Amplify Memphis Day Five: Soulsville Reborn and Overton Park Saved
This blog entry was a collaborative endeavor by David Ogle (’20), Erica Alexander (’17), and Caroline Finch (’20):
The first attraction we visited yesterday was STAX Records. Founded in 1957, STAX is a historical attraction that is necessary for all Memphians to
visit. It is a historical place where musicians of all races would come together to play music in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
visit. It is a historical place where musicians of all races would come together to play music in the 1950’s and 1960’s.Artists such as Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MG’s, and Isaac Hayes all recorded at STAX. Most of the Memphis-made music came from STAX records back then. The “Memphis Sound” was made there. Genres such as R&B, Soul, and the Blues were recorded at STAX. Musicians from all over would come to memphis to record their music at STAX. This visit to STAX was very fascinating for me especially, because I am a guitar player and have been playing for nearly half my life.
After touring STAX Museum, we went to Soulsville Charter School. Soulsville is a public school, where the f
unding comes from the district, state, and private donations. The school has had four graduating classes. 40% of the students come from the South Memphis community, which is afflicted with tremendous poverty. To celebrate success at the school, the students snap their fingers to support each other. Students at Soulsville are rewarded for taking care of their class. A lot of students entering sixth grade come in below their grade-level in reading. The students are to always have a book with them to use all their available time to read. When waiting in line to rotate classes, they spend their time reading a book. A vast majority of the graduates are first generation college students. The school admits students from a lottery system, which means that students are selected at random. Alumni counselors follow up with alumni in college who came from Soulsville. Every student has to be a part of a Summer Growth Experience, which can be something like an internship for at least one week during the summer. I enjoyed the tour at Soulsville Charter School. Some of my friends graduated from Soulsville and really enjoyed their experience. I was glad I was able to tour the place that they loved.
unding comes from the district, state, and private donations. The school has had four graduating classes. 40% of the students come from the South Memphis community, which is afflicted with tremendous poverty. To celebrate success at the school, the students snap their fingers to support each other. Students at Soulsville are rewarded for taking care of their class. A lot of students entering sixth grade come in below their grade-level in reading. The students are to always have a book with them to use all their available time to read. When waiting in line to rotate classes, they spend their time reading a book. A vast majority of the graduates are first generation college students. The school admits students from a lottery system, which means that students are selected at random. Alumni counselors follow up with alumni in college who came from Soulsville. Every student has to be a part of a Summer Growth Experience, which can be something like an internship for at least one week during the summer. I enjoyed the tour at Soulsville Charter School. Some of my friends graduated from Soulsville and really enjoyed their experience. I was glad I was able to tour the place that they loved.After taking a tour of the Soulsville Charter School, we grabbed sandwiches from an Italian restaurant called Fino’s, which won an award for best sandwich in Mem
phis from the Memphis Flyer, and found a place to enjoy our food and the outdoors in Overton Park. After lunch was finished, we headed over to the Greensward next to the Memphis Zoo and observed the fenced-in grassy area that is currently being used by the Memphis Zoo as a parking lot, with permission by Overton Park officials. We talked about our possible solutions to the conflict in the battle over the land between the zoo and those concerned about preserving the park. As we talked about the upsides and downsides to every possible solution, we learned about the double-sided thinking that has to go into making difficult decisions. After our visit to the Greensward, we took a hike through an old forest and experienced the beautiful environment that could have been destroyed if I-40 had been built
through the park years ago. Citizens fought the highway extension all the way to the Supreme Court and won, which resulted in the highway being routed around the city instead of coming through it. We found an interesting bicycle sculpture that was built at one entrance to the park and saw firsthand the urban artwork that artists in Memphis are getting grants to build and beautify the city. To finish the day, we were taken on a tour of the Levitt Shell, which is located in the park. The Levitt Shell offers over fifty free music concerts per year, and has a primary focus on bringing the community together using these concerts. On the grassy lawn where people gather to listen to the always-enjoyable music, there are no dividers, and everyone is equal. Our guide told us about his experience with the Levitt Shell as a young adult and what it meant to him and his friends. The Levitt Shell is only one of the amazing things in Memphis that brings the community together and makes Memphis such a great place to live.
phis from the Memphis Flyer, and found a place to enjoy our food and the outdoors in Overton Park. After lunch was finished, we headed over to the Greensward next to the Memphis Zoo and observed the fenced-in grassy area that is currently being used by the Memphis Zoo as a parking lot, with permission by Overton Park officials. We talked about our possible solutions to the conflict in the battle over the land between the zoo and those concerned about preserving the park. As we talked about the upsides and downsides to every possible solution, we learned about the double-sided thinking that has to go into making difficult decisions. After our visit to the Greensward, we took a hike through an old forest and experienced the beautiful environment that could have been destroyed if I-40 had been built through the park years ago. Citizens fought the highway extension all the way to the Supreme Court and won, which resulted in the highway being routed around the city instead of coming through it. We found an interesting bicycle sculpture that was built at one entrance to the park and saw firsthand the urban artwork that artists in Memphis are getting grants to build and beautify the city. To finish the day, we were taken on a tour of the Levitt Shell, which is located in the park. The Levitt Shell offers over fifty free music concerts per year, and has a primary focus on bringing the community together using these concerts. On the grassy lawn where people gather to listen to the always-enjoyable music, there are no dividers, and everyone is equal. Our guide told us about his experience with the Levitt Shell as a young adult and what it meant to him and his friends. The Levitt Shell is only one of the amazing things in Memphis that brings the community together and makes Memphis such a great place to live.