Lake Village, Arkansas
December 6, 2019
As hard as I try, I cannot put adequate words with my emotions when I see towns like Hollandale. As hard it is for me to see the state of the physical town, the folks who live there greet me with a smile and a wave. Life goes on and they make the best of it. I feel ashamed of my complaints about my life. And I wish there was something I could do to help the town return to the vibrant place it was decades ago.
Here are some photos and facts about the town. Note what the UNC study said about the town.
Hollandale is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. It’s in the Mississippi Delta. The population was 3,437 at the 2000 census.
A 2008 study by the University of North Carolina described Hollandale as "a small community that has been mired in poverty for decades."
History
Hollandale was incorporated in 1890, and almost completely destroyed by fire in 1904
A one-room school house in Hollandale was founded by Emory Peter "E.P." Simmons in 1891. One of the first schools for African-American children in the area, it was used until 1923, when financial support from the Rosenwald Fund enabled the construction of a larger brick school.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Hollandale was noted for having passed an ordinance forbidding white civil rights workers from living with black citizens.
The Farm Fresh Catfish processing plant was located in Hollandale until it closed in 2004, laying off 240 workers. The Delta & Pine Land Company of Mississippi, a cotton and soybean producer owned by Monsanto, continues to be a major employer.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,437 people, 1,104 households, and 803 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 16 percent White, 83 percent African American and 2 percent other.
There were 1,104 households out of which 37 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35 percent were married couples living together, 33 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 27 percent were non-families. 25 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 13 percenthad someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.72.
In the city, the population was spread out with 35 percent under the age of 18, 11 percent from 18 to 24, 25 percent from 25 to 44, 18 percent from 45 to 64, and 11 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,100 (Charlottesville $44,500) and the median income for a family was $25,300 (Charlottesville $64,000). About 29 percent (11 percent) of families and 39 percent (28 percent) of the population were below the poverty line, including 53 percent (Charlottesville 16 percent) those under age 18 and 25 percent (Charlottesville 8 percent) those age 65 or over.
HOW DO WE BREAK THIS CYCLE? 35 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS UNDER 18. ARE THISE KIDS GOJNG TO SEEK OPPORTUNITIES ELSEWHERE WHICH JUST MAKES TGE TOWN DIE MORE OR WILL THEY STAY AND HAVE LITTLE CHANCE TO BREAK THE CYCLE ECONOMICALLY?
Sorry, this place got to me today.
On the recommendation of my big brother, George Shipp, I have added this very appropriate video:
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