Cohen Announces New Grant for the Memphis Heritage Trail

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced a new grant worth as much as $150,000 in federal funding to support the planning, design, and public art for the Memphis Heritage Trail. This funding was awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Our Town grant program.

“This funding will help our city develop the Memphis Heritage Trail, which is an important American cultural and artistic landmark,” said Congressman Cohen.

The Memphis Heritage Trail is an ongoing project of the City of Memphis. When completed, it will include historic Beale Street, the FedEx Forum arena, the National Civil Rights Museum and other commercial and cultural spaces. This grant funding will be used to help develop underutilized cultural landmarks including the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last speech, and to create programming focused on the 3,000 African-American residents of the Memphis Heritage Trail Redevelopment Area, 67% of whom live below the poverty line, as well as the adjacent downtown population and tourists.

The NEA’s Our Town grant program supports projects around the nation that involve the creation and presentation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence and merit.