Sunflower Blues Festival 2012: The Wall Between

The Sunflower festival’s decision to enclose a compound directly in front of the main stage for paying attendees opened old wounds related to issues of class and race in Clarksdale, as evidenced by graffiti left on the wall by festival-goers and local residents. One writer cleverly compares it to the Berlin Wall with Ronald Reagan’s famous words to Gorbachev “Mr. President, tear down this wall!” Given the fact that the area was almost completely empty while I was there other than festival staff and security, one can hope that this monstrosity will be gone next year.