Our History, Our Future: Our New Chicago

Local & National News | February 11, 2026 | 6:50 p.m. CST

Written by: Gilbert Barnes Carter III

There is a distinctive aspect of narrative change work. The profiles that are magnified are not always obscure. The voices that are amplified are not always unheard.

The profiles and voices of Mr. Cliff Stockton and Mr. Oscar Love, Jr. are not marginalized at all. They represent the North Memphis Community Alliance Community Development Corporation (NMCA, CDC) and serve as Board Chairman and Board Member, respectively. They are masterful in presenting the history of the predominantly Black communities of Bearwater, New Chicago, Smokey City, the "Bottoms", and others to contextualize how imperative it is to always stop outside efforts to degrade the worth of the infrastructures.

Their current effort is in the form of an impending vote by the Memphis City Council for Regulation Ordinance 5958. The NMCA, CDC leadership is now giving consideration to how the legislation can be used in favor of residents to thwart a covert second attempt to begin the construction of a new Shelby County Criminal Justice Complex (CJC) on a portion of 77 acres of land where the former Firestone Tire and Rubber Company production plant once stood as a colossal symbol of Black working class power. Last July, the first attempt was thwarted by a cross section of residents led by Dr. Carnita Atwater, Mr. Love, Mr. Stockton, and others. 

It is important to note that Dr. Atwater's effort to disseminate the "New Chicago Revitalization Plan" was summarily dismissed by local government officials back in 2017.

Mr. Love is always willing to provide insight.

"As you retain more information about the history of our communities, you will find that New Chicago was a premier place during the first great Black migration across the 'Deep South' in the late 1800's and early 1900's. This community became the 'new north.' It became the new promise land - the New Chicago. This was once an affluent, bustling mecca of Black people with new hopes, new dreams, and a vision of recreating another iconic Black promise land right here in Memphis."

"As you retain more information about the history of our communities, you will find that New Chicago was a premier place during the first great Black migration across the 'Deep South' in the late 1800's and early 1900's." - Mr. Oscar Love, Jr.

"'Smokey City' is called Smokey City because at one point in Memphis history it was the location of where most of the industrial complexes were located. Huge smokestacks towered over the plants. Much smoke was emitted hence the name - Smokey City. The workers at those plants had to have a place to live, play, shop, and send their children to school. For many Black folks, that place became the adjacent New Chicago."

Mr. Love added the reminder of how original neighborhood schools, such as Manassas High School, were primary fixed points just as churches were in legacy Black communities all across America.

"First came the construction of the school - Manassas. The community was built around the founding of the school and grew from there. The big boom in economic growth came in 1936 and 1937 when Firestone representatives came to town. There were many rumors that many white people, including the Memphis mayor at that time, had self-inflicted grief that they centered around how Black Firestone employees received the same living wage amounts as white employees and Black employees were active and proud union members. The prevailing thought today is that Firestone officials relocated operations from Memphis because of how municipal government officials diminished support via tax incentives significantly. There were other economic issues as well."

"The prevailing thought today is that Firestone officials relocated operations from Memphis because of how municipal government officials diminished support via tax incentives significantly." - Mr. Oscar Love, Jr.

The collective resolve of the NMCA, CDC leadership is emblematic of the legacy established by the industrious Black elders of that day.

I often design alternate universes with corresponding realities as a creative. The inherent power that we as Black people have through our storytelling is that all of the conceptualization and ideation that we enjoy is squarely based on our acutal and irrefutable history across our diaspora.

Take a moment to imagine just how happy, prosperous, and upwardly mobile Black employees at the former Firestone Tire and Rubber Company production plant were in 1937.

Please send e-mail correspondence to Mr. Stockton at Stockton@nmemca.org and Mr. Love at oscardlove@aol.com, respectively.

Please join NMCA, CDC representatives and residents on Saturday, March 14 at the Kukutana African-American Museum, 1036 Firestone Avenue, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the "North Memphis Candidates Forum." Attendees can participate during candidate engagement, candidate vetting, and a public question and answer session.

Photo Credits:

Header Photo* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (1)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (2)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (3)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (4)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (5)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (6)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Body Photo (7)* by: Mr. Gilbert Barnes Carter III

*All of the images for this article were generated through the use of Google AI applications.

Gilbert Barnes Carter III is a Memphis-based author, child welfare advocate, community organizer, emerging farmer, gardener, journalist, and social justice advocate. He began his social justice advocacy and work by serving as a Shelby County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Board volunteer in 2005. He has worked since then to effectuate change for low-wage, immigrant, and migrant workers as a Temporary Workers Campaign Manager with Workers Interfaith Network; an advocate for Teamsters Local 667 sanitation workers; and a community / field organizer to uphold blight reduction, efficient public mass transit, environmental justice, food access, food justice, food security, narrative change, and public safety.