West is a town in northeastern Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The Mayor of West, MS as of December 2020 is Michael Fancher.

History

West made national news in 1989 when all-white East Holmes Academy, now closed but formerly located in West, initially refused to play a football game against Heritage Academy because Heritage had a black player. After seven East Holmes players quit the team, two board members resigned and the Mississippi Private School Association threatened to eject the school, East Holmes relented.

Geography

West is bordered to the east by the Big Black River, which is also the Attala County line. West is the easternmost municipality in Holmes county.

U.S. Route 51 passes through the center of town, leading north to Vaiden and south to Durant. Interstate 55 passes west of town, with access from Exit 164 (Emory Road). I-55 leads south to Jackson, the state capital, and north to Memphis, Tennessee. Mississippi Highway 19 leads southeast from West to Kosciusko.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of West has a total area of , all land.

Demographics