ERA 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890–1930)
The Place of Good Abode, by Shelby Foote
Guiding Questions
Can objective facts support emotional attachments?
Where was Rock and Roll born?
What impact did rock and roll music have on the cities of Memphis, Cleveland, and Detroit?
Memphis, Place of Good Abode
Teacher-to-Teacher
Beale Street in Memphis is synonymous with music, barbeque, and entertainment. Shelby Foote’s fond memories along with the other documents in this collection provide students a glimpse into a world that might be entirely foreign to them. The primary source documents can provide interesting background for the debate: What American city is home to the ‘Birthplace of Rock and Roll’?
Literature Connections: The Reivers by William Faulkner, A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor, Dancing in the Street: Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit by Suzanne E. Smith