Hoxie, Arkansas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hoxie, Arkansas
Location in Lawrence County and the state of Arkansas
Location in Lawrence County and the state of Arkansas
Coordinates: 36°2′55″N 90°58′38″W / 36.04861, -90.97722
Country United States
State Arkansas
County Lawrence
Area
 - Total sq mi (10.3 km²)
 - Land 4 sq mi (10.3 km²)
 - Water 0 sq mi (0 km²)
Elevation 269 ft (82 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 2,817
 - Density 704.3/sq mi (273.5/km²)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 72433
Area code(s) 870
FIPS code 05-33580
GNIS feature ID 0057952

Hoxie is a city in Lawrence County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,817 at the 2000 census. Hoxie lies immediately south of Walnut Ridge. The two towns form a contiguous urban area with approximately 8,000 residents.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Hoxie is located at 36°2′55″N, 90°58′38″W (36.048616, -90.977296)[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.0 square miles (10.3 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,817 people, 1,108 households, and 797 families residing in the city. The population density was 707.5 people per square mile (273.3/km²). There were 1,241 housing units at an average density of 311.7/sq mi (120.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.15% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. 1.49% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,108 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,726, and the median income for a family was $30,085. Males had a median income of $26,583 versus $18,418 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,190. About 20.7% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 28.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] The third Arkansas school to integrate

On June 25, 1955, largely the result of the recent Brown v. Board of Education ruling, Hoxie's superintendent, Kunkel Edward Vance, spearheaded plans to integrate the schools, and he received the unanimous support of Hoxie's school board. On July 11, 1955, Hoxie schools recommenced and allowed African-American students to attend. Vance insisted that all facilities would be integrated, such as restrooms and cafeterias.

White supremacist activists from outside the area converged on Hoxie, attempting to reverse the school board's decision, but failed. Approximately half of the white students boycotted the schools beginning on August 4, 1955. The Hoxie School Board filed suit against the segregationist leaders from Hoxie and elsewhere in the state charging them with trespassing on school property, threatening picket lines, organizing boycotts, and intimidating school officials. In November, 1955, Federal District Judge Thomas C. Trimble ruled that pro-segregationists had "planned and conspired" to prevent integration in Hoxie, and he announced his ruling in December, 1955, issuing a permanent injunction and restraining order against the segregationists. Their appeal in the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals was opposed by Attorney General Herbert Brownell and the U.S. Department of Justice, the first intervention by the attorney general in support of any school district attempting to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education decision. On October 25, 1956, the court ruled in favor of Hoxie Schools.

[edit] References

  1. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links