Coverage of the African-American community in the historic South Memphis and Whitehaven and Westwood neighborhoods of Memphis

The Commercial Appeal is 179 years old and has been a pillar of the Mid-South Region. It is based in Memphis, which sits at the nexus of east Arkansas, north Mississippi and West Tennessee, and has long been known as a regional newspaper. It’s focused on Shelby County, Tennessee and DeSoto County, Mississippi. Blacks represent 52 percent of Shelby County’s residents. The newsroom has 27 full-time staffers and two part-time staffers. Four staffers are editors who supervise other staffers.