Open Letter to Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, and the Cast and Crew of Sinners to Visit Clarksdale

Ryan Coogler, Micheal B. Jordan, and the Cast of Sinners

Dear Mr. Coogler, Mr. Jordan, and the extraordinary Sinners Cast and Crew,

We write to you from Clarksdale, Mississippi, the place where your story found its roots, and where its spirit still runs deep in our music, our memory, and our everyday lives.

An intergenerational group of organizations, creatives, entrepreneurs, farmers, and community leaders has come together, being so moved by the bold, imaginative world you brought to life in Sinners.

While Sinners is, of course, a supernatural adventure, complete with vampires and all the terror, it’s clear you did your homework. The love you have for Southern folk, Mississippians and Clarksdale came to life through your commitment to writing us right. Getting to know us and sharing that love through your work on this film.

Beneath the horror and fantasy, your film captures the soul of this place: our history, our struggles, our genius, our joy, our community.

We know that Sinners was born from a deeply personal place, inspired by your uncle, a Mississippi native, who often played blues music and told you stories about Mississippi. That connection, and all the deep research shines through. It’s why the film doesn’t just entertain; it feels lived-in, loved, and wrestled with.

We are extending an open invitation to you, the cast, and the creative team behind Sinners to visit Clarksdale, to walk the streets your vision reimagined, to meet the people whose real stories echo through every frame, and to experience firsthand the living, breathing legacy that inspired your work and the people who are sustaining and reimagining its future:

  • Red’s Juke Joint, one of the last authentic juke joints in the Delta, where the blues still sweat through the walls.

  • Ground Zero Blues Club, co-founded by Morgan Freeman, carrying the blues tradition forward while welcoming artists from around the world.

  • Swan Lake Association, a network of 10 Black churches stewarding over 650 acres of land, rebuilding a generation of Black farmers.

  • Start 2 Finish Farms, a next-generation farm led by young Black growers working to revitalize agriculture in the Delta.

  • The Old Paramount Theater, once a segregated movie house, now owned by Griot Arts, transforming the space into a center for arts education and creativity.

  • Higher Purpose Hub, a regional nonprofit intermediary based in Clarksdale focused on improving intergenetaional economic opportunity across the Mississippi Delta

We would also be honored to collaborate with you to host a public screening and celebration here in Clarksdale. A homecoming not just for the film, but for the history, culture, and future that continue to define our city and to connect Mississippi creatives with you and your work.

Just as your uncle’s Blues Music and making this film lit a fire in you, we believe a visit to Clarksdale from you could light an even bigger one for the next generation.

We are ready. We are waiting. And we would be proud to welcome you back to where it all began.

With respect, admiration, and hope,
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Clarksdale, Mississippi

To: Ryan Coogler, Micheal B. Jordan, and the Cast of Sinners
From: [Your Name]

Dear Mr. Coogler, Mr. Jordan, and the Sinners Cast and Crew,

From Clarksdale, Mississippi, where your story's roots run deep, we reach out with admiration for the bold world you created in Sinners. We invite you to experience firsthand the vibrant culture and legacy that inspired your work, welcoming you to explore our historic landmarks and join us in celebrating the spirit of our city.