Memphis: The City That Blues Built

Memphis, Tennessee. You'll see pretty browns in beautiful gowns. You'll see tailor-made and hand-me-downs. You'll meet honest men and pickpocket skill. You'll find that business never closes till somebody gets killed. If Beale Street could talk, if Beale Street could talk, married men would have to take their beds in war. Except one or two who never drink booze and the blind man on the corner who sings the Beale Street blues. Those are a few lines from a song called Beale Street Blues. TIMELINE 1819: on the banks of the Mississippi River. 1878: yellow fever epidemic. 1950: by Sam Phillips, who is not related to Dewey, by the way, and Marion Kiesker. 1968: a strike by black sanitation workers attracted the attention of Martin Luther King Jr. WHY THIS MATTERS The story of Memphis is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know. Episode 65 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters If you liked this: Episode 175 (Athens, Tennessee) Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-historyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy