McComb, Mississippi

McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about 80 mi south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
McComb was founded in 1872 after Henry Simpson McComb of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad, a predecessor of the Illinois Central Railroad (now part of the Canadian National Railway), decided to move the railroad's maintenance shops away from New Orleans, Louisiana, outside of the attractions of that city's saloons. Main street is one of the main streets in the downtown area with all the shops, attractions, and business. The railroad purchased land in Pike County, and three nearby communities, Elizabeth town, Burglund, and Harveytown, agreed to consolidate.

During the 1960s, McComb played a critical role in the Civil Rights Movement. It was the location of SNCC's first voter registration project which was met with violence and intimidation on the part of authorities and the KKK. More than 100 McComb high school students were arrested in 1961 for protesting the murder of voter-registration activist Herbert Lee and the expulsion of Brenda Travis. McComb was the setting for several bombings involving racial strife. Malcolm Boyd took part of COFO's Freedom House as a member of a clerical delegation to assist African-American voter registration.

On October 20, 1977, a chartered plane carrying members and crew of rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in a swamp near McComb, killing lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Steve's sister Cassie (a backup singer), and road manager Dean Kilpatrick.

Geography
McComb is located at 31°14'40.1022" North, 90°28'17.7342" West (31.2444739, -90.4715930).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.6 sqmi, of which 11.6 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.54%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 13,644 people and 5,073 households in the city. The population density was 1,184 people per square mile (424/km²). There were 5,825 housing units at an average density of 500.6 per square mile (193.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.29% African American, 31.22% White, 0.91% Asian, 0.17% Native American,  0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

As of the 2000 census, there were 5,265 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 78.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,507, and the median income for a family was $31,758. Males had a median income of $27,899 versus $17,402 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,790. About 27.4% of families and 31.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.7% of those under the age of 18 and 21.3% of those 65 and older.

Education
The City of McComb is served by the McComb School District. There are 7 schools in the district, Otken Elementary, Kennedy Elementary, Higgins Middle School, Denman Jr. High School, McComb High School, Business & Technology Center, and Summit Academy. The McComb and the surrounding Pike County area has three separate school districts, three private schools, and a community college in the northern part of the county. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church is located in McComb and provides classes kindergarten through seventh grade. McComb is also the location of Parklane Academy, a K4 through 12th grade private Christian school. And Jubilee - Performing Arts - Center, a private school catered in the performing arts. It is the first of its kind in the Pike County Area. It is located in the central McComb region. Southwest Mississippi Community College is located seven miles north of McComb, and northeast of Summit,MS. McComb High School is one of the 100 National Model Schools.

Rail transportation
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to McComb. Amtrak Train 59, the southbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart McComb at 12:41pm daily with service to Hammond and New Orleans. Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart McComb at 3:38pm daily with service to Brookhaven, Hazlehurst, Jackson, Yazoo City, Greenwood, Memphis, Newbern-Dyersburg, Fulton, Carbondale, Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago.

Notable natives and residents

 * Jimmy Boyd, singer, musician, actor
 * John Brady, head coach of the Arkansas State University men's basketball team, former head coach of the LSU Tigers men's basketball coach
 * Steve Broussard, National Football League player for the Green Bay Packers
 * Adrian Brown, Major League baseball player with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals
 * Bo Diddley, blues singer
 * Charles E. Dunbar, New Orleans attorney and civil service reformer
 * Jarrod Dyson. Major League Baseball player with the Kansas City Royals
 * Omar Kent Dykes, blues singer and guitarist
 * King Solomon Hill, early blues musician
 * Robert "Squirrel" Lester, singer in the soul music group The Chi-Lites.
 * Bobby Lounge, blues pianist and songwriter
 * Sam McCullum, NFL football player
 * Brandy Norwood, singer and actress
 * William "Ray J" Norwood, singer and actor; brother of Brandy Norwood
 * Willie Norwood, singer; father of Brandy and Ray J Norwood
 * Steven Ozment, American historian
 * Edward Grady Partin, Teamsters Union figure, spent his last years in McComb but died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
 * Britney Spears, pop singer
 * Jamie Lynn Spears, actress
 * Matt Tolbert, Major League Baseball Player for the Minnesota Twins
 * DJ D3X, Professional DJ signed to White Bread Hot Sonic Record Label
 * Cooper Carlisle, NFL Football player