A somber reminder of the duality of Memphis' past, as both a nerve-center of commerce in terms of markets, exchanges, travel and distribution, while also the bonded labor that has built much of this region's present-days stature, the Market Square is one of the four original town squares built for the trade and exchange of captured West-African slaves.<
Of the other three squares, namely the Auction, the Court and the Exchange Square, the Market Square was undoubtedly the most important in the process of slave trading, given the fact that most of the slave auctions were conducted either here, or in the private halls. Although the name 'Auction Square' does seem to indicate the function of this establishment, most of the slave-trade was not carried out in public auctions. In fact, the Market Square is particularly memorable as the most active in all of Tennessee, with as many as four markets held every year supplying labor to the plantation owners who were almost entirely dependant on the slaves purchased here... with the cotton owners traveling up the river to sell their cotton and returning home with new hands to toil in their fields.
Over the years, only two of the four squares are still in existence — The Court Square and the Exchange Square which is located within the Cook Convention Center. Present-day visitors to Memphis can also view the plaque displayed at the Auction Square, which mentions the two kinds of trade that shaped the economy of early Memphis'— cotton and slaves.
For further information, you can refer to the website http://www.memphistravel.com or contact the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau at 901-543-5300.
The Market Square
Memphis, Tennessee
