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Month: <span>June 2011</span>
Month: June 2011

Month: June 2011

More of the Tragic Story of Earle, Arkansas

More background information on the troubles in Earle, Arkansas in 1970 that might have led to the town’s current situation. I also read yesterday that the State Board of Education is threatening to dissolve Earle’s school district because of financial problems, which would force Earle children to ride nearly 40 miles roundtrip a day to attend school in Marion or in Wynne. Based on what I saw in Crawfordsville, I don’t see how dissolving and closing schools does anything positive at all. All it seems to do is destroy towns.

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Some Background on What Happened to Earle, Arkansas

After blogging on the near-ghost-town status of Earle, Arkansas a few days ago, I did some digging online and came upon this old Federal court decision that gives some interesting details about how bad things got in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in Earle during the civil rights movement. It doesn’t seem that Earle was particularly eager to join the modern era. 

Some Background on What Happened to Earle, Arkansas

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At the Tate Avenue Block Party in South Memphis, June 4, 2011

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At the Tate Avenue Block Party in South Memphis, June 4, 2011

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OG Boo Dirty takes the stage at the Tate Avenue Block Party and tells South Memphis to “Stand Up!”, June 4, 2011

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At the Tate Avenue Block Party, South Memphis, June 4, 2011

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At the Tate Avenue Block Party, South Memphis, June 4, 2011

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Tate Avenue Block Party 2011

This year’s block party on Tate Avenue was the first one since the demolition of Cleaborn Homes began. “They can tear down the bricks, but they can’t break up the click” read one young man’s T-shirt. 

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Driving back from Tunica, it suddenly occurred to me that it might be the weekend for the annual block party on Tate Avenue in South Memphis, and I was right. Every year the event seems to get bigger, and this year there was a concert stage, a moonwalk for the little kids, plenty of performances from some of Memphis’ best rappers, an appearance from Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies, and some of the best barbecues chicken I’ve ever eaten! It was so much fun, I forgot about the heat altogether

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One way to beat the heat is to head down to Tunica, Mississippi on Saturdays for the Harrahs Heatwave Pool Parties from noon to 7 PM. There’s great music from DJ Crumbs, plenty of food and drink, and giveaways from Memphis’ Q107.5 FM radio station. And you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to get in the water. 

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