The Cotton Makers’ Jubilee: A Celebration of Black Excellence in Memphis 🎭🎶 Did you know? The Cotton Makers’ Jubilee was created as a response to the all-white Cotton Carnival, ensuring that Black Memphians had their own platform to celebrate culture, achievements, and economic contributions. 💪🏾🔥 Key Points & Breakdown: 📍 Founded in 1936 by Dr. and Mrs. R.Q. Venson to counter the segregation of the Cotton Carnival. 🎭 Featured parades, pageants, and performances that highlighted the beauty and brilliance of Black culture in Memphis. 💰 Recognized Black economic contributions to the cotton industry, which was built on the labor of enslaved and freed Black workers. 👑 Had its own Royal Court, with a King and Queen crowned each year, mirroring the Cotton Carnival but celebrating Black royalty. 🏆 Became a symbol of Black pride & progress, eventually merging with the Cotton Carnival in the 1990s to form the Memphis Carnival. Legacy & Impact The Cotton Makers’ Jubilee wasn’t ...