Mississippi is one of the states that located in the Southeastern region of the United States. It’s bordered by Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the southwest and Arkansas to the northwest. Two popular nicknames of Mississippi state are “The Magnolia State” and “The Hospitality State”. Do you want to know more about Mississippi? I’m sure that it’s a good idea to talk about interesting Mississippi facts to know more about this Magnolia State.
1. Mississippi was One of the Seven Original Confederate States
The western half of the The Territory of Mississippi was admitted to the Union as the State of Mississippi as the 20th state On December 10, 1817. But declared its secession from the Union on January 9, 1861 and became one of the seven original Confederate States. Mississippi was restored to the Union on February 23, 1870 after the end of the Civil War.
2. Jackson is the Capital and the Largest City of Mississippi
The capital city of the Mississippi State is Jackson. Jackson is also the largest city in Mississippi. Jackson was founded in 1821 as the new state capital. It’s named after General Andrew Jackson (later the US President) for his role in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. Greater Jackson is the largest metropolitan area of Mississippi. Over one-fifth of Mississippi’s population lives in the Greater Jackson Metropolitan Area.
3. Mississippi Has the Lowest Per-Capita Income in the United States
Unfortunately, Mississippi is the state with the lowest per-capita income in the United States. Mississippi is also the lowest among 50 states when it comes to median household income. Many residents of Mississippi still live below the poverty line. Mississippi ranked first in poverty rate among other 50 states of the United States.
4. Mississippi Has the Highest Percentage of African-American Among All States
African Americans were a majority of Mississippi’s population until the Great Migration of the 1930s. In 2020 census, Mississippi still has the highest percentage of African American among all states with 37.9%. Mississippi is indeed still lower in percentage than Washington DC with 44.1%, but Washington DC is indeed not a state but a district.
5. Mississippi Produces More than Half of Farm-Raised Catfish of the United States
Mississippi is the largest producer of farm-raised catfish among the other states in the US. It produces more than half of farm-raised in the United States. The Mississippi Delta became the home for the catfish industry because of its soil, climate and shallow aquifers that provide water for the earthen ponds. There are over 100,000 acres (400 km2) of catfish ponds in Mississippi, the largest of any US State.
6. Mississippi was the Top Cotton-Producing State
Mississippi was the top cotton-producing state of the United States By 1860. At that time, 55% of the state population were slaves that mostly worked on the cotton plantation. By 2020, Mississippi was no longer ranked 1st in cotton producing states but it’s still on top five lists. Texas is currently at the top of the list.
7. Woodall Mountain is the Highest Natural Point of Mississippi
With 806 ft (246 m) elevation, Woodall Mountain is the highest natural point of Mississippi. Woodwall Mountain is located south of Iuka in Tishomingo County in the northeast part of the state just off Mississippi Highway 25. Woodall Mountain was originally called Yow Hill. It’s renamed after Zephaniah Woodall, sheriff of Tishomingo County, who bought it and surrounding land in 1884.
8. Northern Mockingbird is the Official State Bird of Mississippi
The official state bird of Mississippi is the Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) that was designated in 1944. The Northern mockingbird is also the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Northern Mockingbird belongs to Mimidae family and is commonly found in North America. Basically, Northern Mockingbird is a permanent resident. But the northern bird may move south in the harsh winter.
9. The Official State Flower of Mississippi is Magnolia
In 1952, Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) was designated as the official state flower of Mississippi. With Magnolia as its official state flower, Mississippi has “The Magnolia State” nickname. We can also find Magnolia flower in the new State flag of Mississippi. Magnolia grandiflora is a member of the family Magnoliaceae. It’s native to the Southeastern United States. Magnolia grandiflora, also called Southern Magnolia, is also the official state tree of Mississippi.
10. American Alligator is the Official State Reptile of Mississippi
The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the official state reptile of Mississippi since 2005. American Alligator, also colloquially called gator, is a large crocodilian reptile that native to the Southeastern United States. There are two living species of genus Alligator, the American alligator and the smaller the Chinese alligator. Besides the official state reptile of Mississippi, American alligator is also the official state reptile of Florida and Louisiana.
Besides 10 interesting facts about Mississippi that we have talked about above, I’m sure that there are many other interesting Mississippi facts. Feel free to share other interesting facts about Mississippi with us here.