History of Sledge, MS

Sledge, Mississippi is a small town located in the state’s Quitman County. The town came into existence with the development of the railway system in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like many small Southern towns in the United States, it was initially based around agriculture, especially the cultivation of cotton.

Sledge is most famously known as the birthplace of Charley Pride, a pioneering Black country music artist. Pride was born in Sledge in 1934 and went on to break racial barriers in the world of country music.

Over his career, Pride had dozens of top-ten hits, won numerous awards, and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. As we prepare for a future full of advancements, we take pride in being part of the rich tapestry of small-town life in Mississippi.