South Memphis, one of the oldest portions of Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

, is a vast community stretching from downtown to the Mississippi state 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, Gaslight Square, Elliston Heights, Dixie Heights, Pine Hill, Westwood

Westwood, Memphis, Tennessee

Westwood, a neighborhood in South Memphis, has many pleasant homes. Also, the neighborhood is home to several churches, recreation facilities, businesses and schools including the more than 4,000 member Mt Vernon Baptist Church Westwood, Big Momma's Kitchen, Charles Powell Community Center, South...

, Riverside

Riverside, South Memphis

Riverside, is one of the many prominent neighborhoods in South Memphis. The neighborhood includes the famous Kansas Street, Carver High, which is on Pennsylvania Street and Martin Luther King Riverside Park. Blair Hunt , the longtime pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Church and the longtime principal...

, Indian Hills, West Junction, Prospect Park, Wilbert Heights, Walker Homes, Mallory Heights, Nehemiah, French Fort, Coro Lake and Whitehaven

Whitehaven, Memphis

Whitehaven is a predominantly African-American community in Memphis, Tennessee, first organized in the late 19th century. Its current population is about 50,000.-Geography:...

.

As well, South Memphis is known for its many churches such as Mt. Vernon Baptist Westwood, Monumental Baptist, Middle Baptist, Metropolitan Baptist, Greater Mt Moriah Baptist, Enon Springs Baptist, Cummings Street Baptist, Unity Baptist, East Trigg Baptist, Union Valley Baptist, Koinonia Baptist, Pilgrim Rest Baptist, Greater Open Door Baptist, Pearly Gate Baptist, New Hope Baptist, Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist, Holy Temple COGIC, Mason Temple COGIC, Bountiful Blessings COGIC, Unity COGIC, Ward's Chapel AME, St Andrew AME, Avery Chapel AME, Warner Temple AME Zion and Ford's Chapel AME Zion. Today, South Memphis is largely covered with aging and abandoned industrial facilities and businesses. It is also home to several important Memphis institutions, including the historic cemeteries Zion, Rose Hill, Elmwood

Elmwood Cemetery (Memphis, Tennessee)

Historic Elmwood Cemetery is the oldest active cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. It was established in 1852 as one of the first rural garden cemeteries in the South.-Origins:...

, Mt Carmel and New Park, LeMoyne-Owen College

LeMoyne-Owen College

-External links:*...

, 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, Hamilton Elementary, Norris Elementary, A.B. Hill Elementary, Ford Road Elementary, Florida-Kansas Elementary, White's Chapel Elementary, Double Tree Elementary, Coro Lake Elementary, Hamilton Middle, Geeter Middle, Corry Middle, Vance Middle, Booker T. Washington High, Westwood High, Carver High, Mitchell High, Hamilton High and Fairley High . South Memphis is also the site of Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

's mansion Graceland

Graceland

Graceland is a large white-columned mansion and estate that was home to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community about 9 miles from Downtown and less than four miles north of the Mississippi border. It currently serves as...

 and the Stax Museum

Stax Museum

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is a museum located in Memphis, Tennessee, at 926 McLemore Avenue, the former location of Stax Records. It is operated by Soulsville USA, which also operates the adjacent Stax Music Academy.-History:...

, which was formerly Stax Records

Stax Records

Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...

, founded in 1957. Blues artists such as Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...

, Otis Redding

Otis Redding

Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...

, Johnnie Taylor

Johnnie Taylor

Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...

 and Rufus Thomas

Rufus Thomas

Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...

 recorded at Stax. In recent years the LeMoyne-Owen College and Stax Museum neighborhood is referred to as Soulsville USA. Additionally, South Memphis consists of the restaurants Stein's, The Crock Pot, the legendary Four Way Grill, Willie Moore's, Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken, Big Momma's Kitchen, Coletta's , Interstate Bar BQ, A&R Bar BQ, Big Bill's Bar BQ, Marlowe's and Catfish Cabin. Also, Black Arts Alliance (The Firehouse), Goodwill Homes, Street Ministries, Davis YMCA, Southside Boys And Girls Club, Java, Juice and Jazz, Epiphany Tennis Court, Bi-State Shuttle, It's All Good Auto, Maxi Foods, Southgate Shopping Center, Southland Mall, Gaston Park, DeSoto Park, Dahlstrom Park, Booth Park, L.E. Brown Park, Weaver Park, Jesse Turner Park (formerly Bellevue Park), Southside Park, Otis Redding Park, Belz Park, McKellar Park, Lincoln Park, Crystal Palace Skating Rink and the nightclubs Classic Soulz, Classic Hitz, Platinum Rose, Club Motions, Club 901, Pure Passion and Lucille's.

Trigg, Brooks Road, Mississippi Boulevard, Elvis Presley Boulevard, Mallory, Horn Lake Road, Kansas, South Lauderdale, Shelby Drive, Orleans, Weaver Road, Florida, Mitchell Road, Holmes Road, McLemore, Neely Road, Kerr, Ford Road, Latham and Raines Road are among the most famous streets in South Memphis. The Memphis Parkway system, which was designed by City Beautiful architect George Kessler

George Kessler

George Edward Kessler was a German American pioneer city planner and landscape architect.Over the course of his forty-one year career, George E. Kessler completed over 200 projects and prepared plans for 26 communities, 26 park and boulevard systems, 49 parks, 46 estates & residents, and 26 schools...

 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

Overton Park

Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Zoo, a 9-hole golf course, Memphis College of Art, Rainbow Lake, Veterans Plaza, Greensward, and other features...

 in Midtown

Midtown, Memphis

- Overview :Architecturally, Midtown Memphis, Tennessee is marked with residential vintage housing, specialty stores, and high-rise buildings, often all located on the same avenue...

. Several important highways also run through South Memphis, including I-55

Interstate 55

Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...

, US 51(Elvis Presley Blvd), US 61 (South Third), US 64 and US 70.

South Memphis has been glorified in African-American music. Blues

Blues

Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...

 pioneer Frank Stokes
recorded South Memphis Blues and Gangsta Blac

Gangsta Blac

Gangsta Blac is a rapper native of Memphis, Tennessee. He was formerly associated with the group Three 6 Mafia, with his underground album, Breakin Da Law, and mainstream debut album, Can it Be?, being produced by DJ Paul & Juicy J. He left the group around 1996 and has released a number of solo...

 became notable for the rap

Rap

Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...

 S.O.U.T.H. Parkway. Other rap artists DJ Paul

DJ Paul

Paul Beauregard, better known by his stage name DJ Paul, is an American rapper and record producer from Memphis, Tennessee. He is one half of the current Memphis-based rap group Three 6 Mafia. He is also the half brother of former Three 6 Mafia member Lord Infamous. He won an Academy Award for Best...

, Playa Fly, Gangsta Boo

Gangsta Boo

Gangsta Boo, also known as Lady Boo was the first female member of the Memphis, Tennessee-based rap group Three 6 Mafia...

, Yo Thug, Lil Chat, Lord Infamous

Lord Infamous

Lord Infamous is an American rapper. He is a co-founder of the Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia. He is also considered by fans and critics alike as being the more psychotic member of the group, with his lyrics touching on occult subject matters such as christianity, satanism, mass murder, suicide,...

, Al Kapone

Al Kapone

This article is about the American rapper, for the notorious gangster, see Al CaponeAlphonzo Bailey, better known by his stage name Al Kapone, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee.-Career:...

, Taylor Boyz, K-Rock

K-Rock

K-Rock is a common radio brand, generally carried by radio stations airing a modern rock format. CBS Radio has owned the K-Rock brand in the United States since 1986. Then known as Infinity Broadcasting, CBS acquired the K-Rock brand after purchasing noted Los Angeles rock station KROQ-FM , its...

, Tommy Wright III, Nick Scarfo, Zed-Zilla, Indo G

Indo G

Indo G is a rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. First hitting the Memphis rap scene with fellow Memphian, Lil' Blunt, in the mid 1990s, they released two albums on Luke Records, Up In Smoke and The Antidote . Soon after, Indo G became affiliated with Three 6 Mafia and released Angel Dust in 1998...

, Tela

Tela

Tela is a town in Honduras on the northern Caribbean coast. It is located in the department of Atlantida.-History:Tela was founded by the Spanish conquistador Cristóbal de Olid on 3 May 1524 near an indigenous town named Tehuacán, ruled by a cacique named Cucumba which had a very good source of...

, DJ Markee, Indawin and Money Mike are also from South Memphis. Yo Gotti

Yo Gotti

Mario Mims better known by his stage name Yo Gotti, is a southern rapper from the northern side of Memphis, Tennessee who was previously known as Lil Yo.-Independent Albums:Yo Gotti released a string of independent albums...

, an artist hail from the large Frayser area of North Memphis, recorded a song called BMF (Street Legends) paying homage to South Memphis gangsters George 'G-Train' Hughlett, Craig Petties and Ronnie Woods. The South Memphis population is predominately made up of African-Americans as well as Latinos.