South Memphis, Memphis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South Memphis, one of the oldest portions of Memphis, Tennessee, is a vast community with many well kept houses and many rundown houses and its boundaries are from downtown to the Mississippi line. In its early days, it was primarily an agrarian community. There are many neighborhoods in South Memphis and the most prominent are Bunker Hill, Lauderdale Sub, Dukestown, Boxtown, Longview, Lakeview Gardens, Elliston Heights, Dixie Heights, Pine Hill, Westwood, Riverside, Indian Hills, Prospect Park, Walker Homes, Mallory Heights, Coro Lake and Whitehaven.
As well, South Memphis is known for its many churches such as Mt. Vernon Baptist, Monumental Baptist, Middle Baptist, St. Jude Baptist, Riverside Baptist, Unity Baptist, East Trigg Baptist, Union Valley Baptist, Holy Temple COGIC, Bountiful Blessings COGIC, Unity COGIC, Ward's Chapel AME and Ford's Chapel AME Zion. Today, South Memphis is largely covered with aging and abandoned industrial facilities and businesses. However, it is also home to several important Memphis institutions, including the historic cemeteries Zion, Elmwood, Mt Carmel and New Park, LeMoyne-Owen College, T.O. Fuller State Park and the south loop of the Memphis Parkway System. There are over 30 schools in South Memphis including Cummings Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Florida-Kansas Elementary, White's Chapel Elementary, Double Tree Elementary, Coro Lake Elementary, Hamilton Middle, Geeter Middle, Corry Middle, Booker T. Washington High, Westwood High, Carver High, Mitchell High and Fairley High . South Memphis is also the sites of King of Rock N Roll Elvis Presley's mansion Graceland and the Stax Museum, which was formerly Stax Records, founded in 1957. Blues Legends such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas recorded at Stax. In recent years the LeMoyne-Owen College and Stax Museum neighborhood is referred to as Stax-Soulsville.[1]. Additionally, South Memphis consists the entertainment spots Crystal Palace Skating Rink and the nightclubs Classic Soul, Platinum Rose, Club Motions, Club 901 and New York New York.
The Memphis Parkway system, which was designed by City Beautiful architect George Kessler ca. 1902 - 1909, runs through South Memphis. The Parkway system was Memphis' original beltway, and this segment connects M.L. King-Riverside Park in South Memphis with Overton Park in Midtown.[2] Several important highways also run through South Memphis, including I55, US 51, US 61, US 64 and US 70. Airways Blvd., in which one of the major ports of FedEx Airlines is also located in South Memphis.
South Memphis has been glorified in African-American music. Blues pioneer Frank Stokes recorded South Memphis Blues and rapper Gangsta Blac became notable for the song S.O.U.T.H. Parkway. Also, artists DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, Playa Fly, Gangsta Boo, Yo Thug, Lil Chat, Al Kapone, Taylor Boyz, K-Rock, Tommy Wright III, Nick Scarfo, Zed-Zilla, Indo G, Tela, DJ Markee and songstress Erika Michelle' are also from South Memphis. The South Memphis population is predominately made up of African-Americans as well as Latinos. It is also home to a number of both local gangs( Rivacide Clique, Kansas St Gangstas, South Parkway Vets and host of others) and nationally recognized gangs, most notably Gangster Disciples, Crips, Black Disciples, Latin Kings, and Sur 13 as well as several affiliates.
