|
901 Day: 29,000 People. One Heart.
The most important headline from 901 Day came at 7:45 p.m. — 29,000 people celebrated 901 Day on Beale Street, and there were zero incidents during the event.
That’s what it looks like when Memphis comes together. Families, neighbors, and visitors filled Beale Street and Handy Park with joy, pride, and love. From start to finish, the day was curated to reflect the best of who we are: diverse, creative, and aligned.
By the end of the day, 901 Day had drawn 29,000 visitors to Beale Street and Handy Park. At its peak, more than 9,400 people filled the street, with over 8,000 gathered between 3 and 7 p.m. On average, guests stayed 99 minutes, and nearly 5,000 people lingered for more than two and a half hours, soaking up the music, food, and community spirit.
The day gave us moments we will never forget. The Tennessee Mass Choir stood shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Project Pat, lifting their voices in song and prayer and leading more than 9,000 people in a powerful moment of unity and faith. That wasn’t just a performance — it was ministry. It was healing. It was Memphis showing the world how music and prayer can come together to lift up an entire community.
And it wasn’t just on the mainstage. Handy Park and the New Daisy shared equally positive and beautiful moments, such as families exploring fire trucks and police cruisers at Touch-A-Truck, teens leading conversations at the Creative Summit, and local vendors showcasing the best of Memphis. When the street cleared by 8 p.m., the story was already written: Memphis showed up and showed out.
The beauty of 901 Day wasn’t just in the music or the food, it was in the spirit of our people, standing shoulder to shoulder, celebrating what makes Memphis, Memphis.
Later that night, after the stages were packed up and most of the families had gone home, an incident occurred that demands our full attention. At 10:15 p.m., two hours after the official event ended, a 16-year-old opened fire with an assault rifle, injuring another teenager.
The quick apprehension of the suspect speaks to the strength of our officers and our intolerance for this kind of behavior. No teenager should ever have access to an assault rifle. And no child, no family, no community should have to live with the trauma that comes from a shooting on our streets.
Let me be clear: violence of any kind is unacceptable in our parks, our streets, and our greater community. It will not be tolerated, not on Beale, not downtown, not in any neighborhood in our city.
Parents, do your part. Know where your children are, who they’re with, and what they are doing. Love them enough to set boundaries. Hold them accountable. Guide them early, before tragedy takes hold. Our officers can and will enforce the law, but they cannot raise our children. That responsibility belongs at home.
Mentors, neighbors, churches, and organizations must also wrap their arms around our youth and show them another way. Strong policing and a strong community response must go hand in hand.
“Our officers can stop the trigger from being pulled. But only love, guidance, and accountability can stop a child from ever picking up the gun in the first place.”
- Chief CJ Davis
901 Day showed us what is possible when Memphis stands together in celebration. The incident that followed showed us what is at stake if we fail to stand together for our children. Both are part of our story. But it is up to us to decide which one defines us.
And I believe in Memphis enough to know which future we will choose. We rise together.
Good News!
   Do you have good news to share? We would love to share it! Send us a note at goodnews@memphistn.gov
Track Our Progress
The linked reports below provide evidence to support our public safety strategy and our work to ensure municipal fiscal responsibility. These dashboard provides a quick overview, with the ability to dive in deeper to neighborhoods and divisions. Both dashboards updates daily.
 SAFER COMMUNITIES: For more info on how to use the safer communities dashboard, go here. Or for the whole dashboard, go here. FINANCE TRACKER: For more info on how to use the finance tracker dashboard, go here, then follow the prompts to the tracker.
Our Blight Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38106, 38107, 38112, 38114, 38115.
To report concerns related to property violations, potholes, and trash, click the link here or call 311 to speak to a live agent.
In the Know: Want to know what's happening in Memphis? Explore these event calendars to stay in the loop on all the city has to offer!
Memphis Public Libraries
Memphis Parks
Memphis Travel
Arts Memphis
Choose901
I love Memphis
901 Day on Beale Street:
What a day, Memphis!   901 Day brought the city together with amazing performances, art, family fun, and so much more. This is the spirit of the 901 — proud, creative, and unstoppable. #901Day #MemphisStrong
|
