March 29,2012

MEMPHIS

Since I have a lot to see today, I got up early to get a head start on sightseeing.

GRACELAND

I got to Graceland shortly after it opened and elected to take the basic tour which includes only the mansion.

Elvis bought this Mansion when he was 22 years old and it was his home until he died.

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Jungle Room

TV Room

Pool Room

Trophy & Award Hall

Guitar

Costumes

Relaxing Room

Den

Gravesite

Car Museum Entrance

I did not visit the Car Museum, but his famous Pink Cadalac is on display here.

****************

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

This National Civil Rights Museum begins with early slavery in this country and presents a detailed history of the struggle for equality.The museum was built on site of the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination.

It is very well organized and begins with a general overview of the stuggle up to the present. Then each element is explained in detail with photos, videos, and atifacts. Here are just a few of the categories.

Visitors are able to walk through the bus and see where Rosa Parks sat.

The Lorraine Motel was where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. It is next door to the museum and is actually part of the exhibit.

And here is the balcony of Room 306 where the wreath is seen.

Across the street is this memorial. It was a very moving experience.

****************

BEALE STREET

I returned to Beale mid afternoon to hear some more live music and to eat.

B .B. King's Blues Club had an interesting menu.

This is the Sampler Plate of fried pickles, catfish nuggets, and barbequed chicken wings. I had a Blues Brew beer to go with it. - yum!

****************

W.C. HANDY HOME & MUSEUM

The W.C. Handy Home and Museum is on Beale Street at Fourth St.

I got a private tour of the home, as I was the only visitor.The tour guide was quite knowlegable and showed me the photos and memorabilia in this small cottage. He played for me a recording made by W.C. Handy when he was nearly 90 where he described the various aspects of his life and then sang one of his compositions, The St. Louis Blues. He had an amazingly fine voice for his age. This was a real treat.

He wrote mostly blues, but later in his life he composed some gospel music from his church upbringing and to please his father who thought blues was the work of the devil.

Down Beale Street in the park is a nice statue of him with his coronet.