Founded in the late 1800s, the town is named after prominent businessman and railway official William H. Henning. The infamous Battle of Fort Pillow, a Civil War victory for the Confederates, took place near Henning. Here, nearly 300 black troops serving in the Union Army were massacred after surrendering by Confederates under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest. The Confederate refusal to treat these troops as traditional prisoners of war infuriated the North, and led to the Union’s refusal to participate in prisoner exchanges. Union survivors’ accounts, later supported by a federal investigation, concluded that African-American troops were massacred by Forrest’s men after surrendering.[citation needed]
In 1900, a local black man, Anderson Gause, was lynched by a mob.[5]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 871 people, 491 households, and 315 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 970 people, 362 households, and 238 families residing in the town. The population density was 752.3 inhabitants per square mile (290.5/km2). There were 406 housing units at an average density of 314.9 per square mile (121.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 22.37% White, 74.85% African American, 1.34% Native American, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.
Alex Haley's boyhood home and his grave beside the home (2007)
There were 362 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,438, and the median income for a family was $21,776. Males had a median income of $26,500 versus $19,583 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,413, which is the lowest in the state. About 30.9% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.9% of those under age 18 and 30.2% of those age 65 or over.
Henning Public Schools are part of Lauderdale County School District. The school district has one primary school, two elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high school and two high schools.[14]
Shawn Kimble is the superintendent of schools.[15]
Notable people
Historical marker in front of Alex Haley's boyhood home (2007)
