Historical Marker

Delta Blues Museum

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

The Delta Blues Museum, the world’s first museum devoted to blues, was founded on January 31, 1979, by Sid Graves, director of Clarksdale’s Carnegie Public Library. Originally housed in a room of the Myrtle Hall Elementary School, the museum moved to the library in 1981 and to this location, a former railroad depot, in 1999. Exhibits here have paid long overdue tribute to the history of the blues, while the museum’s education program has trained many young musicians to carry the blues into the future.

The Delta Blues Museum (DBM) developed into a world-renowned attraction and a major component in building the blues tourism industry in Mississippi, but in the beginning the DBM attracted only about one visitor a month. Library director Sid Graves (1946-2005) established the museum at the Myrtle Hall branch library (later annexed by the Myrtle Hall III school) at 1109 N. State Street, and took the small collection of exhibits home with him each night for security. The visitor count rose as the museum relocated to the main library at 114 Delta Avenue in 1981, expanded into its own adjoining wing in 1996, and moved into the old Y&MV/Illinois Central freight depot in 1999, when the City of Clarksdale took over administration of the DBM from the library board. The depot’s North Edwards Street address was redesignated as No. 1 Blues Alley. Including paid admissions and attendance at free events, the museum drew an estimated 25,000 visitors in 2012. The DBM was a 2013 finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

The rock band ZZ Top played a key role in raising funds for the museum in 1988. The band’s guitarist, Billy Gibbons, had some “Muddywood” guitars constructed from fallen boards he found at the house where Muddy Waters once lived on the Stovall plantation. One of the guitars was displayed at Hard Rock Cafes around the world and became a permanent exhibit at the museum. With the cooperation of the Stovall family, the house was later disassembled, restored, taken on tour by the House of Blues nightclub chain, and eventually moved to the museum. ZZ Top and many other rock and blues bands performed at benefits for the DBM over the years. A Muddy Waters wing was added to the museum in 2012. Other blues artists featured in DBM displays have included Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Big Joe Williams, Little Milton, B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton, Charlie Musselwhite, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Ike Turner, and Bo Diddley. Noted photographers, sculptors, and folk artists have exhibited their works here, and many authors, scholars, and musicians have participated in panel discussions, presentations, and book signings. The lawn of the DBM on Delta Avenue once served as the acoustic stage of the Sunflower River Blues Festival, and the primary festival stage on Blues Alley adjacent to the museum was built in 1999.

The DBM made important commitments to perpetuating the blues in addition to documenting its vast historical legacy. Local bluesmen Johnnie Billington, Michael “Dr. Mike” James, and Big Jack Johnson were among the instructors in the first Delta Blues Education Program, which began in 1992. Many students in the program have performed in festivals and concerts, both locally and on tour

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

Blues Trail
Mississippi has a long history of political and social conservatism, and the state has consistently voted for Republican candidates in presidential elections since the 1980s. However, the state also has a strong Democratic Party tradition, particularly among African American voters.
Mississippi random facts
Coahoma County, located in the northwest corner of Mississippi, has a rich history that spans centuries. The area was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Chickasaw and Choctaw. European explorers, such as Hernando de Soto, ventured through the region in the 16th century, but it was not until the early 19th century that permanent settlement began.

The county was officially established in 1836 and was named after a Native American word meaning "red panther." In the decades that followed, Coahoma County saw a significant influx of settlers, mainly from the southern states, who were drawn to the fertile agricultural lands along the Mississippi Delta.

The economy of the county was heavily dependent on agriculture, with cotton being the primary cash crop. Plantations dominated the landscape, and the county's population grew rapidly due to the demand for labor. However, this growth came at the expense of the enslaved African Americans, who were forcibly brought to the region to work on the plantations.

Coahoma County played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. It was the birthplace of influential figures like Aaron Henry, who fought for racial equality and was a prominent leader in the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP. The county also witnessed the efforts of civil rights activists like Medgar Evers and Fannie Lou Hamer, who organized voter registration drives and challenged segregation.

Today, Coahoma County continues to reflect its rich history through its cultural heritage and music. The city of Clarksdale, located in the county, is known as the birthplace of the blues. It has been home to influential musicians such as Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, and Ike Turner. The county also houses the Delta Blues Museum, providing visitors with a glimpse into the region's musical heritage and its impact on American culture.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Coahoma County, Mississippi.

  • 1836 - Coahoma County is established as a county in the state of Mississippi.
  • 1839 - The city of Friars Point is incorporated.
  • 1841 - The town of Clarksdale is founded.
  • 1882 - The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee District is formed to control flooding.
  • 1888 - The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board is established to oversee levee construction.
  • 1903 - The first railroad arrives in Clarksdale, boosting economic development.
  • 1920s - Coahoma County becomes a major center for blues music.
  • 1930s - The Great Depression and the boll weevil infestation severely impact Coahoma County's economy.
  • 1942 - The Coahoma County Fair is first held.
  • 1954 - The "Coahoma County Project" is initiated to promote economic development.
  • 1980s - Coahoma County experiences a decline in population and economic activity.
  • 2002 - The Delta Blues Museum is designated as a Mississippi Landmark.
  • 2011 - The Mississippi Development Authority designates Coahoma County as a "Gulf Opportunity Zone," aimed at stimulating recovery after Hurricane Katrina.