South Memphis, Memphis

South Memphis, one of the oldest portions of Memphis, is a vast community with many well kept houses and many rundown houses and its boundariesare from downtown to the Mississippi 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, Walker Homes, Lauderdale Sub, Boxtown, Longview, Lakeview Gardens, Elliston Heights, Glenview, Dixie Heights, Pine Hill, Westwood, Riverside, Indian Hills, Mallory Heights, CoroLake and Whitehaven.

As well, South Memphis is known for its many churches such as Mt. Vernon Baptist, MonumentalBaptist, Middle Baptist, St. Jude Baptist, Riverside Baptist, East Trigg Baptist, Holy TempleCOGIC, Ward's Chapel AME and Ford's Chapel AME Zion. Today, South Memphis is largely covered with aging and abandoned industrial facilities and businesses. However, it is also home to several important Memphis institutions, including the historic cemeteries Zion, Elmwood, Mt Carmel and New Park, LeMoyne-Owen College, T.O. Fuller State Park and the south loop of the Memphis Parkway System. There are over 30 schools in South Memphis including Cummings, Lincoln, Florida-Kansas, White's Chapel, Doubletree, Hamilton Middle, Geeter Middle, Corry Middle, Booker T. Washington High, Westwood High, Carver High, Mitchell High and Fairley High. South Memphis is also the sites of King of Rock N Roll Elvis Presley's mansion Graceland and the Stax Museum, which was formerly Stax Records, founded in 1957. Blues Legends such as Isaac Hayes, Johnnie Taylor, Otis Redding and Rufus Thomas recorded at Stax. In recent years the LeMoyne-Owen College and Stax Museum neighborhood is referred to as "Stax-Soulsville". [ [http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/editorials/article/0,2845,MCA_25348_5542382,00.html "Tough Love for LeMoyne-Owen", Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 18, 2007.] ]

The Memphis Parkway system, which was designed by City Beautiful architect George Kessler 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 in Midtown. [ [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=M077 Memphis Park and Parkway System] ] Several important highways also run through South Memphis, including I55, US 51, US 61, US 64 and US 70.

South Memphis has been glorified in African-American music. Blues pioneer Frank Stokesrecorded South Memphis Blues and rapper Gangsta Blac became notable for the song S.O.U.T.H. Parkway. The other rappers DJ Paul, Playa Fly, Gangsta Boo, Yo Thug, Lord Infamous, Al Kapone, Taylor Boyz, K-Rock, Tommy Wright III, Nicki Scarfo, Miscellaneous, Zed-Zilla, Indo G, and Tela are also from South Memphis. The South Memphis population is predominately made up of African-Americans as well as Latinos. It is also home to a number of both local gangs( Rivacide Clique, Kansas St Gangstas, South Parkway Vets and host of others) and nationally recognized gangs, most notably Gangster Disciples, Crips, Black Disciples, Latin Kings, and Sur 13 as well as several affiliates.

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