Known as the “jewel of the Delta,” Mound Bayou has a remarkable backstory, to say the least. Established in the late 1800s, the allAfrican American town was completely unlike any other of its time. Fast forward to 2017, and some precedents set by the town still have yet to be surpassed. A small town with a huge history, Mound Bayou is one of the most interesting places in the entire state, if not the country.
Located in Bolivar County, Mound Bayou was established in 1887.
Social_Stratification/Flickr The town was founded by Isaiah T. Montgomery, a successful businessman, and Benjamin Green. The former slaves purchased the 840-acre area for $7 per acre.
The piece of land was chosen for several reasons, one of which was the Louisville, New Orleans, and Texas line railroad, which ran right though the center of Mound Bayou.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress As of today, the old track bed is still visible; however, the rails have since been removed.
Aside from forests and dense foliage, the land included two bayous, which came together at a prehistoric Indian mound, resulting in the name Mound Bayou.
Ingrid S./Flickr
Within a short period of time, the town was flourishing, and before long, Mound Bayou became the largest all African-American community in the nation.
j_rho/Flickr
The thriving town included 3 schools, 40 businesses, 6 churches, a train depot, newspaper, 3 cotton gins, cottonseed oil mill, zoo, the Carnegie library, a bank, swimming pool, sawmill, farmers cooperative, mercantile company, and a hospital.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress
Russell Lee/Library of Congress
In 1941, a fire broke out, destroying most of Mound Bayou’s business district, but that wasn’t the end of the town.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress
Russell Lee/Library of Congress
Things began to turn around for Mound Bayou in 1942, when the Taborian Hospital was opened.
Social_Stratification/Flickr In business for over two decades, the hospital provided “low-cost healthcare for thousands of blacks in the Mississippi Delta.”
In 1952, future civil rights leader Medgar Evers moved to Mound Bayou. It was in the small town that Evers was introduced to civil rights activism.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress According to records, Evers moved to Mound Bayou to sell insurance for Dr. T.R.M. Howard. Eventually Evers attended an activism meeting with Dr. Howard and the rest is history.
Mound Bayou was also vital to the Civil Rights Movement in another way – the town hosted the Regional Council of Negro Leadership’s annual rallies from 1952 to 1955.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress The annual rallies drew crowds of ten thousand people or more.
Galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement, the trial of Emmett Till’s killers is one of the most infamous in the nation’s history, and Mound Bayou played an important role in the monumental event.
blackpast.org Records indicate that Dr. Howard opened the doors of his home to reporters and witnesses, giving them a place to stay during the trial. Additionally, the doctor gave them armed escorts to the Sumner courthouse.
Visit Mound Bayou today and you’ll find less than 2,000 residents, along with a few remnants of the town’s past.
wikimedia.org Pictured above is the former home of Isaiah T. Montgomery, which is one of three sites in Mound Bayou listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Did you know about the “jewel of the Delta,” and it’s interesting past? Ever visited this unique town? Tell us in the comments section!
Social_Stratification/Flickr
The town was founded by Isaiah T. Montgomery, a successful businessman, and Benjamin Green. The former slaves purchased the 840-acre area for $7 per acre.
Russell Lee/Library of Congress
As of today, the old track bed is still visible; however, the rails have since been removed.
Ingrid S./Flickr
j_rho/Flickr
In business for over two decades, the hospital provided “low-cost healthcare for thousands of blacks in the Mississippi Delta.”
According to records, Evers moved to Mound Bayou to sell insurance for Dr. T.R.M. Howard. Eventually Evers attended an activism meeting with Dr. Howard and the rest is history.
The annual rallies drew crowds of ten thousand people or more.
blackpast.org
Records indicate that Dr. Howard opened the doors of his home to reporters and witnesses, giving them a place to stay during the trial. Additionally, the doctor gave them armed escorts to the Sumner courthouse.
wikimedia.org
Pictured above is the former home of Isaiah T. Montgomery, which is one of three sites in Mound Bayou listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Looking for another one-of-a-kind town in the state, check out “The Unique Town In Mississippi That’s Anything But Ordinary.“
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