Canton, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Canton is a city in Madison County
, Mississippi
. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area
surrounding the state capital, Jackson
.
Much of Canton is on the National Register of Historic Places
. The courthouse square is a historic shopping district and host to the Canton Flea Market. The east side of town is a large part of the historic district with many homes and some bed and breakfasts.
Although not a major battle site during the Civil War
, Canton was important as a rail and logistics center. Many wounded soldiers were treated in or transported through the city, and as a consequence it has a large Confederate cemetery.
The city is home to a large auto manufacturing facility owned by Nissan.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 18.7 square miles (48.4 km²), of which 18.6 square miles (48.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.69%) is water.
of 2000, there were 12,911 people, 4,093 households, and 2,991 families residing in the city. The population density
was 694.1 people per square mile (268.0/km²). There were 4,333 housing units at an average density of 232.9 per square mile (89.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 18.64% White, 80.30% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.14% from other races
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.
There were 4,093 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples
living together, 34.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,237, and the median income for a family was $27,782. Males had a median income of $25,179 versus $20,815 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,643. About 27.7% of families and 34.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.8% of those under age 18 and 25.5% of those age 65 or over.
. Elmore James
, a legendary blues
singer and a familiar figure in Canton, learned electronics by working in a radio repair shop on Hickory Street. Canton is rich in blues history centered around the juke joints of Hickory
Street, known to locals as "The Hollow", as well as other places in Canton. A Mississippi Blues Trail historic marker was placed in Canton on Hickory Street to honor the great contribution of James to the development of the blues in Mississippi. Other noted blues performers associated with Canton include Grady
Champion, Little Brother Montgomery
, William “Do-Boy” Diamond, and Johnnie Temple. Musicians include studio guitarist Bucky Barrett, slide guitarist Sonny
Landreth. Gospel singers include the Canton Spirituals and Reverend Cleophus
Robinson.
In his dedication of Hickory Street, Governor Haley Barbour said,
.
The city of Canton and Madison County are served by Canton Academy.
Madison County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area
Jackson metropolitan area
The Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state of Mississippi that covers five counties: Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Simpson. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 497,197...
surrounding the state capital, Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
.
Much of Canton is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The courthouse square is a historic shopping district and host to the Canton Flea Market. The east side of town is a large part of the historic district with many homes and some bed and breakfasts.
Although not a major battle site during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Canton was important as a rail and logistics center. Many wounded soldiers were treated in or transported through the city, and as a consequence it has a large Confederate cemetery.
The city is home to a large auto manufacturing facility owned by Nissan.
Geography
Canton is located at in the sallyport 32°36′43"N 90°1′54"W (32.612015, -90.031638).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 18.7 square miles (48.4 km²), of which 18.6 square miles (48.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.69%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,911 people, 4,093 households, and 2,991 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 694.1 people per square mile (268.0/km²). There were 4,333 housing units at an average density of 232.9 per square mile (89.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 18.64% White, 80.30% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.
There were 4,093 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 34.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,237, and the median income for a family was $27,782. Males had a median income of $25,179 versus $20,815 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $12,643. About 27.7% of families and 34.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.8% of those under age 18 and 25.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Thea BowmanThea BowmanSister Thea Bowman, F.S.P.A., was a Roman Catholic Religious Sister, teacher, and scholar.-Life:Born as Bertha Bowman in Yazoo City, Mississippi, she converted to the Roman Catholic Church, during her childhood, and joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at La Crosse, Wisconsin,...
(1937–1990), Catholic sister, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual AdorationFranciscan Sisters of Perpetual AdorationThe Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for women whose motherhouse, St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, is in La Crosse, Wisconsin in the Diocese of La Crosse. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration founded Viterbo University and staffed Aquinas... - The Canton SpiritualsThe Canton SpiritualsThe Canton Spirituals are an award-winning gospel recording group and are regarded as pioneers in the genre of traditional gospel music.Founded in Canton, Mississippi in 1943, the original Canton Spirituals were Eddie Jackson, Theo Thompson, Roscoe Lucious and founder Harvey Watkins, Sr....
, gospel recording group - Annie Bell Robinson DevineAnnie Bell Robinson DevineAnnie Bell Robinson Devine was an activist in the American Civil Rights Movement.From Canton, Mississippi, Devine began meeting with other blacks in Canton to discuss civil rights issues. She eventually quit her job selling insurance to work full-time for the Congress of Racial Equality...
(1912–2000), civil rights activist - George DohertyGeorge DohertyGeorge E. Doherty was a National Football League player from 1944–1947, who thereafter was the defensive coach of the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs in Ruston and the head coach of the Northwestern State University Demons in Natchitoches from 1972-1974.-Early years and education:Doherty was...
(1920–1987), footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Scott FieldScott Field (Texas politician)Scott Field was an American politician who represented Texas in the United States House of Representatives from 1903-1907.-Biography:Field was born in Canton, Mississippi...
(1847–1931), United States Congressman from TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... - L. C. GreenwoodL. C. GreenwoodL.C. Henderson Greenwood is a former American football defensive end for the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.-College career:...
(1946-), Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
, Super Bowl XSuper Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
, Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
, Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season... - Caroline HerringCaroline HerringCaroline Herring is a country and folk singer-songwriter. Born in Canton, Mississippi, she has lived in Oxford, Mississippi and Austin, Texas, but now lives in Atlanta with her son, daughter, and husband. Many of her songs deal with slavery and her Mississippi upbringing...
, folk singer - Elmore JamesElmore JamesElmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
(1918–1963), blues singer, slide guitarist - Sonny LandrethSonny LandrethSonny Landreth is an American blues musician from southwest Louisiana who is especially known as a slide guitar player. He was born in Canton, Mississippi, but soon after, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, before settling in Lafayette, Louisiana...
(1951-), blues guitar player - Samuel MockbeeSamuel MockbeeSamuel "Sambo" Mockbee was an American architect and a co-founder of the Auburn University Rural Studio program in Hale County, Alabama....
(1944–2001), Architect - Anne MoodyAnne MoodyAnne Moody is an African-American author who has written about her experiences growing up poor and black in rural Mississippi, joining the Civil Rights Movement, and fighting racism against blacks in the United States beginning in the 1960s-Life:Born Essie Mae Moody, she was the oldest of nine...
(1940-), civil rights activist, author Coming of Age in MississippiComing of Age in MississippiComing of Age in Mississippi is a 1968 memoir by Anne Moody about growing up in rural Mississippi in the middle of the 20th century as an African American woman. The book covers Moody's life from childhood until her late 20s, including her involvement in the civil rights movement, which began when...
based on her work with CORECongress of Racial EqualityThe Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement... - George RaymondGeorge Raymond Jr.George Raymond, Jr. was an African American civil rights activist; a member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party; a Freedom Rider; and head of the Congress of Racial Equality in Mississippi in the 1960s. Raymond influenced many of Mississippi's most known activists, such as Anne Moody, C.O...
(1943–1973), civil rights activist - John Henry RogersJohn Henry RogersJohn Henry Rogers was a United States Congressman from Arkansas and United States federal judge.Rogers was born in Roxobel, North Carolina to Absalom Rogers and his wife Harriet Rice. He moved with his parents to Mississippi in 1852, settling near Madison Station...
(1845–1911), United States Congressman from ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and a federal judge, who grew up near Madison and practiced law in Canton - William M. WaltonWilliam M. WaltonWilliam Martin Walton was a prominent lawyer in Austin, Texas. During the Civil War, Walton was a Major in the Confederate Army. After the War, he was elected Attorney General of the state and also headed the state Democratic Party...
(1832–1915), Texas Attorney General
Mississippi Blues Trail
Canton is officially on the Mississippi Blues TrailMississippi Blues Trail
The Mississippi Blues Trail, created by the Mississippi Blues Commission, is a project to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the growth of the blues throughout the state of Mississippi. The trail extends from the border of Louisiana in southern Mississippi...
. Elmore James
Elmore James
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
, a legendary blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer and a familiar figure in Canton, learned electronics by working in a radio repair shop on Hickory Street. Canton is rich in blues history centered around the juke joints of Hickory
Street, known to locals as "The Hollow", as well as other places in Canton. A Mississippi Blues Trail historic marker was placed in Canton on Hickory Street to honor the great contribution of James to the development of the blues in Mississippi. Other noted blues performers associated with Canton include Grady
Champion, Little Brother Montgomery
Little Brother Montgomery
Eurreal Wilford "Little Brother" Montgomery was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer....
, William “Do-Boy” Diamond, and Johnnie Temple. Musicians include studio guitarist Bucky Barrett, slide guitarist Sonny
Landreth. Gospel singers include the Canton Spirituals and Reverend Cleophus
Robinson.
In his dedication of Hickory Street, Governor Haley Barbour said,
Education
The city of Canton is served by the Canton Public School DistrictCanton Public School District (Mississippi)
The Canton Public School District is a public school district based in Canton, Mississippi .-Schools:*Canton High School*Nichols Middle School*Canton Elementary School*McNeal Elementary School*Canton School of Arts and Sciences...
.
The city of Canton and Madison County are served by Canton Academy.
Movies filmed in Canton
- 1974 Thieves Like UsThieves Like Us (film)Thieves Like Us is a 1974 film directed by Robert Altman, starring Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall. The film was based on the novel Thieves Like Us by Edward Anderson...
- 1988 Mississippi BurningMississippi BurningMississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders...
- 1998 Waking in Mississippi
- 1996 A Time to KillA Time to Kill (film)A Time to Kill is a 1996 film adaptation of John Grisham's 1989 legal thriller novel of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Sandra Bullock, Samuel L...
- 2000 My Dog SkipMy Dog Skip (film)My Dog Skip is a 2000 film, directed by Jay Russell. It is based on the autobiographical book My Dog Skip by Willie Morris. The movie was released January 14, 2000....
- 2000 O Brother, Where Art Thou?O Brother, Where Art Thou?O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
- 2001 The Ponder Heart
- 2001 Biker Zombies from Detroit
- 2008 BallastBallast (film)Ballast is a 2008 film directed by Lance Hammer. It competed in the Dramatic Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography...
External links
- Canton Chamber of Commerce official website
- City-data.com Canton profile
- Confederate cemetery page
- History of Canton's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- Canton, Ms Flea Market