Phillips County, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
 Phillips County Courthouse in Helena-West Helena | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofArkansas | |
| Coordinates:34°23′25″N90°52′11″W / 34.390277777778°N 90.869722222222°W /34.390277777778; -90.869722222222 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | May 1, 1820 |
| Named after | Sylvanus Phillips |
| Seat | Helena-West Helena |
| Largest city | Helena-West Helena |
| Area | |
• Total | 727 sq mi (1,880 km2) |
| • Land | 696 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| • Water | 32 sq mi (83 km2) 4.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,568 |
• Estimate (2024) | 14,661 |
| • Density | 23.8/sq mi (9.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | phillipscounty |
Phillips County is acounty located in the eastern part of theU.S. state ofArkansas, in what is known as theArkansas Delta along theMississippi River. As of the2020 census, the population was 16,568.[1] Thecounty seat isHelena–West Helena.[2] 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 theArkansas Territory. This fertile lowland area was developed for cotton plantations in the antebellum area and is still largely rural and agricultural.[citation needed] The Helena-West Helena, ARMicropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Phillips County.
From September 30 – October 1, 1919, during theElaine race riot in Phillips County, at least 237African Americans were killed, attacked at large by armed whites trying to suppress theProgressive 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 aslynchings by theEqual 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.[3]
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.[4]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 727 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 696 square miles (1,800 km2) is land and 32 square miles (83 km2) (4.4%) is water.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 1,152 | — | |
| 1840 | 3,547 | 207.9% | |
| 1850 | 6,935 | 95.5% | |
| 1860 | 14,877 | 114.5% | |
| 1870 | 15,372 | 3.3% | |
| 1880 | 21,262 | 38.3% | |
| 1890 | 25,341 | 19.2% | |
| 1900 | 26,561 | 4.8% | |
| 1910 | 33,535 | 26.3% | |
| 1920 | 44,530 | 32.8% | |
| 1930 | 40,683 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 45,970 | 13.0% | |
| 1950 | 46,254 | 0.6% | |
| 1960 | 43,997 | −4.9% | |
| 1970 | 40,046 | −9.0% | |
| 1980 | 34,772 | −13.2% | |
| 1990 | 28,838 | −17.1% | |
| 2000 | 26,445 | −8.3% | |
| 2010 | 21,757 | −17.7% | |
| 2020 | 16,568 | −23.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 14,661 | [6] | −11.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2021[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 16,568. The median age was 41.3 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.6 males age 18 and over.[11][12]
The racial makeup of the county was 33.9%White, 62.4%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 2.5% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.[12]
51.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 48.1% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 6,890 households in the county, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 30.1% were married-couple households, 21.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 42.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 8,315 housing units, of which 17.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 54.4% were owner-occupied and 45.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.8%.[11]
As of the2010 census, there were 21,757 people living in the county. 63.1% wereBlack 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% wereHispanic or Latino (of any race).
As of the2000 census,[14] there were 26,445 people, 9,711 households, and 6,768 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 10,859 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 59.04%Black orAfrican American, 39.25%White, 0.43% fromother 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 wereHispanic orLatino of any race. At over 58% of the county's population, Phillips County has the highest percentage ofAfrican Americans in the state of Arkansas.[15]
There were 9,711 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.30% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the county was $12,288. About 28.70% of families and 32.70% of the population were below thepoverty 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.
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by theConstitution of Arkansas and theArkansas 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.[16][17]
| 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:[18][20]
Additionally, the townships of Phillips County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by theConstitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.[21] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[22][23]
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-onlyDixiecrat effort in1948. 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 his1972 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.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 815 | 41.20% | 1,085 | 54.85% | 78 | 3.94% |
| 1900 | 388 | 22.23% | 1,349 | 77.31% | 8 | 0.46% |
| 1904 | 251 | 14.83% | 1,434 | 84.75% | 7 | 0.41% |
| 1908 | 393 | 24.65% | 1,194 | 74.91% | 7 | 0.44% |
| 1912 | 198 | 15.06% | 926 | 70.42% | 191 | 14.52% |
| 1916 | 552 | 27.35% | 1,466 | 72.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 868 | 30.54% | 1,965 | 69.14% | 9 | 0.32% |
| 1924 | 454 | 19.65% | 1,785 | 77.27% | 71 | 3.07% |
| 1928 | 487 | 19.08% | 2,061 | 80.76% | 4 | 0.16% |
| 1932 | 142 | 4.52% | 2,976 | 94.66% | 26 | 0.83% |
| 1936 | 94 | 3.98% | 2,259 | 95.60% | 10 | 0.42% |
| 1940 | 245 | 9.88% | 2,235 | 90.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 501 | 19.66% | 2,046 | 80.30% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 351 | 11.33% | 1,018 | 32.85% | 1,730 | 55.82% |
| 1952 | 2,592 | 40.88% | 3,741 | 59.01% | 7 | 0.11% |
| 1956 | 2,826 | 40.72% | 3,917 | 56.44% | 197 | 2.84% |
| 1960 | 2,168 | 32.47% | 4,105 | 61.48% | 404 | 6.05% |
| 1964 | 3,963 | 40.48% | 5,818 | 59.43% | 9 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 2,154 | 18.78% | 5,039 | 43.92% | 4,279 | 37.30% |
| 1972 | 6,235 | 58.90% | 4,283 | 40.46% | 68 | 0.64% |
| 1976 | 3,342 | 30.06% | 7,774 | 69.93% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1980 | 4,270 | 38.31% | 6,642 | 59.59% | 234 | 2.10% |
| 1984 | 4,686 | 43.70% | 5,946 | 55.45% | 91 | 0.85% |
| 1988 | 3,892 | 39.47% | 5,580 | 56.59% | 389 | 3.94% |
| 1992 | 2,695 | 27.40% | 6,456 | 65.63% | 686 | 6.97% |
| 1996 | 2,205 | 25.73% | 5,715 | 66.69% | 650 | 7.58% |
| 2000 | 3,154 | 33.87% | 6,018 | 64.62% | 141 | 1.51% |
| 2004 | 3,161 | 35.65% | 5,642 | 63.62% | 65 | 0.73% |
| 2008 | 3,097 | 34.53% | 5,695 | 63.50% | 177 | 1.97% |
| 2012 | 2,598 | 32.76% | 5,202 | 65.60% | 130 | 1.64% |
| 2016 | 2,446 | 35.18% | 4,310 | 61.99% | 197 | 2.83% |
| 2020 | 2,417 | 38.72% | 3,623 | 58.04% | 202 | 3.24% |
| 2024 | 2,098 | 42.49% | 2,754 | 55.77% | 86 | 1.74% |
School districts serving Phillips County include theHelena-West Helena School District, theMarvell–Elaine School District, and theBarton–Lexa School District.[25]
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 theElaine School District served another portion of the county. On July 1, 2006, the Elaine district merged into the Marvell district.[26][27]
Marvell Academy, a private school founded in 1966[28] as asegregation academy,[29] is inunincorporated Phillips County, nearMarvell.[30]
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, theUnited States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Phillips County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/orcensus-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.[31][32]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Places adjacent to Phillips County, Arkansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofPhillips County, Arkansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
34°23′25″N90°52′11″W / 34.39028°N 90.86972°W /34.39028; -90.86972
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