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Crossroads to Freedom connects the world with Memphis history through an archive of documents, newspapers, images and oral histories. Our goal is to empower Memphians to tell the stories of our city and region as a vital aspect of participation in the future of our community.

Check out our new in-progress collections: "Chitlin' Circuit Clubs" and "King Cotton and Parallel Societies," both of which include items from Memphis Public Library collections.

You can view clips from select interviews on our YouTube channel. Like us on Facebook for regular updates and collection highlights.

Liner Notes: Words Behind the Music

A new collection of interviews being collected in collaboration with the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, that document the important role of music in the history of Memphis.

Sanitation Strike Interviews: Memphis Search for Meaning Committee (1968-1973)

This collection of over 300 interviews (gradually being digitized and added here) was created from 1968-1972 by the Memphis Search for Meaning Committee to document the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. It was the basis for the book At The River I Stand by Joan Beifuss and a number of other books and scholarly works. Digitized in partnership with the University of Memphis.

Club Handy and other Chitlin' Circuit Clubs in Memphis

Handbills, tickets, business documents and news items from the Memphis World about several African-American nightclubs on or near Beale during the 1950's and 1960's. A new and growing collection.