James, Mississippi
| Washington County, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
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 Location in the U.S. state of Mississippi |
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 Mississippi's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1827 |
| Named for | George Washington |
| Seat | Greenville |
| Largest city | Greenville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 761 sq mi (1,971 km2) |
| • Land | 725 sq mi (1,878 km2) |
| • Water | 36 sq mi (93 km2), 4.8% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 51,137 |
| • Density | 71/sq mi (27/km2) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Time zone | Central: UTC−6/−5 |
| Website | www |
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,137. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is named in honor of the first President of the United States, George Washington.
The Greenville, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Washington County. It is located in the Mississippi Delta.
Located in the Mississippi Delta, Washington County was first developed for cotton cultivation in the antebellum years. Most plantations were developed to have access to the rivers, which were the major transportation routes. Cotton was based on the labor of enslaved African Americans. Greenville was designated as the county seat, and its leading planters and professional men became influential in state affairs.
In the period from 1877 to 1950, Washington County had 12 documented lynchings of African Americans. Most occurred around the turn of the 20th century, as part of white imposition of Jim Crow conditions and suppression of black voting.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 761 square miles (1,970 km2), of which 725 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 36 square miles (93 km2) (4.8%) is water.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 51,137 people residing in the county. 71.3% were Black or African American, 27.0% White, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.6% of two or more races. 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
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