Duck Hill, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Duck Hill is a town in Montgomery County
, Mississippi
, United States
. The population was 746 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
s in U.S. history. In 1937, a white mob, in broad daylight, seized two black men who had just been arraigned for murder. The men, Bootjack McDaniels and Roosevelt Townes, were transported by school bus to the lynching site, where they were tied to pine trees. Before a mob of some 500 white men, women, and children, McDaniels was repeatedly burned in the chest with a blow torch
; the mob then finished him off with intense gunfire. The lynchers then turned the blowtorch on Townes; they then burned him to death on a gasoline-soaked pyre. A third black man, Shorty Dorroh, was flogged
and ordered to leave Mississippi. Although congressmen from other southern states, who at the time were fighting a federal anti-lynching bill
, demanded that the lynchers be punished, no one was ever arrested for the mob murders of McDaniels and Townes. The main effect of the outcry over the Duck Hill murders was to drive lynching in Mississippi underground—i.e., to efforts to disguise it as something more palatable (e.g., the death of black people who allegedly resisted arrest), or to keep reports of it out of Mississippi newspapers.
Supposedly the name came from an Indian, named Sitting Duck, that lived on top of the big hill just as you enter the town coming from Grenada
. Chief Duck, as he was called was also a Medicine man
who treated not only the Indians, but, was also known to help out the general population of the town. He was a member of the Choctaw
tribe.
of 2000, there were 746 people, 307 households, and 201 families residing in the town. The population density
was 720.8 people per square mile (279.6/km²). There were 331 housing units at an average density of 319.8 per square mile (124.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.27% African American, 36.06% White and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 307 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,118, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $26,731 versus $15,639 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,550. About 18.9% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 32.6% of those age 65 or over.
was opened for business in September 2009.
Duck Hill Missionary Baptist Church
301 Main St, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-7252
Duck Hill Baptist Church
301 Main St, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2502
MT Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church
Highway 404 E, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2883
Wilkin Chapel Baptist Church
57 Branscome Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2900
Unity Baptist Church
26 Harmony Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2344
Sweet Home MB Church
8 Sweet Home Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-1888
Binford Chapel United Methodist
411 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-9999
Duck Hill Church-God In Christ
718 Melissa Cir, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2888
Montgomery County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,189 people, 4,690 households, and 3,367 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile . There were 5,402 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, 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...
. The population was 746 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Duck Hill is located at 33°37′55"N 89°42′53"W (33.631875, -89.714655).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 town has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
History
Duck Hill was the scene of two of the most infamous lynchingLynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
s in U.S. history. In 1937, a white mob, in broad daylight, seized two black men who had just been arraigned for murder. The men, Bootjack McDaniels and Roosevelt Townes, were transported by school bus to the lynching site, where they were tied to pine trees. Before a mob of some 500 white men, women, and children, McDaniels was repeatedly burned in the chest with a blow torch
Blow torch
A blowtorch , blow torch , or blowlamp is a tool for applying lower-intensity and more diffuse flame and heat for various applications, than the oxyacetylene torch. Before aerosol cans and pressurized gas cylinders, fuel was pressurized by a syringe or pump...
; the mob then finished him off with intense gunfire. The lynchers then turned the blowtorch on Townes; they then burned him to death on a gasoline-soaked pyre. A third black man, Shorty Dorroh, was flogged
Flagellation
Flagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails and the sjambok...
and ordered to leave Mississippi. Although congressmen from other southern states, who at the time were fighting a federal anti-lynching bill
Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill
The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, introduced by Representative Leonidas C. Dyer, a Republican from Saint Louis, Missouri, in the US House of Representatives in 1918, was directed at punishing lynchings and mob violence....
, demanded that the lynchers be punished, no one was ever arrested for the mob murders of McDaniels and Townes. The main effect of the outcry over the Duck Hill murders was to drive lynching in Mississippi underground—i.e., to efforts to disguise it as something more palatable (e.g., the death of black people who allegedly resisted arrest), or to keep reports of it out of Mississippi newspapers.
Supposedly the name came from an Indian, named Sitting Duck, that lived on top of the big hill just as you enter the town coming from Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. Chief Duck, as he was called was also a Medicine man
Medicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
who treated not only the Indians, but, was also known to help out the general population of the town. He was a member of the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
tribe.
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 746 people, 307 households, and 201 families residing in the town. 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 720.8 people per square mile (279.6/km²). There were 331 housing units at an average density of 319.8 per square mile (124.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.27% African American, 36.06% White and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 307 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% 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, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,118, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $26,731 versus $15,639 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 town was $11,550. About 18.9% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 32.6% of those age 65 or over.
Businesses
There is a small Jiffy Mart gas station where US Highway 51 and Main Street split. A Dollar GeneralDollar General
Dollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
was opened for business in September 2009.
Churches
The following is a list of churches in DUCK HILL, Mississippi:Duck Hill Missionary Baptist Church
301 Main St, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-7252
Duck Hill Baptist Church
301 Main St, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2502
MT Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church
Highway 404 E, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2883
Wilkin Chapel Baptist Church
57 Branscome Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2900
Unity Baptist Church
26 Harmony Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-
Sweet Home MB Church
8 Sweet Home Rd, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-1888
Binford Chapel United Methodist
411 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-9999
Duck Hill Church-God In Christ
718 Melissa Cir, Duck Hill, MS - (662) 565-2888