Memphis, Tennessee

1968Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot by James Earl Ray while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4. King had come to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers. His death triggered riots in over 100 cities.

1954Elvis Presley Records at Sun Studio: Elvis Presley recorded 'That's All Right' at Sam Phillips' Sun Studio, blending blues, country, and gospel into something entirely new. The recording launched rock and roll and transformed popular music.

1878Yellow Fever Epidemic: A catastrophic yellow fever epidemic killed over 5,000 people and drove 25,000 from the city. Memphis lost its city charter and wouldn't recover its pre-epidemic population for over a decade.

1909Birth of the Blues on Beale Street: W.C. Handy composed 'Memphis Blues' on Beale Street, codifying the 12-bar blues structure that would influence virtually every popular music genre of the 20th century.

1973FedEx Begins Operations: Frederick Smith launched Federal Express with 14 small aircraft delivering 186 packages to 25 cities on its first night. FedEx grew into a global logistics empire and Memphis's largest employer.

1862Battle of Memphis: Union naval forces defeated the Confederate fleet on the Mississippi River, capturing Memphis. The city remained under Union occupation for the rest of the Civil War.

1892Ida B. Wells Begins Anti-Lynching Campaign: Memphis journalist Ida B. Wells launched her groundbreaking anti-lynching crusade after three Black businessmen were lynched. Her investigative reporting exposed the horror of racial terrorism.

1957Stax Records Founded: Stax Records was founded in Memphis, producing the raw Southern soul sound of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s — rivaling Motown as the definitive soul label.

1968Sanitation Workers' Strike: 1,300 Black sanitation workers went on strike carrying 'I Am a Man' signs after two workers were crushed in a garbage truck. Dr. King came to support the strike and was assassinated during his visit.

1977Death of Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley died at Graceland on August 16 at age 42. His death drew worldwide mourning and turned Graceland into one of the most visited private homes in America.