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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Phillips County, Arkansas.
Official Website
The county was formed on May 1, 1820, and named for Sylvanus Phillips, the area's first-known white settler and representative to the first Territorial Legislature of the Arkansas Territory.
From September 30-October 1, 1919 during the Elaine race riot in Phillips County, 237 black were killed, attacked at large by armed whites trying to suppress the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America which was organizing in the county. Because the white mob actions were racial terrorism against black Americans, the deaths were classified as lynchings by the Equal Justice Initiative in its 2015 report on lynchings in the South. Based on this, Phillips County ranks as the county with the highest number of lynchings in U.S. history.
Adjacent Counties
- Lee County
- Tunica County, Mississippi
- Monroe County
- Coahoma County, Mississippi
- Bolivar County, Mississippi
- Desha County
- Arkansas County
Cities, Towns, Townships & Communities
- Big Creek
- Cleburne
- Cleveland
- Cypress
- Elaine
- Helena-West Helena (County Seat)
- Hickory Ridge
- Hornor
- Lake
- Lake View
- Lambrook
- Lexa
- Marion
- Marvell
- Modoc
- Mooney
- Poplar Grove
- St. Francis
- Spring Creek
- Tappan
Links
National Register of Historic Places
St. Francis National Forest (part)
White River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Facing South - America's forgotten Racial Massacre
