Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
The final central inquiry that I researched was the parallels of Orange Mound’s social and political atmosphere that can be drawn from the early to mid-1900’s and today. During the early years of Orange Mound’s existence as a community, residents lived in the Crump political era, suppressed by the carefully designed Democratic political machine that used voter suppression tactics, like ‘herding’ at the polls. Today, local officials like Tami Sawyer and Britney Thornton advocate for local legislation and organize grassroots efforts to combat these discriminatory tactics.
When I initially began my research, it was based on the presumption that in some way Orange Mound was a neighborhood with a receding quality of life, primarily due to poverty and crime. After conducting my research on Orange Mound, its founding and the community actions that have led to its current state, I recognize that Orange Mound is a thriving community. The neighborhood experiences nuanced issues that are not unique to its zip code. Orange Mound has made significant changes to its community and to the country through its commitment to progress and community. Through continued efforts to combat blight, crimes of proximity, and development challenges, Orange Mound will continue to be a historical pillar of Black excellence in America.
The tight-knit community of Orange Mound has historically shown resilience and solidarity, fostering a unique cultural identity.
Tyler Glover, Mayor of Orange Mound
Commerical Appeal, 1932
Orange Mound Senior Citizens Council, 1979
In his book, “African American Life and Culture in Orange Mound”, Dr. Charles Williams writes, “The Orange Mound community as a distinctive social entity can be understood only within the larger context of the status of African Americans in Memphis, Shelby County, and Tennessee, as well as in American society.” The socioeconomic position of Orange Mound within the larger context of Memphis can be understood by taking a look at the political and racial atmosphere in Memphis, specifically between the years of 1920 and 1940.
Over the past 50 years, Orange Mound has consistently fostered a spirit of advocacy and resiliency.
Pictured: Britney Thornton of JUICE Orange Mound