South Memphis, one of the oldest portions of Memphis, Tennessee, is a vast community stretching from downtown to the Mississippi state 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, Lauderdale Sub, Dukestown, Boxtown, Longview, Lakeview Gardens, Gaslight Square, Elliston Heights, Dixie Heights, Pine Hill, Westwood, Riverside, Indian Hills, West Junction, Prospect Park, Wilbert Heights, Walker Homes, Mallory Heights, Nehemiah, French Fort, Coro Lake and Whitehaven.
As well, South Memphis is known for its many churches such as Mt. Vernon Baptist Westwood, Monumental Baptist, Middle Baptist, Metropolitan Baptist, Greater Mt Moriah Baptist, Enon Springs Baptist, Cummings Street Baptist, Unity Baptist, East Trigg Baptist, Union Valley Baptist, Koinonia Baptist, Pilgrim Rest Baptist, Greater Open Door Baptist, Pearly Gate Baptist, New Hope Baptist, Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist, Holy Temple COGIC, Mason Temple COGIC, Bountiful Blessings COGIC, Unity COGIC, Ward's Chapel AME, St Andrew AME, Avery Chapel AME, Warner Temple AME Zion and Ford's Chapel AME Zion. Today, South Memphis is largely covered with aging and abandoned industrial facilities and businesses. It is also home to several important Memphis institutions, including the historic cemeteries Zion, Rose Hill, 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 Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Hamilton Elementary, Norris Elementary, A.B. Hill Elementary, Ford Road Elementary, Florida-Kansas Elementary, White's Chapel Elementary, Double Tree Elementary, Coro Lake Elementary, Hamilton Middle, Geeter Middle, Corry Middle, Vance Middle, Booker T. Washington High, Westwood High, Carver High, Mitchell High, Hamilton High and Fairley High . South Memphis is also the site of Elvis Presley's mansion Graceland and the Stax Museum, which was formerly Stax Records, founded in 1957. Blues artists such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas recorded at Stax. In recent years the LeMoyne-Owen College and Stax Museum neighborhood is referred to as Soulsville USA.[1] Additionally, South Memphis consists of the restaurants Stein's, The Crock Pot, the legendary Four Way Grill, Willie Moore's, Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken, Big Momma's Kitchen, Coletta's, Interstate Bar BQ, A&R Bar BQ, Big Bill's Bar BQ, Marlowe's and Catfish Cabin. Also, Black Arts Alliance (The Firehouse), Goodwill Homes, Street Ministries, Davis YMCA, Southside Boys And Girls Club, Java, Juice and Jazz, Epiphany Tennis Court, Bi-State Shuttle, It's All Good Auto, Maxi Foods, Southgate Shopping Center, Southland Mall, Gaston Park, DeSoto Park, Dahlstrom Park, Booth Park, L.E. Brown Park, Weaver Park, Jesse Turner Park (formerly Bellevue Park), Southside Park, Otis Redding Park, Belz Park, McKellar Park, Lincoln Park, Crystal Palace Skating Rink and the nightclubs Classic Soulz, Classic Hitz, Platinum Rose, Club Motions, Club 901, Pure Passion and Lucille's.
Trigg, Brooks Road, Mississippi Boulevard, Elvis Presley Boulevard, Mallory, Horn Lake Road, Kansas, South Lauderdale, Shelby Drive, Orleans, Weaver Road, Florida, Mitchell Road, Holmes Road, McLemore, Neely Road, Kerr, Ford Road, Latham and Raines Road are among the most famous streets in South Memphis. 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.[2] Several important highways also run through South Memphis, including I-55, US 51(Elvis Presley Blvd), US 61 (South Third), US 64 and US 70.
South Memphis has been glorified in African-American music. Blues pioneer Frank Stokes recorded South Memphis Blues and Gangsta Blac became notable for the rap S.O.U.T.H. Parkway. Other rap artists DJ Paul, Playa Fly, Gangsta Boo, Yo Thug, Lil Chat, Lord Infamous, Al Kapone, Taylor Boyz, K-Rock, Tommy Wright III, Nick Scarfo, Zed-Zilla, Indo G, Tela, DJ Markee, Indawin and Money Mike are also from South Memphis. Yo Gotti, an artist hail from the large Frayser area of North Memphis, recorded a song called BMF (Street Legends) paying homage to South Memphis gangsters George 'G-Train' Hughlett, Craig Petties and Ronnie Woods. The South Memphis population is predominately made up of African-Americans as well as Latinos.
Dj Muff Man