African Americans in MemphisMemphis has been an important city for African Americans in the South since the Civil War. They migrated from within Tennessee and from surrounding states to the urban crossroads in large numbers after emancipation, seeking freedom from the oppressive race relations of the rural South. Images of America: African Americans in Memphis chronicles this regional experience from the 19th century to the 1950s. Historic black Memphians were railroad men, bricklayers, chauffeurs, dressmakers, headwaiters, and beauticians, as well as businessmen, teachers, principals, barbers, preachers, musicians, nurses, doctors, Republican leaders, and Pullman car porters. During the Jim Crow era, they established social, political, economic, and educational institutions that sustained their communities in one of the most rigidly segregated cities in America. The dynamic growth and change of the post-World War II South set the stage for a new, authentic, black urban culture defined by Memphis gospel, blues, and rhythm and blues music; black radio; black newspapers; and religious pageants. |
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20th century Americans in Memphis Auditorium Beale Street became Benjamin Hooks black community black Memphians black musical black women Blues Booker born building civil rights Club Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Colored congregation Crump cultural Demby Department of Art film Goodwill Homes gospel graduated Hayes Henderson Hernando hired HOOKS BROS Hooks Brothers photograph Hospital Hotel J. B. Martin Julia Hooks King Vidor leaders Lemoyne College Lemoyne Normal Institute Lucy Jane Wright Manassas Martin Memphis Brooks Museum Memphis Red Sox Memphis Room Memphis World Mississippi Valley Collection MPHS NAACP Negro neighborhood old Greenwood organized PAPER COMING Park pictured portrait principal private collection returned to Memphis Robert Church Jr Rufus Thomas segregated served slave social South Lauderdale Street south Memphis Thomas TRI-STATE BANK University University of Memphis W. C. Handy Walker Avenue Washington High School WDIA wedding