Check out Capital B’s Beyond ‘Sinners’: The Stories of Clarksdale, Mississippi, a yearlong project highlighting Black residents reclaiming power and ownership in an area where Blues tourism and development have long excluded them. Clarksdale, Mississippi, resident Chandra Williams is ecstatic that Sinners won big at the Academy Awards on Sunday. The film had a record-breaking […]
Clarksdale
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Culture, History
More Than a Singer: How Sam Cooke’s Family Built a Legacy After His Death
CLARKSDALE, Mississippi — Nicole Cooke-Johnson loaded her car full of children’s books and traveled to her grandfather’s hometown, Clarksdale, Mississippi, for the first time in her life. It was a journey as old and as common as the Great Migration. But her grandfather, Sam Cooke, was no ordinary man. Cooke, an iconic, groundbreaking recording artist […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Community
How ‘Sinners’ Keeps Supporting Clarksdale, the Community That Inspired The Film
When Tyler Yarbrough penned an open letter inviting the Sinners film cast and crew to the birthplace of the blues, he sensed that something magical or culturally significant would unfold. However, he didn’t anticipate that, nine months later, people would still feel inspired to contribute to their movement to reinvigorate the culture and heritage of […]
Posted inCulture, History
Mississippi Festival Puts Black Blues Elders in Spotlight
CLARKSDALE, Mississippi — On a summer Saturday in the Mississippi Delta, Australia “Honey Bee” Jones sat calm and reserved in a chair on the MLK Park Stage in downtown Clarksdale. The weather was mild. A light wind blew, but the sun shone brightly, making it feel hotter than the actual temperature of 90 degrees. It was […]
Posted inCulture
After ‘Sinners,’ Clarksdale Locals Used the Spotlight to Build Unity
CLARKSDALE, Mississippi — Dave Houston still can’t believe what he helped bring to life in his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. For three days last week, he, along with a small committee, hosted the first ever Clarksdale Day Festival to unify the city and celebrate the culture, history, and traditions of the people who live in […]
Posted inCulture, Economic Development, History
‘Sinners’ Shows Clarksdale’s Past. What’s Next for the Birthplace of the Blues?
CLARKSDALE, MISS. – Tyler Yarbrough makes it clear. Sinners and the cultural fest that followed may have thrust Clarksdale into the national spotlight, but this moment represents the culmination of years of hard-fought progress. In as little as three weeks, community members, more than a dozen sponsors, and partners planned and executed Clarksdale Culture Capital’s […]
Posted inCulture, History
Clarksdale Pushed for a Screening of ‘Sinners’. They’re Getting One This Week.
When Jaleesa Collins discovered that Sinners was set in her hometown, she saw it as a great opportunity to organize a public screening. The military veteran, philanthropist and entrepreneur — along with Dave “Dooney” Houston, owner of Dooney’s Barbershop and Carnival Treats — originally pitched the idea as a fundraiser for the first-ever Clarksdale Day, […]
Posted inCulture, Economic Development
‘Sinners’ Is Set in Clarksdale, Where There’s No Theater. Locals Are Asking for a Screening.
Tyler Yarbrough didn’t see Sinners once, but twice. The film, which has made more than $200 million at the box office, is authentically Mississippi Delta through and through, he said. From the Chinese Delta history to the Black businesses, residents say director and filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who has Mississippi roots, did his homework. On both […]
Posted inCulture, History
What to Read, Watch, and Visit Next If ‘Sinners’ Left You Wanting More
Most may recall hearing their grandparents playing the blues at fish fries, family gatherings, or during weekend cleaning days. Clarksdale, Mississippi, native Yasmine Malone, 26, encountered the art form as an elementary student visiting the Delta Blues Museum. The museum is Mississippi’s oldest, and the world’s first, space dedicated to the blues, according to its […]
Posted inBlack Businesses, Culture, History, Money
‘Sinners’ Honored Juke Joints. Today, They’re Fighting to Stay Open.
The blues runs deep through Orlando Paden’s veins. As a child, he danced for nickels and quarters by the jukebox. He cleaned, crushed cans, and bagged them. He’d greet Mr. Bill, the bouncer, at the front door of his father’s juke joint, and watch patrons play pool and arcade games. Folks broke beer bottles, fought, […]