thumb|right|250px|[[Footbridge across a tributary of Ponchatoula Creek leading to North Oak Street Park on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish]]

Tangipahoa Parish () is a parish located on the southeastern border of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 133,157. The parish seat is Amite City, while the largest city is Hammond. Southeastern Louisiana University is located in Hammond. Lake Pontchartrain borders the southeastern side of the parish.

The name Tangipahoa comes from an Acolapissa word meaning "ear of corn" or "those who gather corn." The parish was organized in 1869 during the Reconstruction era.

Tangipahoa Parish comprises the Hammond, LA metropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Baton Rouge–Hammond, LA combined statistical area. It is one of what are called the Florida Parishes, at one time part of West Florida.

History

Tangipahoa Parish was created by Louisiana Act 85 on March 6, 1869, during the Reconstruction era. The parish was assembled from territories taken from Livingston Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. Tammany Parish, and Washington Parish. It was named after the Tangipahoa River and the historic Tangipahoa Native American people of this area. Tangipahoa is the youngest parish in the Florida Parishes region of southern Louisiana.

Parts of this area had already been developed for sugar cane plantations when the parish was organized, and that industry depended on numerous African American laborers who were freedmen after the war. Mostly white yeomen farmers occupied areas in the piney woods and resisted planters' attempts at political dominance. African Americans comprised about one-quarter of the population overall in the Florida Parishes before the war but were prevalent in the plantation areas, where they had been enslaved laborers. and the highest number of any parish in southern Louisiana. Twenty-two of these murders took place from 1879 to 1919, a time of heightened violence in the state. Unlike some other parishes, Tangipahoa did not have a high rate of legal executions of blacks; the whites operated outside the justice system altogether.

In 1898 the Louisiana state legislature disenfranchised most slaves by raising barriers to voter registration. They effectively excluded blacks from politics for decades, until after passage and enforcement of federal civil rights legislation.

In the first half of the 20th century, many African Americans left Tangipahoa Parish to escape the racial violence and oppression of Jim Crow, moving to industrial cities in the Great Migration. Especially during and after World War II, they moved to the West Coast, where the buildup of the defense industry opened up new jobs. In the 21st century, blacks constitute a minority in the parish.

Timber, agriculture and industry are still important to the parish. It suffered flooding in 1932 and in the early 1980s. In 2016, Tangipahoa was one of many parishes declared a Federal disaster area due to historic flooding from rainfall and storms in both March and August.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of , of which is land and (3.9%) is water. Lake Pontchartrain lies on the southeast side of the parish.

Most of the parish south of Ponchatoula consists of Holocene coastal swamp and marsh—gray-to-black clays of high organic content and thick peat beds underlying freshwater marsh and swamp.

Communities

Cities

  • Hammond (largest municipality)
  • Ponchatoula

Towns

  • Amite City (parish seat)
  • Independence
  • Kentwood
  • Roseland

Villages

  • Tangipahoa
  • Tickfaw

Census-designated place

  • Natalbany

Other unincorporated places

  • Baptist
  • Fluker
  • Husser
  • Loranger
  • Manchac (Akers)
  • Pumpkin Center
  • Robert
  • Rosaryville
  • Wilmer

Demographics

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|55,375

|59,895

|69,300

|77,807

|style='background: #ffffe6; |79,825

|68.62%

|69.88%

|68.89%

|64.25%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |59.95%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|23,945

|24,446

|28,388

|36,485

|style='background: #ffffe6; |39,770

|29.67%

|28.52%

|28.22%

|30.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |29.87%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|84

|175

|222

|355

|style='background: #ffffe6; |409

|0.10%

|0.20%

|0.22%

|0.29%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|141

|232

|387

|714

|style='background: #ffffe6; |942

|0.17%

|0.27%

|0.38%

|0.59%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.71%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|x

|x

|5

|35

|style='background: #ffffe6; |23

|x

|x

|0.00%

|0.03%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|99

|10

|62

|108

|style='background: #ffffe6; |376

|0.12%

|0.01%

|0.06%

|0.09%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|x

|x

|688

|1,333

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,570

|x

|x

|0.68%

|1.10%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.43%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|1,054

|951

|1,536

|4,260

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,242

|1.31%

|1.11%

|1.53%

|3.52%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.44%

|-

|Total

|80,698

|85,709

|100,588

|121,097

|style='background: #ffffe6; |133,157

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

As of the 2020 census, the parish had a population of 133,157. The median age was 36.6 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the parish was 61.1% White, 30.1% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, &lt;0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.2% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.4% of the population.

There were 50,961 households in the parish, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.2% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Bardwell said he had refused to perform the weddings of four couples during the 2½-year period before the news of his actions was publicized, resigned effective November 3, 2009. Governor Bobby Jindal said that the resignation was "long overdue."

President of Tangipahoa Parish

In 1986, the former governing body of Tangipahoa Parish, the Tangipahoa Police Jury, and the voters of the Parish approved a "home rule charter" style of government. The charter provided for the election of a parish president, essentially a parish-wide mayor. Democrat Gordon A. Burgess was elected to an initial one-year term and re-elected the following year for a four-year term. Burgess was repeatedly re-elected as parish president until he retired in 2015.

In 2016, Republican businessman Robert "Robby" Miller succeeded Burgess. In April 2016, the Parish hired its first chief administrative officer, Shelby "Joe" Thomas, Jr. to handle operating functions.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|-

!|President !! Terms of Office !! Party

|-

| Gordon Burgess || October 27, 1986 – January 11, 2016 || | Democratic

|-

| Robby Miller || January 11, 2016 – incumbent || | Republican

|}

<!-- PresRow should be -->

Law enforcement

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office is headquartered in Hammond. The Sheriff's office was excluded from a DEA task force in 2016 after the Justice Department charged two deputies with stealing money and drugs seized in raids.

Education

The parish is served by the Tangipahoa Parish School System. Southeastern Louisiana University is located in Hammond.

On seven occasions, the American Civil Liberties Union has sued the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, along with other defendants, for having allegedly sponsored and promoted religion in teacher-led school activities.

Education

The elected school board governs and oversees the Tangipahoa Parish School System (TPSS). The Board has a long history of racial discrimination in the hiring of teachers. In 1975, it was ordered to ensure one-third of the teaching staff were Black. Both the Board and the Court ignored the mandate for more than thirty years. During the period from 1998 to 2008, the Board hired fewer Black teachers than any other school system in the state. In 2010, a second ruling strengthened the first.

National Guard

The parish is home to the 204th Theater Airfield Operations Group and the Forward Support Company of the 205th Engineer Battalion. This 205th Engineer Battalion is a component of the 225th Engineer Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard. These units reside within the city of Hammond. A detachment of the 1021st Engineer Company (Vertical) resides in Independence, Louisiana. The 236th Combat Communications Squadron of the Louisiana Air National Guard also resides at the Hammond Airport.

Transportation

Railroads

Amtrak's daily City of New Orleans long-distance train stops in Hammond, both northbound (to Chicago) and southbound. It serves about 15,000 riders a year, and Hammond-Chicago is the ninth-busiest city pair on the route.

The historic main line of the Illinois Central that carries freight through the parish is now part of CN. It continues to be busy.

Highways

  • 25px Interstate 12
  • 25px Interstate 55
  • 25px U.S. Route 51
  • 25px U.S. Route 190
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 10
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 16
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 22
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 38
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 40
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 440
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 442
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 443
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 445
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1040
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1045
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1046
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1048
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1049
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1050
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1051
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1053
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1054
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1055
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1056
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1057
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1061
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1062
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1063
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1064
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1065
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 1249
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 3158
  • 25px Louisiana Highway 3234

Notable people

  • Robert Alford, professional football player, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals
  • Chris Broadwater, former District 86 state representative, resides in Hammond
  • Nick Bruno, president of University of Louisiana at Monroe
  • Hodding Carter, 20th-century journalist
  • John L. Crain, president of Southeastern Louisiana University
  • Donald Dykes, former professional football player, New York Jets and San Diego Chargers
  • John Bel Edwards, former Governor of Louisiana; former Minority Leader of Louisiana House of Representatives; former District 72 state representative, resides in Amite
  • C. B. Forgotston, political activist
  • Barbara Forrest, critic of intelligent design
  • Tim Gautreaux, writer
  • Kevin Hughes, former professional football player, St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers
  • Bolivar E. Kemp, U.S. representative, 1925–1933
  • Bolivar Edwards Kemp, Jr., Louisiana Attorney General, 1948–1952
  • Wade Miley, professional baseball pitcher
  • Harlan Miller, professional football player, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins
  • James H. Morrison, represented Louisiana's 6th congressional district from 1943 to 1967
  • Kim Mulkey, college basketball player, United States Olympic Team, LSU head women's basketball coach
  • Rufus Porter, former professional football player
  • Billy Reid, fashion designer
  • Weldon Russell, former state representative from Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes
  • Britney Spears, entertainer
  • DeVonta Smith, professional football player, Philadelphia Eagles, 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner, Alabama Crimson Tide football
  • Jackie Smith, former professional football player, St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys, NFL Hall of Famer
  • Irma Thomas, Grammy Award-winning singer
  • LaBrandon Toefield, former professional football player, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers
  • Earl Wilson, former major league baseball player for Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres
  • Harry D. Wilson, Louisiana state representative and state agriculture commissioner; pushed for the establishment of the town of Independence in 1912
  • Justin Wilson, chef and humorist

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
  • Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office

References