research, high technology, and communications
Landmarks
National Civil Rights Museum, Soulsville: STAX Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum
Annual Events
Southern Heritage Football Classic, Juneteenth Freedom & Heritage Festival
Top Black Officials
Willie W. Herenton, mayor; Harold E. Ford Jr., U.S. Rep.; James Bolden, police director; Carol Johnson, school superintendent; Joe Brown, chairman, city council
Websites
www.cityofmemphis.org; www.blackmemphis.com
Cleveland native Henry Burns Jr. planned to live in Memphis for only two years when his job transferred him there in 1989. “That’s how much I ended up liking it,” says Burns 15 years later. A divorced father of two adult children (a son, 28, and daughter, 25), Burns has worked in the restaurant business for close to 30 years. He has managed to do well for himself in Memphis. The 54-year-old restaurant manager for Cracker Barrel earns an annual income of $65,000—more than twice the average annual pay for African Americans in Memphis.
Three years after moving to Memphis, Burns purchased his home for $62,000. The three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom dwelling is located in Memphis’ middle-class Whitehaven community. Once a predominantly white neighborhood, notes Burns, Whitehaven’s demographics—60% African American and 40% white—are representative of Memphis today.
Memphis is growing, says Burns, and with a new basketball team (the Memphis Grizzlies), construction of a $250 million sports arena, and a riverfront development project, Memphis is on its way to becoming the belle of the South. “Memphis is sort of the hub of the South,” Burns says, pointing out that it has attracted more businesses over the past 10 years.
The city’s educational system continues to be a bone of contention for Burns and other residents. Both of his children graduated from Memphis’ public school system, which has been through three superintendents since he moved there. “Everybody comes in with a dynamic plan to fix the system, fix the learning process; so we end up spending a lot of money, they end up leaving, and we’re back to square one again,” says Burns, noting neither of his children are college graduates.
The grandfather of three
has concerns about the quality of education for the next generation. When the time comes, Burns says he may consider sending them to private school.
—Aisha I. Jefferson
7
BIRMINGHAM, AL
American Idol Reuben Studdard is not the only Birmingham native singing “Sweet Home Alabama.” A newcomer to the list, Birmingham is the least populous city among the top 10, but it has a city population that is nearly 75% African American. A city historically known as one of the major front lines in the civil rights movement, Birmingham continues to have a relatively high black/white residential segregation rate. It’s no surprise respondents were less than satisfied with race relations in their city.
In spite of those facts, Birmingham boasts the lowest black/white home loan rejection ratio among the top 10 and has the highest percentage of African American homeowners, 58%. Survey respondents indicated above average satisfaction with cost of living and housing. Indeed, the city’s cost of living index is well below the national average.
“Birmingham is the