South City

South City is best known for the Foote Homes development, Memphis’ last public housing project. The $250 million South City revitalization aims to transform the 420-unit institution into mixed-income apartments and rental homes with an emphasis on safety, maintenance, and green space. The project is expected to be complete by 2021. Community leaders hope as South City efforts extend to the areas surrounding the Foote Homes site, they’ll link with efforts in South Memphis and the Downtown Core for a continuous corridor of deep investment.

On the greensward at Overton Park, members of the Central High School band take a few extra minutes to practice their parts as the rest of the band wraps up practice behind them. May 2021. (Cole Bradley)

The parks are packed as Memphians look to work and play safely

Memphis has seen a surge in park usage this spring due in no small part to the pandemic and economic recession. Parks are free, fun, healthy, and safer for gathering […]

Cornelia Crenshaw speaks at a rally in Forrest City, Arkansas in September of 1961. Roughly 300 people attended. (Photo by James R. Reid)
Black Memphis, Black History: Remembering Cornelia Crenshaw, “mother” of local Civil Rights Movement
Archie "A.W." Willis, Jr. stands at center. Seated are members of the Memphis State Eight. These students were the first to integrate what is now the University of Memphis.
Black Memphis, Black History: The legacy of A.W. Willis
Christine Jones and her mother Irma (behind) walk down the hall toward an exam room while being seen at the Guthrie Primary Care Clinic in Smokey City, North Memphis. (Andrea Morales, 2017).
Healthcare has never been equitable and the pandemic is proof
Walking in Memphis: Put on your tennis shoes and discover South Memphis history
Archie Willis rides the Madison Avenue trolley bus through Madison Heights. (Ziggy Mack)
In Photos: More Memphis neighborhoods revisited
The 2020 Trailblazer Award honored Memphis women making a significant contribution to preserving and celebrating the city's cultural heritage. Beautiful award statues were presented to each winner. (Cole Bradley)
Trailblazer Awards honored Memphis women who champion the city’s cultural heritage

Last week's Trailblazer Awards honored nine individual women and the National Civil Rights Museum for their contributions preserving and celebrating Memphis' cultural heritage. 

A group of experts convened by the Urban Land Institute spent three days engaging stakeholders and studying several South Memphis parks. They presented their research findings at a public meeting on January 31. (A.J. Dugger)
Urban Land Institute studies South Memphis parks, makes suggestions for key improvements

The national Urban Land Institute was in town last week to study parks in South Memphis. They presented their findings in a public meeting that explored the role these parks play in neighborhood revitalization and how to activate them with limited resources.

Artist Terry Lynn's original sculpture design will pay homage to Foote Homes, the former public housing project that was raze for redevelopment into the new South City mixed-income development. (Symmbol Sanderlin)
Local artist creating sculpture for South City honoring legacy of Foote Homes

The redevelopment of South City will include a steel sculpture by Memphian Terry Lynn. The sculpture will honor the legacy of Foote Homes, Lynn's grandfather, and future hopes for South City.

L to R: Community Correspondents Ian Randolph, Ivy Arnold, and Monique Rials listen attentively to a conversation on journalist ethics lead by trainer, Micaela Watts. (Cat Evans)
Who tells the story? High Ground program trains Memphians to report their neighborhoods’ news

High Ground's new Community Contributors program takes passionate Memphians and gives them the skills to find and report stories that acknowledge their neighborhoods' struggles but focus on their resilience.  

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