Dumas, Arkansas
Encyclopedia
Dumas is a city in Desha County
, Arkansas
, United States
. The population was 4,706 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 5,238 people, 1,977 households, and 1,399 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,768.0 people per square mile (683.2/km²). There were 2,177 housing units at an average density of 734.8 per square mile (284.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 26.62% White
, 70.02% Black
or African American
, 0.08% Native American
, 0.50% Asian
, 2.00% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. 3.19% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,977 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
living together, 23.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,754, and the median income for a family was $32,255. Males had a median income of $28,396 versus $19,363 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,727. About 22.6% of families and 28.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.
that "the feed mill was the local employer and now it is gone".
Following the storm, U.S. Senator
Mark Pryor
had criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency
's response to the recovery and cleanup efforts.
system operates public schools. Its schools include Central Elementary School, Reed Elementary, Dumas Junior High School, and Dumas High School.
. Dewey Cox (played by John C. Reilly
), a down-on-his-luck musician from Dumas, composed the town's motto-turned-tune which, in the fictional world of the film, was a hit in the 1950s and early 1960s, to the point that large signs on the highway entrances to Dumas were said in the film to proclaim "Welcome to Dumas, We Walk Hard".
In September 2011 the feature film "MUD" written and directed by Jeff Nichols staring Reese Witherspoon
and Matthew McConaughey
begain filming in and around Dumas. “It is a coming of age drama centered on two 14-year-old boys (Ellis and Neckbone) who encounter a mysterious fugitive (Mud) on an island in the Mississippi River,” according to www.theagencyinc.com. “Intrigued by this man, the boys enter a pact to help him escape capture. A friendship evolves as Mud teaches the boys as much as he learns from them.” Several of the towns people are serving as extras in the film, with a few haveing acquired small speaking rolls.
Desha County, Arkansas
Desha County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,008. The county seat is Arkansas City. Desha County is Arkansas's 40th county, formed on December 12, 1838, and named for Captain Benjamin Desha who fought in the War of...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,706 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Dumas is located at 33°53′12"N 91°29′19"W (33.886626, -91.488544).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 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all land.
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 5,238 people, 1,977 households, and 1,399 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 1,768.0 people per square mile (683.2/km²). There were 2,177 housing units at an average density of 734.8 per square mile (284.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 26.62% White
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...
, 70.02% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.08% Native American
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...
, 0.50% Asian
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...
, 2.00% 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 0.78% from two or more races. 3.19% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 1,977 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% 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, 23.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,754, and the median income for a family was $32,255. Males had a median income of $28,396 versus $19,363 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 $12,727. About 22.6% of families and 28.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.
2007 tornado
On February 24, 2007, Dumas was struck by a tornado at around 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET). More than 40 people were injured and many homes and business were damaged or destroyed. The local Dumas police stated on CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
that "the feed mill was the local employer and now it is gone".
Following the storm, U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Mark Pryor
Mark Pryor
Mark Lunsford Pryor is the senior United States Senator from Arkansas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and former Attorney General of Arkansas....
had criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
's response to the recovery and cleanup efforts.
Schools
The Dumas Public SchoolsDumas Public Schools
Dumas Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Dumas, Arkansas. It serves territory in Desha and Lincoln counties, including Dumas, Gould, and Mitchellville...
system operates public schools. Its schools include Central Elementary School, Reed Elementary, Dumas Junior High School, and Dumas High School.
Notable residents
- Ken CoonKen CoonKenneth Lloyd "Ken" Coon, Sr. , is a Little Rock educator, professional psychologist, and counselor who was also a pioneer in the development of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Arkansas. He was the GOP state chairman from 1988—1990...
, the 1974 RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
gubernatorial nominee, lived in Dumas in the 1960s and joined the Jaycees there. He was state Jaycee president in 1972. - 1968 Olympics1968 Summer OlympicsThe 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
gold medalist in the 100 m winner Jim HinesJim HinesJames "Jim" Ray Hines is a former American track and field athlete, who held the 100 m world record for 15 years. He was the first sprinter to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters.-Track career:...
was born here.
In popular culture
Dumas is mentioned in the song "Walk Hard" from the 2007 movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox StoryWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a 2007 music comedy film written and produced by Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan, directed by Kasdan and starring John C. Reilly...
. Dewey Cox (played by John C. Reilly
John C. Reilly
John Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
), a down-on-his-luck musician from Dumas, composed the town's motto-turned-tune which, in the fictional world of the film, was a hit in the 1950s and early 1960s, to the point that large signs on the highway entrances to Dumas were said in the film to proclaim "Welcome to Dumas, We Walk Hard".
In September 2011 the feature film "MUD" written and directed by Jeff Nichols staring Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
and Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
begain filming in and around Dumas. “It is a coming of age drama centered on two 14-year-old boys (Ellis and Neckbone) who encounter a mysterious fugitive (Mud) on an island in the Mississippi River,” according to www.theagencyinc.com. “Intrigued by this man, the boys enter a pact to help him escape capture. A friendship evolves as Mud teaches the boys as much as he learns from them.” Several of the towns people are serving as extras in the film, with a few haveing acquired small speaking rolls.
External links
- Dumas Public Schools
- History of Dumas' Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Dumas (Desha County)