Beale Street, early 1900s
Beale Street, 2022
BEALE STREET, MEMPHIS The first stop on our journey is none other than the home of the Blues, Beale Street in Memphis. If Beale Street could talk, it would have us all sitting around in a cozy little bar downtown, with an exclusive Muddy Waters vinyl playing in the background, while we listen to the many stories that have taken place here throughout the years, all packed together in one street. Beale Street was established in 1841, right before the civil rights movement took off. With a history of ups and downs, the neighborhood started as a promising place for Black business and culture. But when yellow fever struck in the 1870s, it took a big chunk of Memphis’ population. Later on, in the midst of the civil rights movement, Robert Church was one of the most important entrepreneurs that helped bring Memphis back to life. As his contributions to the community and his investments grew, so did the Black-owned businesses on Beale Street. Beale Street quickly became the hot spot for shopping, art, culture, and entertainment, gathering musicians from across the country to play on the street and the center stage of Robert R. Church Park. This was also an actively political area, where former slaves congregated, where headquarters of anti-segregation newspapers made home, where people fought for their rights, and where the sanitation workers’ strike took place in 1968. Today, Beale Street continues to be a hub for art and culture and a historical gem of Black history. When you walk down Beale Street today, you can still feel the energy of those who came before, whose blood, sweat, and tears helped build.
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