From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at 1396 Jackson Avenue, The Klondike Smokey Community Development Corporation (KSCCDC) will host a 100-year anniversary celebration of Tom Lee’s heroic act. The event will include a pop-up museum showing off artifacts from Lee’s life and reflections from Tom Lee’s descendants. There will also be performances by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, New Ballet Ensemble, Klondike Storytellers & Performers and more. The KSCCDC will also announce being awarded the historic designation of Tom Lee’s house.
Jeff Hulett recently had a chance to sit down with KSCCDC staffer Randall Garrett to hear more about this special day. Here’s a snippet of our conversation.
JH: What can people expect from this Saturday’s presentation and museum pop-up?
RG: There will be performances by New Ballet Ensemble, Memphis Symphony, and other various talent. The Grizz Girls will be there to hype the crowd. We are also premiering a Tom Lee short film.
JH: What makes this program so special for the Klondike neighborhood?
RG: Klondike is Tom Lee’s home and we look forward to opening our interactive community popup museum that houses archives and hidden history about Tom Lee and Klondike, the first community incorporated for Black people within the City of Memphis.
JH: What types of artifacts will the museum show off?
RG: There will be several exhibits that document Klondike, Tom Lee, and a broader Memphis history. There are hidden gems in the museum that a Memphis historian would be amazed to see. The museum is interactive and will be fun for all ages.
JH: Do you know how long the pop-up museum will last or is it just for the weekend?
RG: The popup museum will just be open for the event but we plan on opening it several times throughout the year.
JH: What type of food will be there?
RG: We will have hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn and chips.
JH: What will the performances be like?
RG: There will be singers, musicians, performances by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and New Ballet Ensemble, jookers, motivational speakers and more.
JH: Anything else people need to know?
RG: This will be a historic event to commemorate a historic figure and the popup museum has been nationally recognized. The Klondike community is going through a renaissance/rebirth and there is an intentional effort to revitalize a historic Black community led by the community. The effort may be the first of its kind and all of the history and future will be on full display.
For more information, call (901) 527-9491.
