Talladega is the county seat of Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1835. At the 2020 census, the population was 15,861. Talladega is approximately east of Birmingham.
The city is home to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and the Talladega Municipal Airport, a public general aviation airport. The Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega College and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame are located nearby. The First National Bank of Talladega (now First Bank of Alabama) is the oldest bank in the State of Alabama, being founded in 1848.
Etymology
The name Talladega is derived from a Muscogee language, a Native American language of Muscogee. It comes from the word Tvlvtēke, from Muscogee tvlwv, meaning "town", and vtēke, meaning "border", indicating its location on the border between Muscogee and Natchez.
Geography
Talladega is located in east central Alabama at 33° 26′ 5″ N, 86° 6′ 5″ W (33.434722 N, -86.101389 W). Alabama State Routes 21, 77, and 275 are the main routes through the city. AL-77 runs through the downtown area from north to south, leading north 14 mi (23 km) to Lincoln along Interstate 20 and southeast 24 mi (39 km) to Ashland. AL-21 runs from southwest to northeast through the city, leading northeast 23 mi (37 km) to Oxford and southwest 21 mi (34 km) to Sylacauga. AL-275 runs to the north and west of the city as a bypass of the downtown area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.30%, is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Talladega has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
The data below were accessed via the WRCC. They were compiled over the time period from 1888 to when this chart was created (July 2018).
Talladega's record high of 109 °F (42.8 °C) occurred in September 1925 (Alabama's record high of 112 °F was recorded in Centreville that same month), July 1930, June 1931, and July 1933. The record low of -10 °F (-23.3 °C) occurred in February 1899.
Demographics
2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 15,143 people in 5,836 households, including 3,962 families, in the city. The population density was 634.4 people per square mile (244.9/km). There were 6,457 housing units at an average density of 270.5 per square mile (104.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 56.15% White, 42.28% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,836 households 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 13.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median household income was $29,617 and the median family income was $36,296. Males had a median income of $27,951 versus $21,326 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,733. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 15,676 people in 5,719 households, including 3,722 families, in the city. The population density was 653.2 people per square mile (252.4/km). There were 6,611 housing units at an average density of 275.5 per square mile (106.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 48.7% Black or African American, 47.7% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 3.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,719 households 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 30.9% of households were one person and 12.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
The age distribution was 23.2% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% 65 or older. The median age was 37.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.
The median household income was $32,449 and the median family income was $38,147. Males had a median income of $31,957 versus $24,209 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,146. About 22.7% of families and 25.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.8% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,861 people, 5,553 households, and 3,334 families residing in the city.
Landmarks and places of interest
Talladega includes a number of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the J. L. M. Curry House and Swayne Hall, both listed as National Historic Landmarks. The main listed historic districts are the Silk Stocking District, which includes the Dr. Samuel Welch House, Talladega College Historic District, and Talladega Courthouse Square Historic District. Also included is the Talladega Superspeedway, which is a long race track. It hosts two NASCAR races annually. In 2020, the Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art opened at Talladega College.
Education
Talladega County Schools is the local school district.
Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, the statewide boarding school for the blind and deaf, is in Talladega, being established as a educational institution in 1858.
Notable people
Steadham Acker, pioneer aviator
Tom Bleick, former NFL player, who played college football at Georgia Tech
The original members of the gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama met in Talladega at the Alabama School for the Blind
Sydney J. Bowie, former U.S. Representative and nephew of Franklin Welsh Bowdon
Taul Bradford, former U.S Representative
Robert Bradley grew up in Evergreen, Alabama, and attended school in Talladega at the Alabama School for the Blind. He is now a famous blues-rock artist fronting his band, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. His early performances were in churches around Talladega.
William W. Brandon, Governor of Alabama from 1923–1927
Charles Brown, actor and member of the Negro Ensemble Company
Ethlyne Clair, actress
George Cruikshank, educator, newspaper editor, and historian
Marcus Henderson Cruikshank, former member of the Confederate States Congress and Mayor of Talladega
Lee de Forest was not a native of Talladega but he spent most of his early life there. De Forest, who invented the vacuum tube and held over 300 patents, was the son of a president of Talladega College.
Ahmad Gooden, NFL football player
Tinsley R. Harrison, founding editor of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
Bob Jenkins, football halfback
Eddie King, was born on April 21, 1938, in Talladega, and played as a sideman to many other blues musicians including Sonny Boy Williamson II and Koko Taylor. His 1997 solo album, Another Cow's Dead, won the Blues Music Award.
Herman H. Long, former president of Talladega College and former president of the United Negro College Fund
Lamar Looney, Oklahoma state senator
Felix Grundy McConnell, former U.S. Representative
Gertrude Michael, film, stage and television actress. Her best-remembered role is probably Rita Ross in Murder at the Vanities (1934), one of the last pre-Code films, in which she sang an ode to marijuana ("Sweet Marijuana").
Jack Nelson, Pulitzer-winning Washington correspondent and former Washington bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, was born in Talladega in October 1929. Beginning in September 2007, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offered one-year fellowships for recent law school graduates. They honor Nelson, who was chairman of its executive committee and served on its steering committee for 25 years.
Dixie Parsons, former Major League Baseball player
Lewis E. Parsons, not a native, but moved there in 1840. Governor of Alabama from June to December 1865
Thomas S. Plowman, former U.S. Representative and Mayor of Talladega
Dave Pope, former Major League Baseball outfielder
Tom Ragland, former Major League Baseball second baseman
George Scales, Negro league baseball player
Frank Sillmon, former basketball player and SWAC Player of the Year (1986)
Charles Lynwood Smith, Jr., senior United States federal judge
Bennie Swain, former basketball player for the Boston Celtics
W. Aubrey Thomas, U.S. Representative from Ohio
Robert Smith Vance was born in Talladega in 1931 and spent his early childhood there. He became a progressive voice in Alabama politics during the 1960s and was appointed to a federal judgeship on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
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