Anna

History

Anna was platted on March 3, 1854, after the new Illinois Central Railroad established a station there. It was founded by Winstead Davie and named after Anna Davie, his wife. It was then incorporated on February 16, 1865. The coming of the railroad can be credited for prompting the founding of the City of Anna, although, from the time of the George Rogers Clark expedition into Southern Illinois country, emigrants recognized its agricultural possibilities. During the American Civil War, Camp Anna in 1862 was the mustering and training location for some Illinois Infantry regiments, including the 81st, 109th, and 110th. There have been various commemorations ever since, including: 2013 and 2022. Sentiments in Union County for the north and south were clearly divided during the war. Contemporary newspapers were blatantly political. The Anna Democrat continued publication, while the Jonesboro Gazette was denied its constitutional right to freedom of the press from 15 May 1863 until it was allowed to resume publication on 5 March 1864. The newspapers were consolidated to form The Gazette-Democrat on 26 October 1939. In 1909, town residents attempted to drive out the black families who lived in Anna, after the lynching of William "Froggie" James in the nearby town of Cairo, Illinois, for the alleged rape and murder of Anna resident Anna Pelley. Anna was historically a sundown town, in which African Americans were excluded from living in the town's limits. Though the town was named after Anna Davie, the wife of the town's founder, some outsiders believed that the town's name was an acronym for "Ain't No Niggers Allowed". The town has become infamous for it by its portrayal in literature and film. The phrase is still well-known, with few non-white residents owing in part to…

Geography

Anna is located at .

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Anna-Jonesboro High School
  High · Anna · 497 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• Jonesboro Elem School
  Elementary · Jonesboro · 341 students · 12.2:1 ratio
• Anna Junior High School
  Middle · Anna · 238 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• Lincoln Elem School
  Elementary · Anna · 219 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• Cobden Elem School
  Elementary · Cobden · 211 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• Cobden High School
  High · Cobden · 161 students · 12.4:1 ratio
• Lick Creek Elem School
  Elementary · Buncombe · 139 students · 11.6:1 ratio
• Dongola Elementary School
  Elementary · Dongola · 124 students · 13.8:1 ratio