Jefferson County, Arkansas

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Jefferson County, officially the County of Jefferson, is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas in the area known as the Arkansas Delta that extends west of the Mississippi River. Jefferson County consists of five cities, two towns, and 20 townships. It is bisected by the Arkansas River, which was critical to its development and long the chief transportation byway. In 2020, Jefferson County's population was estimated at 67,260.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The county seat and largest city is Pine Bluff.<ref name="GR6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The county is included in the Pine Bluff metropolitan statistical area. The county seat and the most populous city is Pine Bluff.

Jefferson County was formed from Vaugine Township, Pulaski County and Richland Township, Arkansas County in the Arkansas Territory on November 2, 1829.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is named for Thomas Jefferson, third U.S. president.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> It was the site of the Battle of Pine Bluff on October 25, 1863.

HistoryEdit

The area now known as Jefferson County was occupied by the Quapaw when Henri de Tonti established Arkansas Post in 1686. De Tonti claimed the area for Louis XIV, King of France.<ref name="eahc">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In March 1819, Robert Crittenden was appointed secretary of the Arkansas Territory. That same year, Joseph Bonne, traveling upstream on the Arkansas River from Arkansas Post, built a cabin on a "high bluff covered with pine trees" on the river's south bank.Template:Citation needed Several years later, James Scull, also from Arkansas Post, established a tavern and small inn on the river's north bank, across from what would become the site of Pine Bluff.<ref name="eahc"/> Five years later, Secretary Crittenden convinced the remaining Quapaw to sign a treaty with the U.S. government relinquishing what remained of their tribal lands.<ref name="eahc"/>

Steamboat travel led to expanding settlement, bringing to the area such men as French émigré Antoine Barraqué, Indian trader and veteran of the Napoleonic Wars (a township in northwest Jefferson County and Pine Bluff's principal east–west street are both named for him), and brothers James T. and John Pullen (main thoroughfares are both named for them).<ref name="eahc"/> On November 2, 1829, Territorial Governor John Pope—Crittenden's successor—approved the establishment of Jefferson County. Though Bonne's cabin was initially used; by August 1832, "Pine Bluff Town" became the permanent county seat."<ref name="eahc"/>

The land in the county was developed as large cotton plantations, with fronts on the river for transportation. The plantations were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans, who comprised a majority of the population in the county well before the American Civil War.Template:Citation needed After the war, planters in Jefferson County gradually resumed cotton cultivation and processing.Template:Citation needed The economy was driven by cotton and the Delta area was highly productive.Template:Citation needed

Because of the county's large African-American population, it was a center of Black political power in the decades after the Civil War before Jim Crow eliminated nearly all Black participation in politics. Twenty-two different African Americans from Jefferson County were elected to the Arkansas state legislature between 1871 and 1893, by far the most from any county.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1886, Jefferson County produced 55,120 bales of cotton, the most in Arkansas, and the second-most throughout the South.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Transportation companies serving the county at the time included the Cotton Belt Route, the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway, Missouri Pacific, the Arkansas River Packet Company, the Wiley Jones Street Car Lines, and the Citizens Street Railway Company.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

GeographyEdit

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (4.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The county is located approximately Template:Convert southeast of Little Rock, Template:Convert southwest of Memphis, Tennessee, and Template:Convert

DemographicsEdit

Template:US Census population

File:USA Jefferson County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid for Jefferson County (as of 2000).<ref>Based on 2000 census dataTemplate:Update after</ref>

2020 censusEdit

citation
CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	25,230	37.51%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	37,712	56.07%
Native American	212	0.32%
Asian	664	0.99%
Pacific Islander	93	0.14%
Other/Mixed	1,861	2.77%
Hispanic or Latino	1,488	2.21%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 67,260 people, 27,593 households, and 16,356 families residing in the county.

2010 censusEdit

As of the 2010 census, there were 77,435 people living in the county. 55.1% were Black or African American, 42.0% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% of some other race and 1.2% of two or more races. 1.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).<ref>2010 census report for Jefferson County, Arkansas</ref>

2000 censusEdit

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> there were 84,278 people, 30,555 households, and 21,510 families living in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 34,350 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 49.58% Black or African American, 48.46% White, 0.24% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By comparison, the county had 15,714 residents in 1870, 20% of whom were White.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In the county, there were 30,555 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.40% were married couples living together, 18.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.13. The population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

Jefferson County experienced a decline in population between 2000 and 2010 of 8.1%.<ref>Jefferson County at USA.com</ref> The county has continued to decline in population since 2010, showing a 3.5% decrease in population to 74,723 between the 2010 census and the 2012 (-3.5%) census estimates.<ref>"Quick Facts: Jefferson County, AR" Template:Webarchive, US Census Bureau</ref>

The median income for a household in the county was $31,327, and the median income for a family was $38,252. Males had a median income of $31,848 versus $21,867 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,417. About 16.00% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.60% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructureEdit

GovernmentEdit

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas 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 Jefferson County Quorum Court has thirteen members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

citation
CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Gerald Robinson	Democratic
County Clerk	Shawndra Taggart	Democratic
Circuit Clerk	Flora Cook Bishop	Democratic
Sheriff	Lafayette Woods Jr.	Democratic
Treasurer	Vonysha Goodwin	Democratic
Collector	Tony Washington	Democratic
Assessor	Gloria Tillman	Democratic
Coroner	Chad Kelley	Democratic

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 9 Democrats and 4 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

District 1: Rev. Alfred Carroll Sr. (D) of Pine Bluff
District 2: Reginald Adams (D) of Pine Bluff
District 3: Reginald Johnson (D)
District 4: Patricia Royal Johnson (D) of Pine Bluff
District 5: Jimmy Fisher Sr. (D)
District 6: Margerette Williams (D) of Pine Bluff
District 7: Melanie Johnson Dumas (D) of Pine Bluff
District 8: Roy Agee (R)
District 9: Cedric Jackson (D) of Pine Bluff
District 10: Dr. Conley F. Byrd Jr. (R) of Redfield
District 11: Danny Holcomb (R) of Pine Bluff
District 12: Ted Harden (R) of White Hall
District 13: Brenda Bishop Gaddy (D) of Altheimer

Additionally, the townships of Jefferson County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Barraque: Richard Debill (R)
Jefferson: Scott A. Dunn (R)
Melton: Turner Nowlin (R)
Spring: Clyde McDaniel (R)
Talladega: Michale Slayton (R)
Vaugine: Deshawn Bennett (D)
Washington: Otho Anderson III (R)

InfrastructureEdit

The state has built a number of correctional facilities in and near Pine Bluff, and moved the headquarters of the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC) to here in 1979.<ref>"2006 Facts Brochure Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Department of Correction. July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006. 25 (25/38). Retrieved on August 15, 2010.</ref><ref>"Pine Bluff city, Arkansas Template:Dead link." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 7, 2010.</ref><ref>"Central Office Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref> The administrative Annex East is on Harding Avenue in Pine Bluff, south of city hall.<ref>"Facilities." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref> The Diagnostic Unit,<ref>"Diagnostic Unit." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref> the Pine Bluff Unit, and the Randall L. Williams Correctional Facility are in the "Pine Bluff Complex" in Pine Bluff.<ref>"Pine Bluff Unit/Randall L. Williams Correctional Facility." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref><ref name="PineBluffUnit">"School Sites Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Correctional School. Retrieved on July 18, 2010.</ref> The headquarters of the Arkansas Correctional School system are within the Pine Bluff Complex.<ref name="PineBluffUnit"/><ref>"Contact Us Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Correctional School. Retrieved on July 18, 2010.</ref>

The Arkansas Department of Community Correction Southeast Arkansas Community Corrections Center is in Pine Bluff.<ref>"Locations Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Department of Community Corrections. Retrieved on March 5, 2011. "7301 West 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71602"</ref> The Maximum Security Unit is Template:Convert north of central Pine Bluff and off Arkansas Highway 15 in unincorporated Jefferson County.<ref>"Maximum Security Unit." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref> The Tucker Unit is also located north of Pine Bluff.<ref name="PBRandallTucker">"Pine Bluff Unit/Randall L. Williams Correctional Facility/Tucker Unit." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on June 28, 2010.</ref> Historically the Arkansas Boys' Industrial School and the Arkansas Negro Boys' Industrial School were in the county.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

PoliticsEdit

Jefferson County is strongly Democratic in races for president, governor, and the United States Senate. In the Reconstruction Era, the county's majority black residents favored presidential candidates from the Republican Party in every election from 1868 to 1888.Template:Citation needed In the early 1890s, white Southern Democrats passed laws to disenfranchise black voters from engaging in the political process, a process which ended by the 1960s, and blacks began to favor voting for Democrats and southern whites favored the Republicans. Since 1892, Democrats have carried the county in all but three presidential elections, when Republican William McKinley won it in 1900, American Independent Party candidate George Wallace won it in 1968 and Republican Richard Nixon won it in 1972, the latter whom carried every county in Arkansas. No Republican since George H. W. Bush in 1988 has won over 40% of the county's vote, although Joe Biden is the first Democrat since that year to get under 60% in the county.

In the style of many urban counties in the Barack Obama and post-Obama eras, the Democratic Party continues to enjoy a strong following in Jefferson County, even as the non-urban areas have deeply turned against the party.

EducationEdit

School districts serving sections of the county include:<ref>

{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }} - Text list - Dollarway had not yet merged at that time.

"SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Jefferson County, AR." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 31, 2017. Text list Note that, while the Altheimer Unified School District's boundaries are indicated, the district had already consolidated into Dollarway School District at the time the map was made.</ref>
Pine Bluff School District
Watson Chapel School District
White Hall School District
DeWitt School District (headquartered in another county)

On July 1, 1983, the Plum Bayou School District consolidated into the Wabbaseka Tucker School District. On July 1, 1984, the Linwood School District consolidated into the Pine Bluff school district. The Altheimer-Sherrill School District and Wabbaseka Tucker school districts operated in Jefferson County until September 1, 1993, when they consolidated into the Altheimer Unified School District. On July 1, 2004, the Humphrey School District consolidated into the DeWitt district. Altheimer Unified consolidated into the Dollarway School District on July 10, 2006.<ref name=Consolfrom1983>"ConsolidationAnnex_from_1983.xls Template:Webarchive." Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on July 31, 2017.</ref> Dollarway School District merged into the Pine Bluff district in 2021.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>