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7 Little Known Facts About the First African-American Built Neighborhood in the United States

Posted byBy Ricky Riley | Published on: | Updated on November 25, 2016 CommentsComments (8)

 

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Opportunities in Orange Mound 

In 1890, Melrose High School started as a girls school and was developed into a unisex school by the 1930s. In 1937, the New Deal’s Public Works Administration (PWA) funded a new three-story brick school that expanded the school for more students. The school is still active in the community and has produced great African-Americans like Dr. Alvin Crawford, who was the first to graduate and earn a medical degree from the University of Tennessee.

 

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Harlem, Black Wall Street, Orange Mound 

The creation of Orange Mound meant new opportunities for Black people in Memphis. The neighborhood began to attract doctors, lawyers and businessmen who used the neighborhood to establish their careers.

“Amid the blend of diverse influences, a disproportionate number of neighborhood children grew to become successful and influential members of a wide range of professions,” explains Wkno.org.

In its height, Orange Mound was a financial Black power that was on the same level as Black Wall Street and Harlem. The financial district, Carnes Avenue, was the hub for Black businesses and was either greater or on par with the Black Wall Street when it comes to the amount of wealth being produced.

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