Taylor County, Georgia
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Taylor County is a county located in the state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 8,815. The county seat is Butler, Georgia6.
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Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 983 km² (380 mi²). 978 km² (377 mi²) of it is land and 6 km² (2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.57% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 8,815 people, 3,281 households, and 2,283 families residing in the county. The population density was 9/km² (23/mi²). There were 3,978 housing units at an average density of 4/km² (10/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.39% White, 42.56% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 1.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,281 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.50% were married couples living together, 20.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.90% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,148, and the median income for a family was $30,000. Males had a median income of $30,278 versus $20,241 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,432. 26.00% of the population and 20.20% of families were below the poverty line. 33.90% of those under the age of 18 and 24.70% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
Whites-only prom, 2003
The county received national attention in 2003 when white students at the county's high school decided to hold a whites-only prom. Of the school's 439 students, 232 were black. Many students had been in school together since kindergarten.
In 2002, the school had had its first integrated prom in 31 years. Before then, parents and students organized separate proms for whites and blacks after school officials stopped sponsoring dances, in part to avoid problems arising from interracial dating.
"I cried," said Gerica McCrary, a black student who helped organize the 2002 integrated dance, of the moment when she heard the news. "The black [students] said, 'Our prom is open to everyone. If you want to come, come'."
The whites-only prom was widely condemned. Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly said that "The nations saw Americans of all colors die in Iraq and it didn't matter what color they were when they were fighting, did it? But some high school kids in Georgia want a prom that's all white, which is insulting to the those troops and what they fought for. This is a disgrace."[1][2][3]
