JENA, LOUISIANA

The town of 'Jena' is the seat of La Salle Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana.
^[1]
[2]
Its population was 2,971 at the 2000 census.

Contents

Geography

Surrounding Communities

Demographics

Famous residents

Politics

Business development

Education

Racial tension

References

External links

Geography

Jena is located at (31.689993, -92.124781) and has an elevation of .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.9 km² (5.4 mi²), all land.

Surrounding Communities

★ Midway

★ Trout

★ Nebo

★ Webb Quarters

★ Summerville

★ Eden

★ Goodpine

★ Possum Point

★ Belah

★ Fellowship

★ White Sulphur Springs

★ Mackeral

★ Rogers

★ Searcy

★ Whitehall

★ Rhinehart

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,971 people, 1,135 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density was 213.2/km² (552.7/mi²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 90.7/km² (235.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.56% White, 12.02% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.21% of the population.
There were 1,135 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town of Jena, the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,938, and the median income for a family was $39,848. Males had a median income of $31,332 versus $18,317 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,761. About 9.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

Famous residents

★ U.S. Representative Speedy O. Long (1928-2006), a Democrat, practiced law in Jena prior to his congressional service (1965-1973). He was later the La Salle Parish district attorney from 1973-1985. Long twice lost bids for governor and once for insurance commissioner. He was a state senator from 1956-1964.

Politics

Jena and La Salle Parish have been heavily Republican since a two-party system took root in Louisiana. In the 2003 gubernatorial race, however, La Salle Parish voted heavily for the Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, rather than the young Republican challenger, Bobby Jindal, an Indian American who went on to become a U.S. Representative from Metairie in Jefferson Parish. Blanco received 2,974 votes (61 percent) to Jindal's 1,917 ballots (39 percent).^[3]

Business development

★ Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has built a 100,000 sq.ft. Supercenter on U.S. Route 84 West, a main east-west route between Interstate 49 and Natchez, Mississippi.

★ Ace Hardware has built a new 28,000 sq ft store in downtown Jena.

★ Southern Heritage Bank has opened its new two-story, 12,000 sq.ft. building. It will be the home of all its banking operations.

★ Homeland Federal Saving Bank from Columbia, Louisiana has opened a new branch in Jena.

★ Arrows Industries has opened a new expansion. They now employ over 100 people.

★ Jena Town Hall has moved into the old Southern Heritage Bank building.

★ Dollar General will be building a new larger building across McDonald's.

★ McCartney Oil Company is building a full-service gas station across from the new Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Education

The La Salle Parish School Board is also located in Jena.
The following schools serve Jena

★ Jena High School, 9 - 12 (Jena)

★ Jena Junior High School, 7 & 8 (Jena)

★ Goodpine Middle School, 4 - 6 (Unincorporated La Salle Parish)

★ Jena Elementary School, PreK - 3 (Jena)

Racial tension

Photograph of a tree outside Jena High School. This is not the tree from which the nooses were hung.

Main articles: Jena Six

Racial tensions resurfaced in Jena on September 1, 2006, when hangman's nooses were discovered in a tree in Jena High School's campus after a black student tried to sit with white students at lunch. The school head recommended that the noose-hangers should be expelled. The board of education overruled him and the three white student perpetrators received in-school suspension.^[4] On November 30, 2006 an arson fire destroyed the main academic building at the school. On December 4, 2006 a fight broke out on campus, after which six African-American students, later dubbed the Jena 6,^[5] were arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder. Law enforcement officers told the ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'' they have found no links between the noose incident, the arson fire, and subsequent fights.
The six accused of attempted second-degree murder are black and were fighting a white student after a week of intimidation by white students, including the one who was assaulted.^[6] Intimidation cited includes an incident in which a white student brandished a gun at a convenience store after a verbal exchange. Students allegedly wrestled away the gun and were then held in custody and charged with theft while no charges were made against the white student.^[7]
On June 26, 2007 the first day of trial for Mychal Bell, one of the defendants, the prosecutor agreed to reduce the charges for Bell to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery.^[8] Bell was found guilty by an all-white jury, and will face the possibility of up to 22 years in prison when he is sentenced. The sentencing was originally scheduled for July 30, but has been delayed. ^[9] However, the case is currently in dispute, as the black court-appointed public defender did not call a single witness in his attempt to defend Bell.^[10] The other five students will be tried at a later date.
On August 24th, 2007, a bond hearing was held for Mychal Bell. Judge J.P. Mauffray ruled against Bell, citing four prior violent crimes in his past and three parole violations.
Mychal Bell's sentencing is scheduled for September 20th, when protesters in support of the Jena 6 are expected to gather from several parts of the country at the LaSalle Parish courthouse.
The town has gained international notoriety as an example of the alleged "new 'stealth' racism" that lives on in the United States^[11] with national attention drawn to the events by a National Public Radio prime time story on July 30, 2007.^[12] The town also featured in a BBC documentary, ''This World: "Race hate in Louisiana"''.^[13]

References

1.
"Jena, Louisiana (LA) Detailed Profile" (notes),
''City Data'', 2007, webpage:
C-Jena.

2.
"Census 2000 Data for the State of Louisiana" (town list),
US Census Bureau, May 2003, webpage:
C2000-LA.

3. http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11150330
4. 'Stealth racism' stalks deep South
5. Charge reduced in 'Jena 6' case Howard Witt
6. There was White Kids that Hung Up a Noose, But It was Black Kids in the Fight Jordan Flaherty
7. Injustice in Jena Bill Quigley
8. Charges Reduced for Student in La. Fight
9. Jena 6: Mychal Bell's Sentencing Delayed
10. Louisiana teen guilty in school beating case; Witnesses provide conflicting testimony Howard Witt
11. Racism goes on trial again in America's Deep South
12. Beating Charges Split La. Town Along Racial Lines
13. 'Stealth racism' stalks deep South, bbc.co.uk, May 24 2007

External links

★ Jena, Louisiana webpage

★ 'Stealth racism' stalks deep South

★ LaSalle General Hospital

★ LaSalle Parish School Board

★ Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge

★ Beating Charges Split La. Town Along Racial Lines

★ Hundreds March Against "Legal Lynching": Free the Jena 6