Greensville County, Virginia

Greensville County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,391. Its county seat is Emporia.

History Greensville County was established in 1781 from Brunswick County. The county is probably named for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the settlement on Roanoke Island, 1585. There is also belief that it may be named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army and one of George Washington's brightest officers.

An early chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was formed in Greensville County and Emporia (the county seat) in May 1940, under the leadership of dentist Dr. F. A. Sealy, of Boydton, Virginia and president of the Mecklenburg County, Virginia branch. However, he died in 1943, as efforts to desegregate the county's schools began with the assistance of attorney Oliver Hill.First Annual Founders' Day program at Greensville County High School June 23, 2007, pp. 15-27 After service in World War II, Hill's colleague Samuel W. Tucker moved to Emporia, married a schoolteacher and became the county's only African American attorney, as well as a leader in desegregating schools across Virginia.Nancy Noyes Silcox, Samuel Wlbert Tucker: The Story of a Civil Rights Trailblazer (Fairfax, Virginia: History4All, 2014) pp. 61-62

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water.

The Meherrin River forms the boundary between Greensville County and Southampton County.

Adjacent counties / independent city Brunswick County – west Dinwiddie County – north Sussex County – northeast Southampton County – east Northampton County, North Carolina – south Emporia – surrounded by Greensville County

Major highways , the major north–south highway on the Eastern Seaboard enters Greensville County from North Carolina. Access to the county is available at Exits 4, 8, 12, and 13 (plus 11 if including Emporia) before the road crosses the Greensville-Sussex County Line. , the principal west–east route through southern Virginia at large, including Greensville County. The road connects the Cumberland Gap area of Tennessee to the Hampton Roads area, entering the county from Brunswick County and leaving at Southampton County. A Business Route of US 58 exists within Emporia. , the principal south–north route Greensville County and Emporia until it was supplanted by I-95. A spur of US Route 1, it enters Greensville County from North Carolina, serves as a major boulevard in Historic Emporia, and leaves at Sussex County south of Jarratt. , a state spur route running northwest of US 301 from through Jarratt both in Greensville and Sussex Counties. , a state route briefly entering Greensville County from North Carolina, only to cross into Southampton County at the bridge over the Meherrin River.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Greensville County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)4,6803,8844,4614,6284,21742.92%43.87%38.59%37.80%37.02%Black or African American alone (NH)6,0774,8706,8817,2946,61655.74%55.01%59.52%59.58%58.08%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)311823190.03%0.12%0.07%0.19%0.17%Asian alone (NH)22234635320.20%0.26%0.40%0.29%0.28%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census210xx0.02%0.01%0.00%Other race alone (NH)511910130.05%0.01%0.16%0.08%0.11%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3579218xx0.30%0.65%1.91%Hispanic or Latino (any race)116641081732761.06%0.72%0.93%1.41%2.42%Total10,9038,85311,56012,24311,391 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,391. The median age was 42.3 years. 14.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 164.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 179.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 38.3% White, 58.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.4% of the population.

12.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 87.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,442 households in the county, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 35.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,001 housing units, of which 14.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.0% were owner-occupied and 30.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.6%.

2010 census As of the 2010 United States census, there were 12,243 people living in the county. 59.8% were Black or African American, 38.5% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,560 people, 3,375 households, and 2,396 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 3,765 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 59.75% Black or African American, 38.94% White, 0.10% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.32% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,375 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 38.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 160.90 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 177.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,002, and the median income for a family was $38,810. Males had a median income of $24,919 versus $19,849 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,632. 14.70% of the population and 12.40% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.00% are under the age of 18 and 18.60% are 65 or older. Government and infrastructure Virginia Department of Corrections operates the Greensville Correctional Center in unincorporated Greensville County, near Jarratt."Greensville Correctional Center/Greensville Work Center (major male institution) ." Virginia Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010. The facility houses the commonwealth's former execution chamber."Virginia Death Row/Execution Facts." My FOX DC. Tuesday November 10, 2009. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.

Greensville County has supported the Democratic nominee in every election since 1912, with the exception of 1972 when it backed Richard Nixon during his landslide victory over George McGovern. Its residents did not cast a single vote for Alf Landon in 1936, making the county one of four in which Landon was locked out.

Communities Although Emporia lies within the boundaries of Greensville County and serves as the county seat, it is an independent city and thus not part of the county. But although they are separate, they do share the same public school system.

Town Jarratt (partially in Sussex County)

Unincorporated communities Brink Durand Low Ground Moonlight Purdy Radium Skippers Pleasant Shade Washington Park Westover Hills

Education Greensville County Public Schools operates public schools for the whole county.

Greensville County, Virginia

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