Week of: August 27, 2026
The latest from tsdmemphis.com
MLGW: No power for days after storm batters Memphis — Page 4
NEWS
NEWS
CRIME CONTINUES TO DROP AS CITY COUNCIL PONDERS PATH AFTER TASK FORCE
JO ANN STREET BELIEVED THE BEAUTY OF NATURE COULD BUILD COMMUNITY
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— Page 9
Volume 75, Issue 34
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■■ NEWS
TRI-STATE DEFENDER
City Council votes to pause the expansion of data centers, study the issue By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
tsdmemphis.com President Calvin Anderson
Editor Stephanie R. Jones
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Week of: August 27, 2026
A temporary moratorium on data centers cleared a preliminary hurdle with unanimous approval from the Memphis City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 18. The 12-month pause will allow time for a comprehensive study of the impact of data centers on residents. Regulations, which currently do not exist, are expected to be drawn from the study’s conclusions. Twelve data centers currently operate in Memphis. “My only goal is to bring the foremost experts into the room … and those individuals that have to implement those regulations and those individuals that understand the impact to the environment … We want everybody in the room when those conversations are had,” said council member JB Smiley. The council approved the agenda item 7-0 on its first vote during the afternoon executive session. The resolution is sponsored by Jana Swearengen-Washington, Jerri Green, the 2026 Democratic nominee for Tennessee governor, Yolanda Cooper-Sutton and Smiley. The work in progress calls for the formation of a panel, including council members, MLGW officials and industry experts. Amendments will likely be proposed before the next two votes. The expansion of the Colossus 2 data center into Whitehaven prompted a quick response from the council. The property meant for expansion is adjacent to the existing facility. Members appeared to be caught off guard by the July 31 announcement, the latest development proposed for Elon Musk’s cluster of data centers. “To those of you that are here today, I hope you heard that we were left in the dark,” said Green. “That’s just like you, we found out in the newspaper.”
The rapid expansion of data centers feels like a “tipping point,” said Green, who also compared the current period to an earlier era of unfettered capitalism. The Colossus 1 data center, located along an industrial corridor at 3231 Paul R. Lowry Road, was announced in the fall 2024. Each development since has unfolded with little or no debate by elected officials or the public. Still, a surge of data center developments is happening across the nation. Local communities have begun to respond with ordinances and similar moratoriums. Concerns about data centers are manifold. Along with the environmental impact from 41 planned natural gas turbines, 800,000 to 1.3 million gallons of fresh water is pumped out of the
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Memphis Aquifer daily. A planned 13-million-gallon wastewater plant for cooling towers would alleviate aquifer usage concerns. But its construction was postponed in April by Musk and his AI company. Air and noise pollution from the whirring gas turbines that run 24 hours a day add to the concern. The data center is also MLGW’s single largest customer. The increased demand not only puts extra strain on the grid, but also results in higher rates for other rate payers. Meanwhile, hopes for job creation failed to materialize as the dust settled from construction. The data center currently employs between 30 to 50 people, including technical staff and security officers.
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ PERSPECTIVE
Give 8/28 shines light on grassroots nonprofits led by Black founders Groundworks By Judith Black Moore TSD Contributing Writer
Give 8/28, a national day of giving in August during Black Philanthropy Month, aims to bring attention to grassroots community organizations led by Black founders, who address social gaps and economic hardships they have sometimes experienced themselves. Grassroots nonprofits with little or no name recognition, fundraising infrastructure or access to the traditional philanthropic systems of larger institutions are the focus of the Give 8/28 campaign. These organizations, which benefit Black communities, are often denied equitable access to charitable dollars, donor networks and philanthropic resources. As awareness of Give 8/28 grows in Memphis, it is important to understand how to participate in the annual observance, why the day exists and who receives support. For example, the founder of Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry, a local nonprofit that gives free supplies to mothers in need, once struggled to care for her own baby. “I started Sweet Cheeks because I had the need and experienced firsthand what families face by not having access to the essentials for their families,” said Cori Smith, founder and executive director of the free diaper distribution group. Smith initially set out to help other families better navigate shared challenges. “When I started, it was not a nonprofit. I just wanted to help people so they wouldn’t experience what I had Week of: August 27, 2026
experienced,” Smith said. “Then as we kept helping people, it became evident that it needed to be a nonprofit because we needed to raise funds so we could help more people.” Judith Black Give 8/28 asks Moore people to invest in the value that grassroots organizations similar to Sweet Cheeks bring to addressing community issues. Margaret Cowan, founder and CEO of I Am My Sister’s Keeper, an organization that helps women overcome obstacles to their success, describes the value of grassroots organizations as rooted in “proximity, trust and investment.” “We know the women and families we serve,” Cowan said. “We know what barriers look like beyond what can be captured on an intake form or reported as an outcome measure.” That knowledge, she said, comes from lived experience, relationships, consistency and years of showing up. “That is the power of grassroots organizations,” Cowan said. “We are not adjacent to the community. We are part of the community.” Yet, proximity to the people and problems that charitable organizations serve does not mean proximity to the resources needed to sustain the work. Black community organizations, which tend to be small, are often expected to deliver significant community outcomes with limited resources. Funding may support a program while overlooking operational functions necessary to make that program successful.
Members of the Soul Sisters Book Club deliver baby products to the nonprofit Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry. (Courtesy image)
“Funders who truly want deeper community impact should look closely at the organizations already doing the work on the ground,” Cowan said. “Invest not only in our programs, but in our capacity. Trust the expertise that comes from proximity.” For Smith, the need for investment can be measured by something as basic as feeding a baby. This year for Give 8/28, Sweet Cheeks is focusing its fundraising efforts on infant formula. Smith said recalls and rising prices have made baby formula more expensive. “If we spend $5,000 on formula, that’s literally one month’s supply,” Smith said. Philanthropic investment in Black-founded, Black-led or Black-benefitting grassroots organizations helps ensure all facets of the nonprofit ecosystem are fully equipped to undergird their ability to make an impact and advance communities. To drive this vital funding, the Give 8/28 campaign helps these groups increase donations and elevate their fundraising efforts. The specific date for observing the Black giving initiative, established and organized nationwide by the Young, Black & Giving Back Institute, found-
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ed in 2014 in Washington, D.C., carries profound historical significance. Emmett Till was murdered on Aug. 28, 1955. Eight years later on Aug. 28, hundreds of thousands gathered for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. On Aug. 28, 2008, Barack Obama became the first Black presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party. Give 8/28 connects the significance of that history with an opportunity to invest in the groundwork that makes grassroots organizations, their work and their impact an essential part of Memphis. “Supporting Black-led, grassroots organizations is not charity,” said Cowan, in a recent message to donors. “It is an investment in community knowledge, community trust and community power.” To find other local Black grassroots community organizations such as I Am My Sister’s Keeper and Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry to pledge your support and make a donation, go to the nonprofit directory on the website for the Community Foundation for Greater Memphis at https://cfgm.org/guidance/ livegivemidsouth/. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
MLGW: No power for days after storm batters Memphis By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
The bow echo storm took less than an hour to tear through Memphis and Shelby County on Saturday, Aug. 22. But cleaning up and restoring power will take days. More than 140,000 MLGW customers lost power during the storm. By Sunday afternoon, about 85,000 remained without electricity. MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowan said the vast majority of customers should expect to wait until Thursday evening for power to be restored. “I would ask all customers who are without power to make a plan to be without power for several days,” McGowan said Sunday at a press briefing at the city’s Office of Emergency Management. McGowan called the severe weather system the seventh-most damaging storm in the utility’s history. The National Weather Service described it as a bow echo storm, most common in spring and summer, characterized by bands of strong rain showers or thunderstorms that “bow out” and produce strong straight-line, devastating winds that reach the ground and spread. Saturday’s winds reached 60 to 80 miles per hour. In some parts of the county, residents barely saw any of the storm’s effects. In others, trees crashed onto streets and power lines, utility poles snapped, and entire neighborhoods went dark. Residents are asked to stay away from downed power lines and trees leaning against wires, which can conduct electricity. More than 40 outside electrical crews had arrived by Sunday afternoon, with additional crews expected Sunday night and Monday morning. About 350 outside electrical technicians joined roughly 170 MLGW technicians, along with more than 200 tree crews, McGowan said — altogether, an estimated 700 to 800 people were called to work in the field. Still, by Sunday night, the storm’s impact was spilling into the upcoming week.
Aftermath Memphis-Shelby County Schools closed all schools and district offices Monday because of widespread power outages. District officials said more than Week of: August 27, 2026
MLGW crews work on damaged utility lines and poles on Mt. Moriah on Sunday, Aug. 23. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
70,000 customers remained without power, along with 40 schools and administrative buildings. The district’s decision was based on regular updates from MLGW on restoration efforts. At Sunday afternoon’s briefing, McGowan said 34 MSCS schools and about five private schools were without power. Memphis Mayor Paul Young said city crews, police, firefighters and other agencies were continuing to work across the city to clear streets, manage intersections and respond to storm damage. “We know that there are still people without power, streets that need to be cleared, and neighborhoods that are dealing with this storm damage,” Young said. “Our teams are out across all of Memphis, and they are going to stay at it.” For residents still without electricity, the city opened community centers Sunday in Gaston, Marion Hale and Orange Mound to provide air conditioning, seating and charging stations. Those locations were scheduled to close at 7 p.m. Sunday. Residents are advised to monitor city channels for updated Page 4
locations and hours Monday. Young said Memphis police had no high-priority storm-related calls pending Sunday afternoon and no storm-related emergencies. Most calls involved traffic signal outages, blocked roads and other obstructions. Police service technicians were being deployed to affected intersections, and Young urged drivers to treat intersections with nonworking traffic signals as four-way stops. City crews are scheduled to begin collecting storm-related vegetation debris Monday. Residents cleaning up their property are asked to cut limbs into sections no longer than five feet before placing them at the curb.
Watching the weather Residents still without electricity could endure several days of weather that is both uncomfortable and dangerous. The National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 80s to low TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
Cleanup of trees like this on at the corner of Ross Road and Castlegate Lane are keeping tree services busy following Saturday’s storm. ON THE COVER: A tree fell on the driveway and garage of Tobias Allgon’s home on Cleary Drive during a storm that struck Memphis Saturday, Aug. 22.
90s Monday. Temperatures climb back into the lower 90s Tuesday and Wednesday. And heat index values could reach 95 to 100 degrees by midweek. Thursday is expected to be mostly sunny with highs again in the lower 90s. No organized severe weather threat is expected Monday, although thunderstorms remain possible during the first half of the week. The forecast adds urgency to McGowan’s request that residents without electricity make plans now, particularly those who are elderly, medically vulnerable or otherwise susceptible to heat. Young also encouraged residents with power to check on neighbors who may need help.
A storm that intensified quickly The severity of Saturday’s storm was not apparent everywhere. Forecasters had warned that severe thunderstorms and damaging winds were possible Saturday afternoon. But McGowan said the storm intensified rapidly as it crossed the Mississippi River, encountering sweltering heat and humidity over Shelby County. “We understood that there might be some weather coming through,” McGowan said. “But as I understand, talking to the National Weather Service, the storm unexpectedly intensified as it came across the Week of: August 27, 2026
Mississippi River and ran into some other meteorological conditions over Shelby County. “We had no idea that this storm of this magnitude was coming,” he said. McGowan compared the sudden intensity of the storm to the 2003 windstorm dubbed “Hurricane Elvis” by Memphians and powerful summer storms that struck the area in 2023. MLGW determines a storm’s severity ranking by the number of customers and the number of electrical circuits affected. By that measure, McGowan said Saturday’s storm ranks seventh in utility history. And its impact was remarkably uneven. “Many folks around the county didn’t experience anything,” McGowan said, even as more than 140,000 customers were affected across MLGW’s system. On Sunday, the largest concentration of remaining outages was in southern Shelby County.
Why restoration can take days McGowan stressed that the outages are not caused by a shortage of electricity. “We have plenty of power supply,” he said. “This has nothing to do with available power. This is everything to do with weather impact on physical infrastructure.” Trees fell onto lines. Poles came down. Powerful winds pushed electrical lines together, causing faults Page 5
that tripped protective equipment across the system. MLGW restores service from the largest and most critical parts of the system down to individual customers. Hospitals, water and wastewater facilities come first, followed by substations and major distribution circuits serving the largest numbers of customers. Smaller lines serving individual streets come next, followed by problems affecting individual homes. That can make progress seem frustratingly invisible. A damaged circuit may stretch three to five miles, McGowan said, which means the problem that is keeping a neighborhood dark and hot could be miles away. “Just because you don’t see us out in front of your house does not mean we’re not working on the problem,” he said. And once crews reach a damaged location, repairs still take time. A typical job takes four to six hours, while replacing a pole carrying multiple lines can take eight hours or longer, McGowan said. Those whose homes sustained electrical damage may face an additional delay. Damage to a weatherhead, meter socket or other equipment attached to the home must be repaired by a licensed electrician and inspected before MLGW can reconnect service. For everyone else, McGowan’s advised patience — and preparation. “Nobody wants it back on faster than we do,” he said. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
Crime continues to drop as City Council ponders path after task force By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
Memphis City Council members received another positive update from the Memphis Police Department at a committee meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18, noting a sharp decline in the city’s crime rate that continues a three-year trend. Crime dropped by nearly half in July 2026, falling to 2,517 reported incidents from 5,111 in July 2024. Almost 700 crimes have been reported this month through Aug. 9, down from roughly 1,300 for the same period in 2024. “It’s the mid-part of the month, but we are still trending in the right direction as far as crimes,” said police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis. Overall, crime has dropped between 28% and 44% in the city’s nine police precincts. Murder, robbery, sexual assault, burglaries and motor vehicle theft continue to fall. Larceny-theft rates have also fallen, but remain a glaring problem with 9,113 reported property crimes this year. “Right now, we’re at about 3,900 fewer calls for the month of August,” said Davis. The decrease in crime can be attributed, in part, to a national post-pandemic trend. During the lockdown, many at-risk youth were deprived of the stability and structure provided by schools that remained closed for months. For some youngsters, negative influences filled the void. Now, three years later, cities across the nation are experiencing similar drops in crime rates, many returning to pre-pandemic levels. The city is also bolstered by the Safe Memphis Task Force, a multi-agency law enforcement initiative established by a presidential memorandum Week of: August 27, 2026
“I am wary still of the National Guard assisting you on these types of interventions, because I know the training your officers get, and they know when they can arrest and when they can’t arrest. They have different training than soldiers. Very different.” — Jerri Green signed on Sept. 15, 2025. The task force is staffed with personnel from local police, mobilized members of the Tennessee National Guard and 13 federal agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service. Since operations began, the task force has made more than 10,000 arrests. A significant portion of these arrests were traffic stops by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. According to Davis, state troopers are the most effective “force multiplier.” “That takes our folks off the interstate from having to respond to all the accidents that occur, manage our interstates … and having those resources deployed in the community,” said Davis. Davis would like state police support to continue after the task force is eventually dismantled. She has received reassurances that they will keep working with her department, she said. “If that promise is kept, we look forward to continuing to manage the city like we did before the task force came,” said Davis. For some on the council, the return to normalcy occurs only when the National Guard’s mission has concluded. About 700 to 800 part-time guard troops were deployed to the city by Republican Gov. Bill Lee. Unlike other task force agencies, the role of the unarmed guard troops is to symbolize public order and convey a calming
presence. Signs of trouble are supposed to be reported by guard members to MPD or its agency partners. Last weekend, guard members allegedly violated their established protocols. Patrons at a club in the Hickory Hill community were allegedly held inside until they showed ID and were searched. When asked about the incident by council member Jerri Green, Davis said the incident was part of an organized crime unit operation. “If the National Guard was there, they should have been doing nothing but maintaining parking lots and the perimeter,” said Davis. Green, a criminal defense attorney who is the Democratic nominee for Tennessee governor, asked Davis to look into the matter. “I am wary still of the National Guard assisting you on these types of interventions, because I know the training your officers get, and they know when they can arrest and when they can’t arrest. They have different training than soldiers. Very different,” said Green. “They know how to de-escalate. This got escalated very quickly.” It costs the state over $900,000 per day to deploy guard members to Memphis. Some on the council said the money would be better spent elsewhere. Others said more effective “force multipliers” are available at a much cheaper rate. Still, the city ranks number one nationally for violent crime and overall
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Police Chief CJ Davis (Lee Eric Smith/TriState Defender)
crime, based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program that publishes voluntary crime reports from law enforcement agencies across the country. But some cities, such as Los Angeles, California, do not regularly submit crime data to the FBI, leaving national crime rankings incomplete. After the police chief ’s crime update, council members listened to a presentation by BLOC Squad and Heal 901, both anti-violence nonprofits, seeking a combined $12.3 million to fund gun violence prevention initiatives. Yet, unlike the task force, these nonprofits look to intervene before violence happens. Much of their work is done in hospital emergency rooms, where mentors attempt to counsel family, friends or fellow gang members of shooting victims to prevent retaliation. Heal 901, founded in 2018, also provides access to mental health services and youth leadership development programs. “When our team is active, you’re going to see a 46% reduction in the areas that we serve,” said Durell Cowan, director of the community-based organization. “The moment that we get off shift, you’re going to see this uptick.” TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS “Remember, every murder costs us $10 million. For the cost of one murder, we can fund this entire operation. And that’s minimal, but we are not even doing minimal yet. — Jeff Warren
Tennessee National Guard troops confer with Memphis Police Department officers on Beale Street as the Guard continues operating under the Memphis Safe Task Force. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
Heal 901 is seeking $10 million from the council, after losing state funding. Its eight full-time and four part-time team members operate on a budget of about $700,000. With full funding, the organization could expand its full-time staff to 30 and offer health benefits. If it remains underfunded, its mentors could lose their jobs. “Remember, every murder costs us $10 million. For the cost of one murder, we can fund this entire operation,” said council member Jeff Warren. “And that’s minimal, but we are not even doing minimal yet.”
For its part, BLOC Squad, founded in 2012, is seeking $2.3 million to expand operations and focus on reducing gun violence for at-risk youth and neighborhood revitalization. Previous funding levels reached $1.5 million. “We definitely need to fund these important services as we move forward as a city. But we also need to put pressure at the capital that has the money and is wasting those resources … doing more harm than good in the community by putting soldiers in fatigues on our streets,” said Green. “They could fund this within 12 days if they wanted to.”
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Week of: August 27, 2026
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TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
New St. Jude CEO Dr. Charles Roberts says childhood cancer treatments are at ‘the dawn of a new era’ By Glenn Gamboa Associated Press
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital named Dr. Charles W. M. Roberts its new president and chief executive officer Tuesday, Aug. 18, replacing Dr. James R. Downing, who led the nonprofit for 12 years. Roberts, who has been director of St. Jude’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and an executive vice president, will begin his new job on Jan. 1, as Downing moves into a faculty role in the hospital’s Global Pediatric Medicine department. When actor and philanthropist Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in Memphis in 1962, the survival rate for childhood cancer patients was around 20%. Today, it is more than 80% and Roberts says the hope is for all childhood cancers to be easily treatable someday, with major strides toward that goal being within reach. “I’m really excited because I think we are at the dawn of a new era,” Roberts told The Associated Press in an interview. “In the next several years, I believe we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve much more of Danny’s dream than ever before. And I’m excited to take us there.” The opportunity comes through a convergence of technological advances that are creating treatments that kill childhood cancers more effectively, while also reducing the impact on the patient, Roberts said. Technology is also helping create treatments for more catastrophic childhood diseases beyond cancer. Judy Habib, chair of the St. Jude Board of Governors, said Roberts’ emphasis on new treatment discoveries played a significant role in convincing Week of: August 27, 2026
“Few people embody the promise of St. Jude quite like Charlie Roberts. He understands the urgency that patients and families feel, the extraordinary possibilities emerging at the intersection of science and technology, and the trust that donors place in this mission every day.” — Ike Anand the board to choose him as the hospital’s next leader after a global search. “He combines the rigor of a researcher, the care of a clinician, and passion for our mission, making him the perfect person to lead one of the most accomplished pediatric research institutions in the world,” Habib said in a statement.
Roberts plans to continue his research as CEO When he takes on his new role as St. Jude CEO, Roberts said he plans to continue his research, which has included confirming that certain genes suppress the growth of tumors. “Keeping my hand in that is really important to make sure that I’m still at the cutting edge of understanding where the field is, what the opportunities are,” he said. “Working with other researchers is very useful input to me in helping steer our priorities. I’m a big believer in learning and growing and having input from others.” Downing, who recruited Roberts from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2015 to head St. Jude’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, said Roberts has built the center into a “national treasure,” according to the National Cancer Institute. “Charlie represents a unique com-
bination of physician, researcher and leader,” Downing said in a statement to The Associated Press, adding that Roberts is “the right person at the right moment to lead this institution into the future.”
Donations offset St. Jude’s financial constraints, but not completely Part of that future will require dealing with the financial constraints of treating childhood cancers, which receive less research investment from pharmaceutical companies that focus more on adult cancers, as well as federal cuts to scientific research funding. Roberts said St. Jude will maintain its policy of providing treatment at no cost to patients or their families. The hospital also plans to expand its services to make treatment available to more children around the world. He said St. Jude is able to continue this work with philanthropic support from ALSAC, the hospital’s fundraising arm. According to an analysis by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, ALSAC raised an average of $2.3 billion a year in donations between 2021 and 2023, making it the second-largest fundraiser in the United States, behind only United Way. “We can’t go all the way and com-
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Dr. Charles W. M. Roberts
pletely replace what pharma does,” Roberts said. “But (donations) will for sure help us get more things to be successful.” Ike Anand, president and CEO of ALSAC, said he welcomes Roberts’ partnership in their shared mission. “Few people embody the promise of St. Jude quite like Charlie Roberts,” Anand said. “He understands the urgency that patients and families feel, the extraordinary possibilities emerging at the intersection of science and technology, and the trust that donors place in this mission every day.” Marlo Thomas, St. Jude’s national outreach director and daughter of founder Danny Thomas, said Roberts embodies the hospital’s mission. “We are closer than ever before to realizing my father’s dream that no child should die in the dawn of life, thanks in large part to the work of Charlie Roberts over the past decade,” she said in a statement. “I wish my father were here for this remarkable passing of the torch.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
Jo Ann Street believed the beauty of nature could build community She envisioned a verdant North Memphis, nurtured and protected for generations to come. Judith Black Moore
TSD Contributing Writer
Jo Ann Street believed a park could be more than a patch of grass. It could be a refuge, a classroom and a gathering place. And her unwavering belief that children in North Memphis deserved shade overhead, room to run and flowers in bloom compelled her to create beautiful outdoor spaces they could call their own. For more than a decade, Street organized cleanups, confronted people who littered and advocated for investment in neglected parks. She commissioned murals for a community pool and helped secure millions of dollars for the rehabilitation of Gooch Park. Street, a certified Level 1 arboretum specialist and founder of HUG Park Friends, died July 25 at 69. Her death has left North Memphis without one of its most relentless champions — a woman whose love of nature was inseparable from her belief in people. “She was a real force of nature in doing good things for North Memphis,” said Kim Haylack of Experience Memphis Gardens. Street’s 11-year-old grassroots community organization, HUG, got its name from the first letter in Hollywood, University and Gooch, the three North Memphis parks it supported. A few years ago, she approached Haylack about adding Gooch Park to the Experience Memphis Gardens walking tour. “I absolutely loved the idea,” Haylack said. Week of: August 27, 2026
The tour, which now includes Gooch Park, invites people to walk through neighborhoods they might not otherwise visit, discovering gardens and other places of beauty along the way. For Street, it was another way of changing how people saw North Memphis, and how residents saw their own neighborhood. Street planted dozens of native trees and advocated for clean, safe and lush public parks, building a diverse network of people and organizations around her work. “I collaborated with her in planting several of the trees that are over at Gooch Park,” said Connie Shepard, retired Memphis Parks maintenance manager, who had taken a Tennessee Urban Forestry Council class with Street. “It will take quite a force of nature to find somebody who is her equal.” Norma Lester, a longtime Democratic activist and friend, remembers an event where Street was encouraged to share her personal story and the organization’s mission for an opportunity to win funding. “She told her story and literally had everyone in tears,” Lester said. “She won. Afterwards, she told me she didn’t believe she deserved to win. She was such a humble person.” Under Street’s leadership, HUG partnered with the UrbanArt Commission to bring murals to Gooch Park’s community pool, and worked with Memphis Parks and the Trust for Public Land to secure a $3.34 million federal grant from the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program for major park
Jo Ann Street was a certified Level 1 arboretum specialist and founder of HUG Park Friends who worked to beautify parks in North Memphis.
upgrades. Still, her accomplishments were part of a much larger civic life. Street served as a recording secretary for the Democratic Women of Shelby County, an ambassador for the Tillman and Crump police stations in Memphis, and an advocate for a range of community causes, including the protection and expansion of urban forestry and public parks. But Lester said Street’s greatest achievement may have been the way she brought people from different backgrounds together. The diversity of those who attended Street’s services was, to Lester, a testament to the many lives she touched.
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“I said to myself, ‘Jo Ann, you would be so happy. I know you are just smiling down, seeing all of these people who came out to celebrate you,’” Lester mused. In the end, the parks may be the most fitting – and enduring – memorial to Street. The trees she planted will continue to grow. Children will play beneath them. Families will gather in spaces she fought to make beautiful. And the woman who believed those places mattered will remain within them – in the shade, in the gardens, in the people who care for them and in a North Memphis community that knows it is worth the investment. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
Dolly Parton, music star, actor and beloved figure who spanned generations, dies at 80 By Kristin M. Hall Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died in Nashville. She was 80 years old. “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” her publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said in a statement Tuesday, Aug. 25. Known for her curvy physique, massive blond wigs and skin-tight outfits that served her self-deprecating wit, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics. She wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. Parton, who plucked bejeweled banjos, guitar and dulcimers with her long fingernails during performances, was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman whose projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace. Her career was forever influenced by her upbringing as one of 12 children born into what she called a “dirt poor” Tennessee family. She started her education nonprofit, Imagination Library, to send free books to children in Tennessee because her father, who quit school to work on the farm, struggled to learn to read. Parton’s first musical performances were in church, where her grandfather Week of: August 27, 2026
was a preacher. By age 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where Johnny Cash introduced her as “a little girl here from up in East Tennessee.” With a suitcase of songs, she followed her uncle, Bill Owens, also a songwriter, to Nashville after graduating high school in 1964. Fred Foster, who produced Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson and more, saw her potential and got her songs cut by other artists, as well as recording and releasing Parton singing her own material. By the mid-1970s, Parton was a Nashville queen.
A key collaboration with Porter Wagoner Parton’s partnership with Porter Wagoner, a pencil-thin pompadoured star with flashy rhinestone outfits, was key to her career. She honed her acting skills on his syndicated TV show and he advocated for her to get a record deal at RCA. Their first duet, “The Last Thing On My Mind,” was released in 1967, the same year she started her own publishing company. While their duets were often big radio hits, Parton’s solo singles didn’t chart as high at first. With Wagoner as a co-producer, she began to adjust her country warble to a more polished, pop-leaning style. She got her first No. 1 solo single with “Joshua,” and reached the Top 5 with the ballad “Coat of Many Colors,” about how her mother sewed together scraps of clothes to make a coat Parton wore “so proudly” even as her peers mocked her for being poor. The song, with its Biblical references and ode to maternal love, was later made into a children’s book and a TV movie. In 1973, she had the hit that made her career — “Jolene,” a country music
Dolly Parton wrote hundreds of songs, including “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” (Wikimedia)
standard with its steady, churning rhythm and Parton’s repeated delivery of the title as she pleads for the woman not to steal her man. The song topped the country charts, crossing over to pop and later being released internationally, opening up new audiences for Parton. “Jolene” is one of her most covered compositions, including by Miley Cyrus (Parton’s goddaughter), Olivia Newton-John and The White Stripes. She left Wagoner’s show in 1974, amid reports of squabbling between the two, although they continued to record together and Wagoner stayed her producer for years after that. But the relationship turned litigious when Wagoner sued her in 1979 for millions in management fees and royalties.
A pop crossover star She followed “Jolene” with a huge hit in 1974, “I Will Always Love You,” an ode and farewell to Wagoner that helped her win the Country Music Association’s female vocalist of the year back-to-back in 1975 and 1976. She famously turned down Elvis Presley, who wanted to record it, because she would not share publishing rights. Decades later, Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” be-
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came a smash for the soundtrack of her 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” and broke sales records. Houston won a Grammy for her performance in 1994, presented to her by Parton. “Here You Come Again,” a pop crossover hit and one of the few she didn’t write, further established Parton as a multi-genre entertainer and brought her first Grammy Award in 1979. “A lot of people thought I had totally lost my mind,” she told The Associated Press in 1979 of changing her singing style. “But I had no fear of change. I expected success, but I was braced for failure. I didn’t care if people thought I was wrong. In my own heart, I knew I was doing the right thing.” Parton’s other crossover hits included the title song from “9 to 5,” the 1980 comedy starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin; and her duet with longtime friend Kenny Rogers, “Islands in the Stream,” written by brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. In 1987, she collaborated with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on the million-selling “Trio” album.
Down home charm For millions of fans, she was simply “Dolly,” a mixture of Southern charm, humor and glamour. But she was also considered a feminist role model for holding the reins of her own career, writing her own songs, owning her content and looking after her finances in an entertainment world dominated by men. Parton was open to making fun of herself; when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1989 she told the writers that her only restrictions were she wouldn’t curse and she wouldn’t make fun of Jesus. She regularly joked about her breasts or her dumb blonde appearance, but with a wink that she was the one controlling the laughs. In TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS the memoir “My Life So Far,” Fonda remembered Parton’s way with a wisecrack, “usually high raunch,” and a laugh that was “somewhere between a girl’s giggle, an explosive shriek, and a cascade of little bells.” After her gown split down the front when she won CMA’s entertainer of the year in 1978, Parton quipped: “My Daddy said that’s what I got for putting 50 pounds of mud in a five-pound bag.” Throughout her career, she embraced her glamorous style, often wearing custom curve-hugging rhinestone dresses and bodysuits even if they drew tsk-tsks from others in the industry. Her look was always a part of her larger musical business plan. “I knew my songs were good even if I had been ugly as sin,” she told the AP in 2014. “So I thought, ‘Well, I would have probably chose to look this way even if I had been a waitress.’ I mean, this is my look. I mean, I like a lot of makeup. I like a lot of hair. I like flashy clothes. I like to show it off. But that’s just who I am.” She married Carl Dean, an asphalt paving contractor, in the mid-1960s; they were together until his death in 2025 at the age of 82. Though rarely seen in public, he was an influence on
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her career. She told NPR that she wrote “Jolene” about a flirty bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.
‘9 to 5’ to Hollywood and Broadway In her first major film role, Parton played alongside Fonda and Tomlin as office workers who rebel against their tyrannical boss in “9 to 5.” Critic Roger Ebert called her a “natural-born movie star” and the title song earned her two Grammy Awards and a ranking of 78 on the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 movie songs. Starring roles in “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas” and “Steel Magnolias” followed. “I never thought of myself as a movie star,” she told AP’s Bob Thomas in 1979. “I knew I’d be a star, but as a singer or as a writer of songs or books or poetry. I wanted to be a famous performer and wear flashy clothes, but singing in movies was not one of my ambitions. My family lived in the mountains and we didn’t see movies.” Her love affair with TV and film continued for decades, with appearances alongside Cyrus on “Hannah Montana” and adaptations of her music for Christmas specials, films and streaming series. She also became an author, her
books ranging from the memoir “Dolly” to a bestselling novel co-authored by James Patterson, “Run, Rose, Run.” The stage adaptation “9 to 5: The Musical” debuted in 2009, and “DOLLY: A True Original Musical” is set to open Jan. 19, 2027, on what would have been her 81st birthday.
United States of Dolly Beyond her music, Parton’s most lasting legacy might be her generosity and broad appeal. When a deadly wildfire swept through the Smokies in 2016, she held an all-star telethon and set up a foundation that sent monthly checks to residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed. She opened up her Dollywood theme park in East Tennessee, a major economic driver in Appalachia that draws tourists from around the country, and established the Dollywood Foundation. She wrote books and memoirs, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was given a lifetime achievement award by the Recording Academy. She was selected for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2025. With 55 Grammy nominations and
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10 wins, Parton is the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history, only behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. Parton spanned social and political divides, through multiple generations of fans, urban and rural and in between. In tumultuous election years, it wasn’t uncommon to see “Dolly for President” shirts. But she was strict in not voicing her own political beliefs, often turning aside questions about presidents, candidates, policies and other controversies. “I don’t do politics,” Parton told host Jad Abumrad on his hit podcast “Dolly Parton’s America.” “I have too many fans on both sides of the fence. Of course, I have my opinion about everything, but I learned years ago to keep your mouth shut about things.” When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation sent out a ballot in 2022 with her name on it, though she said she felt she hadn’t earned it, the voters answered with a “Hello, Dolly.” Parton showed up to the induction ceremony, performed and then put out a rock album. Associated Press writer Hillel Italie contributed.
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Commission honors term-limited incumbents in final meeting By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
With one foot out the door, a who’swho of outgoing Shelby County elected officials were honored by the Shelby County Commission during their final meeting on Monday, Aug. 24. The honor roll includes the Shelby County mayor, sheriff, property tax assessor, county clerk, trustee and the majority of the commission. Moreover, several represent “firsts” in Shelby County government. Most entered office following the 2018 election. Along with the county officials, seven members of the commission are leaving via term limits — including Shelby County Mayor-elect Mickell Lowery. Another member, Britney Thornton, is leaving after a failed bid for the county clerk’s office. Their successors will be sworn into office on Monday. Aug 31 at the Cannon Convention Center in Downtown Memphis. Only five incumbents will return. One of the quintet, Chairwoman Shante Avant, kicked off the presentation by honoring Mayor Lee Harris. First elected in 2018, the two-term executive prioritized poverty reduction, reforming the public safety and justice systems, along with investments in healthcare and infrastructure projects. The latter two include the Regional One Hospital and a new high school in Frayser. During Harris’ tenure, county workers received annual pay increases. This includes raising the minimum wage to $16 per hour, with a goal of a $40,000 annual starting salary. The federal minimum wage is $7.25. Avant thanked Harris for the “holistic” ways he sought to support workers and their families. Week of: August 27, 2026
“I wanted to be sure to recognize him for his many years of service, culminating in mayor of Shelby County is no small feat. As a lifelong Memphian who has dedicated so many years to the betterment of both Memphis and Shelby County …” said Avant. Harris also aggressively pursued property tax cuts during his time in office. Starting in 2018, the rate fell from $3.39 to a low of $2.69 in FY2026. The current rate is $2.70. He was not present to accept the honor. One of the first resolutions likely under consideration by the new commission will be to reverse his decision to cap funding on pre-k for all. Harris set the mark at 2026 levels — just short of the 100% goal — after the City of Memphis capped their share of the funding. Moreover, the joint resolution would be nullified unless the county opted to make up the difference not covered by the city. Lowery vowed to address pre-k funding during his victory speech on Aug. 7. Another recipient of recognition was Shelby Sheriff Floyd Bonner. After working his way up through the ranks of the sheriff ’s office, he was elected to the top post in 2018. Bonner is the first African American elected Shelby County Sheriff. Deputy chief Anthony Buckner was elected Aug. 6 to succeed him. “Sheriff Floyd Bonner made history when he was sworn in as the 47th sheriff of Shelby County,” said Avant. “Breaking a historic barrier and opening a new chapter in the history of the Shelby County Sheriff ’s Office.” Bonner began his career over 40 years ago as a deputy with the Shelby County Jail Division. Over the decades, he served in numerous other divisions including uniform patrol, narcotics,
Shelby County Mayor-elect Mickell Lowery, shown during a Shelby County Commission meeting, will leave his spot on the commission to take the county’s top executive office on Sept. 1. (D’Angelo Connell/Tri-State Defender)
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for what this body does. And I’ll continue to have that same respect in the next role I’m taking on as well. Even when we disagree, you’ll have my commitment.” — Mickell Lowery domestic violence and sex crimes and internal affairs. “Throughout his career, Sheriff Bonner served in numerous divisions and was put in progressively responsible positions,” said Avant. “Floyd Bonner Jr., rose through every supervisory rank within the Shelby County Sheriff ’s Office, serving as sergeant, lieutenant, captain, inspector, assistant deputy and ultimately chief deputy.” Bonner said it was an “honor” to serve the county. He also wished Low-
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ery “good luck.” “There’s a lot of challenges coming your way,” said Bonner. Avant also honored outgoing tax assessor Melvin Burgess. It will be the “second retirement” for the former Shelby County commissioner. The former Memphis-Shelby County educator entered politics in 2010, after retiring from the school system. Burgess was elected property tax assessor, after his time on the commission expired in 2018. In 2021, Burgess was the first African American to receive Assessor of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Assessing Officers. He is the first African American to receive the award. “I remember my 30 years going in the school system, “my mentor always said to me, ‘Burgess, you get out of here because you don’t want to die on this job and miss your retirement. Because all you’re going to do is die on a job and leave your retirement to your wife and her boyfriend.’ So I got out of there,” joked Burgess. He will be replaced by Javier Bailey. Trustee Regina Newman was the next to be honored. After being appointed to the post by the commission in 2009, she became the first woman elected to the position in 2018. During her eight years in office, Newman has reduced property tax delinquencies by $23 million. “Under Trustee Newman’s leadership, the county has undergone annual audits with no findings, ensuring every dollar entrusted to the office is properly accounted for and responsibly managed,” said Avant. Newman’s successor is Joseph Lee. Outgoing county clerk Wanda Halbert was also honored. During her two terms, the former FedEx employee was a recurring lightning rod for controTRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
NEWS
Shelby County commissioners recognized Deputy Anthony Buckner, who will succeed outgoing Sheriff Floyd Bonner as the county’s top law enforcement official when the new leadership takes office Sept. 1. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
versies. Starting in 2018, the clerk’s office experienced operation delays and financial irregularities along with several attempts to remove Halbert from office. All failed. “Thank you to Ms. Halbert for her years of service,” said Avant succinctly. Halbert was not on hand to accept the distinction. Former Shelby County Administrator LaSonya Hall was elected to the post. Eight members of the commission were also recognized. In addition to Lowery and Thornton, they include David Bradford, Amber Mills, Mick Wright, Brandon Morrison, Matthew Szalaj, and Michael Whaley. Avant is one of five incumbents that will return for a second term. She will also be one of a 9-4 majority of the Democrats who will wield on the commission. They will likely work closely with their former colleague turned mayor. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for what this body does. And I’ll continue to have that same respect in the next role I’m taking on as well. Even when we disagree, you’ll have my commitment,” said Lowery. Week of: August 27, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICES / CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICE SHELBY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING FY 2026 – PY 2025 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
TSD CLASSIFIEDS
Shelby County Department of Housing (SCDH) is preparing its Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER) for the program year (Shelby County Fiscal Year 2026, Federal Program Year 2025) that began July 1, 2025 and ended June 30, 2026. The CAPER is required by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to describe CDBG and HOME activities undertaken by SCDH to address housing and community development needs, especially in low- and moderate-income areas of Shelby County, outside the City of Memphis. SCDH expended approximately $438,228.30 in Community Development Block Grant funds, $188,367.84 in HOME funds, and $179,582.20 in HOME-ARP funds, for the following activities: low-to-moderate income housing rehabilitation, minor home repair, and lead hazard reduction; infrastructure/community development improvements to benefit low-to-moderate income communities within the Urban County; public service activities to benefit Urban County seniors; supportive services to address needs of qualifying populations at risk of homelessness; administrative expenses; and program delivery costs. Note as of the time of this publication, SCDH plans to make one final drawdown from available program funds to account for the remainder of expenditures through June 30, 2026. The CAPER will be available for public review and comment from Wednesday, September 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 on the Department of Housing website https:// www.develop901.com/planning-and-reporting. The proposed CAPER will also be distributed via email to the City of Memphis library listserv and physical copies will be held at 6465 Mullins Station Rd, Memphis TN 38134 and at the following library branches across Shelby County: Benjamin Hooks Central Library, Arlington Library, Bartlett Library, Collierville Library, Germantown Library and Millington Library. To solicit comments on the CAPER, Shelby County Department of Housing will host two public hearings on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 12:00pm and 5:30pm with both in person and virtual attendance options.
1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 PH (901) 523-1818 This notice also serves to amend the HOME ARP allocation and associated Implementation Plan. The HOME ARP Allocation Plan was approved by HUD in 2022 to administer funds in support of qualifying populations in the form of eligible supportive services and administration activities. The allocation was increased by $1,802.00 for a revised allocation of $1,559,065.00. This non-substantial amendment will increase the budget for Supportive Services by $1,531.75 for a total of $1,325,205.25. The budget for administrative costs will also increase by $270.25 coming to a total of $233,859.75. SCDH is proposing two amendments to previous Annual Plans. Comments regarding these amendments can be directed to dana.sjostrom@ shelbycountytn.gov through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The following two amendments are included: 1. SCDH proposes a substantial amendment to the Annual Plan for FY24 (AP2) by cancelling the Northaven Sidewalk Project. It will be replaced with Collierville’s Waterline project. Should the Northaven Sidewalk Project become viable in the future, updates will be added to the appropriate AP and/or CAPER. 2. In order to comply with recent Executive Order 14151 Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, and
Executive Order 14173 Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, FY26 Action Plan (AP3) is hereby amended to exclude language inconsistent with the above referenced Executive Orders in the following manner: • Page 5 (executive summary): The Regional Fair Housing Goals & Strategic Partnership Opportunities document in the attachments illustrates the goals associated with Shelby County’s most recent Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, which also serves as a joint City-County Plan to guide our programming to better address community needs with an equitable focus. • Page 66/67 (homeless and other special needs): Our system performance measures also include improving our community’s rate of exits to permanent destinations, decreasing our rates of return homelessness, improving the length of stay standards for program types, addressing issues of equity in access to housing and homelessness, and increasing income for clients. Those with special needs that plan to attend the public hearing are encouraged to contact SCDH at (901) 222-7600 by 4:30 pm on Monday, September 21, 2026 and we will work to accommodate you. Para mas información en Español, por favor llame Dana Sjostrom al 901-222-7601. The Shelby County Department of Housing does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or provision of services. Equal opportunity/equal access provider. Mickell Lowery Shelby County Mayor Attest: Scott Walkup, Administrator Department of Housing
In Person Attendance Option: Shelby County Code Enforcement, Conference Room, 6465 Mullins Station Road Memphis, TN 38134. Attendees should enter the Code Enforcement Building through the front entrance; upon walking up to the building, attendees will need to follow the signage that leads to the meeting. Virtual Attendance Option: A virtual option to join is also provided, and participants can join the meeting with a computer, tablet, or smartphone at https://teams.microsoft.com/ meet/279828328800591?p= xTpuZHwkCK6Pd5U1oh Meeting ID: 279 828 328 800 591 Passcode: 9Ma2CR9d +1 323-591-8428,,502497587# Phone conference ID: 502 497 587# at the above noted meeting time. Written comments or suggestions regarding the CAPER will be accepted through 4:30 p.m. on September 25, 2026. Written comments should be sent to Dana Sjostrom (dana. sjostrom@shelbycountytn.gov) at Shelby County Department of Housing, 6465 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, TN 38134. SCDH will respond to all written comments within three working days of receipt and comments will be included as applicable in the final CAPER submission to HUD. For questions concerning the public hearing or the CAPER, please contact the Department of Housing at 901-222-7600.
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901 Day grows into a Memphis ‘homecoming’ as observance expands beyond Sept. 1 After drawing an estimated 29,000 people last year, city shifts main celebration to Aug. 30 and begins looking beyond Beale Street By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
DeMarcus Suggs knew this day would come. For two years, the calendar had been kind to Memphis’ 901 Day, landing Sept. 1 on either a weekend or the Labor Day holiday. Not this year. Sept. 1 falls on a Tuesday, smack in the middle of a work and school week. After an estimated 29,000 people packed Beale Street for last year’s celebration, squeezing all that Memphis pride into a Tuesday evening wasn’t particularly practical. “That’s probably not going to be the safest bet if we’re trying to have the same sort of reach with the community,” said Suggs, the city’s director of Creative & Cultural Economy. So instead of shrinking 901 Day, the city is expanding it. This year’s celebration kicks off Friday, Aug. 28, with a concert during Trolley Night at the National Civil Rights Museum, followed by the main 901 Day on Beale celebration Sunday, Aug. 30, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. And the change may be a preview of where the celebration is headed. “It’s part of the mayor’s vision to really make 901 Day part of, like, a homecoming celebration for the city of Memphis,” Suggs said. The Friday kickoff begins at 7 p.m. on the Shell on Wheels stage at the National Civil Rights Museum. Sunday’s celebration will fill Beale Street with live music, art, fashion, a makers market and family activities. The city has not yet announced the headline performers, but Suggs offered a hint about the direction. In 2024, GloRilla surprised the crowd Week of: August 27, 2026
with an impromptu performance, while Big Boogie headlined. Last year’s lineup included Project Pat, Moneybagg Yo, Eddie Valero and K Carbon. “This year, we still are not ready to announce the headliners,” Suggs said, “but I will tell you that we’re going in a different direction in terms of having a more R&B and soul focus” for the closing portion of the show. The lineup is expected to be announced Monday, Aug. 24.
More than music The broader approach builds on what organizers learned during last year’s celebration. Suggs said the city deliberately used 2025 to test whether Memphians wanted a 901 Day experience that stretched beyond the city’s signature musical identity. “Is there an appetite for seeing more than just — or experiencing more than — music?” he recalled. “And it was a resounding yes.” Families gravitated toward a maker zone featuring arts and crafts, balloons and face painting. The Handy Park stage drew a broader mix of local arts organizations, musicians and performing artists. Both elements will return this year. So will the teen zone, this time with programming Suggs described as a riff on BET’s former “106 & Park.” It will feature emerging Memphis performers, including young artists who have already begun recording music. “They’re starting their careers,” Suggs said. “While they’re emerging talent, they’re not amateurs.” The goal, he said, is to continue building on what worked last year
while giving residents more ways to engage with Memphis’ creative community. Vendor spaces for this year are already filled. Suggs said the city does not charge participating vendors for tables, allowing artists and creative businesses to keep more of what they earn during the event. “It benefits us when our residents have a viable, creative career and business,” he said. Artists and entrepreneurs who were not selected this year are encouraged to stay connected with the Office of Creative & Cultural Economy and share their work through the #Celebrate901 campaign for potential future opportunities.
Joining in on the fun For Suggs, that work is about more than supporting established artists. It also means creating an environment where more Memphians see creativity as something they can join in. “The standard is high for creatives in Memphis,” he said. “Sometimes folks have disqualified themselves, but we’re trying to encourage people just to participate.” Suggs said he has seen residents taking more classes, and studios and galleries expanding their hours and programming. He does not credit City Hall alone. “I think it is something that’s taking momentum, and it’s not just the office really spearheading that,” he said. “We’re all singing the same tune, and folks are getting to experience the benefits of that.” The city is also encouraging Memphians living elsewhere to join in. Suggs said he has seen 901 Day celebrations organized outside Memphis, including one planned in Dallas, and hopes people will share how they are celebrating Memphis wherever they happen to be.
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But whether that happens hundreds of miles away, somewhere in a Memphis neighborhood or amid the crowds on Beale Street, Suggs said there is another purpose behind bringing people together. “One of the things that we’re also encouraging this year is that people meet other Memphians,” he said. “We’re trying to dissuade social isolation. I believe 901 Day is a space for us to do that.”
A bigger footprint The city does not plan a comparable large-scale event on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Instead, Suggs said officials are encouraging businesses, organizations and individual Memphians to stage their own activities on the actual 901 Day. That philosophy could become a larger part of the celebration going forward. “We want to really highlight the creative talent in the city,” Suggs said. “I think our strategy was, how do we make this one kind of like a broader sort of festival or multi-part engagement?” Next year, that could mean moving beyond downtown altogether. “Next year, you’re going to see multiple neighborhoods activated,” Suggs said. “I feel like we’re just getting started.”
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Mahalia Jackson’s gospel voice helped shape the Civil Rights Movement Book review By Terri Schlichenmeyer In the new biography, “Mahalia Jackson, Moving On Up a Little Higher: The Story of an American Civil Rights Pioneer,” authors Timothy B. Tyson and Mary D. Williams chronicle how the iconic gospel vocalist’s talents and passions — both apparent and discovered — shaped her life and helped change the world. Born in New Orleans in October 1911, Jackson’s mother died when she was just a small girl. Her father gone, she was raised by her aunts in poverty and abuse. But she persevered and flourished despite racism and other roadblocks with support from New Orleans’ Black faith community, which instilled in her a love of church and gospel music. As her singing talents developed, she began infusing her hometown’s jazz, swing and honky-tonk music into her gospel style — much to the dismay of pastors and some church elders. Later, when Jackson was 20 years old, she moved with her Aunt Hannah to Chicago, where her life and career expanded. Her new environment also sparked what became her lifelong interest in politics. Once she found a church and a community in Chicago, she and a small group of other gospel singers began
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to draw a following. As her star power increased, she threw her newfound fame and influence behind progressive political candidates who supported civil rights for Black people. By 1961, the Black girl born in poverty, now a gospel superstar and civil rights advocate, sang the national anthem at the inaugural ball of President John Kennedy. While reading the book, you will get the feeling that you are learning something revelatory about the singer-turned-activist. Yet, the tales of the legendary diva’s soulful, powerful and awe-inspiring voice will give you a warm sense of familiarity. Tyson, a historian, writer and researcher at Duke University, and Williams, a civil rights historian and gospel singer, tell a sweeping story that places an unsung champion of civil rights at the forefront of the movement for Black freedom in America, where she belongs. They also highlight her extraordinary musical legacy as perhaps the greatest gospel singer who ever lived. “Mahalia Jackson, Moving on Up a Little Higher: The Story of an American Civil Rights Pioneer” is a book that belongs in the canon of fact-based stories of the Movement, because it provides an informed historical perspective that is uplifting, joyful and suitable for readers of all ages.
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“Mahalia Jackson, Moving On Up a Little Higher: The Story of An American Civil Rights Pioneer” by Timothy B. Tyson & Mary D. Williams c.2026, Liveright $28.99 256 pages
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