Johnny Cash: I'm going to Memphis You just can't beat Johnny Cash, especially if he's singing about the city your driving into.
BB King: The Thrill is gone. This song is perfect to drive through the mysterious and festive streets of Memphis during the night, although i'm hoping the thrill won't be gone by this point. Plus, I just love this deeply soulful tune.
Reason for Visiting:
When modernity began rearing its head in the South, Memphis made itself no stranger to the new ways. At one point the city was the largest cotton market in the nation, (with over 40% of the good being distributed), as well as lumber. The beloved Piggly Wiggly chain (yes there were actual piggly wiggles that Delmar possibly blew up), got its start in the town as well. Post - As I lay Dying days, the city remained a hotbed for the nation. Martin Luther King was assassinated in the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, and the city was known for being a center of the civil rights movement. It is said to be the birth place of soul rock n' roll, as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, and Otis Redding all got their start in Memphis. The town itself lies on the Mississippi River, fairly close to the borders of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It is in a prime spot to be a center of southern commerce and culture.
One of Faulkner's more notably themes in the novel of As I Lay Dying is one of an old South facing a new modernity. The Bundrden family aren't sure of how to relate to the new way of life, pardoxically unsure of roads and automobiles but accepting of phonograms and abortions. I chose to hit Memphis because it, in the same way, chooses to embrace some of modernity but also hold to its distinct 'southernness'. We have the greatest export of cotton within the city of all of the nation, and then some years later the greatest center of civil rights action, the eventual assassination of M.L.K. jr., and we see black southern blues blow up here with artists such as B.B King.
Today, the city is a perfect place to see how the South has embraced a new, more accepting and inclusive way of doing things in a social setting. The festival, Memphis in May, states clearly on their website, that it is a "international festival", celebrating and enjoying differences in culture, cuisine, and commerce. This seems a far cry from the same city with an undercurrent of prejudice that led to MLK's assassination. In this same vein of celebration, the MLK history museum is a highly respected and revered monument to the amazing Martin Luther King Jr.This city has is an example of the South not only accepting a new way of living, but I can see, experience and celebrate it for all that it is.
Places i'm going:
Peabody Hotel
Originally opening in 1869, the hotel has undergone multiple owners, and now stands renovated under the list of National Registrar of Historical Places. It's a great place to explore in relation to modernity, as it physically undergone the changes that the South as a whole has through the years. This was in place long before the Bundren's took their burial trip.
National Civil Rights Museum
As mentioned above, this is the location of MLK's assassination. One of the greatest pioneers of our nation was murdered for his cause here, so I couldn't pass up the possibility to pay respects to the beloved pastor. For some reason I thought of Vardaman and Darl's semi-crazyness when I thought about the depravity of the person who must of committed the murder. Let's hope they would have turned out alright.
Beale Street
Looking strangely like Sixth Street, Beale Street is known to be the cultural home of the city. From May 4-6th, they host Memphis in May, a festival with tunes and grub from all over the world. This festival is far more than just good food and loud music, however. Among other things, It is a international cultural celebration. This year the festival is partnering up with the Philippines to celebrate the nations customs, offering a wide range of performances, food, and music from the country. 
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