Yazoo City, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Yazoo City is a city in Yazoo County
, Mississippi
, United States
. It was named after the Yazoo River
, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Jackson
–Yazoo City Combined Statistical Area
. According to the 2000 census, the population was 14,550.
at the junctions of US Highways 49
, 49E
, and 49W
, and MS Highways 3, 16, and 149
, on the banks of the Yazoo River
, near the Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
. .
U.S. Route 49W provides a fairly direct link between Yazoo City and Belzoni
. The old highway segment has been renamed Mississippi Highway 149
. MS 149 passes through Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
and the communities of Louise
and Midnight
before reconnecting with the new US 49W at Silver City
, seven miles south of Belzoni. The new highway makes the town of Carter
so near that it might be considered for annexation by Yazoo City in a few years. There are now two bridges across the Yazoo River at Yazoo City.
The section of MS 3 in Yazoo City is called Haley Barbour Parkway. Barbour
, the current governor of Mississippi, grew up in Yazoo City and has a home on Wolf Lake, a lake north of Yazoo City. U.S. Highway 49 (part of which was formerly U.S. 49E) through Yazoo City is named Jerry Clower
Boulevard, after the famous comedian, a former resident of Yazoo City.
Yazoo City is also known as the "Gateway to the Delta" due to its location on the transition between the two great landforms that characterize the geography of Mississippi (the western part of town lies in the Mississippi delta and the eastern part lies in the loess bluffs that characterize most of eastern Mississippi).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.9 square miles (28.2 km²), of which, 10.8 square miles (28 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.19%) is water.
A yellow fever
epidemic struck Yazoo City in 1853. During the American Civil War
, a makeshift shipyard was established on the Yazoo River at Yazoo City after the Confederate loss of New Orleans. The shipyard was destroyed by Union forces in 1863, then Yazoo City fell back into Confederate hands. Union forces retook the city the following year and burned most of the buildings in the city.
Yellow fever returned to take more victims in 1878. In 1904 a fire destroyed much of central Yazoo City. According to local legend, this fire was the result of a witch avenging her death. In actuality, a boy accidentally set a house ablaze while playing with matches. Three-fourths of the town was destroyed, including most of the houses, as the fire quickly spread due to high winds. The fire was stopped at a canal, saving the courthouse (which had been built in 1872) and ten antebellum
homes near the courthouse. The town was rebuilt within two years.
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
did much damage to the entire Delta, but Yazoo City was restored and is now protected by an effective flood prevention system.
and with a path width of 1.75 miles, hit Yazoo County on April 24, 2010. Four people were killed in the Yazoo City area, and a number were seriously injured; four of the victims were airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center
in the capital city of Jackson, 40 miles away. The Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, toured the area in a National Guard helicopter and held a news conference on the disaster at 3:30 PM US Central Time. The tornado and the aftermath were shown in an episode of the Discovery Channel
series Storm Chasers
, and there are several videos on YouTube
, which show considerable detail and descriptions.
operates the Yazoo City Post Office.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons
operates the Federal Correctional Complex, Yazoo City, which consists of FCI Yazoo City Low and FCI Yazoo City Medium.
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Yazoo City using the Yazoo City Station
. The Amtrak station is located at 222 West Broadway.
Yazoo County Airport
is in unincorporated
Yazoo County
, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of central Yazoo City. Lynne W. Jeter of the Mississippi Business Journal
said in 2001 that the county airport "may have played an important role in landing the multi-phase federal prison project that is currently under expansion."
of 2000, there were 14,550 people, 4,271 households, and 2,968 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,349.2 people per square mile (521.1/km²). There were 4,676 housing units at an average density of 433.6 per square mile (167.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 28.73% White, 69.68% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.23% from other races
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.47% of the population.
There were 4,271 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples
living together, 32.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $19,893, and the median income for a family was $22,470. Males had a median income of $26,109 versus $18,650 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $9,251. About 35.0% of families and 40.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.5% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
.
Yazoo County High School and Yazoo City High School serve as the main public schools. There are four private schools: Thomas Christian Academy (Pre-K–12), Manchester Academy (Pre-K–12) Covenant Christian School (K–6th grade), and Benton Academy (Pre-K–12).
, WYAD (expected to be on the air in 2011), and WYAZ, all FM, are three local radio stations. The Yazoo Herald, is Yazoo County's only daily newspaper.
. Yazoo is also referenced as the lone non-New Jersey site that makes toxic waste in the United States in the 1989 movie Fletch Lives
. Chevy Chase's character, Irwin M. Fletcher, flew to Yazoo to visit Bly Bio Chem, where he was greeted by Hedley Dan Duke, played by Phil Hartman
.
In the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?
character "Delmar O'Donnell" (Tim Blake Nelson
), refers to Yazoo as the place where he robbed a Piggly Wiggly
. Also, the movie's Woolworth's
scene was filmed in what used to be a hardware store in Yazoo City. Finally, in the movie, "George 'Baby Face' Nelson" robbed a bank, which he said is located in Itta Bena, Mississippi
, but actually that was filmed in the old Bank of Yazoo City building in downtown Yazoo City.
Miss Firecracker
was filmed on location in Yazoo City in the 1980s. The movie featured Holly Hunter
, Tim Robbins
, Mary Steenbergen, Scott Glenn
and Alfre Woodard
.
Yazoo City was the main location for the book and the movie, My Dog Skip
. However, the movie was not filmed in Yazoo City, but in Canton, Mississippi
, which is located in Madison County, Mississippi
, and is about 30 miles southeast of Yazoo City.
Yazoo County, Mississippi
-National protected area:*Hillside National Wildlife Refuge *Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge-History:The area which is now Yazoo County was acquired by the State of Mississippi from the Choctaw Indians in 1820. Yazoo County was established on January 21, 1823. It was the 19th county...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was named after the Yazoo River
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi.The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's mouth. The exact meaning of the term is unclear...
, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger 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...
–Yazoo City Combined Statistical Area
Jackson-Yazoo City combined statistical area
The Jackson-Yazoo City Combined Statistical Area is made up of six counties in central Mississippi. The statistical area consists of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the CSA had a population of 525,346...
. According to the 2000 census, the population was 14,550.
Geography
Yazoo City is located at 32°51′23"N 90°24′27"W (32.856458, -90.407379), 40 miles northwest of JacksonJackson, 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...
at the junctions of US Highways 49
U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49 is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with U.S. Route 62. Its southern terminus is in Gulfport, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 90. US 49 is approximately 516 miles in length.It...
, 49E
U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49 is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with U.S. Route 62. Its southern terminus is in Gulfport, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 90. US 49 is approximately 516 miles in length.It...
, and 49W
U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49 is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with U.S. Route 62. Its southern terminus is in Gulfport, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 90. US 49 is approximately 516 miles in length.It...
, and MS Highways 3, 16, and 149
Mississippi Highway 149
Mississippi Highway 149 is a state highway in western Mississippi. Highway 149 runs from its southern terminus at U.S. Route 49 and Mississippi Highway 16 in Yazoo City to U.S. Route 49W in Silver City. The highway also passes through the town of Louise and unincorporated community of Midnight....
, on the banks of the Yazoo River
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi.The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's mouth. The exact meaning of the term is unclear...
, near the Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is one of seven refuges in the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Mississippi. Established in 1978, Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge encompasses . Included in those acres is one of the largest blocks of bottomland forest in the lower...
. .
U.S. Route 49W provides a fairly direct link between Yazoo City and Belzoni
Belzoni, Mississippi
Belzoni is a city in Humphreys County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region, on the Yazoo River. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Humphreys County...
. The old highway segment has been renamed Mississippi Highway 149
Mississippi Highway 149
Mississippi Highway 149 is a state highway in western Mississippi. Highway 149 runs from its southern terminus at U.S. Route 49 and Mississippi Highway 16 in Yazoo City to U.S. Route 49W in Silver City. The highway also passes through the town of Louise and unincorporated community of Midnight....
. MS 149 passes through Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is one of seven refuges in the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Mississippi. Established in 1978, Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge encompasses . Included in those acres is one of the largest blocks of bottomland forest in the lower...
and the communities of Louise
Louise, Mississippi
Louise is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Louise is located at ....
and Midnight
Midnight, Mississippi
Midnight is an unincorporated community located in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States. Midnight is approximately north of Louise and southwest of Silver City along Mississippi Highway 149....
before reconnecting with the new US 49W at Silver City
Silver City, Mississippi
Silver City is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 337 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Silver City is located at ....
, seven miles south of Belzoni. The new highway makes the town of Carter
Carter, Mississippi
Carter is an unincorporated community located in northern Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. Carter is approximately north of Yazoo City and south of Silver City near U.S. Highway 49W.Carter has a zip code of 39194....
so near that it might be considered for annexation by Yazoo City in a few years. There are now two bridges across the Yazoo River at Yazoo City.
The section of MS 3 in Yazoo City is called Haley Barbour Parkway. Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
, the current governor of Mississippi, grew up in Yazoo City and has a home on Wolf Lake, a lake north of Yazoo City. U.S. Highway 49 (part of which was formerly U.S. 49E) through Yazoo City is named Jerry Clower
Jerry Clower
Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower was a popular country comedian best known for his stories of the rural South. He was often nicknamed "The Mouth of the South", although this title has also been used for other individuals.Clower began a 2-year stint in the Navy immediately after graduating high school...
Boulevard, after the famous comedian, a former resident of Yazoo City.
Yazoo City is also known as the "Gateway to the Delta" due to its location on the transition between the two great landforms that characterize the geography of Mississippi (the western part of town lies in the Mississippi delta and the eastern part lies in the loess bluffs that characterize most of eastern Mississippi).
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 10.9 square miles (28.2 km²), of which, 10.8 square miles (28 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.19%) is water.
History
The community now known as Yazoo City was founded in 1824. Originally with the name Hannan's Bluff. The town was later renamed Manchester then changed to Yazoo City in 1839. Yazoo City became the Yazoo County seat in 1849.A yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic struck Yazoo City in 1853. During the American 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...
, a makeshift shipyard was established on the Yazoo River at Yazoo City after the Confederate loss of New Orleans. The shipyard was destroyed by Union forces in 1863, then Yazoo City fell back into Confederate hands. Union forces retook the city the following year and burned most of the buildings in the city.
Yellow fever returned to take more victims in 1878. In 1904 a fire destroyed much of central Yazoo City. According to local legend, this fire was the result of a witch avenging her death. In actuality, a boy accidentally set a house ablaze while playing with matches. Three-fourths of the town was destroyed, including most of the houses, as the fire quickly spread due to high winds. The fire was stopped at a canal, saving the courthouse (which had been built in 1872) and ten antebellum
Antebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
homes near the courthouse. The town was rebuilt within two years.
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States.-Events:The flood began when heavy rains pounded the central basin of the Mississippi in the summer of 1926. By September, the Mississippi's tributaries in Kansas and Iowa were swollen to...
did much damage to the entire Delta, but Yazoo City was restored and is now protected by an effective flood prevention system.
April 24, 2010 Tornado
A strong tornado, rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita ScaleEnhanced Fujita Scale
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
and with a path width of 1.75 miles, hit Yazoo County on April 24, 2010. Four people were killed in the Yazoo City area, and a number were seriously injured; four of the victims were airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Mississippi Medical Center is the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi and is located in Jackson, Mississippi...
in the capital city of Jackson, 40 miles away. The Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, toured the area in a National Guard helicopter and held a news conference on the disaster at 3:30 PM US Central Time. The tornado and the aftermath were shown in an episode of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
series Storm Chasers
Storm Chasers (TV series)
Storm Chasers is a weekly American documentary reality television series that premiered on October 17, 2007 on the Discovery Channel. Produced by Original Media, the program follows several teams of storm chasers as they attempt to intercept tornadoes in Tornado Alley in the United States...
, and there are several videos on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, which show considerable detail and descriptions.
November 29, 2010 Tornado
At approximately 8:05 pm local time (Central), Yazoo City was struck by two tornadoes: first, an EF-2 tornado 3 miles southwest of town, then a second EF-2 within the city limits, causing significant damage to several downtown buildings.Government and infrastructure
The mayor of Yazoo City is McArthur Straughter. The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Yazoo City Post Office.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
operates the Federal Correctional Complex, Yazoo City, which consists of FCI Yazoo City Low and FCI Yazoo City Medium.
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Yazoo City using the Yazoo City Station
Yazoo City (Amtrak station)
The Yazoo City Amtrak station is a train station in Yazoo City, Mississippi, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system...
. The Amtrak station is located at 222 West Broadway.
Yazoo County Airport
Yazoo County Airport
Yazoo County Airport is an airport in unincorporated Yazoo County, Mississippi, west of central Yazoo City. The airport is operated by Yazoo County....
is in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Yazoo County
Yazoo County, Mississippi
-National protected area:*Hillside National Wildlife Refuge *Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge-History:The area which is now Yazoo County was acquired by the State of Mississippi from the Choctaw Indians in 1820. Yazoo County was established on January 21, 1823. It was the 19th county...
, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of central Yazoo City. Lynne W. Jeter of the Mississippi Business Journal
Mississippi Business Journal
The Mississippi Business Journal is a statewide weekly business newspaper, located in Jackson, Mississippi.Each issue contains news coverage relating to the Mississippi business world along with regular opinion and freelance columns...
said in 2001 that the county airport "may have played an important role in landing the multi-phase federal prison project that is currently under expansion."
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 14,550 people, 4,271 households, and 2,968 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 1,349.2 people per square mile (521.1/km²). There were 4,676 housing units at an average density of 433.6 per square mile (167.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 28.73% White, 69.68% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.23% 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 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.47% of the population.
There were 4,271 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% 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, 32.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $19,893, and the median income for a family was $22,470. Males had a median income of $26,109 versus $18,650 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 $9,251. About 35.0% of families and 40.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.5% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Haley BarbourHaley BarbourHaley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
, current Governor of Mississippi - 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,...
, Roman 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... - Jerry ClowerJerry ClowerHoward Gerald "Jerry" Clower was a popular country comedian best known for his stories of the rural South. He was often nicknamed "The Mouth of the South", although this title has also been used for other individuals.Clower began a 2-year stint in the Navy immediately after graduating high school...
, from Liberty community, Mississippi, famous country comedian who lived the time of his life in Yazoo City - Mike EspyMike EspyAlphonso Michael "Mike" Espy is a former United States political figure. From 1987 to 1993, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. He served as the Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. He was the first African American Secretary of Agriculture...
, Secretary of Agriculture (1993–94); U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd district of Mississippi (1987–93) - Lawrence Gordon, film producer (Die HardDie HardDie Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
) - Lynn Hamilton, actress
- Michael HendersonMichael HendersonMichael Henderson is an American bass guitarist and vocalist best known for his bass playing with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, on early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea, and Live-Evil.- Biography :He was one of the first notable bass guitarists of the fusion era as well...
, R&B singer - T. J. Huddleston, Sr.T. J. Huddleston, Sr.T. J. Huddleston, Sr. was a prominent African American entrepreneur and community leader in Mississippi. He owned dozens of funeral homes in Mississippi. He was the grandfather of former U.S...
, entrepreneur - Mary JohnsonMary Johnson (singer)Mary Johnson was an American classic female blues singer, accordionist and songwriter. Her most noted tracks were "Dream Daddy Blues" and "Western Union Blues." She wrote a number of her own tracks including "Barrel House Flat Blues", "Key To The Mountain Blues" and "Black Men Blues." Johnson...
, blues singer and one-time wife of Lonnie JohnsonLonnie JohnsonAlonzo "Lonnie" Johnson was an American blues and jazz singer/guitarist and songwriter who pioneered the role of jazz guitar and is recognized as the first to play single-string guitar solos... - Tommy McClennanTommy McClennanTommy McClennan was an American Delta blues singer and guitarist.-Life and career:McClennan was born on a farm near Yazoo City, Mississippi, United States, and grew up in the town...
, blues musician - Mike MileyMike MileyMichael Wilfred Miley was a professional baseball player who played two seasons for the California Angels of Major League Baseball. He died in a one-car accident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana....
, MLB player and Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
quarterback - Willie MorrisWillie MorrisWilliam Weaks "Willie" Morris , was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly...
, writer who was born in Jackson, MS but grew up in Yazoo City - Stella StevensStella StevensStella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born October 1, 1938 is an American film, television and stage actress, who began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as The Nutty Professor, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The...
, actress - Michael PassonsMichael PassonsMichael Passons , a native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, is the founding member of the Christian band Avalon. As a young musician, Michael was influenced by artists like Elton John and Lionel Richie. In college, he performed in a band and in a New Jersey-based group that toured nationally...
, "Contemporary Christian Musician", founding former member of the Christian musicChristian musicChristian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
group, AvalonAvalon (group)Avalon or Group Avalon was a band consisting of Djo Moupondo and his brother Mohombi Moupondo with Congolese ancestry. A multilingual band, they performed songs in Swedish, French, English and Lingala.... - Zig ZiglarZig ZiglarHilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar is an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker.-Biography:Zig Ziglar was born in Coffee County, Alabama, to parents John Silas Ziglar and Viola Ziglar...
, Personal development speaker and trainer - Robert PetwayRobert PetwayRobert Petway was an African-American blues singer and guitarist.Very little is known about Robert Petway. His birth place is speculated to have been at or near J.F. Sligh Farm near Yazoo City, Mississippi, birth place of his close friend and fellow bluesman Tommy McClennan. His birth date is...
, blues musician - Norman Albert MottNorman Albert MottNorman Albert Mott, , was a member of the Mississippi Legislature in 1911.-Early life:Mott was born in Alburgh, Vermont to Nicholas and Amanda Mott....
, member of the Mississippi Legislature (1911)
Education
Yazoo City is served by the Yazoo City Municipal School DistrictYazoo City Municipal School District
The Yazoo City Municipal School District is a public school district based in Yazoo City, Mississippi .-Schools:*Yazoo City High School*Woolfolk Middle School*McCoy Elementary School*Webster Elementary School-2007-08 school year:...
.
Yazoo County High School and Yazoo City High School serve as the main public schools. There are four private schools: Thomas Christian Academy (Pre-K–12), Manchester Academy (Pre-K–12) Covenant Christian School (K–6th grade), and Benton Academy (Pre-K–12).
Media
WBYPWBYP
WBYP is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Belzoni, Mississippi, USA. The station is currently owned by Zoo-Bel Broadcasting, LLC....
, WYAD (expected to be on the air in 2011), and WYAZ, all FM, are three local radio stations. The Yazoo Herald, is Yazoo County's only daily newspaper.
Trivia
Yazoo City is referenced in the 1986 movie CrossroadsCrossroads (1986 film)
Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and...
. Yazoo is also referenced as the lone non-New Jersey site that makes toxic waste in the United States in the 1989 movie Fletch Lives
Fletch Lives
Fletch Lives is a 1989 comedy film starring Chevy Chase. It was directed by Michael Ritchie with a screenplay by Leon Capetanos based on the character created by Gregory Mcdonald. Fletch Lives was released by Universal Pictures. It is a sequel to the 1985 film Fletch.- Plot :Chevy Chase once again...
. Chevy Chase's character, Irwin M. Fletcher, flew to Yazoo to visit Bly Bio Chem, where he was greeted by Hedley Dan Duke, played by Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
.
In the movie 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...
character "Delmar O'Donnell" (Tim Blake Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson is an American director, writer, singer, and actor.-Early life:Nelson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Ruth Kaiser Nelson, who is a noted social activist and philanthropist in Tulsa, and a geologist father...
), refers to Yazoo as the place where he robbed a Piggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly is a supermarket chain operating in the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States, run by Piggly Wiggly, LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers. The current company headquarters is in Keene, New Hampshire....
. Also, the movie's Woolworth's
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
scene was filmed in what used to be a hardware store in Yazoo City. Finally, in the movie, "George 'Baby Face' Nelson" robbed a bank, which he said is located in Itta Bena, Mississippi
Itta Bena, Mississippi
Itta Bena is a city in Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,208 at the 2000 census. The town's name is derived from the Choctaw phrase iti bina, meaning "forest camp"...
, but actually that was filmed in the old Bank of Yazoo City building in downtown Yazoo City.
Miss Firecracker
Miss Firecracker
Miss Firecracker is a 1989 comedy film directed by Thomas Schlamme. It stars Holly Hunter, Mary Steenburgen, Tim Robbins, Alfre Woodard, and Scott Glenn...
was filmed on location in Yazoo City in the 1980s. The movie featured Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter is an American actress. Hunter starred in The Piano for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has also been nominated for Oscars for her roles in Broadcast News, The Firm, and Thirteen...
, Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
, Mary Steenbergen, Scott Glenn
Scott Glenn
Theodore Scott Glenn is an American actor. His roles have included Wes Hightower in Urban Cowboy , astronaut Alan Shepard in The Right Stuff ,Emmett in Silverado , Commander Bart Mancuso in The Hunt for Red October , Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs and The Wise Man in Sucker Punch -Early...
and Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
.
Yazoo City was the main location for the book and the movie, My Dog Skip
My Dog Skip
My Dog Skip is a memoir by Willie Morris published by Random House in 1995."My Dog Skip" is the story about nine-year-old Willie Morris growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, a tale of a boy and his dog in a small, sleepy Southern town that teaches us about family, friendship, love, devotion and...
. However, the movie was not filmed in Yazoo City, but in Canton, Mississippi
Canton, Mississippi
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....
, which is located in Madison County, Mississippi
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...
, and is about 30 miles southeast of Yazoo City.
External links
- History of Yazoo City's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- Satellite images from the 24 April 2010 tornado outbreak (CIMSS Satellite Blog)