Overton Park: A People's History

Overton Park is a 342-acre public space in Memphis, Tennessee, founded in 1901. It includes the Memphis Zoo, an old-growth forest, the Memphis College of Art, an amphitheater, and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The park has been a center of celebration and controversy, with performers like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash dazzling audiences and local children enjoying its playgrounds and jogging trails. During the civil rights era, desegregating the park became a major goal of local activists, and the park's Greensward was the scene of protests against the Vietnam War. In the late 1960s and 1970s, concerned citizens banded together to fight the proposed route of Interstate 40, which threatened the park, and eventually saved it for future generations. This book offers a history of the park from the perspective of those who lived it, revealing a dynamic place that remains a peoples park and "the heartbeat of Memphis."

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 30 December 2018
Publisher: University of Tennessee Press

Nestled at the heart of Memphis, Overton Park is a sprawling 342-acre public space that boasts a plethora of beloved amenities. Established in 1901, this park has served as a vibrant hub of celebration and controversy throughout its history. Renowned performers such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash have enchanted audiences on its stages, while local children have delighted in its playgrounds and enjoyed its jogging trails. During the civil rights era, the desegregation of this park became a significant objective for local activists, and the Greensward became the focal point of protests against the Vietnam War.

In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, when the proposed route of Interstate 40 threatened the park's existence, concerned citizens united to oppose the plan. This grassroots movement reached the highest levels of the legal system, culminating in a landmark Supreme Court decision that ultimately preserved the park for future generations.

This captivating book, adorned with historic photographs, provides a captivating historical account of Overton Park from the perspectives of those who experienced it firsthand. Brooks Lamb conducted extensive interviews with nearly a dozen Memphians, including civil rights activist Johnnie Turner, U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen, artist Martha Kelly, and retired zookeepers Kathy Fay and Richard Meek. Through their narratives, readers gain a deep understanding of the park's profound significance and the transformative changes it has undergone. The stories shared reveal a dynamic place that has remained, despite its challenges, a cherished haven for the people and, as one resident aptly describes it, "the heartbeat of Memphis."

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781621904601