Lyman Alrdich stands on Beale Street Landing while work starts to transform Tom Lee Park for the Memphis in May International Festival on April 23, 2019. Aldrich was the president of the first Memphis in May festival in 1977. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal
I was asked by the Executive Editor of The Commercial Appeal to pen an op-ed on why and how Memphis In May began, because it’s been 47 years since it was founded in 1977.
Many Memphians from that era have either forgotten or are no longer with us, and those who were born in more recent decades have no idea of what our city had been living through in the aftermath of Dr. King’s tragic passing in our city. Younger generations only know of the annual major events on our riverfront, including the Beale Street Music Festival, World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and Sunset Symphony. They may be unaware of why it was necessary to create those events to begin with.
A courageous group of young men and women from different cultures who had been in conflict for centuries sat down together to create plans to elevate this city, and it worked.
Dr. John Gnuschke, former Director of the Sparks Center of Economic Research, stated to me 25 years ago, “I do not know what would have happened to this city if Memphis In May had not come along when it did — it gave us back our confidence.”
The link to The Commercial Appeal op-ed piece is here: Memphis in May started to bridge racial differences and rebuild a city (commercialappeal.com)