Black History Month in Memphis
Memphians know that Black History is Memphis’ History. Since the beginning, Black innovators have shaped everything from the streets we walk on to the places we all know and love. Their legacies live on through the countless Black Memphians who inspire, encourage, uplift us all to make Memphis the best place it can be. Black history isn’t a one-month thing—especially in Memphis. We celebrate the Black community 365 days and year and will continue to uplift our community’s inspirational stories every single day.
By: Ivy K. Arnold Without a doubt, Memphis is known to have the best food in the world. Unlike other debatable cities, you can never go wrong with our cultural melting pot of top tier barbecue, soul food that guarantees to bless yo’ soul, flavorful wings that’ll make ya’ sang, seafood […] Have you ever heard of Black Wall Street? I did not learn about Black Wall Street during my twelve-year tenure as a Memphis City School student. So here are a few fun facts. In 1921, Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street, was one of the wealthiest […] In the movement for Black Lives, we can’t ignore the lives of Black LGBTQIA+ people. Black LGBTQ leaders have been historically swept under the rug, moved behind the curtain and even pushed back into closets in our country’s most prominent movements. However, we wouldn’t be where we are […] “Alexa, play Boys II Men “Goodbye” Is it me or does the last week of Black History Month feel somewhat gloomy? But let’s be honest – in Memphis where 60 some percent of Memphians are Black – every month can be Black History Month. Every month, we should dedicate some time to uplift […] Black History Month gives us an opportunity to pay homage to some great Memphis artists: from Aretha Franklin (yes, Detroit – she was born here), Issac Hayes, Ernest Withers and George Hunt. Memphis has and continues to birth culture creators and shifters. There’s been a fresh wave of […] Each February we highlight some of the most inspirational African Americans that have ever lived. Some of us revisit and debate Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I’ve Been to Mountaintop” speech, some try to make it through all of Alex Haley’s “Roots” series, and others ride down Union Ave. […]Black-Owned Vegan Spots In Memphis
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Black History is Memphis History
In Memphis, Black History is celebrated year round. Want to pay tribute to the past and look towards the future? Check out these shirts! Shop NowMemphis- like all cities, has a history of both highs and lows. We’ve been touched by the best of mankind, but also the worst. The one constant in Memphis, however, is our relentless pursuit of positive change to make our city a better place.
We attract the fearless- those with innovative spirits and the drive to create something special. People who rise above and see a brighter future for themselves and others. And it’s those people- from Tom Lee to Ida B. Wells to Danny Thomas- that’s made Memphis what it is today.
We are the City on the Bluff
Memphis, with its prime position on the Chickasaw bluff, has always been a magnet for people. The land was claimed and populated by the Chickasaw Native Americans who inhabited the space until European Colonists arrived in the area in the 16th century.
Offering protection from Mississippi floods and with a shelf of sandstone perfect for boat landing, the land atop this bluff was perfectly suited for commerce and began Memphis’ business success.
African American history
Following the Jackson Purchase in 1818, West Tennessee was opened for settlement by Europeans and on May 22, 1819 the city was founded by a group of investors that included John Overton and James Winchester. With an economy largely supported by the cotton industry, early Memphis relied heavily on the labor of slaves for its success, and continued this model for its economy until after the Civil War.
Post-Civil War Memphis, which had been a valuable Union (outpost) for most of the war following the capture of the city in the Battle of Memphis, provided an opportunity for African Americans to take their share of Memphis’ wealth. Notable businessman Robert Church, Sr. founded the first African American owned bank in the city, and bought real estate- including land on Beale Street – that he used to create a new cultural epicenter for African Americans. Although they experienced great economic strides in the years following the Civil War, African Americans once again found themselves disenfranchised in a repopulated Memphis following the Yellow Fever Epidemic. With only small gains in their economic status in the early 20th century, African Americans in Memphis wouldn’t see true change until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
The fight for equality
Following the deaths of sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker, Memphis sanitation workers officially went on strike in February 1968 to protest the years of discriminatory treatment and demand better working conditions. With support from the African American community, the strikers marched for months and called on Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. to join them in their protests.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Fearing rioting, Memphis Mayor Henry Loeb, who initially refused to meet with the strikers and employed methods to undermine them, reached a settlement and the strike officially ended on April 16, 1968. The National Civil Rights Museum now stands at the site of the Lorraine Motel.
A new generation of sound
With Beale Street as its home, Memphis’ sound was uncontainable. W.C. Handy wrote the first blues song published in America- Memphis Blues in 1912, Elvis Presley began his recording career at Memphis’ Sun Records, and B.B. King got his start on Beale Street. Memphis’ music has a history that spans decades and genres. In the 1960s, the Memphis Sound, a mixture of blues, R&B, and soul, was created at Stax Records featuring the work of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, The Bar-Kays and more.
Unstoppable City
Memphis has always been a city for innovators and groundbreakers- those among us who refuse to accept the status quo, instead pulling us all into change. This is our greatest legacy and a birthright we continue to embrace today. In the city where the first modern supermarket was created, ideas and innovation now ship goods globally in moments; where music found its soul now a new beat is being born; and where a King of civil rights fell now a National Civil Rights Museum prominently stands.
The magic of Memphis is this city’s resilience. Civil Rights struggles, economic downturns, and even widespread illness are part of Memphis’ history, but always, our creativity, innovative spirit, and strong sense of community allow us to overcome the challenges and emerge stronger than ever.
Learn more/get engaged
For more information about the history of Memphis, visit The Memphis and Shelby County Room on the 4th floor of the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.
