If you drive down HWY 1 (as I prefer to do instead of HWY 61 on my way to and from Greenville, MS and my office in Memphis) and drive through Bolivar County/Rosedale, MS-it is “so poor, so black”. Quote stolen from Wolf Blitzer after Hurricane Katrina.
Been down both roads many times. Most of the Delta seems closer to some third world country than the United States. Especially when compared to the most of the rest of the state.
I lived in the Delta as a child and don’t remember anything like it is today.