In downtown Chattanooga, what is now Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard was once known as 9th St - at that time, the heart of the city’s African-American community.
On Saturday, April 9th and Sunday, April 10th, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center on MLK Boulevard will celebrate that legacy with this year’s Big 9 Roots Festival - postponed last year due to the pandemic.
Paula Wilkes is president of the Bessie - and Elijah Cameron is director of community relations.