Emelle is located in west-central Sumter County in the west-central part of the state. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Artist Thornton Dial and musician Cleo "Big Bo" McGee were born in Emelle.
History

The town incorporated in 1981. Emelle is the site of the largest hazardous waste site in the United States, built in 1978 by Chemical Waste Management, Inc., and operated by the company. The landfill was the subject of national attention during protests for its location in one of the poorest parts of the state in a majority African American town, drawing charges of environmental racism from opponents of the project.
Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Emelle recorded a population of 46. Of that number, 73.9 percent of respondents identified themselves as African American, and 26.1 percent as white. The town's median household income was $41,250, and the per capita income was $24,209.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the work force in Emelle was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Transportation and warehousing and utilities (31.3 percent)
- Retail trade (18.8 percent)
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (12.5 percent)
- Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (12.5 percent)
- Manufacturing (12.5 percent)
- Construction (6.3 percent)
- Public administration (6.3 percent)
Education
Students in Emelle attend Sumter County schools; no public schools are located within the town limits.
Transportation
State Highway 17 crosses the eastern side of Emelle, going north-south.
Events and Places of Interest
Oakhurst, a historic home built by Mobile cotton factor Augustus Anthony Winston in 1854, is listed on both the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage and the National Register of Historic Places.
Additional Resources
Sumter County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Sumter County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2005.
Additional Resources
Sumter County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Sumter County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2005.