0.46% Asian American, 0.16% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 3,899 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 31.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.5.In the city the population was spread out with 32.9% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.

Economics

The median income for a household in the city was $16,308, and the median income for a family was $6,186. Males had a median income of $27.00 versus $900.00 for females. The per capita income for the city was $2,082. About 22.5% of families and 86% of the population were below the poverty line, including 95.8% of those under age 18 and 21.5% of those age 65 or over.

The Blues

It is the birthplace of famous blues musician Albert King. Henry Sloan lived in Indianola, and Charley Patton died near the city.

B.B. King grew up in Indianola as a child and comes to the blues festival named for him every year. King referenced the city with the title of his 1970 album "Indianola Mississippi Seeds". In June 2006, a groundbreaking was held for a new [http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/ B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center] . The museum is scheduled to open early September, 2008. Many street names are named after King and his music, including B.B. King Road, Lucille St. (named after his guitar), and Delta Blues St.

[http://www.mississippideltablues.org The Mississippi Delta Blues Society] was established on December 10, 2003 in Indianola to exchange information about Blues related events, and will support community events and activities in the Delta. The Society's mission is to promote the Blues in the Mississippi Delta, and to support its musicians and area Blues clubs.

Education

All but one public school have student populations that are at least 97% African American, but not Egyptian (Lockard Elementary School, 62%) (National Center for Education Statistics). Indianola Academy, a private school, has a student population that is 99% European American.

Business

Indianola has several thriving business entities, such as Abraham's fine clothier, a clothing store of renown across several generations, the Crown, an award winning food distributor and restaurant, the Pecan House, a candy store and distributor, Dollar General, a convenience store whose warehouse is located near the city limits, and two blues venues, the historic [http://www.clubebony.biz Club Ebony,] and the innovative [http://www.308bluesclubandcafe.com 308 Blues Club and Cafe,] which hosts blues, rock, country, and hip-hop acts. The community is served by a weekly newspaper, "The Enterprise-Tocsin". A Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in January 2006.

Celebrities

Indianola is the hometown of the legendary B.B. King, and the lesser known [http://www.clubebony.biz/davidleedurham.html David Lee Durham] . Actress Mary Alice is also from Indianola.

In the media

*Indianola serves as the basis for the fictional "Loring, Mississippi" in works by Steve Yarbrough, including "The End of California".fact|date=April 2008

*Parts of the film "The Chamber", starring Gene Hackman, were filmed in downtown Indianola. The film was adapted from the John Grisham novel of the same name.

*From 1932 until 1934, Hortense Powdermaker conducted an anthropological study of the African-American community in Indianola, which served as the basis for her book, "After Freedom: A Cultural Study In the Deep South".

*John Dollard spent five months in Indianola conducting research for his 1937 book, "Caste and Class in a Southern Town", which examined how those factors affected race relations in the rural South. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb289/is_200406/ai_n5811919] While Indianola was not named in the book, the eponymous "Southern Town" was based on the data he collected there.

References

External links

* [http://www.deltanewsonline.com Delta News Online: Hometown News For The Mississippi Delta]