Memory as method

This dissertation and community-engaged research project recovers the overlooked history of Klondike, the first neighborhood designed for Black homeownership within Memphis’s city limits. More than 300 residents have engaged in participatory historical recovery practices — oral histories, memory workshops, walking tours, pop-up museums, community archiving, among others — envisioning how to restore the neighborhood after decades of disinvestment. These collective memories are directly shaping Klondike's Community Land Trust, advancing resident control over anti-displacement development that honors the neighborhood's cultural identity. 

Research is conducted in partnership with Klondike Smokey City CDC, Klondike Community Land Trust, and resident researchers, with support from Monument Lab and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.