My heritage is Scots-Irish and I’m from Memphis. I used to live near that Kroger where the beating happened and I pass it all the time. In fact, I was in that lot a few hours before the incident. My cousin is a doctor who lives in a mansion mere blocks away. I don’t think of that as a particularly dangerous area, but there is a buffet pizza place that often attracts a sketchy crowd. I’ve been concerned about Memphis crime for years, so I moved my family just south of Memphis to a North Mississippi suburb. I travel throughout the Delta all the time. I just got back from a visiting the blues museum in Clarksdale. I’m much more concerned in certain parts of Memphis than I am the Delta. In my experience, rural blacks are quite different from their urban counterparts. That said, I always carry a pistol and I am careful where I stop. I’m not scared of black people. I interact with them every day. I am, however, cautious around groups of young black people.
Would it be dangerous to pull into a convenience store for dinner?
I did not like Memphis and certainly didn't feel safe there - heck they even had guides from the Tourist Bureau who would walk with you to the next attraction.
A sharp contrast was Vicksburg where we went to blues bars frequented by the locals and were treated in a very friendly manner.
If you are driving around there, try to get to the Best Fried Chicken in the US - amazing taste -
https://plus.google.com/108531441845369876044/about?gl=us&hl=en