This isn’t the first time that a President visited this South Memphis community. President Bill Clinton visited Flower Homes and Church of God in Christ Annual Convention November 13, 1993; a neighborhood directly associated with BTW. Dr. Martin L. King gave his last, ‘Mountain Top’ speech at Mason Temple another landmark associated with Flower Homes and BTW.
The first African-American elected Mayor of Memphis (as President Barack Obama is the first African-American elected as President of America) is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. BTW is known around country for winning championships in almost every category of sport. BTW leadership has thoroughly saturated every fabric of Memphis culture. Students that made up a huge part of followers during Dr. King journey in Memphis were primarily from BTW who had easier access to marches, rallies, and participated in most of his audiences.
Music greats like Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and the MGs attended Booker T. Washington High School, the alma mater of Rufus Thomas and shared the hallowed halls with future stars like Isaac Hayes‘s writing partner David Porter; saxophonist Andrew Love of The Memphis Horns; soul singer/songwriter William Bell and Earth, Wind, and Fire‘s Maurice White.
President Barack Obama would make a tactical and history mistake if he doesn’t select Booker T. Washington High School. However, mistakes are forgiven!
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