Arthur L. Webb is a fifth generation Memphian and a grandfather.  He is the father of three daughters, Mrs. Angela Webb-Irons (38) of Los Angeles, California and twin college graduate students, Christina and Christin Webb (24).

            For more than 30 years, Mr. Webb has been actively involved in the research and documentation of Memphis and Shelby County African American History.  Included in this pursuit has been a primary focus on African American genealogy. This particular aspect of Mr. Webb’s ongoing research activities has resulted in the development of a genealogical database that includes more than 16,000 entries.  This database is the only known resource of this nature for genealogical research in existence.

            Another primary focus of Mr. Webb’s research is African American Civil War history.  Most recently, he was responsible for the initiating of a resolution by the Memphis City Council recognizing and honoring the approximately 10,000 African American Union Army soldiers who were stationed at Fort Pickering Defenses of Memphis.

            In 1992, he was contacted by The Honorable Frank Smith of the Washington, D.C. City Council to assist in conducting national research on the involvement of African Americans as soldiers in the Civil War.  Mr. Webb’s involvement as a researcher and as a lecturer for fund raising activities contributed in no small measure to the July 15, 1998 unveiling of the National African American Civil War Memorial in the District of Columbia. The memorial honors the more than 285,000 African Americans who served the Union cause during that war.

         Also, in 1992, Mr. Webb’s expertise was secured by  Dr. William Pepper, attorney for James Earl Ray, via the Capitol Hill Investigative Agency of Washington, D.C.,  to conduct local research relative to the investigation into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..

        In April of 1994, Mr. Webb became engaged as a consultant for Nevada-based film producer, Stan Armstrong, who was filming the documentary, The Fort Pillow Massacre, which was completed in early 1998. In 1999, Mr. Webb was also a primary on-camera participant in the locally produced documentary, Memphis In The Millennium, 1900 - 2000.

            Mr. Webb has spent the past several years as Associate Editor with the Tri-State Defender.  In addition to being the organization’s principal editorial writer, Mr. Webb is responsible for general, local and business news.

Mr. Webb continues to be a highly regarded lecturer and consultant on the subjects of African American history and genealogy.

Other Publications:

•  Black Pearl Magazine  (1978)

•  Index To The United States Census of Free Blacks In  Memphis & Shelby

               County, 1830 - 1860 (1988)

•  Obscurities (1991)

•  The United States Colored Troops In Memphis, Tennessee 1863 - 1866  (1992)

•  History Of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (1993)

•  Memphis African American Historical Calendar  (1993 - 1999)

•  Sands Of Time  (Continuing series 1996 - 2005)

•  History Of Tri-State Bank Of Memphis (1996)

•  Beale St. Can Talk - (Memphis Magazine, Aug., Sept., Oct., 1997)

•  Memphis 2000 Historical Calendar (1999)

•  1,000 FACTS, 200 Years Of Memphis African American History (Pending  

   publication)

•  100 African American Biographies, Volume I;  (Pending publication)

•  History of LeMoyne - Owen College (Pending publication)

•  Memphis African American History (Pending publication)