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Originally Posted by ardecila
Yeah, the great thing about jazz/blues/other forms of black American music is that they aren't tied to a specific place, they arose from a universe of different influences and locations.
The Mississippi River, Illinois Central Railroad and Highway 61 are probably the "lightning rods" of this music but many cities large and small, from coast to coast had innovative scenes at different times.
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That's true, but I would say read up on "America's Music Corridor", which stretches from New Orleans to Memphis to St. Louis. This corridor is considered to be the bedrock of most musical forms/genres to form in the United States.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
My disappointment about the Blues Museum not being in Chicago is less about Chicago laying sole claim to blues music, and more about the missed potential to show people the important heritage of the South Side and the Chicago black community in general. There is just not much in that community to inspire pride.
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I think Chicago's African-American community - particularly those on the southside and south suburbs - know about their heritage - particularly in music and in entertainment. Also, there are plenty of museums, attractions, galleries etc. in Chicago dealing with local black history. The awesome
DuSable Museum is one of them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
Even in St Louis, the downtown location is disappointing. Put it in Old North, where there's plenty of land to go around and where it isn't just one more thing to check off tourist lists... have it be integrated with a community instead of sequestered next to the stadium and convention center.
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As African-American born and raised in St. Louis, I am not disappointed in the location at all. If you know the historic and geographical context of black migration to St. Louis and the black music trail in St. Louis.........what is now considered "downtown" is where it all started.
Black St. Louisans did not start migrating over to North St. Louis in significant numbers until the late 50's.
Some of the first black neighborhoods and tenements were actually along the Mississippi River - and around Union Station in an area called
Mill Creek Valley - which was destroyed by the interstate highway and "gentrification".
Scott Joplin's home in St. Louis is in the general vicinity of Mill Creek Valley; and Maya Angelou's birth home, which still stands and is in impeccable condition, is in the Mill Creek Valley vicinity as well. People like Josephine Baker and Redd Foxx also lived in the Mill Creek Valley area.
Last, W.C. Handy, "The Father of Blues", actually lived and worked in St. Louis for a short period.
A park in St. Louis is named for him. During his period in St. Louis, he composed "The St. Louis Blues" along the riverfront levee - not far from the National Blues Museum.
As far as I am concerned, the museum is in a perfect place from a historical perspective. Placing it across from Joplin's house or on LaClede's Landing would have been even more perfect.
And FYI, North St. Louis has The Griot Museum of Black History and Culture.
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