As I have written here previously, we visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis back in 1999. The museum is housed within the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down 41 years ago tomorrow evening. This morning, I heard on the...
Today, on the national holiday celebrating the birth of the Martin Luther King, Jr., there's a news story about how King has been simplified into an icon and a catchphrase, and the details of his life and work have been softened, blurred, and appropriated. Being seven...
Memphis, Tennessee — Crowd and police gathered outside the Peabody Hotel because President Bill Clinton is inside on a surprise visit to the city.
Memphis, Tennessee — Pictured above is the Shure 55 microphone said to have been used by Elvis Presley, and beyond it, the control room window at Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service (now known as Sun Studio), the...
Memphis, Tennessee — The recording studio at Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service (now known as Sun Studio) where some of the greatest records in music history were recorded. Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny...
Memphis, Tennessee — The main room of Sam Phillips' Sun Studio (originally Memphis Recording Service), where many hit records by Elvis Presley, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee...
Memphis, Tennessee — The control room at Sun Studio (Memphis Recording Service), the recording studio where Sam Phillips recorded some of the most famous records in music history — including hits by Elvis Presley, Johnny...
Memphis, Tennessee — A Sun Studio tour guide demonstrates how Johnny Cash used a dollar bill slipped between his guitar strings to dampen them, producing a soft, rhythmic sound instead of harmonic chords.[includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee — Sun Studio at 706 Union Avenue, opened by Sam Phillips as "Memphis Recording Service" on January 3, 1950. Sun Studio, a U.S. National Historic Landmark, is the birthplace of rock and roll music. Ike...
Memphis, Tennessee — The Peabody Hotel, seen from S. Third Street south of Gayoso Avenue, with Peabody Place construction beginning.
Memphis, Tennessee — Jim Neely's world-famous Interstate Bar-B-Q Restaurant. Delicious barbecue, pork ribs, beef ribs, chicken dinners, sandwiches, and more. [includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee: 10th Anniversary Gates at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. From the museum's website: Metalsmiths from around the world contributed samples of their work to the Anniversary Gates. The...
Memphis, Tennessee — Detail of the 10th Anniversary Gates at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. From the museum's website: Metalsmiths from around the world contributed samples of their work to the Anniversary...
Memphis, Tennessee — A view of the Mississippi River from a hill outside The Metal Museum.
Memphis, Tennessee — The former Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated (white wreath to the left of the sign on the second-floor railing), now houses the National Civil Rights Museum.[includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee — Jacqueline Smith was the last resident of the Lorraine Motel before it became the National Civil Rights Museum. She has been across the street from the museum at her protest site since January 12,...
Memphis, Tennessee: National Civil Rights Museum protester Jacqueline Smith, the last resident of the Lorraine Motel, has kept a protest vigil across the street since January 12, 1988. The sign leaning against the wall...
Memphis, Tennessee — The shot that killed Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is said to have been fired by James Earl Ray through the fourth window from the right, a bathroom in Bessie Brewer's Rooming House at 422 S. Main St. Dr....
Memphis, Tennessee — National Civil Rights museum memorial of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel, where the museum is now located. Dr. King had just stepped out of Room 306...
Memphis, Tennessee — The restaurant Buns on the Run at 2150 Elzey Avenue, closed for the Independence Day holiday.
Memphis, Tennessee — The Witch Doctors perform at The Black Diamond on Beale Street.
Memphis, Tennessee — Police officers watch Fourth of July revelers on Beale Street at Third Street, in front of Silky O'Sullivan's (at left).
Memphis, Tennessee — Rooftop Fourth of July party atop the Peabody Hotel, with lighted sign and flag above the famous elevators used by ducks.
Memphis, Tennessee — Waiting for the Independence Day fireworks at Confederate Park on the Mississippi River. Confederate Park has since been renamed "Memphis Park." [includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee — The Main Street Trolley in front of Court Square. In the evening sunlight at upper right is the Exchange Building.
Memphis, Tennessee — The Lowenstein Building (left) and the Lincoln American Tower before an extensive reconstruction.
Memphis, Tennessee — Tables in the dining room at the Memphis Marriott East's Blue Shoe Bar & Grill, which specializes in Southern cuisine.
Memphis, Tennessee — Invasive species: Kudzu vines covering things on President's Island.
Memphis, Tennessee — Kudzu, an invasive species known as "the vine that ate the South," growing on President's Island.
Memphis, Tennessee — Court Square and its Main Street Trolley station, seen from the Sleep Inn at Court Square hotel.
Kenosha, Wisconsin — Self portrait: At work on an Apple computer workstation in my home office, surrounded by books.
Memphis, Tennessee — A pair of passengers on the Main Street Trolley.
Memphis, Tennessee — Interior of the Center for Southern Folklore at 209 Beale Street.
Memphis, Tennessee — Life-size bronze statue by sculptor Leone Tommasi honoring W. C. Handy stands facing Beale Street, just inside the entrance to Handy Park. [includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee-- A crowd awaits Independence Day festivities at Handy Park near the W.C. Handy statue by Leone Tommasi.
Memphis, Tennessee — Beale Street, just south of A. Schwab's dry goods store, the only remaining original business on Beale. Across Beale Street at far left is King's Palace Cafe. [includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee — Beale Street at Second ahead of the July 4th celebration. The barricade sign reads, "No vehicles, no bicycles, no skates, no skateboards, no glass containers, no animals/reptiles."[includeme...
Memphis, Tennessee — Main Street entrance of downtown's Peabody Place.
Memphis, Tennessee — Main Street building occupied by the Perez Cigar Company.
Memphis, Tennessee — Full Gospel Tabernacle at 787 Hale Road, the church where Rev. Al Green is pastor.
Memphis, Tennessee — Posing with a couple we met during Sunday services at Full Gospel Tabernacle, Rev. Al Green's church at 787 Hale Road. Pastor Green was out of town when we visited....
Memphis, Tennessee — Amy with a couple of churchgoers we met at Full Gospel Tabernacle, Rev. Al Green's church at 787 Hale Road. Pastor Green was not present this particular Sunday....
Memphis, Tennessee — Sign outside the famous dance club Raiford's Hollywood Disco: "No discrimination. No saggy pants. Ladies free."
Memphis, Tennessee — Exterior of the famous dance club Raiford's Hollywood Disco at 115 Vance Ave.
Exterior of the Blue Plate Cafe, a restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee.
During the 1950s, dinnerware manufactured by the Royal China Company of Sebring, Ohio, and decorated with transfer printed scenes taken from prints by Currier & Ives was offered as promotional premiums by A&P grocery...
Memphis, Tennessee — We wanted to escape our Kenosha apartment for the Fourth of July holiday and decided to drive to "Memphis in the meantime." Breakfast on the 4th was here at the cheerful Blue Plate Cafe, where we enjoyed...