Answers for the Week of 2/20/25:
Q: Who was the first Black judge in Tennessee’s criminal court system? (He later served as the executive director of the NAACP.)
A: Benjamin Hooks.
A Memphis-born lawyer, minister, and civil rights leader, Benjamin Hooks became the first Black judge in Tennessee’s criminal court system in 1965. He later served as the executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992, where he expanded the organization’s efforts in voter registration, economic justice, and fighting racial discrimination. Hooks also co-founded the Memphis-based National Civil Rights Museum and remains a towering figure in the city’s legacy of Black leadership and activism.
Q: What was the headquarters for the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike?
A: Clayborn Temple.
Clayborn Temple, originally built as the city’s first African American Presbyterian church, became a key gathering place for the civil rights movement. In 1968, it served as the headquarters for the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, where the iconic “I AM A MAN” protest signs were printed daily in the basement. The church hosted major civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and remains a historic symbol of Black resistance and activism in Memphis.
Q: What was the first fully Black radio station in America? And where in Memphis was it located?
A: WDIA, broadcasting from their studios on Union Avenue.
WDIA was the first radio station in the country programmed entirely for the Black community. The station went on the air on June 7, 1947, and its broadcast could be heard from Missouri to the Gulf Coast, reaching 10 percent of the African American population in the United States.
BB King, who got his start performing on Beale St., gained exposure there as a DJ and musician, as did Rufus Thomas. Stax Records and Sun Studio in Memphis also provided platforms for Black artists like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Howlin’ Wolf, making the city a powerhouse for Black musical innovation.
The WDIA neon marquee remains above the original entrance at 112 Union Avenue near the Main Street intersection in downtown Memphis.
Answers for the Week of 1/23/25:
Q: What is the largest snowfall ever recorded in Memphis?
A: March 16-17, 1892.
The largest snowfall in Memphis history occurred on March 16-17, 1892, when the city was blanketed with a staggering 18 inches of snow. This historic snowstorm disrupted transportation and daily life for days, as the city lacked the equipment and resources to clear the streets effectively. At the time, Memphis residents had to rely on sleds and horses to navigate the snow-covered roads. The 1892 storm remains a benchmark for winter weather in Memphis, a city more accustomed to mild winters and occasional light snowfalls.
Q: How much did the 1994 ice storm cost the city of Memphis?
A: Over $100 million.
The 1994 ice storm is one of the most severe winter weather events in Memphis history, causing widespread damage and leaving the city in a state of emergency. On February 9-11, a powerful storm coated trees, power lines, and roads with over an inch of ice. The weight of the ice caused massive power outages as lines snapped and trees fell, leaving more than 500,000 residents without electricity – some for weeks. The storm caused significant damage to homes, vehicles, and infrastructure, with total costs exceeding $100 million. The weeks-long event underscored the city’s vulnerability to ice and led to improved preparedness for future winter weather events.
Q: What made the 1963 Memphis snowstorm so special?
A: It happened on Christmas Eve.
The Christmas Eve snowstorm of 1963 is a cherished memory for many Memphians because it brought a rare white Christmas to the city. On December 24, a cold front brought several inches of snow to Memphis, transforming the city into a winter wonderland just in time for the holiday. The storm caused minor travel delays but left a lasting impression on residents, as snow on Christmas in Memphis is so uncommon. This snowstorm remains one of the most fondly remembered winter weather occurrences in the city’s history.
Answers for the Week of 12/12/24:
Q: Where did the Memphis Enchanted Forest exhibit originate, and where does it take place today?
A: The Gayoso Hotel / The Pink Palace Museum
The Memphis Enchanted Forest began at the Gayoso Hotel before moving to Goldsmith’s department store in the 1950s. There it expanded into a grand display featuring elaborate scenery, woodland creatures, snowmen, Santa Claus, and numerous elves. In the late 1980s, the exhibit found a new home at the Pink Palace Museum, where it remains today.
Q: What holiday-themed show has the Orpheum Theatre hosted for over 40 years, and who performs in it?
A: Ballet Memphis’ The Nutcracker
For over 40 years, the Orpheum Theatre has hosted an annual performance of The Nutcracker during the holiday season, featuring Ballet Memphis and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Q: What Memphis-based radio station is known for playing nonstop Christmas music during the holiday season?
A: WRVR 104.5 FM (The River)
WRVR 104.5 FM (The River) switches to all-Christmas music every November and lasts through the holiday season.
Answers for the Week of 11/7/24:
Q: What Memphis hospital was founded by and for African Americans in 1910?
A: The Collins Chapel Connectional Hospital
The hospital closed in 1980 but reopened in 2021. Through a partnership between the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and Room In The Inn homeless ministry, the space now provides recuperative care and family housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Q: What Memphis-based company is one of the largest producers of hardwood lumber in the world?
A: International Paper
International Paper’s containerboard production capacity was 13.8 million tons annually as of 2023.
Q: Who bought the land around Beale St. in the 1870s, which eventually led to his becoming the first Black millionaire from the South?
A: Robert Church
Robert Church was born into slavery in 1839 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. After the Civil War, he earned significant wealth running businesses on and around Beale St. In the 1870s, a series of yellow fever epidemics led to a collapse in the real estate market. Church purchased land around Beale Street at a low cost, developed the properties, and over time became the first Black millionaire from the South.
Answers for the Week of 10/3/24:
Q: What Memphis park hosts the annual Memphis Italian Festival, and for how many years has it taken place?
A: Marquette Park. For 35 years, the Memphis Italian Festival, hosted by Holy Rosary Parish, celebrates Italian-American heritage with food, music, and more.
Q: What famous Memphis-born musician is known as the “Father of the Blues,” and why?
A: W.C. Handy is known as the “Father of the Blues” because he was one of the first people to publish blues music, which made it accessible to the wider public beyond the Delta region.
Q: When and why did the Commercial Appeal win its first Pulitzer Prize?
A: The Commercial Appeal won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for its coverage of and opposition to the Ku Klux Klan’s operations in the region.
Answers for the week of 9/5/24:
What year did Elvis Presley move to Memphis?
A: 1948
On November 6, 1948, 13-year-old Elvis and his parents packed their belongings in a trunk, strapped it to the roof of their 1939 Plymouth, and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in search of a better life economically.
Q: What year was the Memphis Fire Department established?
A: 1846
The Memphis Fire Department was established in 1846, making it one of the oldest fire departments in the United States. Originally formed as a volunteer fire brigade, the department was created to protect the rapidly-growing city from the frequent and devastating fires that plagued many urban areas in the 19th century. The first fire company was known as the “Mississippi Fire Company,” and was quickly followed by others, as the city’s population increased.
What famous writer grew up right outside of Memphis and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1977?
A: Alex Haley
Alex Haley was a renowned American author and journalist raised in Henning, Tennessee, just north of Covington, near Memphis. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1977 for his landmark book, “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” which chronicles the story of his ancestors from their enslavement in Africa to their lives in the United States over several generations. “Roots” was praised for its vivid storytelling and meticulous research, which brought to life the struggles and resilience of enslaved African Americans. Haley’s work became a cultural phenomenon and earned him the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.