The historic plantation community, located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, was established by Will Dockery in 1895 to produce cotton – America’s most important export of the 19^th and early 20^th century. African Americans who came to Dockery Farms to cultivate cotton created a culture through their work in the fields that inspired the music we know as the blues.

By the 1920s Dockery Farms had grown to a community of several thousand workers and it was home to a number of blues pioneers, among them Henry Sloan, Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, Roebuck “Pop” Staples and, most famous of all, Charley Patton, the acknowledged “father of the blues.” It was at Dockery that these musicians lived and learned from one another. They played with now-legendary blues figures such as Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Howlin’ Wolf in the boarding houses and commissary at Dockery, and in the juke points of neighboring towns. Ultimately these artists left Dockery on the plantation’s Pea Vine Railroad and traveled north to record their new music. While no one would have imagined it at the time, their songs would influence the development of popular music around the world.

To honor its heritage as the setting where “the blues” were created and developed, plans are underway by the Dockery Farms Foundation to preserve the site’s building and grounds. Once this work is completed, Dockery Farms will begin a new phase in its history – this time as an educational and tourism destination for people to learn about the blues.

As a tribute to the creative genius of the artists who on this site created an inspiring, enduring music, the Dockery Farms Foundation proposes to provide many programs to visitors. The existing school programs in Delta Public Schools will be augmented with Blues Field Trips to Dockery Farms. Self-guided walking tours of the property will be available utilizing a brochure and interpretive displays, with guided tours scheduled as well. Local, regional and national lecturers will offer insights into the Mississippi Delta’s musical, cultural and historical significance. Blues workshops, jam sessions and other performances will be available for music fans of all ages.  In addition, a variety of blues and Mississippi Delta-themed events will be presented during the year, including ongoing collaborations with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, Delta State University, the B.B. King Museum and others.

To learn more about bringing your group to visit Dockery Farms, contact William Lester, executive director of The Dockery Farms Foundation at (662) 719-1048 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .