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CONTENTS

JESSE DAVIS Editor SHARA CLARK Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editors TOBY SELLS Associate Editor CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor SAMUEL X. CICCI, MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers ABIGAIL MORICI Copy Editor JULIE RAY Calendar Editor LORNA FIELD, RANDY HASPEL, RICHARD MURFF, FRANK MURTAUGH, MEGHAN STUTHARD Contributing Columnists AIMEE STIEGEMEYER, SHARON BROWN Grizzlies Reporters ANDREA FENISE Fashion Editor KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher

OUR 1688TH ISSUE 07.01.21 When I was in the fourth grade, my science teacher began a lesson on the biosphere with an example that made a lasting impression on me. She set a glass terrarium on the table at the front of the class. The glass rectangle held tufts of spongy green moss, gravel and sand and soil, and a water bowl disguised as a rock. If I had been a small lizard in the market for a new home, I could have done worse. “This is the Earth,” she said. “Anything in here, we can use it, but then it’s gone. And anything we add, it’s going to be in here with us for a while.” I’m paraphrasing, but I think I’m pretty close to the mark; that one lesson stuck with me more than anything else I learned in school. It’s a simple trick for reframing the way you look at the world — every action, whether adding or subtracting, makes some change to our environment. If we’re all just little fence lizards and five-lined skinks in a science teacher’s terrarium, I want to be one of the good guys. By the time I was in fifth grade, I lived in Phoenix, Arizona, where my mother still lives today. She texted me last week, ecstatic that it was raining. She used three exclamation points, and excess punctuation aside, she had reason to feel relieved. At the time, there were 13 major fires in the area. Right now the Pacific Northwest is experiencing a “once-in-a-millennium,” “record-crushing” heat wave, to quote a few headlines. Washington State DOT’s Twitter has posted videos of pavement buckling in the heat. MIKE K. | DREAMSTIME.COM The West is a tinderbox, and Independence Day — with all its sparky celebrations — is right around the corner. Our little terrarium is awfully hot these days, on track to get hotter by the year, and its corners are experiencing weather patterns for which they’re woefully unprepared. To a Memphian, I’m sure it seems silly to watch others panic when faced with the kinds of temperatures we see every summer, but I would remind anyone laughing of two things: First, remember last February, when a freak cold front shut us down for a week? “We don’t have the infrastructure,” you probably explained to your Northern friends and family. “Temperatures don’t fall so far or so fast here, and we certainly don’t get this much ice in a week.” Washingtonians are as equipped to handle this heat wave as we were ready for ice and cold. Climate change is wrecking typical weather patterns, and the different regional infrastructure we have set up to prepare us for the usual weather extremes won’t be enough. Thing number two is that it can always get hotter. You think you can handle the heat, my fellow Memphians? Oh, you sweet summer child, wait until you’ve seen 110-degree temperatures as the weekly average. Trust me, a former resident of America’s furnace, also known as Phoenix, Arizona, when I say we aren’t ready for that. Flying into Phoenix, an airplane passenger with a window seat can’t help but notice the number of swimming pools and covered carports laid out below. The houses are constructed differently, too, all pale white stucco, crouched close to the ground, and nary a grass lawn in site. I vividly remember the many public service announcements about avoiding water waste or heat stroke. I don’t think I ever saw a house with an attic or a single window unit; whereas, I now live in the converted attic of a Midtown home and am currently listening to the gentle hum of a small window air-conditioning unit. Now imagine Phoenix temperatures with Memphis humidity. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Southern heat.” Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, introduced last Thursday, cut costs by doing away with many of President Biden’s more ambitious environmental goals. The newest version of the bill still allocates funding for public transit, electric buses, and N E WS & O P I N I O N charging stations for electric vehicles, but THE FLY-BY - 4 much has been left out. Gone are the funds NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 6 earmarked to help create a national standard POLITICS - 6 AT LARGE - 8 of clean energy. Of course, this bipartisan COVER STORY version of the infrastructure bill might not “SUMMER IN THE CITY” pass, but, whether in the infrastructure bill BY FLYER STAFF - 10 or elsewhere, we must make a priority of FINANCIAL FEATURE - 14 combatting and preparing for climate change. MUSIC - 15 It’s our terrarium, after all. It’s up to us to WE RECOMMEND - 16 CALENDAR - 18 make sure it’s the kind of place we want to FOOD - 25 call home. FILM - 26 Jesse Davis C LAS S I F I E D S - 29 jesse@memphisflyer.com LAST WORD - 31

THE

fly-by

MEMernet A roundup of Memphis on the World Wide Web. WH ITE H O US E TWE ET The White House (yes, that one) tweeted examples of how the closure of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge was hurting the Memphis-area economy. One tweet featured Patrick Reilly, co-owner and chef at The Majestic Grille Downtown. “Not only are our [Arkansas] guests canceling reservations, vendor deliveries are delayed and staff can’t get to and from work,” The Majestic said in a Facebook post. “All this on top of massive revenue loss from COVID.”

July 1-7, 2021

POSTED TO TWITTER BY THE WHITE HOUSE

D E A D LY C O P C R AS H The Memphis Police Department (MPD) detailed a car crash involving an off-duty officer that left two dead. The officer was driving a Dodge Charger “at a high rate of speed” and struck another car, a Pontiac, as it pulled from a driveway onto Walnut Grove close to Timber Creek Drive. The cop’s Charger split the Pontiac “into two pieces.” The crash killed the Pontiac’s occupants, 19-yearold Travis Parham and 42-year-old Wallace Morris. “The officer has been routinely relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation,” MPD said. “This investigation is ongoing.” Reddit user u/IBroughtWine posted a photo of the cop’s car.

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W E E K T H AT W A S By Flyer staff

OUTMemphis, Vaping, & a Murder Appeal A new LGBTQ+ center, a lawsuit against JUUL, and state Supremes to hear arguments for new trial. E M E R G E N CY C E NTE R OUTMemphis opened the doors of a brand-new facility this week — a haven for LGBTQ+ young adults in crisis — the first of its kind in the region. The new Youth Emergency Center (YEC) is a 2,000-squarefoot drop-in center for those aged 16 to 24 seeking emergency shelter. The YEC features a living room, a classroom, a kitchen and dining area, laundry services, a full accessible public bathroom, and a computer lab. The building also includes dorms for up to 30 nights of residence. For respect and safety, each dorm is single-occupancy and includes an independent entrance and a full bathroom.

LUCY GARRETT

The new Youth Emergency Center (YEC) is a 2,000-square-foot drop-in center for N EW UT CAM P US LGBTQ+ young adults (aged 16-24) seeking emergency shelter. The University of Tennessee board of trustees voted to acquire the away from “pill-pushing” to treating the root causes of three assets of Martin Methodist College and establish a new UT of Tennessee’s obesity-related natural killers. The new push campus in Pulaski, Tennessee, to be known as UT Southern. It comes from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center will be the first new campus since UT Chattanooga joined the (UTHSC). Its Tennessee Population Health Consortium is taksystem more than 50 years ago. ing aim at heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. B I G G R ANT FO R C O LLAG E DAN C E Collage Dance Collective received $3 million from philanthropists last week. Collage has trained more than 3,000 students in the organization’s 12-year history. R AR E AP P EAL F R O M STATE S U P R E M ES In a rare move, the Tennessee Supreme Court granted an appeal for Tommie Phillips last week. The man was convicted of murder, rape, kidnapping, burglary, and sexual battery in a case tied to one event in December 2008. He claims he deserves a new trial because his original trial lawyers were ineffective.

VAP E LAWS U IT Knox County Schools joined a lawsuit last week against JUUL labs, the world’s largest manufacturer of vaping products. The districts are seeking to recover the costs of current and future prevention programs, counseling, and treatment for addicted students. The lawsuit asserts that the company fraudulently and intentionally marketed to children through social media, online advertising, and children’s television networks and with products like candy- and fruit-flavored vapes.

M E M P H IAN H E LM S R UTG E R S Dr. Antonio D. Tillis, a 1980s graduate of Memphis Central High School, will helm Rutgers University–Camden as chancellor on July 1st.

B EST D R IVE R S? R EALLY? Memphians scratched their heads last week after an online company said the city has some of the best drivers in the country. The fifth-place ranking came as the company compared insurance quotes from America’s top 70 cities.

P US H AWAY F R O M “P I LL-P US H I N G” A new statewide initiative aims to shift primary doctors

Visit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.

POSTED TO REDDIT BY U/IBROUGHTWINE

Edited by Toby Sells

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Kids Are Still Struggling Tennessee ranks in the bottom half nationally for child well-being. Before the pandemic, Tennessee’s children were improving but still struggling with poverty, obesity, education, and more, according to a new national report that scored the state in the bottom half of all states on key metrics. The 2021 Kids Count Data Book is published annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and with cooperation this year by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. The report ranked Tennessee 36th for the well-being of its children in four major categories — economic well-being, education, affordable healthcare, and family and community context. “Tennessee has moved up and down in a small rank space over the last decade, landing between 35 and 39 every year,” the report says. “Tennessee has seen improvements in child well-being over this decade, but they have largely been national improvements that left Tennessee in roughly

the same relative position.” The information in the study is the latest, but it does not cover the last year. So, the figures in it really give a snapshot of Tennessee children before the pandemic and in its early stages. The data show “nearly a decade” of progress in jeopardy of being “erased by the COVID-19 pandemic unless policy-makers act boldly to sustain the beginnings of a recovery from the coronavirus crisis.” Data book researchers said that “simply returning to a pre-pandemic level of support for children and families would shortchange millions of kids and fail to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities.” “This is a pivotal time for Tennessee and we need to invest in our children in a strong, equitable, and sustainable way,” said Richard Kennedy, executive director of Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Tennessee’s member of the Kids Count

network. Here’s a glimpse into some of the study’s key findings about Tennessee: • Economic well-being: In 2019, one in five children lived in households with an income below the poverty line. Though higher than the national average, this percentage has decreased by 23 percent over the past decade. • Education: In 2019, 60 percent of young children (ages 3 and 4) were not in school. This percentage has remained consistent in Tennessee, fluctuating little throughout the last decade. • Affordable healthcare: In 2019, 80,000 Tennessee children did not have health insurance. Many of these children may be eligible for TennCare or CHIP. The year prior,

PHOTO COURTESY ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION

New study reveals effects of pandemic on well-being. there were more than 55,000 uninsured children in Tennessee who were eligible for coverage through one of these programs. • In 2019, Tennessee experienced one of the highest teen birth rates in the nation. Tennessee’s teen birth rate is 34 percent higher than the national average. • A pandemic-era survey found that many parents weren’t confident they could pay their rent or mortgage. Parents reported feeling depressed. But children did get more access to digital services for at-home schooling.

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Crossword ACROSS 1 Projects, with “out” 5 Hans Christian Andersen, by nationality 9 “Whatever You Like” rapper + Gets some color at the beach 15 Queens stadium name 16 Comic book legend Lee 17 Wild cat 18 Root on 20 Beliefs 21 Massive lang. reference 22 Arabian land near the Strait of Hormuz 23 Like a tightrope, more so than a slackline 24 Frat dude + Cpls. and sgts. 26 Actor Lundgren + Elected officials

30 Something often inflated and rarely appreciated 31 Inner things that may be suppressed 33 “Terrible” czar 34 Willem of “Spider-Man” 36 “… man ___ machine?” 37 Take a stand by not standing 38 Goal for six answers in this puzzle? 41 Expels, as lava 43 Tolkien tree being 44 Particle with a negative charge 46 Garfield’s frenemy 47 Jordan Peele’s directorial debut 49 Final, in a math series 50 Butter square + Hilarious people

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE I S A Y A M A S A C U T E

M O L E L O I N N O S I R

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52 London’s Big ___ + Ladies 55 Pairs 56 Reign 57 Course overseer, for short 58 Sentimentality 61 Concerning both the moon and sun’s motions 63 Cosmopolitan 64 Abbr. on an envelope 65 Malek of “Mr. Robot” 66 U.S. soldier + Little scurriers 67 “CSI” actress Elisabeth 68 Snake eyes DOWN 1 “Twilight” werewolf 2 Led down the aisle 3 Classic schoolkid’s alibi 4 “Understand?” 5 Internet link? 6 Drill sergeant’s command 7 Bread often served with curry 8 Finish 9 Bottom rows on spreadsheets 10 Freeze over, as a windshield 11 Bonus in baseball 12 Bottle marked “XXX,” maybe 13 Do ___ Call Registry 14 Ave. crossers

POLITICS By Jackson Baker

Edited by Will Shortz 1

19 22

47 51

55 60

49 53

PUZZLE BY AMANDA CHUNG, KARL NI AND ERIK AGARD

19 Mythical bird in the “Arabian Nights” 23 Like Mandarin 25 At least 26 Popular corn chip 27 “Hmm, leave this to me” 28 Scot’s refusal 29 Show filmed weekly in N.Y.C. 32 Steeds 35 Western Hemisphere grp.

37 Kith’s partner 39 Sugar sources from a farm 40 It runs down the middle of the Pacific 41 Soak 42 “Get a room” elicitor, for short 45 Stanley Cup matchup, e.g. 47 Gives a boost 48 Operating system in the Linux family

51 Possible reply to “Don’t forget!” 53 “Super” gaming console 54 Hindu dresses 56 Book after Judges 58 Snug rug inhabitant 59 “Exodus” hero 60 Course list abbr. 61 ___ Vegas 62 Obsession of el rey Midas

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

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Weekend Announcements Commissioner Van Turner’s mayoral candidacy highlights a lineup of local declarations.

No. 0905

Things are moving fast now. Though it is only midyear of 2021, a year ahead of time on the calendar, election 2022 is beginning to take form as candidates start to declare their availability and to shape their campaigns. In one notable case, in fact, that of Memphis mayor, which won’t be voted on until 2023, a major candidate has already made his intentions known. That candidate would be Van Turner, a lawyer of consequence, a county commissioner and former Shelby County Commission chair, head of the NAACP, and president of Memphis Greenspace, the nonprofit, ad hoc organization that now administers several Downtown parks after coming into being to purge them of their Confederate identities and memorabilia. Turner had been talked up as a possible future mayor of both Shelby County, which will cast a vote for mayor next year, and Memphis, which will do so a year later. At a well-attended fundraiser in his honor on Saturday at the Cordova home of activist Lexie Carter, Turner made his choice known. He declared that he is forming an exploratory committee to run for mayor of Memphis in 2023, when current Mayor Jim Strickland is term-limited out. And he is likely to inherit a good deal of the Strickland support group, since the Memphis mayor has made no secret of his regard for Turner.

Turner’s declaration solves two problems. Simultaneously he puts other possible contenders for city mayor on notice that he will be in that race as a likely favorite in 2023, and he dissociates himself from the idea of running for Shelby County in 2022 under any imaginable circumstance. Turner had already made it clear he would not oppose the current county mayor, fellow Democrat Lee Harris, who has yet to make his own decisions about his political future. • Turner’s was not the only candidacy that got launched over the weekend. Two incumbents running for re-election in 2022 had their coming-out parties — state Representative London Lamar and Shelby County Assessor Melvin Burgess. Lamar had her initial announcement for a re-election race in House District 91 on Friday at the Allworld Project Management building on B.B. King Street Downtown. She did so with introductory support remarks from both Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and respected activist and businessman Calvin Anderson. Lamar spoke frankly about her evolution from freshman status into a role of responsibility and outreach in the delegation at large. Also making an impact at a Sunday event at his home in the Evergreen district was Burgess, who proudly cited his honor as Tennessee Assessor of the Year and his success in persuading the Shelby County Commission to conduct property appraisals on an every-otheryear basis.

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had a nice conversation with Parniccent $26,000 a year. No wonder these folks ka Motton last week. You never heard aren’t rushing back to clean hotel rooms or of her? She is the first and only female wash dishes, the pols said. We need to cut to hold the position of mechanic with benefits immediately. So they did. the city of Memphis. And after a recent It’s not working, at least, not so far. In promotion, she’s now the only female serMissouri, where benefits were cut on June vice advisor with the city, managing vehicle 12th, there has been no uptick in job applimaintenance for two police precincts. cations. In fact, a June 27th New York Times Parnicka (par-neek-a), 44, was raised article reported that in states that have in North Memphis and taught how to abandoned the federal benefits, responses work on cars by her grandfather. She on job postings were actually below the was an only child and says she found national average. refuge in books and cars. So what’s going on? For one thing, I At 20, she became a deputy jailer at think there are a lot of Parnicka Mottons 201 Poplar but, after seven years, decided out there, people driven to find a fulfillthe work wasn’t for her and found a job at ing career. And many of them discovered Wackenhut, where she worked in security something about themselves while staying for several years. That work didn’t inspire home during the pandemic. Namely, they her either. Then she got a break: A manager don’t want to spend their lives doing crap at Jiffy Lube took a chance on her, and she work for crap pay at a crappy workplace. found herself working Most of us have moved on cars, at long last. She through lots of shit jobs. moved up to assistant manBefore getting my first ager but, after six years, journalism gig at 30, I again wanted more. “There worked as a janitor, night was no place left to grow watchman, hay-hauler, there,” she says. shingle-carrier, brick plant Then she saw an ad for worker, seasonal harvest an automotive tech with worker, house painter, and the city. “I was a 42-yearschool bus driver, to name old Black woman applying but a few. I was single, playfor a job that had never ing in bands, and not parbeen held by a woman,” she ticularly career-driven, but says. “I got the job in OctoI learned a lot about what ber 2019. I’ve been promotkinds of jobs I didn’t want ed twice this year, and I’ve to spend my life doing. never looked back. This is I think a lot of people my passion, and hard work during the pandemic, PHOTO BY BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN has paid off for me.” maybe for the first time in Parnicka Motton It’s a great story. I’m their lives, got the space telling it because I think to think about their jobs, Parnicka Motton’s determination to find about how they’d been spending 40 hours fulfilling work can be instructive when we of their lives each week. And I think many look at the current employment situation. of those folks decided they wanted more Much has been written about how employcontrol of how they spent their waking ers, particularly in the service industry — hours on this Earth. hotels, restaurants, delivery, etc. — are now If you’re going to try to make it on $12 unable to fill positions for room service, an hour, why not try doing something janitors, servers, dish-washers, and other on your own? Side hustles became gigs. lower-salaried jobs. Food trucks blossomed. Small businesses In Tennessee, and in 26 other states, emerged. People decided they didn’t want a GOP legislatures decided the reason emboss. They discovered that controlling your ployers can’t find workers is that people are hours cuts down on childcare, commuting, staying home and living off the fat $300-aand other expenses. week unemployment check that comes The pandemic opened a lot of people’s from the federal government. Combined eyes to new possibilities. And chasing poswith $250 a week in other benefits, an sibilities is what life should be all about. Just unemployed person can make a magnifiask Parnicka Motton.

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Summer COVER STORY BY FLYER STAFF

in the City

July 1-7, 2021

From cold beer and sweet treats to kayaks and museums — make the most of the season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTOZONE PARK / FACEBOOK

PHOTO BY BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

PHOTO BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

Enjoy a cold one to take the edge off during an inning at AutoZone Park.

Make your backyard the perfect home for more than just rubber duckies — no need to mow your lawn.

Say hello to ice cream in a cocktail: Global Cafe’s Peaches and Cream.

Welcome to summertime in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s hot. It’s humid. The unforgiving sun is shining like a diamond. But the city’s opening back up in ways we only could have dreamed of this time last year. Whether outdoors or in, there’s fun to be had — and ways to cool down. Snow cones, refreshing cocktails, canoeing, swimming, and more await to make this summer the best one yet.

Assignment: Drink Beer Summer is for beer. Cold ones are just better on hot days. That’s science. The pandemic kept us on the porch for much of the summer 2020 beer-drinking season. Those annual traditions — like cookouts, concerts, and baseball games — all easily melted behind daily worries of a cruel illness that took so much more than 10 just our summertime fun time. For most, COVID-19 worries have

now melted and those summer traditions have priority seating. We know what we missed last year, and we now know just how important that fun stuff — like drinking summer beers with your friends — really is. To ensure you don’t regret missing a moment this summer, here is your Memphis summertime, beer-drinking assignment. 1. Drink light beer at AutoZone Park. Beer and baseball is the winningest combo since pork shoulder and dry rub. Let’s face it, they belong together. You absolutely can grab an IPA (and probably other styles) at the park. But the magic of the park and the game is really made with a light American lager, like Miller Lite. It’s simple, dependable, and when it’s served ice-cold in a big plastic cup — don’t ask me how it works but — the summer spell is cast.

2. Drink a fruity sour beer watching an outdoor concert. Drinking to livestreams in your pajamas cannot compare to dancing to live music in your bare feet. We’re back at it this year with tons of live music events guaranteed to be packed and to boogie-oogie-oogie you from your socially distanced funk-ola. Fruity sours are summer-perfect. They’re different, light, sweet, sometimes mouth-puckeringly tart, but predictably transportive. Like dancing in a crowd in 2021, sours will make you say, “Whoa. This is different. But I like it.” 3. Drink an epic hazy IPA at your favorite taproom. Your favorite brewery’s taproom was closed last year. You couldn’t try the crazy beer with the crazy name that would never make it to grocery-store shelves.

Now that you can, you may not know that the national haze craze — the wave of hazy IPAs — has pooled securely in Memphis breweries. Call me a hazy boi all you like, but these beers are great. They’re soft and sometimes sweet. Here, they show off the real creativity of Memphis brewers, the diversity of flavors these talented folks can concoct from one style. Show up and order the hazy. Then you’ll know what’s up with a trendy beer that’s crazy-Instagrammable. (Shoot your glass with the sun behind it.And your local brewery will thank you.) — Toby Sells Create a Yard for Wildlife Tired of mowing and maintaining a lawn? I was, too. That’s why, a few years back, my wife and I began transforming our Midtown backyard into a natural habitat that attracts

Beat the Heat With Sweet Summer Treats Where I come from, humidity doesn’t exist. So it’s understandable that this former desert-dweller constantly needs a way to stave off all that excess water vapor when the Memphis summertime rolls in with its 90-plus-degree temperatures. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to temper the heat wave, and many of them just so happen to come out of Memphis’ booming food scene. Here are just a few ways to keep it cool while the sun is shining. For something a little different from your standard ice cream cone, hop out to Cordova or East Memphis for a refreshing take on the sweet confection. Poke World serves up rolled ice cream, a dessert originating from Thailand. A regular ice cream base is poured over a freezing stainless steel surface and, once solidified, scraped off and formed into thin rolls. It’s

PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS

Stax Museum would like to share its “Solid Gold Soul” with you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELVIS PRESLEY’S GRACELAND

PHOTO BY BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

Do you feel your temperature rising? Cool off with the “King of Karate.”

Paddle away from your responsibilities this summer.

both novelty and familiarity all at once, rounded out with other sweet toppings. Celebrate the season with the Summer Love, covered in bananas, strawberries, and whipped cream. Down Summer Avenue (or one of its other four locations), Memphis’ very own paleteria always comes through in a pinch. La Michoacana serves up paletas, a popsicle derivation originating from Mexico. But these popsicles pack an extra punch that’s a cut above the usual frozen sugar water. Paletas are usually made from fresh fruits like mangos and strawberries or from creamier ingredients like chocolate. The bright, swirly combinations of fruity goodness will have your head spinning with brain freeze because it’s just so good. Devour at your own peril, but no one leaves La Michoacana unsatisfied. But if a little more zing is needed in a

dessert, just head on over to Global Cafe and let Juan work his magic behind the bar. The food hall’s cocktails always pack a punch, but go with this year’s seasonal drink, the Peaches and Cream. It comes as advertised, fresh California yellow peaches pureed into silver rum and topped with whipped cream. It’s basically ice cream in a cocktail format, and all the better for it. I stopped at one, but the urge to grab several more sits right there, dangerous and tantalizing. These sweets are best in moderation, saved for a truly hot summer day. But there’s plenty more out there, of perhaps the Jerry’s or MEMPops variety, so get to exploring. — Samuel X. Cicci Day at the Museum It’s a sidewalk sizzling Memphis summer, and after a year-plus of social distancing and livestreaming digital events, I’m ready

to resume one of my favorite air-conditioned(!) pastimes — strolling leisurely through one of the Bluff City’s museums. With recently debuted and soon-toopen exhibits at many of the museums in question, one would be hard-pressed to find a better time to take in some fine art, history, or pop culture. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in Overton Park has too many exhibits to give a full accounting here, but “Persevere and Resist: The Strong Black Women of Elizabeth Catlett” and “Memphis Artists In Real Time” are two worth a closer look. Opening later this month is “Eggleston: The Louisiana Project” featuring work by Memphis photographer William Eggleston. Over at the Memphis Museum of Science & History (MoSH for short, though old-timers might know it as the Pink Palace), museum marketing manager Bill Walsh says, “Our ‘Machine Inside: Biomechanics’ exhibit and Sea Lions: Life by A Whisker giant screen movie make MoSH the perfect place to cool off this summer and explore science, history, and nature.” Meanwhile, further east, the Dixon, with its gardens and museum galleries, offers an equilibrium between indoor and outdoor activities. “We love to offer ways for visitors to beat the heat,” says Chantal Drake. “Cooling off in the museum is an enjoyable and educational way to get out of the heat. Summer exhibitions at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens highlight local artists, a centenarian artist, and our founders, Margaret and Hugo Dixon. “Although it’s summer in Memphis,” she continues, “the shady spots in the garden are perfect for a picnic where visitors can top it off with gelato from Zio Matto at Food Truck Fridays.” Meanwhile, at Elvis Presley’s Graceland, David Beckwith says, “Graceland officially kicks off the summer with the AllAmerican 4th of July Weekend. The twoday event will include concerts, parties, a barbecue, a gospel brunch, special tours, and more, all capped off with an Elvisthemed fireworks spectacular.” That’s just the tip of the hunka, hunka iceberg, though. The “Inside the Walt Disney Archives” exhibition, which opens July 23rd, celebrates the legacy of the Walt Disney Company archives, with behindthe-scenes access never before granted to the public. Currently open is the “King of Karate” exhibit. Included in the pop-up exhibit’s collection will be Presley’s personal karate gis, his seventh- and eighth-degree black belt certificates, and the original handwritten script for his 1974 karate documentary, The New Gladiators. Finally, at Stax, they’re celebrating their archives with “Solid Gold Soul: The Best continued on page 12

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. By using native and easy-to-care-for perennials, our main chore each year is to cut them back in the spring, fertilize them, and watch them grow and blossom. And as a bonus, it’s beautiful. Our native black and blue salvia flowers, butterfly bushes, bee balm plants, daylilies, lantana, orpine, and even basil and thyme flowers attract hummingbirds better than our feeders do, though we have a couple of those, as well. The flowers also bring in bees and butterflies of every variety throughout the summer and fall. We keep a bird feeder filled with seeds year-round, which keeps the cardinals and finches nesting nearby. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) offers guidelines for making your yard a sustainable environment. The five keys are: food (plants and feeders that provide nectar, seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, foliage, pollen, and insects); water (birdbaths or other sources); cover (bushes, trees, and tall grasses); places to raise young (ditto the bushes, trees, and tall grasses); and sustainable gardening practices (no chemicals). If you’re into that sort of thing, you can apply to the NWF for a sign to put in your yard when you think you qualify. We don’t have an official sign, but by midsummer our backyard is filled with life and beauty that brings us enjoyment throughout the day. By July, our fig tree is an all-day party. (Pecking order: blue jays, robins, cardinals, then assorted little guys and squirrels.) We have thrilling aerial “battles” between bumblebees, hummingbirds, and dragonflies as they jockey for position on the blooms. And our butterfly variety is second to none. Sound good? Get started today. Dig up your lawn, start planting flowers and bushes, and just say no mow. — Bruce VanWyngarden

continued from page 11 of the Rest from the Stax Museum,” which opens Friday, July 16th. “‘Solid Gold Soul’ showcases the museum staff ’s favorite objects that are not part of the permanent exhibits and, with the exception of Isaac Hayes’ office desk and chair, all items are on display for the first time,” says Stax’s Jeff Kollath. “Highlights include rare photographs of the Bar-Kays, Otis Redding, and Isaac Hayes; stage costumes worn by members of Funkadelic and the TSU Toronadoes; and rare vinyl records and photographs from the recently acquired Bob Abrahamian Collection.” Of course, there are more Memphis museums to explore. The views from the Metal Museum’s bluffs are worth the trip, and every Memphian needs to visit the National Civil Rights Museum — preferably more than once. The Withers Collection Museum & Gallery on Beale is a personal favorite, and its deceptively small size in square footage is no hindrance to the breadth of Memphis life on view, as captured by the lens of photographer Ernest Withers. Whether it’s culture, history, science, or just powerful airconditioning you seek, Memphis’ museums make for some special summer fun. — Jesse Davis NCRM-MemphisFlyer-9.7x5.48.pdf

Paddle Your Cares Away For this former Boy Scout, summer means it’s paddling season. While crafts like kayaks, canoes, or stand-up paddle boards take a bit of skill to keep under control, it’s not a steep learning curve, and the rewards are enormous, including the sublime quiet of such boating: All you hear is the dip of your paddle in the water and whatever the environment offers. The environment can be spectacular if you make the short trip out to the Ghost River, a section of the Wolf River. Unlike parts of the Wolf in and around Memphis, the Ghost River section to the east has not been dredged and is dominated by cypress trees rising solemnly out of the unhurried flow, complemented with abundant wildlife, flowers, and grasses. As Mark Babb, co-founder of Ghost River Rentals (ghostriverrentals.com), puts it, “Thanks to the efforts of the Wolf River Conservancy and others in the late ’80s, there is no erosion. It’s a Class 1 river, with a mild current. But we won’t go down the river with a chain saw and clear out the vegetation to make it an easy trip. We want to keep it natural. And when these trees fall across the river, they help to restrict the flow to prevent the erosion so it doesn’t become channelized or become a steep-banked river, like you see in other sections.” 6/21/21

city. “When it comes to inexperienced paddlers, we recommend Kayak Memphis Tours (kayakmemphistours.com), which my son started. They offer canoeing and kayaking on the Memphis harbor and at Shelby Farms, including full moon floats every month, and July Fourth fireworks viewing out on the harbor.” — Alex Greene

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DONAHUE

Order a Wedding Cake Supreme for a summertime dream at Jerry’s. As a result, Babb’s boat rental service recommends having at least one experienced paddler per boat. “A paddler needs to know how to steer a boat,” he says, “how to re-right their boat, how to avoid the tree limbs, how to portage over and around the downed trees.” Or one can spring for a guide to lead a group through the area. Another option is to stick closer to the

Cool off at Jerry’s With apologies to Mungo Jerry and his song, “In the Summertime”: In the summertime when the weather is high — you can choose from 100 flavors at Jerry’s Sno Cones. That also goes for fall, winter, and spring. And you can get hamburgers, chicken tenders, and other food items at either of the Jerry’s locations (1657 Wells Station Road or 1601 Bonnie Lane in Cordova). Owner David Acklin was a customer before he owned the business, which he believes opened in 1967. “I used to go there when I was a teenager,” says David whose favorite flavor was — and still is — blue raspberry. He got to know the owners L.B. and Cordia Clifton, whose son Jerry was the namesake of the business. The Cliftons became his “replacement grandparents,” says Acklin, who was 18 when he lost his grandfather. Acklin worked at a printing company at the time, but he also worked

12:57 PM

The best Civil Rights story ever told. C

CMY

July 1-7, 2021

Celebrating Thirty Years civilrightsmuseum.org 12

Summer in the Streets Memphis has enough parks and playgrounds and other open space to accommodate a generous amount of summer recreation. And there are things to do off-campus, as it were. The Bluff City has historically not witnessed the street stickball or other hazardous pastimes of so much big-city urban legend elsewhere, although the city’s sidewalks still work for hopscotch, and, with proper caution and adult supervision and sufficient notice to the

neighbors, a children’s game or two undoubtedly gets played in the quieter residential coves. As it happens, the streets are literally ideal for one particular form of recreation, which also has numerous utilitarian aspects. That would be bike-riding — if performed in the numerous lanes provided and plainly marked out along the margins of city streets and roads and carried out with sufficient attention to the rules of safety, particularly the wearing of helmets. Memphis has a variety of clubs for cyclists, and these groups generally provide for training and both spontaneous and carefully structured events. As it happens, the simple act of walking and, with special care for fellow pedestrians, running are the most basic, easiest, and least expensive of street pastimes. Here, too, the largely common-sense rules of safety, such as attention to crosswalks and traffic lights, is called for. Luckily, the Memphis Runners Track Club and other groups organize races and fun runs during the warm-weather months, and these, in cooperation with city government, take place along pre-planned and sectioned-off routes. The charge, when there is one, is nominal. The often-overlooked Mud Island Riverwalk is technically not a street attraction, but it is outdoors, free of

charge, and — in the oft-abused phrase — educational with its evocation of the city’s larger landscape, with enough DIY potential to appeal to the liberated spirit. And, as veterans remember about the Jakob Dylan street concert of some 20 years ago, a serendipity stemming from a Beale Street opening, once in a while we have the good fortune of some free music. Maybe we’ll get lucky again. — Jackson Baker Swim! “It’s hot, and you need a pool!” That’s how the classic Memphis commercial for Watson’s announced the beginning of summer. When the thermometer creeps upward, nothing is better than splashing in a pool or diving into a lake. But first, you should learn to swim, says Rob Snowberger. As a swim coach for 50 years and the owner of Coach Rob’s Pool School, Snowberger has taught tens of thousands of Memphians to swim. “Drowning is the second-largest cause of accidental death, after car accidents,” he says. “It is the leading cause of death among preschool children. Below 3,000 deaths is considered a ‘good year.’ Seventy percent of those preschooler deaths take place in the backyard pool, which is the focus of our swim school — trying to avoid that catastrophe.”

Snowberger says it’s never too late to learn to swim — his oldest beginning student ever was 72. Children as young as 18 months can start learning, but the coach says most kids don’t develop the physical coordination needed until about age 3. “Swimming is a very complex feat. You’re kicking your legs, moving your arms, controlling your breathing. You’re turning your head in sequence with your arms. Dribbling a basketball is an easy skill, compared to all those things.” Is it okay to jump in Memphis’ most famous body of water, the Mississippi River? “Oh, hell no!” says Snowberger. Swimming in swiftly moving water is extremely dangerous. The Mississippi might look lazy on the surface, but that hides some of the strongest currents in the world. With those currents come all the debris that washed into the river as it traveled from Minnesota to Memphis. Swimmers run the risk of being struck by debris or pulled under by those currents. Luckily, there are plenty of places to get wet, from public pools to backyard splashes to lakes. Snowberger says if you have small children, avoid the inflatable arm floaties and invest in a good life jacket with a strap between the legs. And have fun! After all, it’s hot out. — Chris McCoy

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

for the Cliftons for free after he got off his other job. Acklin eventually bought Jerry’s Sno Cones, but he continued to work at the printing company. “I used to change clothes at red lights. Take off my tie and put on my shorts. … I used to wear penny loafers. I’d pull my socks off and slide into my flip-flops.” There would already be a line when he got there at 3:30 p.m. Acklin remembers going outside one July. “The line went straight out around the sign and two houses down.” He asked a kid in line to count the people. “So, 220 people.” What’s the most popular snow cone flavor? “Wedding Cake Supreme. It’s red wedding cake and it’s got vanilla ice cream running through it.” — Michael Donahue

F I N A N C I A L F E AT U R E B y G e n e G a r d

Trust the Process Don’t let FOMO dictate your investments.

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ne of the most frustrating things about investing can be FOMO — fear of missing out. Most new investors pick their positions by looking at the highest returns in previous periods and buying whatever did the best. Then they engage in an unfortunate game of leapfrog, getting drawn in by the next hot investment after it’s already gone up. This outcome-oriented thinking not only produces poor returns; it’s also extremely discouraging. It’s the reason that after a setback, investors often start thinking about the markets as an unreliable casino and hang onto their cash, to their long-term detriment. In a way, capital markets are a casino — but the rare one that is in your favor in the long run. Nobody can guess what will happen this month or year, but if history is any guide, it’s hard to be worse off in the markets as the years turn into decades and the growing earning power of thriving companies begins to manifest in your account. It’s all about your mindset. Here are three simple statements that process-oriented — and successful — long-term investors tend to believe: 1. For any set of stocks or funds, just one will perform the best over any given period, and sometimes even the best one will go down. 2. Despite statement number 1, investors should stay invested and diversified through good markets and bad, even though much or all of their portfolio will miss that one best thing. They should not chase extreme performance no matter how tempting it may be. 3. Looking backward, investors shouldn’t regret number 2, even if they had a good guess about what would do best or if they see questionable choices of irresponsible investors rewarded with huge windfall profits. While it’s difficult not to wish for a windfall, here are a few ideas that might help you avoid short-term regret once you’ve made the correct long-term choices: 1. Understand that the market outcome for a given period is just one of countless ways things could have turned out. A more conservative allocation might annoy you when everything is going up, but when things go wrong it can be a lifesaver. You

never know, in advance, what will go wrong in the economy (COVID-19 anyone?). 2. To jump in and out of speculative bets successfully, you have to nail the timing perfectly, twice. You have to get in near the bottom and get back out at or near the top. Getting either decision right is hard. Getting both right is almost impossible. No matter what they say, your friends or people you read on the internet are not consistently successful at this in the long-term. 3. The kinds of investments that are likely to double or triple in a short time are also usually the kind that can go to zero very quickly. Believe it or not, if you can just average 20 percent returns a year, in the long run you will be one of the best investors in the world. There’s no reason to swing for the fences all the time.

PEPI STOJANOVSKI | UNSPLASH

4. Your investments are irreplaceable once you reach a certain career stage and age. A 20-year-old could lose their life savings on a speculative stock and make the money back in a matter of months. A 60-year-old looking at retirement would dramatically impair their lifestyle if they lost a big chunk of their nest egg. There’s just not enough time to accumulate money and get it working in the market to ever recover past a certain point. Most new investors think the outcome is all that matters and compare their results to the hottest stocks and benchmarks to inevitable disappointment. A process-oriented investor can be confident they made good choices before even seeing the results. A process-oriented investing mindset can help you with the most important thing — staying in the race. Have a question or topic you’d like to see covered in this column? Contact the author at ggard@telarrayadvisors.com. Gene Gard is Co-Chief-Investment Officer at Telarray, a Memphis-based wealth management firm that helps families navigate investment, tax, estate, and retirement decisions.

MUSIC By Alex Greene

PHOTO BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS

Bobby Rush

The blues is all about perspective. Think of how many classic songs of the genre urge you to take a step back and reflect, either on what’s plaguing you or on your good fortune. “The blues ain’t nothing but a botheration of your mind,” Blues Hall of Famer and Grammy Award winner Bobby Rush sings in “What Is the Blues?” — and just by saying it, he’s inviting us to contemplate. “I think, therefore I’m blue,” he seems to say, and every witticism, wry observation, and double entendre in his catalogue seems to confirm it. So it’s been clear to anyone paying attention that Rush was a doctor of philosophy long before he received an honorary doctorate from Rhodes College in May. Now, with the publication of his autobiography, I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story, written with historian and composer Herb Powell (Hachette Books), it’s clearer than ever that Rush is a thinking person’s bluesman. The title itself suggests a kind of meta-awareness. If you ain’t studdin’ someone, you’re not “studying” their hogwash. You’re not letting anyone’s claptrap worry you. In high-falutin’ terms, you’re not letting them frame the situation with whatever catastrophe (or gossip) they’ve cooked up. It’s worth spelling out in a literal way because, as you read Rush’s book, you have to connect the dots yourself.

He shows meanings by example. “I started lying about my age when I was 12, becoming 15 overnight — and I ain’t never looked back,” he writes on page one. “If you can’t give me a pass on that, then I ain’t studdin’ ya.” It’s playful, heady stuff, and it captures Rush’s manner of speaking. Co-writer Powell wisely steps back and lets Rush’s voice unfold in true storytelling mode. And nearly every word reveals his poet’s eye for detail, the eye of the songwriter who’s wryly observed human behavior for decades. “The sugarcane stalks were just starting to turn yellow in late September,” the book begins. “I looked at the back of Daddy’s hands as he massaged the stalk. The contrast of his boot-black skin against the greenish-yellow leaf looked like the stark colors that I only saw on the shelves of the general store.” With such vivid language, Rush is especially eloquent on the subject of his parents, and it’s clear that his father, a preacher and “a true bookworm,” played a large role in Rush’s philosophical bent. The philosophy includes many hard-won lessons on the deadly absurdities of race in America — “White Devils, Green Money,” as one chapter puts it. Rush doesn’t paper

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Bobby Rush comes clean as a sage and scribe of the blues.

over the injustices of growing up in the South; nor does he let such prejudices define him. He clearly ain’t studdin’ ’em; rather, like his father, he carries an indomitable dignity that has helped him weather the good times and the bad. Yet, the man who emerges from these pages is a man of great faith and hope. Yes, his faith is of the Baptist variety, deeply informed by his father, but it’s also a secular faith in the more progressive side of the American Dream, a faith that justice is worth pursuing. As it happens, and with impeccable timing, his more secular faith as a citizen is about to get some extra play, just a week after his book’s release. As a capstone to his many years as a visiting scholar in the arts at Rhodes’ Mike Curb Institute for Music and on the eve of his July 1st show in the Shell Yeah! Benefit Concert Series at the Levitt Shell, Rush is releasing the single “America the Beautiful,” by Bobby Rush and the Curb Collective, featuring Eddie Cotton. The funky redo of the patriotic classic is a collaboration between the artist and students from the Curb Institute at Rhodes College that “pays tribute to our musical roots and celebrates our collective sounds as a nation.” Watch for Rush and his students to perform it live at his Levitt Shell show.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya

steppin’ out (& stayin’ in)

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

Burnin’ Love

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES

Spend the Fourth with Elvis.

Julie Ray

Recently, a young co-worker asked me if Graceland was cool or cheesy. The answer is both. Seriously, the ’70s were total cheese. You just can’t get past that. But talk to any Memphian and they have an Elvis story — either about their parents, grandparents, or friends who had a brush with Elvis. And that’s pretty cool. So, if you are a Memphian, the upcoming Fourth of July holiday might be just the ticket to get your cool cheese on when Graceland throws their All-American 4th of July Weekend event. Elvis Presley Enterprises states, “Graceland is so excited to celebrate America’s birthday with friends, family, and fans.” Aren’t we all, in some form or fashion, a friend, family, or fan of Elvis Presley — if not directly, by proximity? Plus, Graceland knows how to throw a party. On Saturday, events range from a $25 Ultimate Elvis Tribute concert by Bill Cherry to a $500 Hidden Graceland Tour. On Sunday, you can attend a Gospel Brunch for $50 or a private barbecue dinner reception for VIP and package holders. The finale is free and open to the public, with fireworks set to Elvis music. VIP and package tickets are $346-$1,200 and include special perks, access to Graceland, including the interactive and special exhibits, and most of the Fourth of July weekend events except for the Hidden Tour of Graceland. Sounds like a great staycation for America’s birthday. There is nothing more American than Elvis, rock-and-roll, fireworks, and barbecue.

A.J. LORD

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ALL-AMERICAN 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, GRACELAND, 3717 ELVIS PRESLEY, SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 3-4, FREE-$50+.

Let Jim Lord’s food truck be the mac to your cheese. Food, p. 25

A White House summit addressed rising crime — but who is most affected? Last Word, p. 31

July 1-7, 2021

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES July 1st - 7th

An Afternoon with Julie Clark Online from facebook.com/ colliervilleburchlibrary, Thursday, July 1, noon, free Join a livestream event on Collierville Library’s Facebook page in conversation with the author of New York Times bestseller The Last Flight: A Novel. Shell Yeah: Tasty Compositions featuring Bobby Rush Levitt Shell, 1928 Poplar, Thursday, July 1, 7:30 p.m., $400 per pod Benefiting the Shell. Novel will be on-site selling Rush’s new book, I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story.

Summer Movie Series : Independence Day Overton Square, 2101 Madison, Thursday, July 1, 8:30 p.m., free Aliens want to destroy Earth! This 1996 film stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum.

Trap Live 4th of July Carolina Watershed, 141 E. Carolina, Friday, July 2, 7 p.m., $20 Features live entertainment by Al Kapone, Kickman Teddy, BTF Dope, and DJ Pablo, with special guests Lil Wyte and Lord T & Eloise.

Wilson Wine Experience: Rhone Varietals Wilson Cafe, 2 N. Jefferson Street, Wilson, AR, Friday, July, 2, 4 p.m., $20 Enjoy this fun and educational wine tasting experience exploring the varietals of the Rhone Valley in France.

2021 Miss Tennessee Scholarship Competition Cannon Center, 255 N. Main, Thursday-Saturday, July 1-3, $135 Witness history as a new Miss Tennessee is crowned in Memphis for the first time in 68 years to represent Tennessee in the Miss America competition.

Cemetery Cinema: The Witches of Eastwick Elmwood Cemetery, 824 Dudley, Friday, July 2, 8:30-10:30 p.m., $17 An outdoor showing of the 1987 dark fantasy-comedy starring Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Jack Nicholson.

Memphis Redbirds Independence Day Celebration Autozone Park, 200 Union, FridaySunday, July 2-4, 6:30 p.m., $31 Celebrate with a fireworks display and an all-you-can-eat buffet of burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, and drinks with the purchase of a specialty ticket.

Live music at

PHOTO BY JULIE RAY

You won’t be melon-choly when you visit Priddy Farms.

Priddy Melon

By Julie Ray

Spencer Priddy’s farm sits on 24 acres in Bartlett, Tennessee. When the tree farm where his family got their yearly holiday tree in Millington closed, he thought, “I can do that.” That was 23 years ago. Priddy has created a successful pumpkin and Christmas tree farm by researching best practices and proper planning. He started getting requests for a summer event and decided to roll out the inaugural Watermelon Festival this year. The summer festival features giant waterslides, bounce houses, a petting zoo, hayrides, and watermelons. Animals like the watermelons, too. Be sure to share some with Chocolate Chip, Oreo, Clara Belle, Sherman, Dolly the Llama, and Pork Chop — just some of the miniature horses, pigs, and assortment of other friendly farm animals. Some of the animals are even rescues, like Nigerian goats, Biscuit and Butter. And some have unlikely allies like Mr. Peabody and Ms. Scarlett, a pair of peacocks who share their pen with a white rabbit. “You can take a train ride to the watermelon patch,” says Priddy as he motions to the back 20 acres. “But it’s not really watermelon season around here yet. We brought these watermelons in for the festival until ours ripen.” The festival has a garden gnome theme and is open Wednesday-Sunday through August 15th. “Call me patriotic,” says Priddy. “We stuck some flags in our summer decorations, too.” Fall will be here soon enough, and Priddy is busy planning a new corn maze for the upcoming season to add to the Haunted Woods attraction. WATERMELON FESTIVAL, PRIDDY FARMS, 4595 N. GERMANTOWN, BARTLETT, TENNESSEE, JULY 1-AUGUST 15, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, 11 A.M.-7 P.M., FRIDAY, 11 A.M.-8 P.M, SATURDAY, 9 A.M.-8 P.M., AND SUNDAY 11 A.M.-7 P.M., FREE-$8.

July 3rd - 7:00pm Temple Underground and Uriah Mitchell

6/30 - 6:30pm

Duwayne Burnside Blues Hour

7/1 - 7pm

James Godwin

7/2 - 7pm

Steve Selvidge

7/3 - 7pm

Temple Underground and Uriah Mitchell

7/4 - 12pm

Mighty Souls

7/4 - 5pm

Bluff City Bandits

First Fridays on Broad: Christmas in July Broad Avenue Arts District, 2542 Broad, Friday, July 2, 5-8 p.m., free Peruse the arts district enjoying holiday-themed offerings at shops and restaurants, plus a visit from Santa. Barbecue Blues & Bourbon Festival Grind City Brewery, 76 Waterworks, Saturday, July 3, noon-5:30 p.m., $25 Barbecue and bourbon samples, live entertainment, and book signing by Larry Dodson and Bobby Rush, benefiting Tennessee Bone Marrow Foundation.

Cooper-Young 4th of July Parade Cooper-Young Historic District, Cooper and Young, Sunday, July 4, 1 p.m., free Enjoy popsicles at this popular annual event. Bring the family to watch the parade or bring bikes and trikes to be part of the festivities. 4th of July Celebration Downtown Mud Island River Park, 125 N. Front, Sunday, July 4, 7 p.m., free Fireworks, live music, food trucks, two-hour kayak party, Stax vs. Motown DJ Dance Party, activities and games for kids, roller-skating, and more.

Marvel Bingo Night Online Online from Cerrito Entertainment, cerritobingo.com, Tuesday, July 6, 8-9:30 p.m., free Get ready for the release of the first Avengers movie in two years by playing Marvel-themed bingo with Kevin Cerrito from the comfort of your own home. A Virtual Night with Christina Baker Kline Novel, 387 Perkins Ext., Wednesday, July 7, 6 p.m., free with registration Book launch for The Exiles: A Novel via Zoom. Hosted by John Searles.

7/8 - 8pm

Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears

7/9 - 7pm Spank!

7/10 - 8pm

Shamarr Allen and The Underdawgs

7/11 - 1pm

Mighty Souls

railgarten.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Questlove’s Summer of Soul brings the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival back to life. Film, p. 26

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

7/7 - 6:30pm

Duwayne Burnside Blues Hour

2 1 6 6 C e n t r a l Av e . Memphis TN 38104

CALENDAR of EVENTS:

July 1 - 7

“Watch for my Signals,” works by Alex Lockwood, on view at David Lusk Gallery through July 31

ART AN D S P EC I A L E X H I B ITS

“Drip”

Exhibition of paintings by Kevin Ford. Through Aug. 21. TOPS GALLERY: MADISON AVENUE PARK

“Memphis Artists In Real Time”

“Folk Art”

Exhibition of works from the collection of Judy Peiser, cofounder and executive director of the Center for Southern Folklore. Through July 31.

Exhibition of photographs by Memphis photojournalists Johnathan “Malik” Martin and Andrea Morales. Through July 10.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

“Micro-Aesthetic”

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Exhibition of microscopic images forming a connection to everyday-life patterns, presented by Dr. Amir Hadadzadeh. Through Sept. 30.

“Hindsight 2020”

Exhibition by four student curators, three professional mentors, and two student graphic designers offering a reflection of the events of 2020 through the lens of artists of color, LGBTQ+ artists, and others. Through Sept. 30. ART MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS (AMUM)

“Images of Africa Before & After the Middle Passage” Exhibition of photography by Jeff and Shaakira Edison.

Ongoing. SLAVE HAVEN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MUSEUM

“Invisible Aquaphobic Art”

Art installation in the plaza fountain that will reveal artworks only when exposed to water, by artist Stacey WilliamsNg. Through Aug. 31. CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Memphis Museum of Science & History

July 1-7, 2021

WWW.MEMPHISMUSEUMS.ORG

Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com or P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY.

“King of Karate”

Exhibit highlighting Elvis’ lifelong passion of the art of karate. Ongoing. GRACELAND EXHIBITION CENTER

“Measured Making: The 150mm Challenge” Exhibition by amateur and professional blacksmiths who turned small steel rectangles into something spectacular.

Through July 3. METAL MUSEUM

“Memphis 2021”

Exhibition of new work by favorite and emerging artists emphasizing color, texture, scale, community, and an exciting look at what’s to come in Memphis in the 2020s. Through July 11. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

ART MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS (AMUM)

“Persevere and Resist: The Strong Black Women of Elizabeth Catlett” Exhibition highlighting the historic and current plights of Black women in America. Through Aug. 31.

“Pieta Mondrian”

Exhibiton of sculptures by Christopher Chiappa. Through Aug. 21. TOPS GALLERY

“Sketching Europe: A Tour through the Eyes of Memphian Samuel H. Crone”

Exhibition of sketches and watercolor paintings by Samuel Hester Crone. Ongoing. ART MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS (AMUM)

“The Machine Inside: Biomechanics”

An immersive exhibit for all ages that takes visitors on an intriguing journey into the marvels of natural engineering. Through Aug. 31. MEMPHIS PINK PALACE MUSEUM

Tributaries: Andrew Meers: “Amalgamations”

Exhibition which recognizes emerging and mid-career artists

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

continued on page 20

NEW EXHIBIT NOW OPEN

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

C A L E N D A R : J U LY 1 - 7 continued from page 18

ART HAPPE N I NGS

in the metals field. Includes a selection of knives and forged work. Through July 17.

First Fridays on Broad: Christmas in July

METAL MUSEUM

Vietnam Veterans & Desert Storm Veterans Exhibition

The Peace Project

Enjoy holiday-themed offerings from local shops and restaurants plus a visit from Santa. Friday, July 2, 5 p.m. BROAD AVENUE ARTS DISTRICT

Hear the peace offerings made up of artists’ voices, instruments, ambient noises, and reverberations featuring work by Hank Willis Thomas. Ongoing. MEMPHIS PARK (FOURTH BLUFF)

Gallery benefiting artists. Through Aug. 31.

MID-SOUTH ARTIST GALLERY

“Watch for my Signals”

WESTY’S

B O O K E V E N TS

Snowden Spirit Series Writing Contest

A Virtual Night with Christina Baker Kline

Exhibition of works made from found objects by Alex Lockwood. Through July 31. DAVID LUSK GALLERY

WOMAN’S EXCHANGE OF MEMPHIS

Poetry Society of Tennessee Monthly Meeting Saturday, July 3, 2-4 p.m.

Sunday, July 4, 2 p.m.

Write your own story — historical fiction — about the people buried at Elmwood. Prizes awarded. Visit website for full details. $20. Through July 6. ELMWOODCEMETERY.COM

Line tickets are required to meet the author and are free with the purchase of the book, I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story. Saturday, July 3, 5 p.m. NOVEL

WE Gallery

Pinch District Art on the Patio Artists’ Market

Veterans’ work on view. Through July 31.

Meet the Author: Bobby Rush

Book launch for The Exiles: A Novel via Zoom. Hosted by John Searles. Wednesday, July 7, 6 p.m. NOVEL

POPLAR-WHITE STATION BRANCH LIBRARY

Tennessee R.E.A.D.S.

Use your library card to check out ebooks and audiobooks at reads.overdrive.com. Includes Big Library Read connecting readers around the world with the same book at the same time. Ongoing. MEMPHISLIBRARY.ORG

C O M E DY

Here comes the sun

Are your eyes ready for the harsh glare of the summer sunshine?

Schedule your appointment today for a comprehensive vision exam and consult with

Friday, July 2, 7 p.m. Second performance on Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m. $27. CHUCKLES COMEDY CLUB

Rob Love

Headliner performs on stage. $20. Friday, July 2, 8 p.m. THE COMEDY JUNT

C O M M U N I TY

Thistle & Bee Ambassador Program

Become a steward for the Thistle & Bee mission. Email Oriana for more information, oholmes@ thistleandbee.org. Free. Ongoing. THISTLEANDBEE.ORG

DAN C E

Argentine Tango

Learn, practice, and dance authentic Argentine tango with Memphis Argentine Tango Society (MATS). Sunday, July 4, 5:30 p.m. THEATREWORKS

Shrine Tea Dance

Featuring Noble Sounds Orchestra and the Bankers. Semi-formal attire. BYOB. $10. Sunday, July 4, 2-6 p.m. AL CHYMIA SHRINE CENTER

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Garden-themed exhibit with 40+ sprayers including jet streams, mists, geysers, and water tunnels. Free with admission. $15. Ongoing. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS

KangaZoo Outback Experience

Experience the outback and meet one of Australia’s largest marsupials, the red kangaroo. Free. Through Oct. 31. MEMPHIS ZOO

F EST IVA L

GET LOUD Concert Series: Victor Wooten, Joseph Wooten, Roy “Futureman’ Wooten, Regi Wooten, The Wooten Brothers + Dottie Outdoor music series in Handy Park on Beale Street’s biggest stage. Visit Facebook page for more information. Thursday, July 1, 6 p.m. BEALE STREET

Memphis Barbecue Blues & Bourbon Festival A SOUTHERN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY CLINICAL FACILITY

Benefiting Tennessee Bone Marrow Foundation. $25. Saturday, July 3, noon-5:30 p.m. GRIND CITY BREWERY

continued on page 22

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

C A L E N D A R : J U LY 1 - 7 continued from page 20 F I LM

Cemetery Cinema: The Witches of Eastwick

An outdoor showing of The Witches of Eastwick, starring Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Jack Nicholson. $17. Friday, July 2, 8:30-10:30 p.m. ELMWOOD CEMETERY

Met Summer Encore 2021: Yannick

French musician performance from the Metropolitan Opera. $15. Wednesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m. MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX

Spring Movie Series: The Wizard of Oz

Bring the family to an outdoor movie. Free and open to the public. Thursday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. GREENBELT PARK

FO O D AN D D R I N K

Canoes + Cocktails

Enjoy a guided evening sunset paddle on the lake followed by socially distant cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, yard games, and music at Hyde Lake Pavilion. Friday, July 2, 7 p.m. SHELBY FARMS PARK

Carpenter Art Garden

Memphis Redbirds Independence Day Celebration

Pick up seasonal veggies every Monday and Thursday. Cash or Venmo is accepted. Visit Facebook page for times and weekly offerings.

Celebrate with a fireworks display and an all-you-can-eat buffet of burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, and drinks (water or soda) with the purchase of a specialty ticket. $31. Thursday, July 1-July 4

CARPENTER ART GARDEN

City Tasting Tours

Savor tastings at eateries, interact with chefs and managers, and sample local flavors while learning about the city. Ongoing.

AUTOZONE PARK

Memphis Reggae Sunday: Independence Day Weekend

CITYTASTINGTOURS.COM

Cordova International Farmers Market

Large selection of produce and meat. Tuesday, June 8, 9 a.m. INTERNATIONAL FARMERS MARKET

Haunted Pub Crawl

Knowledgeable and entertaining guides take you on an informative and humorous walking tour of Downtown Memphis restaurants, bars, and taverns. $25. Friday, July 2, 7:30 p.m. THE BROOM CLOSET

Memphis Brew Bus

Visit three local craft breweries for tours, talks with the brewers, and a beer at each stop. Recorded narration on bus by DJ Ric Chetter with beer trivia, beer history, and local music. 21+. $49. Saturday, July 3, 2 p.m. THE BROOM CLOSET

H O L I DAY E V E N TS

4th of July Celebration Downtown Memphis

Features activities including fireworks, live music, food trucks, kayak party, STAX vs. Motown DJ dance party, kids activities, roller skating, and more. Sunday, July 4, 7 p.m. MUD ISLAND RIVER PARK

All-American 4th of July Weekend What’s more American than Elvis, rock-and-roll, fireworks, and barbecue. Celebrate Independence Day at Graceland. July 3-July 4.

The Witches of Eastwick, starring Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Cher, at Elmwood Cemetery, Friday, July 2

Cooper-Young 4th of July Parade Enjoy popsicles and watch the parade at this annual event. Sunday, July 4, 1 p.m.

COOPER-YOUNG HISTORIC DISTRICT

Fireworks Extravaganza Features live entertainment, crafts, refreshments, and a spectacular fireworks display. Sunday, July 4, 5 p.m.

Bartlett 4th of July Festival

Features fireworks on Friday, parade on Saturday, and carnival on Sunday. July 2-July 4.

GERMANTOWN MUNICIPAL PARK

Independence Day Celebration

BARTLETT STATION MUNICIPAL CENTER

Join the festivities in Collierville’s Cox Park, 440 W. Powell. Saturday, July 3, 6:30 p.m.

GRACELAND

COLLIERVILLE, TN

Enjoy a family-friendly day out featuring live reggae music, Jamaican jerk chicken, crawfish boil, tropical island drinks, dancehall contest, and more. Sunday, July 4, 3 p.m. BRINSON’S

LECT U R E

Delta Transmasculine

Group for transgender masculine folks. Friday, July 2, 5 p.m. OUTMEMPHIS: THE LGBTQ CENTER OF THE MID-SOUTH

Depression Bipolar Support Alliance Meeting @ St. Francis Hospital

Drive to the back behind the ER. There will be a parking lot with a sign reading Auditorium Parking. Group meets in the St.

continued on page 24

PUBLIC MEDIA RELEASE 2021-2022 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM

The Land Academy announces participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals will be provided at no separate charge to eligible children/adults without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA served at the following site(s):

Name of Site(s): The Land Academy Address of Site(s): 3430 Overton Crossing

July 1-7, 2021

FREE - 130% MONTHLY

EVERY TWO WEEKS

WEEKLY

ANNUAL

MONTHLY

TWICE PER MONTH

EVERY TWO WEEKS

16,744

1,396

698

644

23,828

1,986

993

917

459

22,646

1,888

944

871

436

32,227

2,686

1,343

1,240

620

ANNUAL

1 2

WEEKLY

28,548

2,379

1,190

1,098

549

40,626

3,386

1,693

1,563

782

34,450

2,871

1,436

1,325

663

49,025

4,086

2,043

1,886

943

40,352

3,363

1,682

1,552

776

57,424

4,786

2,393

2,209

1,105

46,254

3,855

1,928

1,779

890

65,823

5,486

2,743

2,532

1,266

52,156

4,347

2,174

2,006

1,003

74,222

6,186

3,093

2,855

1,428

58,058

4,839

2,420

2,233

1,117

82,621

6,886

3,443

3,178

1,589

For each additional 1 family member

5,902

492

246

227

114

8,399

700

350

324

162

USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Every child is an artist. — Picasso 22

REDUCED - 185%

TWICE PER MONTH

HOUSEHOLD SIZE

1636 UNION AVENUE 901.276.6321 artcentermemphis.com

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690 7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

C A L E N D A R : J U LY 1 - 7 continued from page 22 Clair Room. Saturday, July 3, 2-4 p.m. ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL

Hope House Support Group

For transgender individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. Tuesday, July 6, 1 p.m. HOPE HOUSE

Just For ToGay: LGBTQ Narcotics Anonymous Meeting Closed meeting of Narcotics Anonymous. Thursday, July 1, 7 p.m. CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

“Meanwhile in Memphis” Tune into WYXR 91.7 FM where Anna Mullins Ellis and Christy Mullen provide a weekly window into ways Memphians are solving problems, looking forward, and successfully shaping the community. Tuesday, July 6, 8 a.m. CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Nashville Songwriter’s Assn. Intnl. (NSAI) Memphis Chapter Meeting

Lessons and discussion on songwriting with an opportunity to share songs in progress and provide feedback. Bring a

song to share and 8-10 copies of the lyrics. Tuesday, July 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

S PO R TS

Memphis Redbirds vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS

Perpetual Transition Meeting

Home game. Through July 4. AUTOZONE PARK

Support and social group for transgender folks. Monday, July 5, 7-9 p.m.

Slow Your Roll Saturday Morning Meditation

Join mindfulness and meditation teacher Greg Graber’s meditation session in the Church Health Meditation Garden. Saturday, July 3, 9:3010 a.m.

OUTMEMPHIS: THE LGBTQ CENTER OF THE MID-SOUTH

Real Talk with the Rabbis Each month, a local rabbi will help us find meaning in our chaotic world in a conversation about current issues through a Jewish lens. Free. Tuesday, July 6, noon.

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Tai Chi

Classes held near Woodland Discovery Playground. $8. Wednesday, June 23, 3 p.m.

MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

SHELBY FARMS PARK

Virtual-T

Weekly Zoom gathering for anyone 18+ who identifies as a member of the trans or GNC community. Tuesday, July 6, 6 p.m. OUTMEMPHIS.ORG

P E R F O R M I N G A R TS

TM Thursdays on the Plaza

Enjoy the atmosphere of the Menke Sculpture Garden during a variety of events from blues to trivia. Thursday, July 1, 6:15-8:30 p.m.

Yoga at the Garden S P E C IA L E V E N TS

Graceland Excursions Trips: Tupelo, Mississippi–Birthplace of Elvis Presley

Experience the rural setting of Elvis’ upbringing and see where it all began in the two-room house where he was born, the church he attended in his youth and artifacts from his modest beginnings. $99. Friday, July 2,

THEATRE MEMPHIS

8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND

MAS Observing Session

Join Memphis Astrological Society and observe the night sky. July 2-July 3.

Independence Day Celebration at Collierville’s Cox Park, Saturday, July 3, 6:30 p.m.

BURTON SUGAR FARM

Shell Yeah: Tasty Compositions featuring Bobby Rush

Features music and food. Novel bookstore will be on-site selling Rush’s new book, I Ain’t

Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story. Thursday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. LEVITT SHELL

Connect breath with movement through an all-levels vinyasa flow. $5-$8. Thursday, July 1, 4:30 p.m. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

TO U R S

Old Dominick Distillery Tours

Experience the spirits and learn recipes from experts. See the state-of-the-art distillery and learn about what makes it so special. $12. Thursdays, 1 p.m. OLD DOMINICK DISTILLERY

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FOOD By Michael Donahue

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One tasty note at Jim Lord’s food truck.

Jim Lord pionship Barbecue Cooking Contest team. The company he worked for at the time asked him and some barbecue teammates to cater a function. Lord made chipotle mac and cheese, pork mac and cheese, and other variations at a “mac and cheese bar.” People kept asking him, “Do you have a store?” Lord then did “grab-and-go” mac and cheese in little containers for holiday events. That evolved into 20 to 30 6-pound pans for functions. He thought he might do a food truck whenever he retired from his job at USA Cheer. That plan moved up when going on the road came to a halt during the pandemic. “A trailer popped up,” he says. “It was too good to pass up.” He began “building out” the trailer on weekends. “It took three months to build. We launched it before everything opened up.” His mac and cheese recipe isn’t based on

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m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

PHOTO BY A.J. LORD

one single recipe. He just knew he had to make it consistent, which is something he learned from his mother and grandmother. They also taught him to add or change ingredients. “You start with a recipe and make it your own. You tweak it.” Lord began cooking “very early,” he says. “My mom divorced when I was about 8, so she went to work full-time. As a growing boy who was hungry, I had to figure out how to cook.” In addition to his roster of 15 flavors, Lord also has “a good six or seven” others in his head. One of his favorites that he makes is his Cajun Mac. “It starts with making an actual roux as a base. Not just béchamel. The flavor comes through everything.” It also includes shrimp, sausage, and crawfish. “Everything you love about New Orleans,” he says. Customers order the macaroni and cheese in 4-ounce scoops, which they can mix and match. Lord also sells mac and cheese egg rolls. “It’s a regular egg roll wrapper. We fill the egg roll with mac and cheese and deep fry it and serve it with chipotle aioli.” And you can get a Macarito — a mac and cheese burrito. “We take a tortilla wrapper and wrap it like an egg roll and put it on the grill. It has the little grill marks on it. You can hold a beer in one hand and a mac and cheese burrito in the other hand.” Lord’s wife Ginger, his son A.J., and A.J.’s friend Dylan Nixon help him in the truck. “Food is a passion of mine. And it’s something I’m able to turn into a hobby/ job. I have a full-time job. This allows me to do that on my own terms and still keep it fun. I do it when I want to.” It’s also “so much fun, really, creating it and watching people’s reactions. If you’ve never had a mac and cheese egg roll, your first bite is life-changing. It’s so much fun to see that.” Lord eats his mac and cheese every time he’s in his truck. “You have to test it. It hasn’t gotten old yet.” And, he says, “If I make a little too much, then that becomes dinner.” To find out where Mac Daddy will be, go to Lord’s @macdaddymemphis social media pages.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

verything you order at Jim Lord’s Mac Daddy Food Truck includes macaroni and cheese. “That’s the focus,” Lord says. “In different variations and different ways to serve it and eat it.” The idea was to do one thing “and do it well.” And, he says, “Who doesn’t like mac and cheese?” Lord, 55, rotates four flavors at a time from his collection of 15 mac and cheese flavors, including pulled pork, smoked jalapeño with bacon and cream cheese, and the vegetarian Mother Earth — smoked mushrooms, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. It all began when Lord whipped up some macaroni and cheese for his Pigs Gone Wild Memphis in May World Cham-

FILM By Chris McCoy

Summer of Soul Questlove uncovers a legendary lost concert in this transcendent music documentary.

American music and wrote Soul Train: The Music, Dance, and Style of a Generation. He already knew many of the people involved, so he had the ability to put the show in context for the audience. Second, he was an obsessive maker of mixtapes in his youth and now regularly performs as a DJ, so he knows how to arrange a playlist for maximum impact. I have long been of the opinion that some form of musical training is a key ingredient for a filmmaker because a sense of rhythm and timing is invaluable in the editing suite. Questlove’s Summer of Soul proves my point. Painstakingly assembled from the Harlem Cultural Festival footage and interspersed with interviews from performers and audience members, this is one of the greatest concert films ever made. When it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this January, it won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. Contacted via Zoom during the virtual awards ceremony, the shocked Questlove said he didn’t even know the festival gave out awards. The lineup for the six-week concert series is spectacular. Nina Simone’s set is dangerous and brooding. A cherubiclooking B.B. King is at the top of his game. David Ruffin, at that point separated from The Temptations, shows the

July 1-7, 2021

ne of the highlights of Woodstock is Sly and the Family Stone’s volcanic performance of “I Want to Take You Higher.” Framed against the jet-black 3 a.m. sky, Sly Stone’s feet never seem to touch the stage as he leads 400,000 hippies through the five-minute rave-up. That moment cemented his musical legend. But it wasn’t the first time in August 1969 Stone played to a six-figure audience. Earlier that month, the Family Stone showed up unannounced at the Harlem Cultural Festival, a six-week concert series that took over Mount Morris Park in New York City every Sunday afternoon. Playing in front of a mostly Black crowd, Stone was just as electric as he would be at Woodstock. That performance was also captured on camera, but instead of being edited into a groundbreaking documentary of the counterculture’s high-water mark, the footage ended up moldering in the basement of TV producer Hal Tulchin for 50 years, along with 48-hours worth of performances from artists like B.B. King and Stevie Wonder. The footage was rediscovered in 2012 by producer Robert Fyvolent, who for years searched around for a director to take on the challenge of making a Woodstock-like film until he finally got a yes from an unlikely source. Questlove, the drummer for the Roots and bandleader on The Tonight Show, had never helmed a film before, but he brought some very important skills to the table. First, he is a scholar of

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Sly Stone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival, a concert series of the same caliber as Woodstuck, but long buried in music history until now. exquisite range of his voice could hold up on its own. From the beginning, Questlove shows an uncanny knack for picking the best moments; the film opens with Stevie Wonder playing a drum solo. Did you know Stevie Wonder was a kick-ass drummer? I didn’t. Later, Wonder is shown being a punk to the MC, and you realize that the incredibly poised musician you just saw tear up the keyboard was still just a kid. Questlove spends a lot of time on the 5th Dimension’s polished harmonies, with Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. talking about how they came to make a hit out of “Aquarius/ Let the Sun Shine In” from the musical, Hair, and making a case for them as one of the greats of the era. The climax of the film has deep Memphis roots. Sunday, July 13, 1969, was gospel day at the Harlem Cultural Festival, headlined by Mahalia Jackson and the Staple continued on page 28

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

FILM By Chris McCoy continued from page 26 Singers. Backing them up was the Operation Breadbasket Orchestra and Choir, led by Memphis saxophonist Ben Branch. A year before, Branch had been one of the last people to talk to Martin Luther King Jr., who requested Branch play “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” Onstage in Harlem, Jesse Jackson introduced the song, but as the band swelled, Mahalia Jackson found herself overcome with emotion. She tapped a young Mavis Staples on the shoulder and asked her to take the first verse. Staples, who idolized Jackson, found

July 1-7, 2021

* C A M PS ITE S A V A ILA B LE *

herself unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in front of 100,000 people and rose to the occasion in stunning fashion. Then, the two women share a mic for a transcendent moment. It’s a performance that takes its place among Hendrix at Monterey Pop, Queen at Live Aid, Bowie at Glastonbury, Prince at the Super Bowl, and Beyonce at Coachella as one of the greatest ever captured on film. Words fail, as they often do, to express the power of this music. Summer of Soul Opens Friday Multiple locations

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TH E LAST WO R D By Juan Williams

Dangerous Distortion

Attorney General Merrick Garland

THE LAST WORD

Black people are 13 percent of the population but 53.7 percent of America’s murder victims, according to 2019 data. That makes the current rise in the murder rate very real and scary for me. I’m frightened because more than half of the people being killed are Black, and 86 percent of the Black people being killed are men, like me. Most men of color know this fear — 81 percent of the Latino murder victims are men, too, according to data from statista.com. Yet the media only talks about the current spike in murder as if it is part of an overall rise in crime, affecting all races. The issue is so hot that President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland held a gun and crime summit at the White House last week to announce plans to stop crime from rising higher this summer. “Protecting our communities PHOTO COURTESY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, from violent crime is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” Garland said. He spotlighted the increase in violent PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS crime as “deeply troubling.” The wildly disproportionate fact that more than half of all murder victims are Black is just one of the signs of the vulnerabilities on crime and policing that Blacks face and whites do not. Take the well-founded fear of police, for example. Black men are 2.5 times more likely than a white man to be killed by police, according to the National Academy of Sciences. And more generally, Black men die by gunfire at twice the rate of white men. So, the heart of the crime issue for me is that, from childhood, Black men live with the terror of being victims of violence. But politicians treat that reality as too hot to handle. Instead, they feed the baseless anxiety about a general crime wave threatening men and women of all races, especially white suburban voters. That’s a dangerous distortion. First, crime overall was down 6 percent last year, according to the FBI. And last week, FBI statistics for the first three months of this year were “inconclusive,” according to The Washington Post, on the issue of whether overall crime rates are trending up or down. Second, other than murder and its second cousin of aggravated assault, all other major categories of crime are down. Note that property crimes make up 85 percent of crime and they went down nearly 8 percent in 2020, according to the FBI. “The FBI will release its official [crime] figures in September, but the preliminary data from over 12,000 law enforcement agencies suggests it was probably one of the largest declines on record,” reported The New York Times. Finally, there is no dispute that there are more murders. But murders make up only 0.2 percent of major crime in the country. It is the scariest, the most extreme of crimes, but it is an outlier in an otherwise fairly good story about low levels of crime. Criminal justice experts have no clear explanation for the rise in murders of Black men by other Black men. It could be due to closed schools and jobs lost due to COVID-19. It could be due to easy access to guns. It could be due to drug dealers competing for business as the country emerges from the pandemic. But there is no arguing that Black men are the victims of the current murder rage. This makes it particularly galling to hear Republicans link the rise in crime to criticism of police tactics following the death of George Floyd under the knee of a policeman. If the problem was criticism of police or cuts in funding to police, then all crime should be spiking. But it is only murder and aggravated assault that are doing so, while other major crimes like rape and robbery have declined. And even as Black Americans remain big supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, only 28 percent support calls to defund police, according to a March USA Today/Ipsos poll. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said after the 2020 elections that the slogan, “Defund the Police,” hurt Democrats running for Congress. It “is killing our party, and we’ve got to stop it,” he said. Clyburn’s views are in-line with most Black people, who in the March poll said they oppose eliminating the police. It is also in line with Black voters in New York City who overwhelmingly supported 20-year police veteran Eric Adams in his bid for mayor last week. Adams carries a gun. He opposed defunding the police when many of his competitors embraced the idea. He said many times on the trail that “the prerequisite for prosperity is public safety.” A poll taken in New York, an overwhelmingly Democratic city, before the primary found that crime was the number one issue for Democratic primary voters. The politics of crime have always been inextricably linked with the politics of race in America. Police brutally enforced segregation laws after the Civil War. In the 20th century, the brass-knuckle reign of Birmingham police chief Bull Connor helped ignite the modern Civil Rights Movement. President Nixon’s Domestic Policy Advisor John Ehrlichman admitted years after the fact that Nixon’s War on Drugs was a deliberate effort to imprison and discredit his two main enemies, the “antiwar left and Black people.” Now Biden has unique credibility on crime. He also has high support among Black men. And he has a friend with a powerful voice among Black men, former President Obama. Gentlemen, let’s look at crime honestly and speak to the reality of the singular terror threatening Black men. Juan Williams is an author and a political analyst for Fox News Channel.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

As President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland hold a summit on crime, we must remember who is most often affected by violent crimes.

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