By: Yasmine Malone | June 4, 2025
Clarksdale, Mississippi – On Friday, John Spann of the Mississippi Humanities Council convened a powerful panel in Clarksdale as part of the festivities surrounding the premiere of Sinners, a film rooted in Delta culture. The panel, titled Building a Blues Economy Rooted in Dignity, featured cultural and community leaders Chandra Williams, Ralph Eubanks, Lee Williams, and Rep. Orlando Paden—each offering sharp insights into how the blues economy can better serve and reflect the Black communities from which the genre was born.
Panelists addressed the growing disconnect between the traditional blues narrative and the lived experiences of young people in Clarksdale. While tourism thrives on a romanticized version of the blues, locals often feel alienated from an art form deeply rooted in their heritage. “I didn’t know kids weren’t interested,” said Paden. “I went to the festivals thinking it was a revival.” He emphasized the need to create economic opportunities for youth—such as selling concessions at music venues—and called for better marketing that aligns with the music young people already resonate with.
Chandra Williams, who operates the Crossroads Cultural Arts Center, spoke to the need for a self-sustaining economy among Black Delta residents. “We have to celebrate ourselves,” she said. “That’s part of what harmed this moment—people have gone too long without being celebrated.” She also warned of the dangers of mythologizing cultural history, urging a return to cultural truths grounded in the lived experiences of Black Deltans.
Author Ralph Eubanks reminded the audience that blues music has long served as a form of protest. “The blues is calling out evil,” he said. “It no longer needs to be coded—it needs to be outright.” He called for a reframing of the genre as a vehicle for healing and liberation rather than trauma tourism.
Ultimately, the panel stressed that the Delta’s blues economy should empower the very communities that created the music—not exploit them. As global interest in the genre grows, locals are asking: What can we gain—and what are we willing to lose—to keep the soul of the blues alive?
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