Earle, Arkansas

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Earle, Arkansas
City
Clockwise from top: Crittenden County Historical Museum, Earle welcome sign, downtown Earle along US 64B, "Home of the Bulldogs" water tower
Clockwise from top: Crittenden County Historical Museum, Earle welcome sign, downtown Earle along US 64B, "Home of the Bulldogs" water tower
Location of Earle in Crittenden County, Arkansas.
Location of Earle in Crittenden County, Arkansas.
Coordinates: 35°16′13″N 90°27′53″W / 35.27028°N 90.46472°W / 35.27028; -90.46472Coordinates: 35°16′13″N 90°27′53″W / 35.27028°N 90.46472°W / 35.27028; -90.46472
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountyCrittenden
Government
 • MayorCarolyn Jones (D)
Jaylen Smith (D-elect)
Area
[1]
 • Total3.25 sq mi (8.41 km2)
 • Land3.25 sq mi (8.41 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
207 ft (63 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,831
 • Density563.91/sq mi (217.70/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72331
Area code870
FIPS code05-20320
GNIS feature ID0048738[2]

Earle is a city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,831.[3]

Geography[edit]

Earle is located in western Crittenden County at 35°16′13″N 90°27′53″W / 35.27028°N 90.46472°W / 35.27028; -90.46472 (35.270405, -90.464841).[4] U.S. Route 64 passes through the northern part of the city, bypassing the downtown area. US 64 leads west 19 miles (31 km) to Wynne and 28 miles (45 km) east to Memphis, Tennessee.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Earle has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km2), all land.[5]

History[edit]

In 1918, an African-American man named Elton Mitchell was eviscerated with a knife and hanged from a tree after he refused to work for a white landowner for free.[6]

In 1928, the widow and family of local figure George Berry Washington had a monument (known as "the Angel in the Field") built to honor Washington's life. Born into slavery in 1864, Washington established a thriving business as a landlord, and through this enterprise provided a means of income for hundreds of Black Arkansans. [7]

The 2022 Earle mayoral election resulted in a historic victory for Jaylen Smith, who at 18 years old became the youngest Black person to be elected mayor for any U.S. town. [8]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19101,542—
19202,09135.6%
19302,062−1.4%
19401,872−9.2%
19502,37526.9%
19602,3910.7%
19703,14631.6%
19803,51711.8%
19903,393−3.5%
20003,036−10.5%
20102,414−20.5%
20201,831−24.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
2010[10] 2020[11]
The old Missouri Pacific Depot in Earle is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2020 census[edit]

Earle city, Arkansas – Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 396 195 16.40% 10.65%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,975 1,570 81.81% 85.75%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1 1 0.04% 0.05%
Asian alone (NH) 9 5 0.37% 0.27%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 17 32 0.70% 1.75%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16 27 0.66% 1.47%
Total 2,414 1,831 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2000 Census[edit]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 3,036 people, 1,074 households, and 727 families living in the city. The population density was 932.9 inhabitants per square mile (360.2/km2). There were 1,247 housing units at an average density of 383.2 per square mile (148.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 23.45% White, 75.23% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,074 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 27.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.54.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 36.6% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,344, and the median income for a family was $22,775. Males had a median income of $26,510 versus $18,011 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,260. About 40.2% of families and 45.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.7% of those under age 18 and 36.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education[edit]

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Earle School District, which leads to graduation from Earle High School. The Old Earle High School with its Mission/Spanish Revival style served as the city's high school from 1919 to 1978 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

May 2, 2008 tornado[edit]

Main article: May 1–2, 2008 tornado outbreak

On May 2, 2008, WMC-TV reported that a tornado which was reported to be large and very dangerous affected the Earle area causing major damage in parts of the town and some injuries. There were also reports of people missing or unaccounted for. Homes were reportedly destroyed, while businesses and the high school were also damaged. The tornado was later confirmed on the same day as an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with winds near 150 to 160 mph.[13][14]

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Earle, Arkansas.
  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Earle, Arkansas
  3. ^ "Earle city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Earle city, Arkansas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  6. ^ Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror: Second Edition: Report Summary (PDF). Montgomery, Alabama: Equal Justice Initiative. 2015. p. 14. In 1918, when Elton Mitchell of Earle, Arkansas, refused to work on a white-owned farm without pay, “prominent” white citizens of the city cut him into pieces with butcher knives and hung his remains from a tree.
  7. ^ Kohl, Julie (2020-12-02). "Rev. George Berry Washington". Only in Arkansas.
  8. ^ Arriaga-Flores, Christian (2022-12-07). "18-Year-Old Jaylen Smith Will Be the Youngest Black Mayor in the Nation". Now This News.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Earle city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Earle city, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  13. ^ "Tornados, damage reported in eastern Arkansas - WMC Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee". Wmctv.com. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  14. ^ Mike Suriani (2013-11-04). "Story Of Survival During Halloween Tornado In Caraway, AR". WREG.com. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  15. ^ "George Berry Washington Memorial". Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  17. ^ "Meet the 18-year-old who just became the youngest Black mayor in the country". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  18. ^ Mizelle, Shawna (2022-12-07). "Arkansas city elects 18-year-old to be next mayor | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-08.


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