The Pink Palace is, of course, a wonderful place to start if you are doing any sort of research about the city of Memphis and its environs--from early dinosaur bones uncovered at the site of the former Mall of Memphis, to stories of flappers, the Beale Street business district, or how life was lived in the 19th century. I know I enjoyed reading about the household ephemera--bottles and medicines, chatelains and sewing kits. Such things fascinate me.
Our next trek will of course be Elmwood! I am very excited about this tour, as you know it is a place near and dear to my heart. I was asked to be Elmwood's photographer-in-residence for the year 2013, and during that time, I was welcome to tour the grounds on my own, visit during off-hours, and invited to some of the wonderful parties they have during the month of October, such as the Twilight Costume Tour. It is truly a beautiful place to visit, meditate, commune with the spirits, and learn volumes about Memphis history. Below are some of the photos I took during my time as Elmwood's photographer, and a link to Elmwood's site if you would like to read a bit more. I also have a book to share with you before our visit--the only book published about Elmwood, its history, and its inhabitants--Elmwood: In the Shadows of the Elms by Perre Magness, which is a wonderful, comprehensive guide to this beautiful, historic cemetery. And finally, you can read about Elmwood and explore some of the upcoming events on their schedule here.
As a reminder, I will be out of town this week, beginning Wednesday, February 24th. In light of the conference I am attending and the workload I have to face before I leave, we will not meet Tuesday night as scheduled. Instead, we can substitute an asynchronous panel here on our blog, to talk about the progress of each of your projects. In a paragraph or so, describe where you are in the process. Have you had successes you'd like to share? Any difficulties? What have you learned so far? Do you find your enthusiasm growing for this project, or is it beginning to drag a little? It's fine to be honest: not everything goes perfectly all the time! So, if you are hitting a snag, perhaps we can help one another over the rough spots.
So, why don't we do this: since we would not see each other again until our Elmwood tour, let's plan to meet briefly on March 1st at six pm.--except I'm putting a twist on our meeting: let's meet at the Starbuck's on Sycamore View--just down the street from Macon Campus. No one has to unlock the door and we can get a shot of caffeine while we talk. Not a coffee drinker? Tea or juice is offered as well. Then if Saturdays work better for all, we can plan to make our Elmwood tour March 5th at two p.m. If you like, we can grab a bite somewhere nearby afterward.
I won't have a computer while I'm away, but I have my cell if you need to reach me.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN READ IN, FEBRUARY 29th!! Noon, all campuses!
So, to recap:
African American Read-In, February 29th
"In class" meeting at Starbuck's on Sycamore View, 6:00 March 1
Tour of Elmwood Cemetery the following Saturday, March 5
Give a summary of your progress on your semester-long projects below
Have a lovely week, and I will look forward to seeing you soon!
I’ve started going around to the cemeteries, I did a couple of interviews, but recently things have begun to pile up and it’s been difficult for me to go out and do the work required for the project, but fingers crossed, it’ll slow down shortly. My enthusiasm has sort of leveled, probably because I have all these things I need to do, but that I haven’t been able to do. Otherwise, everything is going reasonably well.
ReplyDeleteMy semester long project is going really well. I have since change what I wanted it to be about completely. Originally, I started with trying to focus on international cultures that have traveled to Memphis from other countries. However, now I have chosen to zone in on Memphis culture in itself. We have our own tourist destinations that are a given when you travel here. Everyone who makes a stop in this city is going to automatically go to these places. Spots like Graceland, STAX Records, and Beale Street; just to name a few, go hand in hand when you think of Memphis, Tennessee. People come from all around to visit these sites that separate us from other cities. Even though these icons are symbolic of our rich history, there is still an underground scene that is overlooked by your average tourist. If you are from around here, you are obviously going to make your way to Beale Street at some point. Yet, on a typical weekend night, a dive bar is what most people aim for. The dive bars I have been visiting, unknown to outsiders of Memphis, are the main places that have attracted local attention throughout generations. Poor and Hungry Café, The Buccaneer, Alex’s Tavern, and Printer’s Alley are just some of the hole-in-the-wall bars that have captured our interests as Memphians over the years. All these places have one thing in common. They are unsanitary, shady, and seedy. They are not for your everyday clean freak. Though, they are perfect for the Memphians versed in the exciting night life processed here. Chances are if you have been in search for a beverage and casual conversation in the middle of the night, you have ended up in one of these spots. I have been going around and interviewing workers and patrons of these dive bars to learn a little more about them. So far it has been really interesting. I have met a lot of cool and strange people but it has been fun.
ReplyDeleteOkay, this sounds fun and promising--but it's still broad. Focus on something: perhaps one or two of these locations. Perhaps one with a particularly gripping history would be the best route--or even the patrons. You mention 'underground,' which is one of my favorite words: it suggests, admittedly, a little danger, a little mystery, and a little protest, which I like. Often what makes these scenes so attractive to some (like the Antenna Club and Fred's Hideout in my day) is that they go against the grain of popular, accepted culture. So, looking at either the place or the subculture it attracts seems like an interesting way to narrow this down. And, above all, if you visit them, be careful!
DeleteI like youre photos too Dr. Lester. Those are pretty!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alex!
DeleteMy project has been moving at a snail's pace so far. I am trying to coordinate a time with Dr. Wade her schedule has been full, hopefully she will get some time soon. I have started a little more research but I wanted to talk with her first before I decide on a focus point. I have not started compiling any information but I plan on moving this project to the next level soon.
ReplyDeleteThe last thing you want to do is make your plans contingent on another person. Dr. Wade does stay busy--as we all do during the semester, but that doesn't mean you can't begin formulating some ideas, homing in on specific questions and the purpose of your project. As for speaking with Malinda, perhaps you two could correspond via email or phone if an in-person meeting can't materialize. Don't despair, it will work out: sometimes we just have to look for a loophole.
DeleteMy semester long project will still have the same application as my original plan; I have just switched my location. Instead of going to Theater Memphis, I will now be going to A Natural Affair hair salon. I’m a person that does quick changes a lot. I always have a plan then I think of something that I could do differently in order to have better success with my project and I go for it. I have done some research on the salon (via their website and word of mouth with a fellow church member of mine). I called the salon and on Friday (February 26) I along with my friend Porsha will be spending the day observing the place and interviewing the stylist and customers and chatting with the owner Mrs. TaKiesha Berry-Brooks. When I talk to Mrs. Berry-Brook, I will get my history on why she decided to open up the salon in Memphis. I’m bringing Porsha along with me because she is very observant and will catch the things I miss. When I go places I usually catch really small details, like whether or not the light operating device is a dimmer or a switch. While Porsha catches the major ones, like people body language and tone of voice. My reason for going to the hair salon is because I am in college for a business degree and one day I would like to own my own business. Preferable a hair product company; I would produce products that are cruelty free, all natural, and safe for those with nut allergies similar to myself. I would take this opportunity to learn from Mrs. Berry-Brooks as a mentor. Also, just like my previous idea of going to observe and study the Memphis Theater, the atmosphere of the hair salon should be fun and capture my audience’s attention during presentations. I’m excited for my project and I hope everyone will find it interesting. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! :)
ReplyDeleteI think this is a fantastic idea; however if you are, as you say, someone who does a 'quick-change' a lot, be sure this is the final decision as time is moving apace. I'm sure this topic will interest many during the presentations, and I'm glad you have a game plan worked out.
DeleteI am excited about my project, but I feel overwhelmed with trying to meet with current people about an event that happened so long ago and has been almost forgotten. I think I might add an element of asking them what they think they would have done, and also adding an interview with a public official to see how the yellow fever devastated our beloved city. As I continue with my research and schedule interviews, I am still intrigued about how Memphis began to flourish after such a disaster. I feel like my project is going reasonably well at this point in the semester.
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ReplyDeleteI must say I feel like I have been slacking on my project thus far. I have started to type a list of questions to ask women of the fire department. I soon hope to get started on my list of questions for men of the fire department. I do plan on getting a lot of my project work done during spring break. I have set up some times to interview people. I also am going to try and go to the fire museum during spring break. That is all I've done so far. I am kind of thrilled to have class at Starbucks. See you guys soon and good luck on your projects!