National Register Listing

Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse

108 Main St., Sumner, MS
Local significance of the building:
Politics/government; Black; Architecture

Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.

politics government ethnic heritage black architecture law courthouses buildings
The Mississippi Delta region, which is located in the northwest part of the state, is known for its rich soil and has been an important agricultural area for centuries.
Mississippi random facts
Tallahatchie County, located in the state of Mississippi, has a rich and diverse history that stretches back thousands of years. The area was originally home to various Native American tribes, including the Choctaw and Chickasaw, who inhabited the region for centuries prior to European colonization. In the 1830s, the Native American tribes were forcibly removed from their lands through the Indian Removal Act, paving the way for European settlement.

The county was officially established in 1833 and named after the Tallahatchie River, which runs through its boundaries. During the antebellum period, Tallahatchie County, like many other counties in the Deep South, relied heavily on agriculture, particularly cotton. The area's fertile soil and favorable climate made it ideal for plantation farming, and the county saw an influx of wealthy planters who built large plantations and relied on enslaved labor.

The county gained national attention during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In August 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American boy from Chicago, was brutally murdered in Tallahatchie County for allegedly whistling at a white woman. The trial that followed drew widespread media attention and highlighted the racial tensions and injustices that prevailed in the Jim Crow South.

In more recent years, Tallahatchie County has experienced economic and demographic changes. The decline of agriculture as the primary industry and the mechanization of farming have led to a shift in the county's economy. Today, Tallahatchie County remains a rural area, but efforts are being made to diversify the local economy and promote tourism, particularly around historical and cultural sites.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Tallahatchie County, Mississippi.

  • 1833 - Tallahatchie County is established as a part of the Chickasaw Cession.
  • 1841 - The county seat is established in Charleston.
  • 1865 - Tallahatchie County is heavily affected by the Civil War and Reconstruction era.
  • 1882 - The infamous murder of Emmett Till occurs in Money, Tallahatchie County.
  • 1930s - The Great Depression brings economic hardship and challenges to the county.
  • 1964 - Tallahatchie County becomes a prominent location during the Civil Rights Movement.
  • 1989 - The Tallahatchie County Courthouse is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • 1996 - Tallahatchie County celebrates its sesquicentennial.