Memphis has always been a refuge for misfits and outcasts, which is why a queer community quietly thrived here in the underground for decades. Nowadays, things are far from perfect for LGBTQ+ folks, but they can live openly and tell their stories like never before.
Filmmaker Jon Bryant Crawford used his residency at Crosstown Arts to collect stories from queer Memphians young and old. Tell Me A Memory collects the stories, told simply and honestly, without embellishment by the filmmaker. Crawford’s relentless focus brings out the inner beauty of honesty in his subjects.
Tell Me A Memory: Jon Bryant Crawford’s Video Portraits of Memphis
Here’s Memphis historian Vincent Astor telling Crawford one of my favorite Bluff City stories: The legend of the first legal (well, semi-legal) drag show in Memphis.
Tell Me A Memory: Jon Bryant Crawford’s Video Portraits of Memphis (2)
Crawford’s work is featured this week on the Indie Memphis Movie Club. Tonight, (Tuesday, June 30th) Crawford will speak about his work with guest moderator Tony Horne on Indie Memphis’ weekly Q&A event. You can watch at 8 p.m. CDT via Eventive, YouTube, or Zoom, but you’ll need to RSVP for the Zoom conversation here.
