Clarksdale is also home to Sam Cooke, a famous singer born in the city. The town is also known for its Sunflower River Blues Festival, which takes place every year in August.
Delta Blues Museum is an important blues attraction, containing a sharecropper's cabin that was home to Muddy Waters. The museum is also housed in a restored railroad depot. Its education program continues the musical tradition of the Delta Blues. It offers an award-winning after-school program, public performance opportunities, and a public performance space.
Delta Blues Museum was founded in 1979 by Sid Graves, director of Clarksdale's Carnegie Public Library. The museum moved to the former Y&MV/Illinois Central freight depot in 1999. In 2012, it drew an estimated 25,000 visitors.
Admissions, donations, and the City of Clarksdale fund the Delta Blues Museum. It also is a recipient of a National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award. It has become a world-renowned attraction.
Other attractions in Clarksdale include the Ground Zero Blues Club, where local artists perform. Actor Morgan Freeman owns this club. It is the best known blues club in the state.
