Po' Monkey's facts for kids
Po' Monkey's was a famous juke joint located in Mississippi, near the town of Merigold. A juke joint was a special kind of club, often found in rural areas. People would gather there to listen to music, dance, and have fun. Po' Monkey's was one of the last old-style juke joints in the Mississippi Delta region. It closed down in 2016 after its owner, Willie "Po' Monkey" Seaberry, passed away.
A Unique Place
The building that became Po' Monkey's was originally a small house where sharecroppers lived. Sharecroppers were farmers who worked on land owned by someone else. The building was made from simple materials like tin and plywood. Willie Seaberry put it together using nails, staples, and wires.
Inside, the club had low ceilings. These ceilings were decorated with all sorts of interesting things! You could see Christmas lights, baby dolls, street signs, wrapping paper, and even disco balls. There were also dozens of stuffed-animal monkeys hanging everywhere. This unique decoration gave the place a very special and fun feeling.
Its History and Music
Po' Monkey's started in the early 1960s. It quickly became an important place for the Delta Blues music scene. The Delta Blues is a very old and important style of music that came from the Mississippi Delta. Many famous blues musicians got their start in places like Po' Monkey's.
By the 1990s, Po' Monkey's was popular with many different kinds of people. College students from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, would visit. Also, people who loved juke joints and blues music from all over would come to experience it.
In 2009, Po' Monkey's was recognized for its importance. The Mississippi Blues Trail placed a special historic marker there. This marker showed that Po' Monkey's was a key spot on the Blues Trail. It was honored for helping the blues music grow and for being one of the few real juke joints still open at that time.
The Man Behind the Name
Willie "Po' Monkey" Seaberry ran the juke joint until he passed away in 2016. He was known for his very colorful and unique outfits. He often wore wild and exotic pantsuits. People would see him slip out of the main room and then reappear in a brand new, different outfit!
Billy Nowell, who was the mayor of nearby Cleveland when Willie Seaberry died, spoke highly of him. He said that Seaberry was a "positive influence" in Bolivar County. Willie Seaberry was found dead on July 14, 2016. After his death, Po' Monkey's stopped operating. The items inside the building were later sold at an auction.
