Candace A. Gray

Joy Truly Brown, Orpheum’s director of Rentals & Events, and creator of the “Women of Soul” Series, wanted to run a hotel. She just knew her degree in Hospitality Management would prepare her to do so. What she didn’t know is, nearly 20-plus years later, after...

“Memphus, Memphis Tennessee…Memphus, looks so good to me…”  The inaugural Sunset Jazz @ Court Square Park concert, featuring the incomparable Joyce Cobb and her four-piece band, was ladened with memorable moments. But this song, which seemed somewhat freestyled at first, but clearly had been carefully crafted...

If there was a Bridge Builders poster child, it would be Mario Hendrix, vice president of programming for BRIDGES. He has been an employee at BRIDGES, a youth transformation organization, for 20-plus years, and affiliated with the nonprofit for more than 30 of its 35...

A year ago, The New Tri-State Defender introduced readers to Rose Marr (now Rose Marr Scott, after marrying fellow artist Carl Scott), who was on a mission to share the work of her mother (Mary “Mayfair” Matthews) with the world. And now…it’s HER turn. Marr happened...

December 22, 2022: Three days until Christmas. I've been masking up. Tidying up. Waking up early. Preparing for a festive Christmas THIS year, as last year was a complete BUST! (#ThanksCovid) My cousin, Latricia, got on the road at 5 a.m. EST from Tallahassee, FL,...

While some say you can’t put the cart before the horse, some have no choice but to do so. Ekundayo Bandele, founder of Memphis’ first and only Black Repertory Theatre, built an empire before ever obtaining an undergraduate degree.  And now he’s actually going back to...

Memphis River Parks Partnership is charged by the city of Memphis to maintain all of Memphis’ river parks. Of those, Tom Lee Park is the largest and, until now, the least built-out. The Partnership broke ground on a new Tom Lee Park in December 2021 and...

You might recall a story a few years back about the first African-American woman and mother from Memphis who was on the USA Bob-sledding team. Sable Otey was and still is a real American Hero(ine). Only now she’s on a different team, playing a different...

Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, co-CEO of Royal Studios, had been thinking about producing a show that paid homage to the musicians and the studio that are often forgotten as part of Memphis’ musical history. He just hadn’t made time to do so. Then he felt the...

This moment was 100 years in the making. Kadesha Gordon, an African-American woman and life-long Catholic, reared in the faith at St. Augustine Catholic Church in South Memphis, has found her way to Midtown. She is the new principal, and the first American American to hold...