The Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi first opened in 1944 and played a significant role in the story of not only the Blues but American music as a whole. As one of the few hotels in Mississippi to allow African American guests during the Jim Crow Era, the Riverside hosted many iconic musicians such as Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Sam Cooke, whose legendary song, “A Change is Gonna Come,” is believed to reference the nearby Sunflower River. Ike Turner, who called the Riverside home for a time, even penned “Rocket 88,” one of the first Rock ‘n Roll songs, in the hotel’s basement. The proprietor of the hotel, Mrs. Z.L. Ratliff, initially rented the property but was able to purchase it outright in 1957. It has remained in the family ever since. This portrait depicts the late Frank “Rat” Ratliff in one of the Riverside Hotel’s historic rooms. Rat took over the operations of the hotel after his mother’s death in the late 90s, managing the property until his death in 2013. The hotel is now owned by Rat’s daughter Zelena “Zee” Ratliff.