Culture of Memphis, Tennessee

Culture Of Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee has a long history of distinctive contributions to the culture of the American South and beyond. Although it is an important part of the culture of Tennessee, the history, arts, and cuisine of Memphis are more closely associated with the culture of the Deep South (particularly the Mississippi Delta) than the rest of the state. For example, the city's influence on 20th century music has had worldwide impact. Memphians have had an important role in founding or establishing several important American music genres, including Blues, Gospel, Rock n' Roll, and "sharecropper" country music.

As of the census of 2000, there were 650,100 people, 250,721 households, and 158,455 families residing in the city. In 2003, the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was the 42nd largest in the United States, with a population of 1,239,337.

Memphis in May is an annual, month-long festival that promotes many aspects of Memphis' cultural heritage. Each year a different nation is partnered as a theme of the festival. Once the featured nation is announced, there is an open call for poster design, and the selected official festival poster becomes a treasured collectible, prestigious for the collector and the artist/creator.

Memphis has long been home to persons of many different faiths. An 1870 map of Memphis shows religious buildings of the Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Christian denominations and a Jewish congregation.