Downtown Revitalisation and Delta Blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi: Lessons for Small Cities and Towns

ISBN-13: 9789811561924 / Angielski / Miękka / 2020 / 228 str.

John C. Henshall

Spis treści

Preface.- 1 Introduction.

2 Downtown Decline and Revitalisation: National Trends and Clarksdale’s Experience.

3 Delta Blues and Culture.

4 Clarksdale, the Delta and the Economy.

5 Businesses in Downtown Clarksdale.

6 Clarksdale and Tourism.

7 Creative People in Downtown Revitalisation: The Theory.

8 Clarksdale’s Champions and Creative People: The Reality.

9 Planning for Economic Development and Downtown Revitalisation.

10 Community Views on Downtown Revitalisation.

11 Clarksdale’s Experience in Downtown Revitalisation: An Overview.

12 Lessons in Downtown Revitalisation for Small Cities and Towns.

Appendix: Blues and Cultural-Related Businesses and Features in Clarksdale.

O autorze

John C. Henshall is an urban economist and city planner who has worked with organisations in industry, government and consulting, both in Australia and abroad. Project experience includes urban and regional economic development and land use planning; retail, commercial and industrial location and development; town centre development; and tourism strategies and projects. He has a keen interest in small town development and the factors that drive their economic revitalisation.

Blurb

This book is about Clarksdale, a small town in Mississippi, USA, and how the local community has revitalised the long-dilapidated downtown, with the renewal based on the town’s intimate association with Blues music and the culture that flows through the Mississippi Delta. John Henshall highlights underlying trends in downtown decline and revitalisation in cities and towns in America, together with commentary of his own experience at home in Australia.

In Clarksdale, downtown economic revitalisation gained momentum in the mid-2000s as local residents and newcomers focused their entrepreneurial and creative efforts on promoting Clarksdale’s heritage, which is steeped in Blues music and Delta culture. While much attention to date has been given to large cities – from Sydney to San Francisco and from London to New York – as ‘creative cities’, little has been written about creativity in small cities and towns. This book delves into the positive role played by creative individuals in the economic revitalisation of downtown Clarksdale. 

The role of urban planning and community interaction is examined, and key lessons are provided for other small cities and towns, as they seek out opportunities to revitalise their downtowns and town centres.