Kilmichael is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, of which is land and 0.36% is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 830 people, 314 households, and 233 families residing in the town. The population density was 298.7 people per square mile. There were 367 housing units at an average density of 132.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 53.37% African American, 46.27% White, 0.24% Native American, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population. There were 314 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $24,712, and the median income for a family was $30,909. Males had a median income of $25,192 versus $18,281 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,457. About 24.8% of families and 25.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Kilmichael is served by the Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District. Two schools in Kilmichael closed in 2018. The Town of Kilmichael was previously served by the Montgomery County School District. Montgomery County Elementary School, formerly Kilmichael Elementary School, and Montgomery County High School were both located in Kilmichael. At one time Kilmichael Elementary had 1,000 students. In 1989, Kilmichael High School and Duck Hill High School consolidated into one school. In 1990, the name was changed to Montgomery County High School. Circa 2001 Kilmichael Elementary had 366 students. In 2004, Kilmichael Elementary and Duck Hill Elementary consolidated to form Montgomery County Elementary School. Effective July 1, 2018 the Montgomery County and Winona Separate School District consolidated into the Winona-Montgomery district. The initial plan is to have one elementary and one high school in Winona, just 11 miles west of Kilmichael.
Controversy
In 2001, the all-white board of aldermen cancelled town elections after citing a need for more time to implement election changes. Allegedly, the elections were delayed in order to avoid electing black politicians. The Justice Department intervened under the Voting Rights Act and forced a special election, in which Kilmichael elected its first black mayor and three black aldermen.
National recognition
Kilmichael native and 1988 Kilmichael High School graduate, Dr. Katrina Poe, was recognized nationally as "Country Doctor of the Year" by Staff Care, etc.. Patients and hospital staff nominated her for the award. Dr. Poe's story was highlighted on NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, USA Today and other forms of national, state, and local media. The national stories aired in January, 2006. Dr. Poe is a family physician at Kilmichael Hospital.. Kilmichael native Phyllis Land-Usher, a 1962 graduate of Kilmichael High School, has been serving the Indiana State Department of Education as the Assistant Superintendent of Education for several years prior to 2007. Land-Usher has been honored and recognized for her school improvement efforts in Indiana. As Assistant Superintendent, Land-Usher leads the Indiana Center for School Improvement and Performance.
In popular culture
Blues guitarist B.B. King was reared in Kilmichael by his maternal grandmother, as his own mother was too poor to take care of him after his father abandoned the family when B.B. was only four years of age. B.B. King was internationally known as the King of Blues. He died in 2015. He won 15 Grammy Awards and was given the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. Two of his songs — "Sweet Little Angel" and "The Thrill Is Gone" — were selected among the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's 500 songs that shaped Rock 'n' Roll. Grace Hightower, a native of Kilmichael, married superstar Robert De Niro in 1997. Hightower is a philanthropist, singer, actress and socialite. She was born in Kilmichael, Mississippi and previously worked as a flight attendant, mutual fund trader and as restaurant staff. Hightower offered the lead vocals for "Somethin's Comin' My Way", featured on the soundtrack of the 2009 movie Precious and played a social worker in the movie.
