Memphis (USA)

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Industrial city and port on the Mississippi River, in southwestern Tennessee, USA, linked by a bridge with West Memphis, Arkansas, across the river; seat of Shelby County; population (2000 est) 650,100. It is a major cotton market, and one of the leading centres in the USA for the production of hardwood lumber; other industries include food processing, brewing, and the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical supplies, furniture, and tobacco products. A 1980s industry of handmade ultramodern furniture is called Memphis style and copied by Italian and French firms.

History
The French built a fort here in 1739, but Memphis was not founded until 1819. It was incorporated as a town in 1826, and as a city in 1849. During the American Civil War Memphis was an important Confederate military centre and it served as the temporary state capital until 1862, when it was captured by Union forces after a river battle. US civil-rights campaigner Martin Luther King, Jr, was assassinated here on 4 April 1968, and the National Civil Rights Museum (1991) stands on the site where the assassination took place.

Red symbolizes blood. Yellow represents sunshine. Green stands for the islands' riches. Black reflects the Melanesian population. Effective date: 30 July 1980. >>