MEMPHIS, Tenn — House of Mtenzi Museum embodies every part of Black history in Memphis from sharecropping to music legends.
Stanley Campbell was born to "Ma Thelma" who was a Mississippi sharecropper best known for her soulful singing voice while working. He created the museum to show the pivotal moments his mother lived through.
"I heard about her story," Campbell said. "Even though I’m the youngest I was so attentive to listening."
Her name isn't widely known in history, but her courageous choices make her unforgettable and someone people can relate to. In 1966, she left the cotton field for a better life in Memphis, which was a leap of faith most never took.
"No not at all," Campbell said. "It wasn’t even thought of."
A move like that doesn't go unnoticed especially entering the tumultuous decades to come for Black people in the South.
"It was like a folktale about my mom," Campbell said. "Do you know about the mother with the kids walking behind her on the gravel road?"
"Ma Thelma's" folktale become a legend that helped break barriers and build a brighter future. The chance she took taught those around her to be fearless for change.
"She didn’t have any boots," Campbell said. "She created her own boots and she strapped them up herself."
History shows an ordinary person can do extraordinary things through faith and courage, but also teach the next generation to carry forth that legacy.
"She made sure we knew what accountability was and what it was meant for and it’s meant for serving the people," Campbell said.