MEMPHIS READING LIST
There is a rich cultural history that underlies the story of MEMPHIS. HCT has published an Audience Enlightenment Guide that covers some of this (which you can download HERE), but there is so much more. Here is a list of books and articles covering a myriad of topics related to the historical background to the show.
Books you can check out through the Hickory Public Library
The Power of Black Music by Samuel Floyd, Jr.
White Negroes by Lauren Michele Jackson
The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty
Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop by Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr.
Dewey and Elvis: The Life and Times of a Rock 'n' Roll Deejay by Louis Cantor
Other books available for purchase through various retailers
The Death of Rhythm and Blues by Nelson George
Souled American: How Black Music Transformed White Culture by Kevin Phinney
African Americans in Memphis (Images of America) by Earnestine Lovelle Jenkins
An Unseen Light: Black Struggles for Freedom in Memphis, Tennessee – edited by Aram Goudsouzian and Charles W. McKinney
Online resources:
“The True Story of Rock and Roll” by Caroline Peacock
https://thekollection.com/the-true-story-of-rock-and-roll-how-whitewashing-let-down-the-black-voice/
“Before Birmingham: The Early Stages of the Civil Rights Struggle in Memphis”
https://seancarroll.tripod.com/memphis/struggle.htm
“Elvis and Why Unintentional Racism is Even Worse Than Appropriation” by James A. Crosby
“Black Artists and Appropriation” (video) - PBS Wisconsin
https://pbswisconsin.org/webisode/why-race-matters/black-artists-and-appropriation/video/