Roxie, Mississippi

Roxie is a town in Franklin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 497 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 569 at the 2000 census. This rural town developed with the construction of railroads in the area.

Roxie, Mississippi
Town
Roxie in 2005
Location of Roxie, Mississippi
Roxie, Mississippi Location in the United States
Coordinates: 31°30′19″N 91°4′2″W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Franklin
Area [1]
• Total	1.76 sq mi (4.55 km^2)
• Land	1.76 sq mi (4.55 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	240 ft (73 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	497
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	466
• Density	265.22/sq mi (102.38/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	39661
Area code(s)	601
FIPS code	28-64080
GNIS feature ID	0694621

History

Roxie was founded in 1886 on a plot of farmland donated by John Quincy Adams Graves,[4] who was the County Supervisor and a former soldier in the Regimental Band of the 4th Volunteer Mississippi Regiment during the Civil War. The town was named in honor of Graves' newborn daughter.[5]

Roxie was incorporated in 1890.

The town was located at the crossroads of the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas Railway and the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. Most of the early residents were employed by the railroads, or worked in the logging industry and sawmills.[6]

Roxie's children attended the Roxie School, whose motto was Home of the Tigers. In 1962, the high school portion of the school shut down, and all student from grades 9 to 12 were bussed to the new Franklin High School in Meadville. Roxie School continued for a few years after as an elementary school.[7]

Geography

Roxie is located in western Franklin County. U.S. Routes 84 and 98 pass through the town, leading east 11 miles (18 km) to Meadville, the county seat, and west 22 miles (35 km) to Natchez.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Roxie has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²), all land.[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	214		—
1910	294		37.4%
1920	207		−29.6%
1930	355		71.5%
1940	385		8.5%
1950	521		35.3%
1960	585		12.3%
1970	662		13.2%
1980	591		−10.7%
1990	568		−3.9%
2000	569		0.2%
2010	497		−12.7%
2019 (est.)	466	[2]	−6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 569 people, 199 households, and 153 families residing in the town. The population density was 498.9 people per square mile (192.7/km²). There were 245 housing units at an average density of 214.8 per square mile (83.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 39.72% White, 58.88% African American, 0.35% Native American, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.53% of the population.

There were 199 households, out of which 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 21.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,276, and the median income for a family was $25,000. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $27,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,472. About 29.5% of families and 25.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

Significant forests and recreation areas are found nearby, including:

• Clear Springs Recreation Area, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Homochitto National Forest
• Sandy Creek Wildlife Management Area

Education

Roxie is served by the Franklin County School District.

Notable people

Commemorative plaque honoring Richard Wright at Natchez

• Cat Iron, blues singer and guitarist[10]
• James Ford Seale, Ku Klux Klan member convicted of conspiracy and of the 1964 kidnappings of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore, two young African-American men who were drowned by him and fellow conspirators.
• Richard Nathaniel Wright (1908 – 1960), African-American author of novels, short stories and non-fiction. Wright was the grandson of slaves, and much of his literature concerned racial themes, especially those involving the struggles of African-Americans during the late 19th to mid-20th centuries.

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Roxie town, Mississippi". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
4. http://www.gravesfa.org/gen103.htm
5. Graves, John Seab. "Family History of William Henry Graves & Helena Marie Seab Graves". American History and Genealogy Project.
6. "History of Roxie". Rootsweb. August 18, 2005.
7. "Tiger Talk: Tidbits from Roxie School". Rootsweb. August 18, 2005.
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
10. "Classic Delta and Deep South Blues" (PDF). Smithsonian Institute. Retrieved 18 November 2020.