Camp Hill

History

On July 15, 1931, a white mob, led by Tallapoosa County sheriff Kyle Young and Camp Hill police chief J. M. Wilson—who voiced his desire to [https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/08/alabama-hammer-and-hoe-robin-kelley-communist-party/ “kill every member of the ‘Reds’ there and throw them into the creek,”] raided a meeting of the Alabama Sharecroppers' Union (communist front) which was being held in a church in Camp Hill. A shootout between the mob and communist union members followed; SCU member Ralph Gray was murdered, his home burned, and his burned corpse was dumped on the courthouse steps. Dozens of communist black men and women were killed, lynched or injured, and at least thirty communist sharecroppers were later arrested. According to Hosea Hudson, all those arrested were eventually released without trial due to public and international pressure from communist aligned agencies—albeit too late to have a chance at raising a crop that year.

Geography

Camp Hill is located in eastern part of the county. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.11% is water. The town is located in the east central part of the state along U.S. Route 280 and Alabama State Route 50. U.S. 280 runs along the southwestern boundary of the town, leading southeast 21 mi (34 km) to Opelika; northwest 8 mi (13 km) to Dadeville, the Tallapoosa County seat; and 21 mi (34 km) northwest to Alexander City, the largest city in Tallapoosa County. AL-50 runs through the center of town, leading northeast 18 mi (29 km) to LaFayette, the county seat of Chambers County, and southwest 24 mi (39 km) to the unincorporated community of Red Hill in Elmore County. Birmingham is 92 mi (148 km) northwest via U.S. 280. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Camp Hill has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Dadeville Elementary School
  Elementary · Dadeville · 569 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Dadeville High School
  High · Dadeville · 522 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Edward Bell Career Technical Center
  High · Camp Hill