Black

Black is located in south-central Geneva County in the extreme southeast part of the state. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Black has the distinction of being one of only four towns in Alabama with circular town limits.

History

Black is named for George W. Black, who arrived in the area in 1884 and purchased 10,000 acres in Geneva County in the early 1900s. He also was a local store owner and one of the town’s first sheriffs and reportedly built the first cane syrup mill in Alabama. His son became a county probate judge in 1904. The town soon became known for him, and Black became a thriving city, with several stores, a drugstore, its own telephone system, and a turpentine distillery. The Louisville & Nashville Railroad ran just north of town. Black incorporated in 1906.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Black recorded a population of 468. Of that number, 100.0 percent of respondents identified themselves as white. The town’s median household income was $53,031, and the per capita income was $18,833.

Employment

According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Black was divided among the following industrial categories:

  • Wholesale trade (32.8 percent)
  • Manufacturing (28.8 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (10.3 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (10.7 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (5.9 percent)
  • Educational services and health care and social assistance (3.7 percent)
  • Construction (3.3 percent)
  • Retail trade (2.6 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (1.8 percent)

Education

Students in Black attend Geneva County schools; no public schools lie within the town limits.

Transportation

State Highway 167 is located about five miles east of Black, running north-south, and Florida State Highway 2 lies less than five miles south of Black, running east-west. Interstate Highway 10 lies approximately 20 miles south of Black.

Additional Resources

Geneva County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Geneva County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2002.

External Links

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