We spent our time in Memphis well. We began at the National Civil Rights Museum, getting there a bit before 10 am. It is extremely well done. We only saw one building but it was the one in which we were most interested. It chronicles the history of blacks in the United States from 1619, when slaves were first brought here, through the assassination of Dr. King. There are wonderful exhibits, including a bus like the one that Rosa Parks rode and you can walk onto it and see her likeness sitting in one of the seats. There is also a burned out bus like the ones that the Freedom Riders rode. You can listen to a recording of President Kennedy talking to George Wallace about integrating the schools in Alabama. The Lorraine Hotel is itself part of the physical plant of the museum and the first part of the museum ends with the viewer looking into the room at the hotel that was Dr. King's. The museum continues across the street in the building where James Earl Ray waited and then fired the shot.
That afternoon we went on a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi. It was 90 minutes long and well narrated and was a lot of fun. The sun was warm too - time to haul out the sunscreen! In the evening we took the trolley to Beale street, home of the blues and rock and roll. We enjoyed walking the three block area and people watching and listening to live music. We stopped in one club to watch a pretty good Elvis impersonator - fun!
The next day we spent about 7 hours driving to Baton Rouge to visit a college friend of Jon's whose name is Dick Haymaker. He is a retired LSU physics professor and we enjoyed a nice visit with him. He made us a delicious dinner - shrimp and homemade bread - and we talked until we were falling asleep. We crashed in his upstairs guest room and then continued the conversation this morning at breakfast. It was good to meet him and the two guys had a great time reliving "the old days" and getting reacquainted.
We left Dick this morning at about 11 am and started our drive to Vicksburg. We took a smaller road, US 61, and enjoyed the scenery. This time we did see some grinding poverty as well as some gorgeous homes. We got to Vicksburg in time to check in to the hotel and then drive a short distance to the Vicksburg National Military Park. We went to the Visitor's Center where we watch a short interactive presentation and then a 30 minute movie about the siege of Vicksburg and what proceeded it. Then we purchased a CD that gave us an hour driving tour through the park. Very awesome, in the true sense of the word.
Tonight we enjoyed fried green tomatoes for dinner - unfortunately the restaurant was all out of the fried dill pickles! We've also eaten hush puppies, catfish, bourbon pecan pie....I know I'm gaining weight!!
Tomorrow we begin our drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway and we'll stay overnight in Tupelo where we'll see Elvis' home.
Photos are: Jefferson Davis, Dick Haymaker - Jon's former roommate, cannon at Vicksburg, General Grant, and outside the Lorraine Hotel - the Civil Rights museum.
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