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Nov 14, 2024 Web Exclusive By Candace McDuffie Photography by Peyton Dollar (lead photo)

As the largest Black city in America, Memphis is an inherent culture driver with sprawling arts, entertainment and entrepreneurial scenes. Although it is known for being the home of Sun Studio–the place where artists like B.B. King, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley famously recorded albums–Memphis also boasts phenomenal landmarks, a thriving atmosphere for musicians and an impressive culinary scene. Here is Under The Radar’s tailored Memphis guide for culture lovers.

Grab a caffeinated beverage at Cxffeeblack at Anti-Gentrification Cxffee Club

This Afrocentric coffee company, founded by Bartholomew Jones and wife Renata Henderson, is education-based and hopes to return coffee back to its African roots. What started in 2019 as an all Black coffee supply chain from Ethiopia to Memphis has flourished into a pedagogic center and cultural hub. Their Barista Exchange and Specialist-in-Training programs foster coffee specialty skills and promote career development to members of the community.

The location itself has a cozy and warm vibe, which houses not just a variety of coffee flavors–with both pre-made and made to order drinks–but also apparel that features phrases like “Love Black People Like You Love Black Cxffee.” Henderson tells Under The Radar that Cxffeeblack, which was recently featured at the PGA Tour, is thriving because “people have wanted to see Blackness expressed in its purest form.” “And I think coming here, you’re able to be the Black that you are,” she says.

Take a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum

The National Civil Rights Museum, which was established in 1991, is located at the former Lorraine Motel–the site where civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. In 2013 and 2014, the museum underwent a $27.5 million renovation and added dozens of new films and more interactive media. That investment has surely paid off, with travelers from around the country visiting the space annually.

The museum’s newest exhibition, entitled “The Southern Heritage Classic: Celebrating 35 Years of an HBCU Memphis Tradition,” honors the Black college football experience. The interactive tour begins with the history of slavery and takes attendees on a journey through Black resistance. From the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement to Barack Obama’s presidency, the National Civil Rights Museum explores Black history through a powerful and necessary lens.

Have lunch at the legendary Four Way restaurant

Establishments just don’t come as storied as Memphis’ legendary Four Way restaurant. Opened by Irene and Clint Cleaves in 1946, the diner–which has become a pillar in South Memphis–serves a variety of savory soul food including fried chicken, turkey and dressing, yams, macaroni and cheese and other items. Over the years, a score of famous people have stopped by to enjoy the Four Way’s offerings.

That list includes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Green, Tina Turner and Elvis Presley. From the time that it opened, the Four Way was visited by Black and white diners alike and served as a gathering place during the Civil Rights Era. Now owned by Patrice Bates Thompson, some of the Four Way’s more contemporary patrons include Connect Music founder and CEO George Monger. Monger has devoted his startup to helping Black artists gain valuable industry knowledge and ultimately own their music.

Take a glance at the Historic Clayborn Temple

Clayborn Temple in Memphis, located south of Beale Street, started with an all-white congregation in 1892 and was named Second Presbyterian Church. The Romanesque building was relocated to East Memphis almost 50 years later and sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was renamed Clayborn Temple after AME Bishop Jim Clayborn and quickly became a reprieve for Black communities. It also was the stage for the 1968 Sanitation Workers’ Strike, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final campaign. The campaign’s famous “I AM A MAN” signs were made daily in Clayborn’s basement. The space is currently closed, but is set to be reopened as a premier cultural art center. Brooke Sarden, the Managing Director for Historic Clayborn Temple, has devoted the last two decades of her career to community-facing work in Memphis. She tells Under The Radar that the revised Clayborn, whose stained-glass windows illustrate scenes from the strike, will celebrate the humanity and totality of Black folks.

Catch a “Folk All Y’all” Showcase at the Green Room

The Green Room at Crosstown Arts is a 140-seat listening room, making it the perfect backdrop for intimate performances. Its “Folk All Y’all” series is part of a mission to give singer-songwriters an alternative performance space to share their catalog where photography and recording are prohibited. In addition, the series is volunteer-run and 100% of ticket sales go directly to the artists.

One of “Folk All Y’all’s” most memorable showcases to date featured Teneia, a Jackson, Mississippi native whose raw talent is simply undeniable. Teneia has released seven albums and is an award-winning vocalist, but her humility and resilience were electrifying during her performance. From “Preacher Man” to “Radioactive Lover” to “Bed of Roses,” her set was engaging from beginning to end, reminding attendees of the magic that the Green Room truly possesses.

Book a session at OUTERSPACE. Recording Studio

IMAKEMADBEATS and his Unapologetic cohort have been making magic in Memphis for over a decade. The producer, whose real name is James Dukes, has been pivotal in elevating the city’s local scene and his OUTERSPACE. recording studio can be seen as the remarkable fruit of his labor. Dukes built the space from the ground up, inspired by the escapist elements of Alan Moore’s popular comic book “Watchmen” and his own take on Afrofuturism.

In addition to being a creative collective, Unapologetic is also a media organization that specializes in licensing music to TV, commercials and film. There is also the Unapologetic Garments clothing line as well as the Unapologetic World app. Some of Dukes’ achievements include prominent collaborations with the PGA Tour and Memphis Grizzlies. His new concept album, “WANDS,” is due out November 16 and will further extend his legacy. The musician understands that while mortality is inevitable, his ideas will live forever.