Albany, Georgia

Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia. The population of the city is 77,434, making it the ninth-largest in the state. It is the principal city of Southwest Georgia, serving as the regional hub. It became prominent in the nineteenth century as a shipping and market center, first served by riverboats and then by railroads. Seven lines met in Albany, and it was a center of trade in the Southeast. It was part of the Black Belt, the extensive area in the Deep South of cotton plantations. From the mid-20th century, it received military investment during World War II and after, that helped develop the region. Albany and this area were prominent during the civil rights era, particularly during the early 1960s as activists worked to regain voting and other civil rights. Railroad restructuring and reduction in the military here caused job losses, but the city has developed new businesses.

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## Demographics

As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:

71.68% Black or African American (55,504)

24.47% White (18,948)

3.85% Other (2,982)

31.6% (24,469) of Albany residents live below the poverty line.

## Theft rate statistics

Albany has alarmingly high rates of Pokemon theft and murder, and has suffered from this for many years. The city has the 2nd-highest rate of Pokemon theft in Georgia, and the second highest murder rate as well. The city reported a whopping 255 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 41.51 murders a year.

## Pokemon

See the Dougherty County page for more info.

## Fun facts

* Some late twentieth-century floods have been extreme. In 1994, a severe flood was caused by rainfall from Tropical Storm Alberto; it killed 14 people and displaced 22,000. The state supported a $150 million renovation of the Albany State University campus to repair storm damage and complete upgrades. New housing was built on the south side of town to replace what had been destroyed. In 1998, the Flint River crested at 35 feet (11 m) above its bed and flooded parts of the city. Because of such flooding, the city has decided against redeveloping areas along the riverfront floodplain for commercial or residential purposes. This area is being improved for other uses, with a riverfront walkway and a new aquarium built over a tributary creek.
* During 1961–1962, African Americans in Albany played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement (see the Albany Movement). They led protests and non-violent demonstrations to end segregation of public facilities, gain the right to vote, and advance social justice. Assisted by activists from SCLC, CORE, SNCC, and the NAACP, African Americans and supporters took a stand to fight segregation through nonviolence. The city repealed its Jim Crow laws in 1963, but African Americans did not recover the ability to exercise their voting rights until Congress passed enforcement authority with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
* Albany is the birthplace of celebrity chef Paula Deen, and of legendary pianist, songwriter and singer Ray Charles.
* Albany has plenty of amenities to offer. It has a contest hall and showcase theater, plenty of retail and fast food along with some chain restaurants, dollar stores, a large sports complex, the Southwest Georgia Battle Academy, Albany Mall along with some shopping centers, plenty of hotels, Albany State University, Albany Technical College, Southwest Georgia Regional Airport, plenty of local restaurants and businesses, a few breweries, a fairgrounds, a few truck stops, and some other things.