Louisville Defender is a weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky .
76-619: Louisville Defender was founded in 1933 by Alvin H. Bowman of Louisville and John Sengstacke of Chicago, as an affiliate of the Chicago Defender . It joined The Louisville Leader and Louisville News as African-American newspapers in the city. Frank L. Stanley Sr. bought Sengstacke's share in 1936, and published the paper for the next 37 years. By 1942, the newspaper had reached its target circulation of 15,000. The paper became profitable after purchasing its own printing press in 1956. Circulation dipped in 1953 when it became
152-609: A Louisiana Creole from New Orleans and Los Angeles . They had three children, John Herman Henry Sengstacke III; Lewis Willis Sengstacke, named for Myrtle's side; and Robert Abbott Sengstacke , named in honor of his uncle. Myrtle was an activist in her own right, working at political fundraising, as well as cultural and art activities. In 1940, Sengstacke founded the National Newspaper Publishers Association , to bring together African-American publishers of newspapers. He served as president of
228-484: A Congregationalist minister, teacher and publisher. The elder Sengstacke was the son of Herman Sengstacke, a German sea captain, and his wife Tama Melrose, a former slave from West Africa whose freedom he purchased in Georgia. She died young after the birth of their daughter. Sengstacke returned to Germany, taking his mixed-race children for relatives to raise while he was on ships. Later, Sengstacke and his son returned to
304-562: A design known as the Oglethorpe Plan . During the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted by Atlanta , Savannah held sailing competitions in the nearby Wassaw Sound . On February 12, 1733, General James Oglethorpe and settlers from the ship Anne landed at Yamacraw Bluff and were greeted by Tomochichi , the Yamacraws , and Indian traders John and Mary Musgrove . Mary Musgrove often served as an interpreter. The city of Savannah and
380-465: A dramatic increase in the number of violent crimes, including at least 54 deaths due to gun violence, a number not seen since the early 1990s. The first quarter of 2018 saw crime trending downward, compared to 2017. Before British colonization of the Americas and the founding of colonial Georgia , the coastal region's indigenous inhabitants practiced Native American religions . Since colonization,
456-579: A peaceful surrender to save Savannah from destruction, and Union troops marched into the city at dawn. Savannah was named after the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for the Shawnee , a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. The Shawnee destroyed another Native people, the Westo , and occupied their lands at the head of the Savannah River's navigation on
532-540: A tabloid, and dropped to 10,000 in the 1960s when other major newspapers started hiring African Americans to cover civil right issues in their papers. Stanley's column, "Being Frank", became nationally syndicated in the 1940s. During the 1950s the paper covered issues related to integrated public accommodation, and in the 1950s and 1960s it covered open housing, equal job opportunities, and desegregated schools. After Stanley's death in 1974, his wife and sons became co-publishers. Circulation dropped to 2,600 weekly by 1985, and
608-589: A ton of silk per year was exported to England. Georgia's mild climate offered perfect conditions for growing cotton , which became the dominant commodity after the American Revolution . Its production under the plantation system and shipment through the Port of Savannah helped the city's European immigrants achieve wealth and prosperity. By the nineteenth century, the Port of Savannah had become one of
684-459: A year-old son Robert, whom he treated as his own. Robert Abbott took his stepfather's surname as his middle name. The Sengstackes also had seven children together, including Alexander; they were half-siblings to Robert Abbott. Beginning in 1905, when Abbott had settled in Chicago after getting a law degree, he founded and published The Chicago Defender . It rapidly achieved high circulation in
760-509: Is Georgia's fifth most populous city, with a 2020 U.S. census population of 147,780. The Savannah metropolitan area , Georgia's third-largest , had a 2020 population of 404,798. Savannah attracts millions of visitors each year to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings. These include the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA ),
836-479: Is the main location of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil . Opulent buildings that succumbed to fire include the mansions at Bonaventure Plantation and Greenwich Plantation . Colonial Park Cemetery was the city's principal burial ground for much of the eighteenth century when Georgia was a British colony. Laurel Grove Cemetery , with the graves of many Confederate soldiers and enslaved African Americans,
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#1732802009475912-680: Is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County . Established in 1733 on the Savannah River , the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. A strategic port city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War , Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. It
988-975: The Woodville Times , founded by his namesake grandfather. Abbott groomed Sengstacke to take over the Chicago Defender, paying for his nephew's education at Hampton Institute , his own alma mater and a historically black college . During the summers Sengstacke worked on the Defender, graduating from Hampton in 1934. Abbott also subsidized his nephew's additional studies at the Mergenthaler Linotype School, The Chicago School of Printing, Northwestern University, and Ohio State University. Abbott appointed Sengstacke as vice president and general manager of The Robert S. Abbott Publishing Company in 1936, after he had assisted as an aide. In 1939 Sengstacke married Myrtle Elizabeth Picou,
1064-544: The Coastal State Prison in Savannah. Beyond its architectural significance as the nation's largest, historically restored urban area, Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene and offers cultural events throughout the year. Savannah's architecture, history, and reputation for Southern charm and hospitality are internationally known. The city's former promotional name was the "Hostess City of
1140-921: The Georgia Historical Society (the oldest continually operating historical society in the South ), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in
1216-805: The Gulfstream Aerospace company, maker of private jets, and various other significant industrial interests. TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah. Morris Multimedia , a newspaper and television company based in Savannah. In 2000, JCB , the third-largest producer of construction equipment in the world and the leading manufacturer of backhoes and telescopic handlers, built its North American headquarters near Savannah in Pooler on I-95 near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport . By 2023, Naturals2Go relocated to Savannah, and Amazon has operated throughout Savannah and its metropolitan area since 2021. The Georgia Department of Corrections operates
1292-579: The Isle of Hope . The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is located on Hutchinson Island , across from downtown Savannah and surrounded by the Savannah River. The Savannah Belles Ferry connects the island with the mainland, as does the Talmadge Memorial Bridge . The Georgia Historical Society is an independent educational and research institution with a research center in Savannah. The center's library and archives hold
1368-662: The January 1985 Arctic outbreak . Seasonally, Savannah tends to have hot and humid summers with frequent (but brief) thunderstorms that develop in the warm and tropical air masses, which are common. Although summers in Savannah are frequently sunny, half of Savannah's annual precipitation falls from June through September. Average dewpoints in summer range from 67.8 to 71.6 °F (20 to 22 °C). Winters in Savannah are mild and sunny with average daily high temperatures of 61.4 °F (16 °C) in January. November and December are
1444-546: The Methodist evangelists John Wesley and George Whitefield . Christ Church continues as an active congregation located on its original site on Johnson Square. The Independent Presbyterian Church , which was founded in 1755, has represented the community's Presbyterian constituency. Other historically prominent churches have included: the First Bryan Baptist Church , an African American church that
1520-502: The National Weather Service has kept records of most data continually since then; since 1948, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport has served as Savannah's official meteorological station. Annual records (dating back to 1950) from the airport's weather station are available on the web. Savannah is a city of diverse neighborhoods. More than 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of
1596-556: The Statesboro and Jesup micropolitan statistical areas. The official 2020 population of this area was 608,239, up from 525,844 at the 2010 census. In 2010, there were 51,375 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. Among them, 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who
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#17328020094751672-614: The United States Census Bureau (2011), the city has a total area of 108.7 square miles (281.5 km ), of which 103.1 square miles (267.0 km ) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km ) is water (5.15%). Savannah is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in Georgia. It is also near the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway . Georgia's Ogeechee River flows toward the Atlantic Ocean some 16 miles (26 km) south of downtown Savannah and forms
1748-468: The fall line , near present-day Augusta . These Shawnee, whose Native name was Ša·wano·ki (literally, "southerners"), were known by several local variants, including Shawano, Savano, Savana and Savannah. Another theory is that the name Savannah refers to the extensive marshlands surrounding the river for miles inland, and is derived from the English term " savanna ", a kind of tropical grassland, which
1824-474: The poverty line , including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. By the 2022 American Community Survey , the median household income was $ 53,258 with a per capita income of $ 31,006. In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 55.04% Black , 38.03% White , 2.00% Asian , 0.03% Native American , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.93% from other races , and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of
1900-681: The 1779 Siege of Savannah and for an independent America. One of the few black regiments to fight for the American side in the Revolutionary War, the soldiers were recruited from present-day Haiti , which was the French colony of Saint-Domingue until its independence in 1804. Chippewa Square honors the Battle of Chippawa during the War of 1812 . It features a large statue of James Oglethorpe ,
1976-792: The Baptist , the Episcopal St. John's Church , and Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.). According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the largest Christian group overall were Protestants within the Baptist tradition, served by the Southern Baptist Convention , National Baptist Convention , National Missionary Baptist Convention , and Progressive National Baptist Convention . Non-denominational Protestants represented
2052-645: The British at the Siege of Savannah . The British did not leave the city until July 1782. In December 1804 the state legislature declared Milledgeville the new capital of Georgia. Savannah, a prosperous seaport throughout the nineteenth century, was the Confederacy's sixth most populous city and the prime objective of General William T. Sherman 's March to the Sea . On December 21, 1864, local authorities negotiated
2128-603: The Courier and the Negro cause. She will be a guiding force in leading this paper to bigger and better things in the future. Two years later, the paper won the John B. Russwurm Award for the best national African-American newspaper. John Sengstacke died on May 28, 1997. His chain of newspapers was run under a family trust until 2003. It was sold to Real Times, whose investors included people with family and business ties to him. Among
2204-601: The Deep South, this is characterized by long and almost tropical summers and short, mild winters. Savannah records only a few days of freezing temperatures each year, and snowfall is rare. Due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast, Savannah rarely experiences temperatures as extreme as those in Georgia's interior. Nevertheless, the extreme temperatures have officially ranged from 105 °F (41 °C), on July 20, 1986, and July 12, 1879, down to 3 °F (−16 °C) during
2280-559: The Fall, and as a romantic escape. Savannah was also named as America's second-best city for "Cool Buildings and Architecture", behind only Chicago . The mile-long Jones Street has been described as one of the most charming streets in America. Savannah is noted for its 22 squares and small parks along five historic streets running north to south. Each street has between three and five squares. The squares vary in size and character, from
2356-571: The Savannah River, one mile east of Savannah's Historic District. Built between 1808 and 1812 to protect the city from attack by sea, it was one of several Confederate forts defending Savannah from Union forces during the Civil War . Fort Pulaski National Monument , located on Cockspur Island, 17 miles (27 km) east of Savannah, preserves the largest fort protecting the city during the war. The Union Army bombarded Fort Pulaski in April 1862 with
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2432-512: The South", which the city government still uses. An earlier nickname was "the Forest City", in reference to the large population of live oak trees that flourish in the Savannah area. These trees were especially valuable in shipbuilding during the 19th century. In 2019, Savannah attracted 14.8 million tourists from across the country and around the world. Savannah's downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark districts in
2508-473: The South, some 5 million from 1940 to 1970. The second wave of migration was chiefly to California and other West Coast cities, as people were attracted by jobs in the defense industry. In the postwar period, veterans and other African Americans pressed for civil rights in the South, where most black citizens had been disenfranchised since the turn of the century, kept in second-class status under Jim Crow , confined to segregated spaces. In 1956, Sengstacke turned
2584-652: The U.S. and now a museum and visitor center). Savannah's downtown area, which includes the Savannah Historic District , its 22 parklike squares , and the Savannah Victorian Historic District , is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the federal government in 1966). Downtown Savannah largely retains the founder James Oglethorpe 's original town plan,
2660-572: The US. Several years later, John H. Sengstacke was ordained as a Congregationalist minister. After settling in Woodville, now a neighborhood of Savannah, Georgia , he became a teacher to improve black education, and a publisher of two local newspapers, including the Woodville Times. Sengstacke had married the widow Flora Butler Abbott, a former slave from St. Simon's Island, Georgia . She had
2736-665: The United States. The city's location offers tourists access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations. Tybee Island , formerly known as "Savannah Beach", is the site of the Tybee Island Light Station , the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast. Other picturesque towns adjacent to Savannah include the shrimping village of Thunderbolt and three residential areas that began as summer resort communities for Savannahians: Beaulieu , Vernonburg, and
2812-400: The association for seven term, seeking to bring publishers together to increase their voice in the industry. It has grown to have 200 members in the 21st century. In 1940, Abbott died and John Sengstacke inherited his uncle's newspaper, becoming president of the company. His role was challenged by Edna Abbott, his uncle's widow, and he had to continue a suit for 10 years before gaining control of
2888-436: The city of Savannah and the surrounding area have remained predominantly Christian . However, a Jewish community has lived in Savannah since the colony's first year. Later, Gullah-Geechee culture and Hoodoo practices were also observed, often alongside Christianity. Founded in 1733, with the establishment of the Georgia colony, Christ Church is the longest continuous Christian congregation in Georgia. Early rectors include
2964-435: The city's founder. In popular culture, the square is the location of the park bench seen in the 1994 film Forrest Gump from which the title character dispenses wisdom to others waiting for a bus. Because both Calhoun Square (the official name until 2022) and Whitefield Square were named for prominent slaveholders, a movement was begun in 2021 to rename them Sankofa Square and Jubilee Square, respectively. Calhoun Square
3040-412: The city: Downtown (Landmark Historic District and Victorian District), Midtown, Southside, Eastside, Westside, and Southwest/West Chatham (recently annexed suburban neighborhoods). Besides the Savannah Historic District , one of the nation's largest, five other historic districts have been formally demarcated: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Savannah's official 2020 population was 147,780, up from
3116-577: The colony of Georgia were founded on that date. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a Royal Colony , with Savannah as its capital. By the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , Savannah had become the southernmost commercial port in the Thirteen Colonies . British troops took the city in 1778, and the following year, a combined force of American and French soldiers, including Haitians, failed to rout
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3192-572: The commission he formed in 1948 to integrate the military. Sengstacke died in 1997 at age 84. In 2000, he was posthumously presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by U.S. President Bill Clinton . John Herman Henry Sengstacke was born in Savannah , Georgia , to Herman Alexander (called Alexander) Sengstacke and his wife Rosa Mae Davis on November 25, 1912. He was named for his paternal grandfather, John H. Sengstacke,
3268-544: The driest months recorded at Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport. Each year, Savannah reports 21 days on average with low temperatures below freezing, though in some years, fewer than 10 nights will fall below freezing, and the city has even gone an entire winter season (1879–80) without recording a freeze. Although decades might pass between snowfall events, Savannah has experienced snow on rare occasions, most notably in December 1989 , when up to 3.9 inches (9.9 cm)
3344-592: The early 20th century as the African-American population expanded in Chicago and other northern cities by the Great Migration . It became known as the major Black newspaper of the country, and Abbott became a millionaire by 1918. When his nephew John H.H. Sengstacke was young, Abbott noticed his interest and work on his father's newspaper, and designated him as Abbott's successor for the Chicago Defender. Young John worked with his father Alexander on
3420-716: The early 21st century had 200 members. A nephew of newspaper founder, Robert Sengstacke Abbott , Sengstacke was Abbott's designated heir to take over the Chicago Defender , which he did after his uncle's death in 1940. Sengstacke also published the Michigan Chronicle in Detroit ; the Tri-State Defender in Memphis, Tennessee ; and acquired the Pittsburgh Courier in 1966, re–opening it
3496-471: The family sold its ownership to Consumer Communications Industries Corporation headed by Clarence Leslie. As of 2020, weekly circulation was listed as 1,115. Bud Dorsey was a full-time photographer for the Defender for more than 20 years when he retired in 2002 . 38°13′34″N 85°47′31″W / 38.226°N 85.792°W / 38.226; -85.792 John Sengstacke John Herman Henry Sengstacke (November 25, 1912 – May 28, 1997)
3572-771: The federal government. Considerable discrimination had taken place due to the political power of the Solid South ; its white conservative Democrats had strong influence in Congress due to having disenfranchised African Americans in the South. In 1947, Sengstacke helped co-found Americans for Democratic Action with: Joseph Alsop , Stewart Alsop , Chester Bowles , John Kenneth Galbraith , Leon Henderson , Hubert Humphrey James I. Loeb , Reinhold Niebuhr , Joseph P. Lash , Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. , Walter Reuther , Eleanor Roosevelt , Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. , and Wilson W. Wyatt One of Sengstacke's major goals at
3648-522: The formal fountain and monuments of the largest, Johnson , to the playgrounds of the smallest, Crawford . Elbert, Ellis , and Liberty Squares are classified as the three "lost squares" destroyed in the course of urban development during the 1950s. Elbert and Liberty Squares were paved over to make way for a realignment of U.S. Route 17, while Ellis Square was demolished to build the City Market parking garage. The city restored Ellis Square after razing
3724-496: The late 1960s Sengstacke purchased the financially ailing black newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier , which had achieved a national reputation during the 1930s and 1940s. It is considered to have been the most influential black newspaper in the country. He re-opened it as the New Pittsburgh Courier in 1967. He continued to be a leader in building black journalism. In 1974 Sengstacke appointed Hazel B. Garland as
3800-489: The most active in the United States. In the United States' early years, goods produced in the New World had to pass through Atlantic ports such as Savannah's before they could be shipped to England. The Port of Savannah grew to become North America's fourth-largest port for shipping container traffic. In 2023, the port handled 4.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU). Savannah's first hotel, City Hotel ,
3876-473: The national level was to desegregate the armed forces, particularly given the sacrifices of African Americans in the Armed Forces during World War II. President Harry Truman named Sengstacke to the commission he formed in 1948 to integrate the military, which started in 1949. The Great Migration had continued during and after the war years until 1970, with a total of 6.5 million African Americans leaving
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#17328020094753952-547: The new editor-in-chief of the New Pittsburgh Courier ; she was the former city editor and the first African-American woman to be managing editor of a national newspaper. When asked about his decision, Sengstacke replied: I have supreme confidence in Hazel, and believe that she will continue to do a great job as editor-in-chief as she did as city editor. She has proven herself over the many years of dedication to
4028-451: The new owners was Sengstacke's nephew Thomas Sengstacke Picou. In 2002, he said his plans for the New Pittsburgh Courier included more emphasis on in-depth features and arts, creating a web presence — which neither it nor the Defender had at the time — and changing its political outlook from liberal to "conservative independence". Books: Articles: Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( / s ə ˈ v æ n ə / sə- VAN -ə )
4104-426: The newspaper company. Through that period, the Defender never missed an issue. During the years of World War II, Sengstacke acted as a national spokesmen for African-American journalism and publishers. He worked with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to ensure that African-American reporters were admitted to presidential press conferences. He also worked to persuade the president to expand opportunities for blacks in
4180-502: The next year as the New Pittsburgh Courier . Sengstacke worked with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to have African-American reporters admitted to presidential press conferences. He pressed for opportunities in the United States Postal Service for African Americans. One of Sengstacke's major political goals was to desegregate the armed forces. President Harry Truman supported this goal, naming Sengstacke to
4256-542: The official 2010 count of 136,286 residents. The U.S. Census Bureau's official 2020 population of the Savannah metropolitan area —defined as Bryan , Chatham, and Effingham counties—was 404,798, up 16.45% from the 2010 census population of 347,611. Savannah is also the largest principal city of the Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area. This larger trading area includes the Savannah and Hinesville metropolitan statistical areas as well as
4332-421: The oldest materials related to Georgia's history. The Savannah Civic Center on Montgomery Street hosts more than nine hundred events annually. Savannah has consistently been named one of "America's Favorite Cities" by Travel + Leisure . In 2012, the magazine rated Savannah highest in "Quality of Life and Visitor Experience". Savannah was also ranked first for "Public Parks and Outdoor Access", visiting in
4408-411: The parking garage. The garage was rebuilt as an underground facility, the Whitaker Street Parking Garage, and opened in January 2009. The restored Ellis Square opened in March 2010. Separate efforts are now underway to revive Elbert and Liberty Squares. Franklin Square is the site of Savannah's Haitian Monument, which commemorates the heroic efforts of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue in
4484-490: The population. Non-Hispanic whites were 32.6% of the population in 2010, compared to 46.2% in 1990. In 2020, its makeup was 48.62% Black or African American, 36.60% non-Hispanic white , 0.21% Native American, 3.80 Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.47% some other race, 3.53% multiracial, and 6.62% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The total number of violent crimes in the Savannah-Chatham County reporting area ran just above 1,000 per year from 2003 through 2006. In 2007, however,
4560-415: The second-largest Christian group, including the Christian churches and Churches of Christ . Methodists were the third-largest, spread among the United Methodist Church and African Methodist Episcopal Church . The single second-largest Christian denomination was the Roman Catholic Church , served by the Diocese of Savannah . Among Savannah's non-Christian population, which forms a minority, Hinduism
4636-426: The southern city limit. Savannah is prone to flooding due to abundant rainfall, an elevation just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. The city currently uses five canals. In addition, several pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects of flash flooding. Savannah's climate is classified as humid subtropical ( Köppen Cfa ). Throughout
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#17328020094754712-805: The total number of violent crimes jumped to 1,163. Savannah-Chatham has recorded between 20 and 25 homicides each year since 2005. In 2007, Savannah-Chatham recorded a sharp increase in home burglaries but a sharp decrease in thefts from parked automobiles. During the same year, statistics show a 29 percent increase in arrests for Part 1 crimes. An additional increase in burglaries occurred in 2008 with 2,429 residential burglaries reported to Savannah-Chatham police that year. That reflects an increase of 668 incidents from 2007. In 2007, there were 1,761 burglaries, according to metro police data. Savannah-Chatham police report that crimes reported in 2009 came in down 6 percent from 2008. In 2009, 11,782 crimes were reported to metro police — 753 fewer than in 2008. Within 2009, there
4788-456: The weekly Chicago Defender into a daily, to keep up with changing conditions and report on black progress. At that time, The Chicago Defender was still the nation's largest African American-owned daily paper. Sengstacke also owned the Michigan Chronicle in Detroit , Michigan , where many blacks worked in the auto industry, and the Tri-State Defender in Memphis, Tennessee , another center of African-American population and businesses. In
4864-481: The year before. In the meantime, street robbery decreased by 23 percent. In 2008, metro police achieved a 90 percent clearance rate for homicide cases, described as exceptional by violent crime unit supervisors. In 2009, the department had a clearance rate of 53 percent, which police attributed to outstanding warrants and grand jury presentations. The SCMPD provides the public with up-to-date crime report information through an online mapping service. The year of 2015 saw
4940-400: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $ 29,038, and the median income for a family was $ 36,410. Males had a median income of $ 28,545 versus $ 22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,921. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below
5016-449: Was Savannah's chief municipal cemetery during the nineteenth century. Bonaventure Cemetery is a former plantation and the final resting place for some illustrious Savannahians. Also located in Savannah are the Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery and the Levi Sheftall Family Cemetery , which both date back to the second half of the eighteenth century. Fort Jackson (named for the Georgia politician James Jackson , not Andrew Jackson ) lies on
5092-442: Was a 12.2 percent decrease in violent crimes compared with 2008. Property crimes saw a 5.3 percent decline, which included a 5.2 percent reduction in residential burglary. In 2008, residential burglary was up by almost 40 percent. While some violent crimes increased in 2009, crimes like street robbery went down significantly. In 2009, 30 homicides were reported, four more than the year before. Also, 46 rapes were reported, nine more than
5168-406: Was an American newspaper publisher and owner of the largest chain of African-American oriented newspapers in the United States. Sengstacke was also a civil rights activist and worked for a strong black press, founding the National Newspaper Publishers Association in 1940, to unify and strengthen African-American owned papers. Sengstacke served seven terms as president of the association, which by
5244-413: Was borrowed by the English from Spanish sabana and used in the Southern Colonies . (The Spanish word comes from the Taino word zabana .) Still other theories suggest that the name Savannah originates from Algonquian terms meaning not only "southerners" but perhaps also "salt". Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. According to
5320-410: Was completed in 1821. It also housed the city's first United States Post Office branch. Between 1912 and 1968, the Savannah Machine & Foundry Company was a shipbuilder in Savannah. For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp , which housed the world's largest paper mill. The plant is now owned by International Paper and remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Savannah is also home to
5396-478: Was most recently affected by an active 2016 hurricane season , including Hurricane Matthew (which made a partial eyewall landfall), and was brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The 2024 season saw impacts from Hurricane Debby and Hurricane Helene . The first meteorological observations in Savannah probably occurred at Oglethorpe Barracks circa 1827, continuing intermittently until 1850 and resuming in 1866. The Signal Service began observations in 1874, and
5472-608: Was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788; First African Baptist Church ; and St. Benedict the Moor Church, which was the first African American Catholic church in Georgia, and one of the oldest in the Southeast . The oldest standing house of worship is First Baptist Church (1833), located on Chippewa Square . Other historic houses of worship in Savannah include: the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John
5548-600: Was recorded in one day in parts of the city. Savannah is at risk for hurricanes , particularly of the Cape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season. Because of its location in the Georgia Bight (the arc of the Atlantic coastline in Georgia and northern Florida) as well as the tendency for hurricanes to re-curve up the coast, Savannah has a lower risk of hurricanes than some other coastal cities such as Charleston, South Carolina . Savannah
5624-934: Was renamed Taylor Square in 2024. Among the historic homes that have been preserved are: the Olde Pink House , the Sorrel–Weed House , Juliette Gordon Low 's birthplace, the Davenport House Museum , the Green–Meldrim House , the Owens–Thomas House , the William Scarbrough House , and the Wormsloe plantation of Noble Jones. Mercer Williams House , the former home of Jim Williams in Monterey Square ,
5700-566: Was seldom affected by hurricanes during the 20th century. Hurricane David , in August 1979, is a notable exception. However, the historical record shows that the city was frequently affected during the second half of the 19th century. The most prominent of these storms was the 1893 Sea Islands hurricane , which killed at least 2,000 people. (This estimate may be low, as deaths among the many impoverished rural African Americans living on Georgia's barrier islands may not have been reported.) Savannah
5776-600: Was the city's second-largest religion. Judaism was Savannah's third-largest, with a history dating back to 1733. Orthodox Judaism , Reform Judaism , and Conservative Judaism were the predominant Jewish traditions adhered to. Islam was the area's fourth-largest religion, followed by the Baha'i . Agriculture was essential to Savannah's economy during its first two centuries. Silk and indigo production, both in demand in England, were early export commodities. By 1767, almost
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