MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2017

By: Senator(s) Jackson (11th), Barnett, To: Rules Blackwell, Burton, Chassaniol, Clarke, Dearing, Jackson (32nd), McMahan, Simmons (13th)

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 579

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE 38TH ANNIVERSARY OF 2 THE DELTA MUSEUM IN CLARKSDALE, , AND EXTENDING 3 THE BEST WISHES OF THE LEGISLATURE. 4 WHEREAS, located at the corner of Highway 61 ("The Blues 5 Highway") and Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is "The 6 Crossroads," the location where the legend Blues Musician Robert

7 Johnson sold his soul to the Devil for the ability to play a mean 8 guitar. The Crossroads has continued to gain popularity in music 9 like: "Highway 61", "Crossroads," "Cross Road Blues," and 10 "Highway 49," and in movies "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", and 11 "Crossroads," and in Clarksdale is the Delta Blues Museum; and 12 WHEREAS, established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library 13 Board of Trustees and reorganized as a stand-alone museum in 1999,

14 the Delta Blues Museum is Mississippi's oldest music museum and 15 the nation's first museum dedicated to the American art form known 16 as the Blues; and 17 WHEREAS, a 2013 recipient of the Institute of Museum and 18 Library Services National Medal for Museum and Library Services,

S. C. R. No. 579 *SS02/R1200* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 17/SS02/R1200 PAGE 1 (tb\rc) 19 the nation's highest honor for museum and library service to the 20 community and a 2014 winner of the National Arts & Humanities 21 Youth Program Award, the Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to 22 creating a welcoming place where visitors find meaning, value and 23 perspective by exploring the history and heritage of the unique 24 American musical art form, the Blues. The Museum is honored to be

25 a Great River Road Interpretive Center; and 26 WHEREAS, the Delta Blues Museum celebrates the Museum's 38th 27 birthday on January 30, 2017, featuring special performances from 28 the Coahoma Community College Choir, Greenville High School Voices 29 of Liberation, Madison Palmer High School Marching Band and the 30 award-winning Delta Blues Museum Band; and 31 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we join the Mississippi

32 Blues community in recognizing the musical legacy which is 33 presented in this outstanding museum: 34 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 35 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 36 we do hereby celebrate the 38th Anniversary of the Delta Blues

37 Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and extend the best wishes of 38 the Legislature.

39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 40 the Executive Director of the Delta Blues Museum, forwarded to the 41 Delta Blues Foundation and the Mississippi Arts Commission, and 42 made available to the Capitol Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 579 *SS02/R1200* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 17/SS02/R1200 ST: Celebrate 38th Anniversary of Delta Blues PAGE 2 (tb\rc) Museum in Clarksdale.