There’s a geography course underway that gives students much more than classroom lectures at SHSU.
For years, Sam Houston State University geography professor John Strait has guided students through the Mississippi Delta on field courses in an effort to witness firsthand the geographical significance of blues culture and the historical role it has played in giving a voice to social change.
Professor Strait said, “I’m fortunate enough to be with a university and department that really values these field experiences for the students,”
This particular year, the passing of a worldwide icon and Strait’s longtime friend days before the trip would alter the itinerary and result in a new perspective for his 16 Geography 4360 students. Red Paden, a Mississippi blues legend and owner of the famed Clarksdale juke joint Red’s Lounge, passed away on Dec. 30. The news of his departure and ensuing celebration of life would garner international attention.
Strait said, “Juke joints, such as Red’s Lounge, serve as critical incubators to the development of this musical culture.” He said, “They essentially function as the scene for vital community gatherings.”
During the civil rights movement, these establishments would serve as a place where attendees could be themselves and escape from the hardships, and sometimes horrific realities, of everyday life in the American South. Red’s stands today as one of the last remaining authentic establishments of its kind.
