The North Coast times-eagle., November 26, 1982, Page 8, Image 8

.P a g e 8
T H E N O R T H C O A S T T IM E S E A G L E , F R ID A Y , 26 N O V E M B E R , 1982
THE M EM PHIS /WJNEWS AGAIN
b y M ic h a e l G. H o r o w i t z
I t 's A p r i l in M e m p h i s a n d a l r e a d y
i t ’s c l a m m y . T h e C a n a d a D r i e s h a v e
p e te r e d out s o m e w h e re n o rth of D av ­
e n p o r t, a n d th a t b itc h g o d d e s s of
A m e r i c a 's E a s t , th e G u lf o f M e x ic o ,
c o n t i n u e s to s p e w i t s m o n s o o n t i n s e l
i n t o th e d h a r m a o f D i x i e . O M — P e a c e ,
P e a c e , P e a c e . V ro o m — G r e a s e ,G r e a s e ,
G re a se .
I 'm o n o n e o f th e r e m a i n i n g r o u t e s
o f th e M e m p h i s A r e a T r a n s i t A u t h o r ­
i t y . It s e e m s o n e s t e a m y s p r i n g d a y
o n ly h a l f o f M e m p h i s ' b u s e s c a m e
c a l l i n g . A lo t o f w h ite p e o p le in c a r s .
A lo t of b l a c k p e o p le o n f o o t. T h e
A u t h o r i t y ’s e x p l a n a t i o n : " T h i s c h a n g e
h a s im p ro v e d o u r p ro d ic tiv ity
t h r o u g h o u t th e s y s t e m . " T h e P e o p l e 's
c o m p la in t: " T h e y m y bu o ff a lto g e th e r .
O - F - F . I’m o l d . I 'v e g o t a s t h m a a n d
I s h o u l d n 't h a v e to p u t u p w ith w a lk in g
lik e th is a t m y a g e ."
A rn o ld P a n d e r
B u t t h i s O r e g o n i a n i s b u n k in g d o w n a t
M e m p h i s S t a te U n i v e r s i t y a n d h e g e t s to
r i d e o n e o f th e s u r v i v o r s , th e P o p l a r L i m i ­
t e d . " O r e g o n ? T h a t b y C a l i f o r n i a '’ " a s k s th e
d r i v e r . " U h h u m . N o r t h . " N o r t h ! . . . a n d I 'm
t h in k i n g o f l i l a c s in m y b a c k y a r d w ith c o o l
d r o p s o f r a i n d r i p p i n g o ff t h e p e t a l s . H o m e ­
s i c k f o r th e p u r p l e h a z e .
B u t t h e d r i v e r ' s j u s t b e in g c o u r t e o u s . He
r e a l l y w a n t s to t a l k to th e la n k y d u d e w ith th e
o i l - s t a i n e d h a n d s w h o 's j u s t f i n i s h e d s w in g
s h i f t a t th e T i r e C e n t e r . " Y o u w o u l d n 't th in k
i t w 6 u ld t a k e t h a t m u c h t i m e , " th e k id is tel-^
l i n g h i m , " b u t t h o s e p i n s g o in s l o w ." " T o o k
s o l o n g ? " " T o o k a n h o u r .'" I ’ v e r i d d e n b u s e s
E a s t a n d W e s t . In th e W e s t, th e d r i v e r s t a l k
a b o u t th e w e a t h e r . In th e E a s t , t h e y t a l k a b o u t
c r i m e . In M e m p h i s , t h e y t a l k w o r k .
W - O - R - K . G a s i s s e l l i n g f o r o n ly a b u c k
a n d I f ig u r e i t 's a r e w a r d f o r th e la b o r th is
c i t y h a s a l w a y s d o n e . T h e c o t t o n o ff th e b a r ­
g e s , th e t e x t i l e s in to t r u c k s , th e m u s i c o n to
- v in y l , th e r e c o r d s in to t r u c k s . A n d k e e p t h e m
r o l l i n g , t h o s e b a r g e s , t h o s e t r u c k s . R o l l in g o n
th e r i v e r .
A nd w h a t a r i v e r ! S lo w , f l a t , a n d w id e .
W - I - D - E . Y o u d o n 't jo k e a b o u t th e M i s s i s s i p p i .
F o r d e c a d e s ,th r o u g h Y a n k e e s an d p la g u e s ,
t h a t l a z y s t r e a m h a s b e e n th e t i c k e t , th e c o n ­
n e c t i o n , to th e A m e r i c a n D r e a m .
W h e r e a m I? A l o c a l P r o t e s t a n t s t o p b e ­
tw e e n tw o C a t h o l i c g i a n t s . L o o k on a p o c k e t
m a p o f th e U. S. a n d y o u 'l l f in d M e m p h is on
th e r i v e r — a n e m p t y d o t b e t w e e n t h o s e e x ­
p r e s s d i o c e s e s o f N e w O r l e a n s a n d S a in t
L o u i s . B u t in M e m p h i s , n o P a s s i o n . J u s t p o w ­
e r a n d s o u l.
P O W E R ’ I 'v e s e e n s t r o n g p e o p le h e r e ,
p e o p le w h o lo o k lik e t h e y c o u ld l i f t a h o u s e .
T h i s is w h e r e P a u l B u n y a n s e t t l e d a f t e r
A m e r i c a d i s c o v e r e d d i e t i n g . D a y t im e in t h i s
c i t y , " L e t 's G e t P h y s i c a l " h a s n o th in g to do
w ith s e x — t h a t 's f o r j u n i o r e x e c u t i v e s in
A t l a n t a w ith e x p e n s e a c c o u n t s . W h e n th e s u n 's
u p h e r e , t h e y 'v e g o t w a r e h o u s e s to s t r i p .
S e e , i t ' s n o t f u ll y S o u t h e r n , t h i s S w e a t T a n k
in th e v a l l e y . S o m e b o d y t o l d m e t h a t M e m p h is
h a d th e l o w e s t p e r c a p i t a b o o k p u r c h a s e s in
th e c o u n t r y . W e ll, t h e y h a v e R e a d i n g S o c i e t i e s
in C h a r l e s t o n . B u t M e m p h i s is th e S o u t h e r n
f r o n t i e r , t h e S o u t h 's W e s t. . . w h e r e s l a v e r y ,
C a l v i n i s m , a n d a n a r c h y w r e s t l e d w ith e a c h
o th e r . A nd c h e c k e d e a c h o th e r , so th a t M e m ­
p h is is a m u f f l e d d r e a m o f w ild f r e e d o m ,
m ix e d w ith a n x i e t y a b o u t s i n a n d u n e a s i n e s s
about ra c e .
3"
F5<
S a m o a n m a r r i a g e . M a y b e h e 's
r ig h t. F o r a n e n tir e g e n e ra tio n ,
p u b e r t y w ith o u t r o c k a b i l l y
m ig h t n o t h a v e b e e n p o s s ib le .
A n d s o u l . . . a t th e m i d n i g h t
h o u r . T h e r e i g n o f S t a x V o lt
R e c o r d s in th e s a l i e n t s i x t i e s :
B o o k e r T . a n d th e M e m p h is
g ro u p , S am n ' D av e, C a rlo an d
R u f u s T h o m a s , a n d t h a t C z a r of
a s t a r , O tis R e d d in g . W hen y o u
a d d i t u p , t h e r o c k a b i l l y o f th e
f i f t i e s a n d th e s o u l o f th e s i x ­
t i e s , y o u g e t a M e m p h is m e n u
t h a t c r u c i a l l y a l t e r e d A n g lo -
A m e ric a n pop t a s t e .I n one of
h is re v ie w s of pop m u s ic
( W h ite B o y S i n g i n ' th e B l u e s ) ,
M ic h a e l C a n e s a y s th a t, a t
t im e s , i t 's a s if t h e r e 's b e e n a
b ig m a g n i f y in g g l a s s o v e r
M e m p h is , f o c u s in g th e m u s ic a l
m e t t l e o f t h e S o u th . . . .
T h e r e 's p u r p l e in M e m p h i s to o , b u t y o u
h a v e to lo o k f o r i t. L ik e th e t r a n s c e n d i n g o f
c iv il s e g r e g a tio n . T he d o r m i to r ie s a t M e m ­
p h is S t a t e a r e h a l f b l a c k , h a l f w h i t e . R a c e
r e l a t i o n s in th e d o r m s s e e m g u a r d e d , b u t
h o w m a n y d o r m i t o r i e s a r o u n d th e w o r l d c a n
c l a i m s u c h c o m p l e t e i n t e g r a t i o n ? W h ite b u s i ­
n e s s p e o p le in M e m p h i s a p p e a r d e t e r m i n e d
n o t to h a v e a r a c i s t n o o s e t h r o w n a r o u n d t h e i r
n e c k s . T h e c i t y 's r a c i s t r e p u t a t i o n a l w a y s
g a v e th e N o r t h a r e a d y e x c u s e n o t to i n v e s t
c a p i t a l in M e m p h i s . So n o w i t ' s T h o r o u g h l y
M o d e r n M e m p h i s , w ith a H i l to n , a b e l t w a y ,
a n d a m o n u m e n t to M a r t i n L u t h e r K in g , J r
In m a n y r e s p e c t s , in f a c t , th e n e w s f r o m
M e m p h i s i s g o o d . D e s p i t e th e d e p r e s s i o n ,
t h e r e 's an u p b e a t s p i r i t a m o n g y o u n g M e m ­
p h is b l a c k s . T h e r e ' s b e e n s o m e o r g a n i z i n g —
n o t o n ly t h e k in d o f u n i o n i s m t h a t M a r t i n
L u t h e r K in g s u p p o r t e d b u t p o l i t i c a l o r g a n ­
i z i n g a s w e l l . T h e s m a r t m o n e y is s a y i n g
th a t M e m p h is w ill h a v e a b la c k m a y o r by
w in te r . T h e a g e n d a w ill b e o b v io u s : e c o n o m ­
ic o p p o r t u n i t i e s to m a t c h p o l i t i c a l g a i n s .
P o s tw a r p r o g r e s s a g a in s t r a c is m h e re w as
p a r t l y d u e to N o r t h e r n p r e s s u r e ( th e l i b e r a l s ,
t h e F e d s , t h e m e d i a ) b u t l a r g e l y d u e to th e
c o u r a g e o f c i v i l r i g h t s p i o n e e r s in th e e a r l y
s ix tie s . T he c a s u a ltie s w e re m o s tly lo c a l and
b la c k b u t i t 's a m is t a k e to th in k th a t th e r e
w e r e n 't s o m e w h ite p e o p le in M e m p h i s w h o
s to o d up f o r j u s t i c e . T h e d a y I a r r i v e , s in g e r
M a r g a r e t V a lia n t d ie s . "A t on e t im e ," w r ite s
th e C o m m e r c i a l A p p e a l , " s h e w a s th e o n ly
w h ite p e r s o n l iv i n g in a b l a c k h o u s i n g p r o ­
j e c t h e r e . S h e m o v e d in to L e M o y n e G a r d e n s
b e c a u s e p r e v io u s la n d lo r d s d is a p p ro v e d of
h e r r a c e r e l a t i o n s e f f o r t s . . . . D u r i n g th e
N ew D e a l, s h e m e t a n d a d m ir e d M rs . R o o s e ­
v e lt, w h o se s i l v e r - f r a m e d p o r tr a it sh e k e p t
in h e r a p a r t m e n t . It is i n s c r i b e d : " T o M a r ­
g a r e t w ith b e s t w i s h e s . '"
On th e w a y in to to w n , a y o u n g M e m p h ia n
o f f e r s m e a r i d e to m y d e s t i n a t i o n , w h ic h
t u r n s o u t to b e a g o o d d e a l o u t o f h i s w a y .
W hen I s u g g e s t I c o n tr ib u te s o m e g a s m o n e y ,
h e r e f u s e s . " T h a t 's a l l r i g h t , " h e s a y s . " I l i k e
d o in g f a v o r s f o r p e o p l e . "
P O W E R ! " W e l l - a c 'm o n - a b a b y , w h o le l o t t a
s h a k i n ' g o i n ' o n ." T h e y 'r e i n t o N e w W a v e ,
n o w , t h o s e y o u n g s o n s o f M e m p h i s ' w h ite
w o r k i n g c l a s s , w h o 'v e a l w a y s b e e n a ll o w e d
to k i c k o u t th e j a m s t h r o u g h m u s i c . B e e n
a l l o w e d , I s h o u l d s a y , u n t i l t h e y 'v e e i t h e r
m a d e it o r t u r n e d t w e n t y - f i v e . . . in w h ic h
c a s e i t ' s b a c k to f a m i l y a n d f a c t o r y .
W h ic h is w h e r e E l v i s c o m e s in . B o r n in
M i s s i s s i p p i , b u t b r e d in M e m p h i s . C h u r c h
e v e r y S u n d a y . B u t w h e n th e n i g h t s g e t s u l t r y
a n d th e b a n k e r 's d a u g h t e r a t th e d a n c e , y o u
s in g R a y C h a r l e s . " B e g o o d to m e , o h h h v e a h -
h h h ." B l a c k p e o p le g r i n w h e n th e y v i s i t E l v i s '
s h r i n e b e c a u s e th e y k n o w w h e r e h e l e a r n e d
i t. B u t w h ite p e o p le a r e r e v e r e n t . F o r h e r e ' s
a b o y f r o m M e m p h i s w h o s o l d in N e w Y o r k . . .
a boy f r o m M e m p h is w ho C a lif o r n ia w o m e n
c h a s e d a ll a r o u n d H o lly w o o d . . . a b o y f r o m
M e m p h is w ho, d e s p ite h is s u c c e s s , r e m a in e d
a C h r i s t i a n . H e m a d e th e N o r t h a n d k e p t th e
S o u th a n d d i e d t r y i n g . O n h i s t o m b s t o n e , h i s
f a t h e r c a lle d h im a r e v o lu tio n a r y .
E v e n n o w , w h e n th e c r o w d g e t s r e s t l e s s
on O v e rto n S q u a r e , th e N ew W ave g ro u p s
w ill la y d o w n s o m e G e n e V i n c e n t . " C h e r r y "
G e n e V i n c e n t. " M y b a b y n o w m y b a b y n o w
m y b a b y n o w ." A nd t h e t o u r i s t f r o m G e r ­
m a n y t a k e s n o t e s a s if h e w e r e c o v e r i n g a
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h a s a d o c t o r a t e in u r b a n a f f a i r s . H is a r t i c l e
is r e p r i n t e d c o u r t e s y o f R F D P u b l i c a t i o n s ,
In c . A r u n o f f f o r m a y o r o f M e m p h i s b e t w e e n
a w h ite c a n d i d a t e a n d a b l a c k c a n d i d a t e is
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