Research Guides: COMM 2381: Oral Communication: Memphis Topics

Memphis Topics

Memphis News

Newspaper articles and online media like blogs and can be the best connection between your topic and how it relates directly to Memphis. Dig through these using microfilm on McWherter's 2nd floor (old-school!), using Google's site tool, or using the links below.

Commercial Appeal
Search Memphis' city newspaper, Commercial Appeal. Find the password to the CA website on the library's password wiki. Find older articles in America's News, linked below.

America's News This link opens in a new window

High Ground News
"High Ground News is a weekly digital magazine and website focused on what's next for the city of Memphis. We cover big corporate growth to small neighborhood movements, highlighting the development and innovation that are propelling Memphis forward. Our focus areas include economic and neighborhood development, healthy communities, entrepreneurship, non-profits, sustainability, leadership, technology and Innovation."
Inside Memphis Business
Inside Memphis Business is published six times a year, and focuses on local Memphis business news.
Memphis Business Journal
Memphis's daily business newspaper.
Memphis Daily News
The Daily News offers the most comprehensive information on construction, real estate, the courts, and local business activity, all drawn each day from public records.
Memphis Flyer
"The Memphis Flyer is Memphis’ alternative newsweekly. From in-depth features on politics, local scandals, and newsmakers to on-point editorials that aren’t afraid of the heavy hitters, if it’s news, we cover it."
Smart City Memphis
"This is Smart City Consulting's blog and its purpose is to connect the dots and provide perspective on events, issues, and policies shaping Memphis and its future."
Tri-State Defender
"The Tri-State Defender is a weekly newspaper and daily online news resource published in Memphis, Tennessee, serving the African-American communities in Memphis and nearby areas of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee."
Daily Memphian
Memphis's daily independent newspaper. Free access if using an on-campus computer.

Local Collections & Archives

Visit the Memphis & Shelby County Room - 3030 Poplar Ave., Memphis

Search Dig Memphis - The Digital Archive of the Memphis Public Library & Information Center

Explore University Libraries Digital Repository, University of Memphis

Shelby County Register of Deeds / Archives

Newspapers from Shelby County and Memphis, TN

American Eagle (a newspaper associated with Fort Pickering, TN): The University Libraries owns microfilm for Jan. 25, 1842-Nov. 24, 1843.
The Appeal (continued by the Weekly Appeal in 1845, see below): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1843-1845.
- The Weekly Appeal (continued by the Memphis Weekly Appeal in 1847, see below): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1845-1847.
- The Memphis Weekly Appeal (continued by Memphis Weekly Appeal-Avalanche in 1886): The University Libraries owns 1864 microfilm, in Special Collections.
  - 1848 - 1849: Indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
- The Daily Memphis Avalanche: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1855-1885.
- The Weekly Memphis Avalanche (continued by the Weekly Avalanche in 1887): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1880-1887.
- The Weekly Avalanche: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1887-1890.
- The Memphis Weekly Appeal-Avalanche (merges with Memphis Weekly Commercial and Memphis Weekly Commercial Appeal in 1894 to become the Commercial Appeal in 1894): The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1890-1894.
The Commercial Appeal: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1894-present (Cabinet 10, Drawer 2 thru Cabinet 12, Drawer 5) and 2005-present (Cabinet 41, Drawers 5-8 and continuing)
- 1894 - 1924 indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
- 1964 - 1996 indexed in card file in Special Collections.
- We have online access through various platforms with different access dates
- Current issues can be located in the Current Periodicals sections (2nd floor) of the McWherter Library.
- Online access via the Commercial Appeal website requires a password available by logging in here.
The Evening Scimitar: The University Libraries owns microfilm of 1894-1904
- Continues the Memphis Daily Scimitar.
- Merged with the Memphis Morning News and the Memphis News-Scimitar (the University Libraries owns microfilm of the Memphis News-Scimitar for 1905-1907).
The Labor Journal: Merged with the West Tennessee Labor News to form Memphis Union News. In Special Collections Department: April 1956 - June 1957.
- In Special Collections Department: 1950-1957 of the West Tennessee Labor News.
- In Special Special Collections Department: 1957-1970 of the Memphis Union News.
The Memphis Avalanche: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1894-1895.
- Index to the Memphis Avalanche 1860-1, 1866-1870
The Memphis Daily Argus: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1860-1862 and 1865-1866.
- Note: These are indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
- Index to the Memphis Argus 1860-1862, 1864-1866
The Memphis Daily Eagle: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1846-1851 (Newspapers: Cabinet 16, Drawer 1)
- Merged with the Memphis Daily Eagle and Enquirer...The University Libraries holds 1851-1853 on microfilm, and other more date ranges; additionally, our Special Collections Department has 1852-1853 and 1855-1858.
- Index to The Memphis Eagle 1842-1851
- The Memphis Enquirer was merged with the Memphis Weekly Eagle and Enquirer and the Weekly Memphis Eagle.
  - The University Libraries has the Weekly Memphis Eagle on microfilm for 1848-1851.
  - The Weekly Memphis Eagle continues the Weekly American Eagle, which the University Libraries has microfilm for 1843-1848.
The Memphis Flyer: Our Special Collections Department holds 1995-1999 (and also some of 1992-1994). You can also access the Memphis Flyer electronically.
The Memphis Labor Review: Our Special Collections Department holds 1944-1950.
- Continues the Labor Review.
- Absorbed by the West Tennessee Labor News -- in Special Collections: 1950-1957.
  - Merged the Labor Journal and the Memphis Union News -- our Special Collections Department holds 1957-1970 of the latter.
The Memphis Monday Bulletin: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1864-1865.
The Memphis News-Scimitar: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1905-1907.
- Formed from the Evening Scimitar (we have microfilm for 1894-1904) and the Memphis Morning News.
- Continued by the News Scimitar: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1907-1926.
The Memphis Press: Our Special Collections Department holds issues from 1915 and 1919-1920. The University Libraries has microfilm for 1925-1926.
- Merged with the News Scimitar and the Memphis Press-Scimitar.
  - The University Libraries has microfilm for the Memphis Press-Scimitar from 1926-1983.
    - 1926-1983 and 1964-1983 are indexed in card file in Special Collections (4th floor) .
The Memphis Statesman: A laboratory newspaper published during the regular school year by the Department of Journalism at Memphis State University. In Special Collections Department: 1966-1980.
The Memphis Weekly Bulletin: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1855 and 1864-1867.
The Memphis World (an African-American newspaper): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1931-1932 and 1943-1970.
Meriwether's Weekly: In Special Collections Department: 1882-1883.
Tri-State Defender: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1951-present. Online access is available for some content.
The Tri-Weekly Appeal: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1845-1847.
- Continues the Semi-Weekly Appeal.
- Continued by the Memphis Tri-Weekly Appeal: The University Libraries holds the microfilm of 1847-1849.

Local Resistance & Additional Resources

The Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Facebook Page
Just a friendly reminder. There are a lot of organizations and individuals doing amazing work under the banner of "Black Lives Matter".
We are the only chapter in Memphis recognized by the national Black Lives Matter network, which was founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors.
Mid-South Peace and Justice Center
"The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center is a multi-issue, multi-race organization whose mission is to engage, organize, and mobilize communities to realize social justice through nonviolent action."
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
A nonprofit reporting project about economic justice. Supported by the Center for Community Change. In partnership with the National Civil Rights Museum’s MLK50 commemoration. We dream. We disrupt. We persist.
National Coalition for Homelessness
Publications from NCH. The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to a single mission: To prevent and end homelessness while ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected.
Priority, home! : the federal plan to break the cycle of homelessness [1994].
US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development's 1994 plan.

Social Sciences Full Text This link opens in a new window
Indexes periodicals in addiction studies, anthropology, area studies, communications & mass media, community health & medical care, corrections, criminal justice, criminology, economics, environmental studies, ethics, family studies, gender studies, geography, gerontology, international relations, law, minority studies, planning & public administration, policy sciences, political science, psychiatry, psychology, public welfare, social work, sociology, and urban studies. Coverage: citations & abstracts, 1983- ; full text, 1995-.

COMM 2381: Oral Communication

Finding Memphis-Related Books

Map Memphis Policies

Memphis Topics

Memphis News

Local Collections & Archives

Newspapers from Shelby County and Memphis, TN

Local Resistance & Additional Resources