Talladega, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Talladega is a city in Talladega County
, Alabama
, United States
. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat
of Talladega County
. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama
.
The city is home to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind
and the Talladega Municipal Airport
, a public general aviation
airport. The Talladega Superspeedway
, Talladega College
and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
are located nearby.
Talladega is a Muscogee (Creek) Native American
word derived from TVLVTEKE. The source of this name is Creek 'talwa' [dot over the "a"], town, and 'atigi' [another dot over the "a"], border -- 'Border Town' -- a town indicating its location on the boundary between the lands of the Creek tribe and those of the Natchez. While the town's name is ˌ by local inhabitants, the racetrack's name is ˌ by auto racing fans.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²), of which, 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.29%) is water.
The mayor of Talladega is Brian York.
of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,836 households, and 3,962 families residing in the city. The population density
was 634.4 people per square mile (244.9/km²). There were 6,457 housing units at an average density of 270.5 per square mile (104.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.15% White
, 42.28% Black
or African American
, 0.18% Native American
, 0.30% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,836 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,617, and the median income for a family was $36,296. Males had a median income of $27,951 versus $21,326 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,733. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
, including the J. L. M. Curry House and Swayne Hall
, both listed as National Historic Landmarks. The main listed historic districts are the Silk Stocking District
, which includes the Dr. Samuel Welch House
, Talladega College Historic District, and Talladega Courthouse Square Historic District.
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city 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 Talladega County
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.
The city is home to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind
Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind
The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind is a school for people with blindness and/or deafness operated by the U. S. State of Alabama in the city of Talladega...
and the Talladega Municipal Airport
Talladega Municipal Airport
Talladega Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located eight nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Talladega, a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States...
, a public general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport. The Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, Talladega College
Talladega College
- External Links :* -- Official web site*...
and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
are located nearby.
Talladega is a Muscogee (Creek) Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
word derived from TVLVTEKE. The source of this name is Creek 'talwa' [dot over the "a"], town, and 'atigi' [another dot over the "a"], border -- 'Border Town' -- a town indicating its location on the boundary between the lands of the Creek tribe and those of the Natchez. While the town's name is ˌ by local inhabitants, the racetrack's name is ˌ by auto racing fans.
Geography
Talladega is located at 33°26′5"N 86°6′5"W (33.434728, -86.101299).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²), of which, 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.29%) is water.
The mayor of Talladega is Brian York.
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 15,143 people, 5,836 households, and 3,962 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 634.4 people per square mile (244.9/km²). There were 6,457 housing units at an average density of 270.5 per square mile (104.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.15% White
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...
, 42.28% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.18% Native American
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...
, 0.30% Asian
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...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.37% 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 0.70% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 5,836 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% 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, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,617, and the median income for a family was $36,296. Males had a median income of $27,951 versus $21,326 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 $15,733. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
Famous people from Talladega
- Gertrude MichaelGertrude MichaelGertrude Michael was an American film, stage and television actress....
, American film, stage and television actress. Best-remembered role is probably as Rita Ross in Murder at the VanitiesMurder at the VanitiesMurder at the Vanities is a musical film based on the 1933 Broadway musical with music by Victor Young, made in the pre-Code era, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen, stars Carl Brisson, Jack Oakie, Kitty Carlisle, Gertrude Michael, Toby Wing, and Jessie Ralph...
(1934), one of the last pre-Code films, in which she sang an ode to marijuana (Sweet Marijuana). - Eddie KingEddie King (musician)Eddie King is an American Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. Living Blues stated "King is a potent singer and player with a raw, gospel-tinged voice and an aggressive, thick-toned guitar sound"...
, was born on April 21, 1938, in Talladega, and played as a sidemanSidemanA sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
to many other bluesBluesBlues 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...
musicians including Sonny Boy Williamson IISonny Boy Williamson IIWillie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
and Koko TaylorKoko TaylorKoko Taylor sometimes spelled KoKo Taylor was an American Chicago blues musician, popularly known as the "Queen of the Blues." She was known primarily for her rough, powerful vocals and traditional blues stylings....
, before issuing the Blues Music Award winning solo album, Another Cow's Dead, in 1997. - Tinsley R. HarrisonTinsley Randolph HarrisonTinsley Randolph Harrison was a US physician and editor of the first five editions of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine.-Biography:...
, founding editor of Harrison's Principles of Internal MedicineHarrison's Principles of Internal MedicineHarrison's Principles of Internal Medicine is an American textbook of internal medicine. First published in 1950, it is presently in its eighteenth edition... - The Talladega Municipal Airport was renamed Boswell field in honor of Eastaboga resident Lewis Archer BoswellLewis Archer BoswellLewis Archer Boswell was an early aviation pioneer who some believe made the first powered heavier-than-air flight, before the Wright Brothers.-Biography:...
. Local legend states that Boswell actually made the first successful flight before the Wright BrothersWright brothersThe Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
. - Lee De ForestLee De ForestLee De Forest was an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. De Forest invented the Audion, a vacuum tube that takes relatively weak electrical signals and amplifies them. De Forest is one of the fathers of the "electronic age", as the Audion helped to usher in the widespread use...
was not a native of Talladega but he spent most of his young life there. De Forest, who invented the vacuum tube and held over 300 patents, was the son of a president of Talladega College. - Pulitzer-winning Washington correspondent and former Washington bureau chief for the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
Jack NelsonJack Nelson (journalist)John Howard "Jack" Nelson was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist praised for his coverage of the Watergate scandal and described by New York Times Managing Editor Gene Roberts as "one of the most effective reporters in the civil rights era."-Youth:Born in Talladega, Alabama, Nelson's...
was born in Talladega in October 1929 to Alonzo and Barbara O'Donnel. Beginning in September 2007, "The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press" offered one-year fellowships for recent law school graduates. The fellowship honors Nelson, who was a former Chair of The Reporters Committee's Executive Committee, and served on its Steering Committee for 25 years. - Robert BradleyRobert BradleyRobert Bradley or Bob Bradley may refer to:*Bob Bradley , American association football manager*Bob Bradley , Australian Rules footballer*Bob Bradley , British composer, singer and songwriter...
grew up in Evergreen, Alabama, but attended school in Talladega at The Alabama School for the BlindAlabama Institute for the Deaf and BlindThe Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind is a school for people with blindness and/or deafness operated by the U. S. State of Alabama in the city of Talladega...
. He is now a famous blues/rock artist that fronts his band Robert Bradley's Blackwater SurpriseRobert Bradley's Blackwater SurpriseRobert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise is an American band. It formed in 1994 when former members of the band Second Self met a blind street performer by the name of Robert Bradley. Robert Bradley was born in Alabama, but gained musical experience and spirit by singing as a child at The Alabama...
. He crafted his musical talent at a young age performing in churches around Talladega. - The gospel group The Blind Boys of AlabamaThe Blind Boys of AlabamaThe Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group from Alabama that first formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind at Talladega, Alabama in 1939. The three main vocalists of the group and their drummer/percussionist are all blind....
formed in Talladega when the original members met at The Alabama School for the Blind. - Robert Smith VanceRobert Smith VanceRobert Smith Vance was a United States federal judge. He is one of the few judges in American history to have been assassinated as the result of his judicial service.-Early life and career:...
, was born in Talladega in 1931 and spent his early childhood there. He went on to become a progressive voice in Alabama politics during the 1960s and was late appointed as a federal judge serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Middle District of Alabama...
.
Places of interest
Talladega includes a number of properties listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational 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...
, including the J. L. M. Curry House and Swayne Hall
Swayne Hall, Talladega College
Swayne Hall is the oldest building, built in 1857 in part by slaves, on the campus of Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama. Talladega College is a liberal arts college that was the only liberal arts college for black Americans in Alabama....
, both listed as National Historic Landmarks. The main listed historic districts are the Silk Stocking District
Silk Stocking District (Talladega)
The Silk Stocking District is a a historic district in the city of Talladega, Alabama, USA. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1979. Architectural styles include Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, and other late Victorian types. The district...
, which includes the Dr. Samuel Welch House
Miss Willie's House
Miss Willie’s House, also known as the Dr. Samuel Welch House, is a historic brick Queen Anne-style house in Talladega, Alabama, USA. It was built by Dr. Samuel W. Welch and his wife Ethel in 1907. Upon the deaths of Dr. Welch and his wife, the house passed to their daughter, Miss Willie Wallace...
, Talladega College Historic District, and Talladega Courthouse Square Historic District.