Founded as an agricultural community, South Memphis was stable and close-knit until the 1950s when businesses and families began relocating to the suburbs. Ill-conceived “revitalization” in the 1980s leveled many early buildings and accelerated the decline. Today, it is one of the city’s most economically challenged but culturally rich neighborhoods. The Soulsville area attracts thousands of tourists each year while resident-led revitalization has steered recent investments towards an area farmers market as well as a childcare and family center. South Memphis is also home to numerous community gardens, LeMoyne Owen College, and the famous Four Way Grill.
The National Civil Rights Museum and Beale Street cannot contain all of Memphis' cultural heritage. An innovative project, the Memphis Heritage Trail, brings the history of Memphis' streets and structures from South Memphis to Orange Mound to life through art installations and signage.
Friends of the Fairgrounds hope to partner with the City of Memphis on a comprehensive plan to restore the Fairgrounds as a public attraction.
EPIcenter and Little Bird Innovation announced the first recommendations for a development plan using data from the Made By Project, a first-of-its-kind qualitative and quantitative research of more than 300 makers, artisans and micro-manufacturers in Memphis and Shelby County.
The Memphis Area Transit Authority is working on a grant application that could result in up to 16 new electric buses to add to its fleet, and one electric bus is being delivered this week for MATA to test out around town.
Almost 30 at-risk youth have been employed with Sweet LaLa’s Bakery since it opened in 2014.
In line with its mission, Explore Bike Share will deliver a first-ever bike share program to Memphis with 60 stations housing 600 bikes across high-density areas of Downtown and Midtown as well as connector neighborhoods of South Memphis, Orange Mound and Binghamton.
The fourth annual South Memphis barbecue cook-off brings churches and residents together intentionally to foster a safer, vibrant community.
Founded in 1935, Lucky Heart Cosmetics has seen its share of changes. The black beauty product manufacturer has opened its first retail store in the hopes of attracting its next generation of loyal customers.
Mid-June means community on Tate Street. For the past 20 years, South Memphis resident Betty Isom has hosted a Stop the Violence Block Party, which is meant to inspire pride in the community and decry violence.
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