Memphis on My Mind
All roads lead into and out of Memphis via, air, river, rail and road. Just as it has always been, the area continues to function as a place of cultural incubation and a vehicle for the transmission of its unique historic, culinary and musical traditions. @memphistravel.com
When Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto entered the area in 1541 he encountered large native settlements but by the time the French and British explorers reach the area in 1673 they found it largely deserted until the Chickasaw tribe migrated into the region in the 1600s. In 1739 the French erected Fort Assumption on the Mississippi River’s fourth bluff on the site of modern Memphis. Shortly thereafter, in the 1760s, Abraham is documented as the first recorded black in Memphis 1760s.
Memphis was officially founded on May 22, 1819 when West Tennessee was opened for settlement. The government purchased the land from the Chickasaw Nation and in the 1830s it was a major departure point for Native Americans on the Trail of Tears. Three investors, including Andrew Jackson, laid out the city with four squares and named it after the Egyptian city in North Africa.
Memphis rapidly became a hub for the plantation cotton trade in the Delta. As a result of the trade huge numbers of slaves were imported and Memphis became a lucrative auction center. Efforts to gain freedom aboard Underground Railroad operated in the area.
Joseph Burkle established the Burkle Estate in 1849. Tours of his home, now “Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum”, feature the cellar, trap doors and tunnels and displays on the ante-bellum era and slave trade. His operation was so clandestine that documentation was not released until 1991. Of special note is the huge magnolia tree on the exterior. It functioned as a signal to freedom seekers because it is green all year. slavehavenundergroundrailroadmuseum.org
Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861 and the importance of Memphis became immediately apparent. The only east–west rail link across the South, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, was there and the Confederates moved to fortify the city. The Union recognized its strategic worth and fought the 90-minute Battle of Memphis in 1862 for control. The Union won and held the city throughout the Civil War. One, fruitless, Confederate raid was led by Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest was born in a 2-room cabin in Memphis. The site is designated with a marker.
Enslaved individuals flocked to the city because it was behind Union lines and by war’s end the black population rose from 3,000 to 20,000 blacks living there.
During Reconstruction a massacre took place from May 1-3 in 1866. The riots were caused by racial tensions with returning black members of the Union Army. A white rampage resulted in the death of 45 African Americans and the wounding of 75 and the destruction of 4 churches and 12 schools.
Robert Church, Sr. was born in 1839 and used his entrepreneurial skills to become the South’s first African American millionaire. He purchased a large parcel of land on Beale Street and in 1899 constructed a 2,000-seat amphitheater and park for use by African Americans because they were denied access to public parks. In 1906 he founded the Solvent Savings Bank & Trust Company. The current 7.68-acre Church Park displays historical markers and a trail.
An African American History Tour of Memphis, A Tour of Possibilities, is the best way to get an overview of the city’s history and visit all the relevant sites. The tour is immersive, informative and comprehensive driving tour and is a great orientation for understanding the unique cultural legacy Memphis nurtured and exported internationally.
According to legend the Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of the 1923 Peabody Hotel in Memphis and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg and since 1841 Beale Street has been the beating heart of the Delta. It attracted regional musicians brining with them musical forms developed in the fields and church and sharpened during hard times. New musical forms grew from the blending of blues, gospel, jazz and soul and the music and its makers gained worldwide fame. Beale Street continues to be a popular entertainment and dining area and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
A bronze statue of W.C. Handy atop a marble pedestal stands in Handy Park. It was dedicated in 1931 with Mahalia Jackson in attendance. Handy, known as the “Father of the Blues”, in 1912 became the first to record a Blues song, “The Memphis Blues”, in the US. Tours of his grey shotgun house are offered. The featured memorabilia and artifacts are significant to the Blues legacy. He, his wife and 6 children lived in Memphis from 1905 until 1918.
Sam Phillips established the Memphis Recording Service in 1950 on Union Avenue. On his Sun Records label he recorded Johnny Cash, Elvis Pressley, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Ike Turner. Turner’s recording of “Rocket 88” is considered the first rock ’n’ roll record. Sun Studio tours and studio time are available.
Stax Records opened 7-years later and recorded almost solely African American artists and can be credited with promoting Southern soul music. The original building was demolished and in its place is a museum and school. The Stax Museum Of American Soul Music
is arranged chronologically and begins with a 17-minute orientation video and relocated regional church paying homage to the roots of Southern music. Highlights of the galleries are memorabilia, photos and interactive areas. Isaac Hayes’ gold-plated, peacock blue, 1972 ‘Superfly’ Cadillac El Dorado rotates and is a great photo op. The museum has partnered with the Smithsonian Institution to preserve the memory and contributions of artists including Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes and David Porter. www.staxmuseum.com
While in Memphis you too can become a star by booking time in a studio at 4U Recording. Tours are available. Three state-of-the-art studio spaces are on view when not in use. Call for reservations. 4urecording.com
On February 12, 1968 thirty-two sanitation workers from Local 1733 went on strike for more pay and better working conditions. Dr. King visited in March and returned in April to lend his support. He stayed at the Lorraine Motel. On April 3rd he gave his most famous speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” at the Mason Temple. On April 4th a sniper assassinated him with a single shot from the bathroom window of a boarding house across the street. He was taken to St Joseph’s Hospital and died in the emergency ward at 7 pm.
Lorraine Bailey, co-owner of the motel, upon learning of King being shot, died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The strike was settled on April 16th.
The largest manhunt in our history began immediately for James Earl Ray who escaped in a white Mustang. More than 1,500 FBI agents were involved. On June 8th he was captured at Heathrow Airport in London. He was returned to Memphis in a Thompson Tank and while incarcerated pre-trial he was guarded by 14 men t a time. He pled guilty and received 99-years. Afterwards he claimed to be innocent.
The Lorraine Motel is now the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum chronologically presents the history of African Americans in the United States as well as the story of the Civil Rights Movement. Here you can step on the bus with Rosa Parks and March in Selma. The tour ends with a view into King’s room 306, preserved down to his final meal. Civilrightsmuseum.org
Dr. Ernest C. Withers was a police officer with a penchant for photography whose photographs impacted the history of an era. He was hired by the Chicago Defender Newspaper to photograph the Emmett Till trial in 1955 and these images are those with which we are still familiar. The Withers Collection Museum & Gallery is housed within his former studio and his legacy includes more than 1,800,000 images.
Memphis has a culinary legacy that permeates its history and at the heart of it is the justifiably famous barbecue. While barbecue remains the “legacy” dish, new restaurants are infusing chef created meals with local ingredients and adding unique spices and flavors. Black Restaurant Week is a culinary festival that features the best of the best:
Alcenia’s has been showcased on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. If you are seeking soul food and great ambiance, Alcenia’s is ground zero. My tip is to leave room for dessert.
Curry N Jerk Authentic Caribbean Cuisine presents an excellent fusion of family recipes from Panama and Jamaica. The original culinary traditions were a mixture of cultures and regions and Curry N Jerk upholds that tradition. This is a casual, full-service, restaurant.
Supper Club On 2nd
is a sophisticated urban bistro. The emphasis here is on crafting a dining
experience with selections selected to be representative of Memphis’ casual elegance. They offer three signature cocktails and you should try them all.
Mahogany Memphis’ menu takes southern cuisine to a new level and then adds
Creole flavorings. Bring a friend, dine inside or on the porch and soak up the Memphis vibe.
Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis is the perfect place to wind down after a legacy-laden day. The hotel, located
Downtown, emphasizes a feeling of community, and is only steps away from Beale Street and an abundance of dining and
entertainment venues. Caption offers all the amenities as well great views of the river.
Memphis blend of music, heritage, history and culture is totally unique. Explore this city and preserve the legacy. #MustbeMemphis
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