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The Birth of the Blues

1998 Sunflower Blues & Gospel Festival August 3-9

Cotton Wagon

The Blues were born in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta where cotton choppers and pickers sang to help the work go easier. They were influenced by African tribal songs, work chants, and "hollers." On Saturday nights, Issaquena Avenue and 4th Street in downtown Clarksdale were packed as sharecroppers came to town to shop, socialize, and party to their music played in "juke joints." On Sunday, wonderful spiritual and gospel music echoed from the many churches scattered across the county.

Jive Dancers

Clarksdale and Coahoma county were home to many famous bluesmen including W.C. Handy, Charlie Patton,Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and many others whose music continues to entertain and inspire millions of people around the world. From the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, and from the platform of the Clarksdale Railway Station, the blues headed north to Beale Street in Memphis and then on to Chicago.The blues have strongly influenced almost all popular music including jazz, country, and rock and roll and continues to help shape music worldwide. (Photo courtesy of Curtis Hewston,TBH

Preserving the History of the Delta Blues

Muddy Waters

In 1979, the Carnegie Public Library established the Delta Blues Museum under the direction of Sid Graves to collect and preserve information and artifacts relevant to the history and significance of the blues. Today the Museum houses thousands of books, recordings, tapes, CDs, videos, rare photographs and memorabilia tracing the roots of this unique American phenomenon. Writers, musicians, television, record and film producers from around the world find it a valuable center for research and authentic information.

Universal Appeal

Over a thousand visitors each month visit the Delta Blues Museum from around the world. Foreign guests from Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Japan, South America, and the Philippines have left their mark in the Museum's guest register.

Page 1The DBM Home Page

Page 2Special Features at the Museum
Page 3Continuing the Legacy - The Delta Blues Today
Page 4Links to Other Blues Sites
Page 5Friends of the Delta Blues Museum
Page 6The DBM Book Store

For More Information:
The Delta Blues MuseumCarnegie Public Library114 Delta AvenueP.O. Box 280Clarksdale, MS 38614601.627.6820Fax: 627-7263	Ronald H. Gorsegner, DirectorJoel Pargot, Assistantdbmuseum@clarksdale.com
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