Culture of Memphis, Tennessee facts for kids
Memphis, Tennessee, is a city with a rich history and a unique culture. It's a big part of Tennessee, but its history, arts, and food are especially connected to the Deep South, like the Mississippi Delta. Memphis has had a huge impact on music around the world, especially in the 20th century. People from Memphis helped create important American music styles such as blues, gospel, rock and roll, and a type of country music.
In 2011, about 652,050 people lived in Memphis. The larger area around Memphis, called the Memphis Metropolitan Area, was home to about 1,341,690 people in 2012. This made it the 41st largest metropolitan area in the United States.
Memphis is also known for being an affordable place to live. In 2013, Business Insider magazine said Memphis was the 5th cheapest city in the U.S.
Contents
Who Lives in Memphis?
In 2011, there were about 652,078 people living in Memphis. The city had about 245,836 households. Most people, about 78.91%, had lived in the same house for at least a year.
The people in Memphis come from many different backgrounds. About 62.4% were African American, and 29.6% were White. Other groups included Asian (2.0%), Native American (0.2%), and people from two or more races (1.8%). About 7.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 6.6% of the people in Memphis were born in other countries. Besides a large Hispanic population, many people have roots from China, Vietnam, Russia, and Persia. Historically, many residents have African, English, Irish, Italian, and German ancestors. Memphis also has a large Jewish community of about 9,000 people. Most of them are Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.
About 25% of Memphis's population is under 18 years old. About 10.4% are 65 or older. The average income for a household in 2011 was $34,960.
The Greater Memphis Area
The Memphis Metropolitan Area is the 41st largest in the U.S. In 2012, it had a population of 1,341,690. This area includes several counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. These are Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette in Tennessee. It also includes DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica in Mississippi. And it includes Crittenden in Arkansas. In 2013, Benton County, Mississippi was also added to this area.
Sports and Fun Activities
Memphis is a city that loves sports and outdoor activities. In 2011, Sporting News magazine named Memphis the 35th "Best Sports City" out of 271 cities.
Memphis is home to several professional and college sports teams:
- The Memphis Tigers are the sports teams for the University of Memphis.
- The Memphis Grizzlies are the city's professional basketball team in the NBA.
- The Memphis Redbirds are a minor league baseball team.
The city also hosts several big sports events every year. These include the St. Jude Classic golf tournament, the US National Indoor Tennis Championships, and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend. Other events are the Memphis in May Triathlon, the AutoZone Liberty Bowl football game, and the Southern Heritage Classic.
Memphis has many great places for sports. These include the FedEx Forum (for basketball), Autozone Park (for baseball), and over 30 golf courses.
Memphis is also home to Shelby Farms Park, which is a huge park covering 4,500 acres. It gets about 500,000 visitors every year. It's the second largest urban county park in the United States. In 2010, the Shelby Farms Greenline opened, which is a path for biking from midtown to Shelby Farms. The city is also working to add more bike lanes. In 2012, Bicycling magazine called Memphis "America's Most Improved Bike City."
Zoos and Museums
Memphis has a famous zoo and many interesting museums.
The Memphis Zoo is one of only four zoos in the U.S. that has giant pandas. The zoo is home to over 3,500 animals from 500 different species. In 2008, TripAdvisor ranked the Memphis Zoo as the "#1 Zoo in the U.S." based on what visitors thought.
Memphis has several museums that are recognized nationally:
- The National Civil Rights Museum: This museum is located at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Stax Museum: This is the only museum in the world dedicated to soul music.
- The Brooks Museum of Art: This is Tennessee's oldest and largest museum for fine and decorative art.
- The National Ornamental Metal Museum: This is the only museum in the U.S. that focuses only on beautiful metalwork.
- The Memphis Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium: This museum has exhibits on natural and cultural history, plus a planetarium.
- Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum: This museum tells the story of Memphis music. It was created by the Smithsonian Institution.
Cultural Events and Festivals
Memphis hosts many exciting cultural events and festivals throughout the year.
Carnival Memphis
Carnival Memphis is an annual festival held in early summer. It celebrates different parts of Memphis and its industries. It started in 1931 as the Memphis Cotton Carnival. During this time, there are many parties and events organized by different groups, similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. A secret King and Queen lead the festivities.
Memphis in May
Memphis in May is a month-long festival that celebrates Memphis's music and food. It's the biggest series of public events in the city each year. Every year, the festival chooses a different country to honor, highlighting its history and culture.
This festival started in 1977 and has a big impact on the city's economy and education. It includes many different events. It begins with the Beale Street Music Festival at Tom Lee Park on the Mississippi River.
During International Week, the city focuses on the honored country. This helps students learn about other cultures and helps businesses connect. Other big events in Memphis in May include the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. This is the largest pork barbecue cooking contest in the world. The festival ends with the Sunset Symphony, a performance by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra on the river. Musicians from the honored country also perform.
The barbecue contest has become very popular, with people traveling from far away to compete. The Beale Street Music Fest also attracts many visitors and locals.
Cooper-Young Festival
The Cooper-Young Festival is an arts festival held every September in the Cooper-Young neighborhood of Midtown Memphis. This neighborhood was named one of America’s “10 Great Neighborhoods” in 2012. The festival brings together artists from all over North America. It features art sales, contests, and displays.
Since the late 1980s, the Cooper-Young Festival has become one of Memphis's most anticipated events. In recent years, over 50,000 guests have enjoyed art, music, and crafts from more than 300 artists. The festival celebrates art, people, culture, and Memphis heritage. Besides art, you can find clothing, jewelry, and live music.
Music and the Arts
Memphis is famous for its music and has a lively arts scene.
Music City Memphis
After some tough times in the 1870s, people from the countryside moved to Memphis. They brought their musical traditions with them. This mix of people and cultures helped create new music styles. W. C. Handy, a famous bandleader and composer, is a great example of this.
Memphis is where many American music styles began or became popular. These include Blues, Gospel, Hip-Hop, Rock n' Roll, and a type of country music called "rockabilly."
Many famous musicians started their careers in Memphis in the 1950s. These include Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and B. B. King. They are known as the "King" of Country, Rock n' Roll, and Blues, respectively.
Other well-known musicians who grew up or started in Memphis include Aretha Franklin, Carl Perkins, Justin Timberlake, Tina Turner, Al Green, Otis Redding, and Isaac Hayes.
Memphis also has a strong classical music scene. It has produced opera singers like Ruth Welting and Kallen Esperian. The city has its own opera company, Opera Memphis, which performs at the Orpheum Theatre. The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis is very important for music in the city.
Beale Street in Downtown Memphis is a famous place for live music. Many musical groups want to perform there because it's popular with both tourists and locals. In 2009, Memphis was named the 6th Best North American City “For Live Music.”
Dance in Memphis
Ballet is also popular in Memphis. Ballet Memphis aims to show the culture of the South through dance. They perform both classical and modern dance. New Ballet Ensemble and School (NBE) combines professional dancers with talented students. They mix classical dance with other styles like flamenco and modern dance. In 2014, NBE received a special award for bringing together students from different backgrounds through dance.
Stories and Plays
Memphis has been home to many well-known writers. These include Civil War historian and novelist Shelby Foote, who became famous for his work on a TV series about the Civil War. Playwright Tennessee Williams wrote his first play in Memphis. Novelist John Grisham grew up nearby, and many of his books, like The Firm, are set in Memphis.
Many books and stories use Memphis as their setting. They show different sides of the city, its history, and its people. Some famous examples include The Reivers by William Faulkner and A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor, which won a Pulitzer Prize.
Theater is also strong in Memphis, with places like Playhouse on the Square and Theatre Memphis. Voices of the South is a theater company that creates plays from different Southern perspectives. The Overton Square area is being redeveloped into a theater and entertainment district. It will have three live-performance theaters, including the existing Playhouse on the Square and the new Hatiloo Theatre.
Visual Arts
Memphis has made a big impact in photography. William Eggleston, a pioneer of color photography, still lives and works in Memphis. Other notable Memphis photographers include Jack Robinson and Ernest C. Withers.
In recent years, the art scene in Memphis has grown a lot. Art galleries first opened in Overton Square and have since moved further east. The independent art scene has found success on South Main, in downtown Memphis. Several art galleries have moved into this area, leading to new homes being built. One interesting project was the Power House, an old power plant that was turned into a modern art space.
The Cooper-Young neighborhood in Midtown Memphis also has several art galleries. The Edge is an art studio neighborhood near downtown. It's home to the Black Repertory Theater and the famous Sun Studios. The old commercial area on Broad Avenue also has many artists and craftspeople.
Quality art galleries in East Memphis include the David Lusk Gallery and Lisa Kurts Gallery. The Memphis College of Art and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art are located next to each other in Overton Park. Also in Overton Park is The Shell, an outdoor performing arts venue that was renovated and reopened in 2008.
Movies in Memphis
Memphis has a growing film industry. Many movies have been filmed partly in Memphis. These include The Firm, The Client, Walk the Line, and Hustle & Flow.
Indie Memphis offers movie screenings all year, showing local and independent films. Indie Memphis also hosts an annual film festival. MovieMaker Magazine has called it one of the world’s “25 Coolest Film Festivals.” In 2011, over 8,000 people attended the film festival.
MovieMaker Magazine also ranked Memphis among the “Top 10 U.S. Cities for Moviemakers to Live” for several years. This is because of good state and local support for films, low production costs, and Memphis's rich culture.
Delicious Food
Memphis is famous for its food, especially its barbecue!
Memphis-Style Barbecue
Memphis-style barbecue is one of the most well-known types of barbecue in the United States. It's famous because of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest held every May. This contest is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest pork barbecue contest in the world. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report named Memphis the No. 1 Barbecue City in America.
Other Great Food
Besides barbecue, Memphis is also a top city for pizza, burgers, and fine dining. Travel + Leisure magazine ranked Memphis the 17th Top City for Pizza. Dyer's burgers was listed as one of the "Best Burgers in the U.S." by Food and Wine magazine. Memphis was also ranked 14th best city for burgers by Travel + Leisure.
Memphis is home to the famous Soul Burger at Ernestine and Hazels. Several well-known chefs have restaurants in Memphis. Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman were named "Best New Chefs" by Food and Wine magazine. Kelly English, another chef, was a semifinalist for "Best Chef: Southeast" in the James Beard Award competition.
Faith and Community
Since it was founded, Memphis has been home to people of many different faiths. An 1870 map of Memphis showed churches for Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Christian groups, as well as a Jewish congregation. Today, you can find places of worship for Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus.
The Baron Hirsch Synagogue in Memphis has the largest congregation of Orthodox Jews in the United States.
Bellevue Baptist Church is a large Southern Baptist church in Memphis. It has about 27,000 members.
The international headquarters of the Church of God in Christ is also in Memphis. This is one of the fastest-growing Christian groups. Their headquarters, Mason Temple, is where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous I've Been to the Mountaintop speech the day before he passed away.
The main offices of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church are in Memphis. Memphis is also home to their seminary, the Memphis Theological Seminary.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Memphis has its main church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Memphis. The Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee also has its main church, St. Mary's, in Memphis.
The Memphis area is known for its generosity. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked the Memphis metro area 2nd for charitable giving, based on how much income people gave to charity.
Media in Memphis
Memphis has many different media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, television, and radio.
Newspapers
- The Commercial Appeal: This is Memphis's largest daily newspaper, covering general news.
- The Daily News: A daily newspaper focusing on legal records and general news.
- Memphis Business Journal: A weekly newspaper with business and economic news.
- The Memphis Flyer: A weekly paper covering politics, arts, entertainment, and lifestyles.
- The Tri-State Defender: A weekly newspaper for the African-American community.
- La Prensa Latina: A weekly bilingual newspaper for the Hispanic community.
Magazines
- Memphis Downtowner: A monthly magazine focused on the downtown area.
- Memphis Magazine: A monthly magazine about general community interests, arts, and entertainment.
- Memphis Parent: A monthly magazine about family issues.
- RSVP Magazine: A monthly magazine about society and charity events.
- Memphis Sport: A bimonthly magazine about local sports and recreation.
Television
Memphis has many local television stations. The main network affiliates are:
The area also has two PBS stations: WKNO 10 and WLJT 11.
Radio
You can find many different types of radio stations in Memphis. Some notable stations include:
- WLFP (99.7 FM, "99.7 The Wolf"): A country music station.
- WDIA (1070 AM): This was the first radio station in the U.S. operated by African Americans.
- WHER: The first "All-Girl" radio station, founded in Memphis in 1955.
- WEVL (89.9 FM): A volunteer-run station where DJs are experts in different music styles.
