Hale County, Alabama

Infobox U.S. County
county = Hale County
state = Alabama




map size = 150
founded = January 30, 1867
seat = Greensboro| largest city = Greensboro
area_total_sq_mi =656
area_land_sq_mi =644
area_water_sq_mi =13
area percentage = 1.94%
census yr = 2000
pop = 17185
density_km2 = 5
web =
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Hale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Confederate Colonel Stephen F. Hale. As of 2000 the population was 17,185. Its county seat is Greensboro and it is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Hale County, one of the poorest counties in Alabama's poverty-stricken "Black Belt," is connected to three major twentieth century artists: Walker Evans photographed the area in 1936 while he collaborated with James Agee on the 1941 book "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men". Since the 1960s, artist William Christenberry, born in Tuscaloosa, has been photographing various structures in Hale County as part of his multi-media artistic investigations. More recently, Hale County has become the home of the nationally-recognized Auburn University Rural Studio, an architectural outreach program founded by architect and artist Samuel Mockbee and D. K. Ruth.

Hale County is the birthplace of Eugene Sawyer, the second African American mayor of Chicago.

History

Hale County was established on January 30, 1867.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 656 square miles (1,700 km²), of which, 644 square miles (1,667 km²) of it is land and 13 square miles (33 km²) of it (1.94%) is water.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

*Tuscaloosa County (north)
*Bibb County (northeast)
*Perry County (southeast)
*Marengo County (south)
*Greene County (west)

National protected area

* Talladega National Forest (part)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 17,185 people, 6,415 households, and 4,605 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,756 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 39.83% White, 58.95% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,415 households out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.60% were married couples living together, 22.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% 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 county the population was spread out with 29.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,807, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $28,493 versus $19,363 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,661. About 22.20% of families and 26.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.00% of those under age 18 and 26.70% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

*Akron
*Greensboro
*Moundville (partial; part of Moundville is in Tuscaloosa County)
*Newbern

ee also

* Waldwic

References

External links

* [http://shpa.ua.edu/academic/museums/moundville/home.html Moundville Archaelogical Park, Hale County, AL]
* [http://www.halecoal.org/history.html Hale County history]
* [http://www.southernspaces.org/contents/2007/christenberry/1a.htm William Christenberry: Place, Time, and Memory] "Southern Spaces" September 28, 2007