Dear Mayor Lowery:
This communication is not just a personal letter but an open letter via our website titled "African Cultural Diplomat Exchange Network. Please Click here to see an email I recieved Tuesday September 8, 2026 from Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen whereas he nominated our 1988 film "The Contemporary Gladiator" to the Library of Congress.

Click here to see an image of our Civil rights roots in 1972 whereas you were born in 1973. In 1981 I was the 1st person to bring E.S.P.N. to Memphis.

In 1971while a student at Hamilton High school I asked Washington Bultler one of Memphis 1st Shelby County Commissioner to speak to our speech class. Former County Commissioner Minerva Johnican along with Katheryn Bowers and Evone Acey started an  organization called "Inner City Voter education committee." I was able with their assistance led the 1st 18 year old voter registration in Tennessee. Anyone in Memphis who was someone in politics I was involve.  I was a member of Black Men Pushing with Rev. Kyles when Operation push started in Memphis.I

In 1982 I remember so clearly when I won the PKA or "Professional Karate Association World Title" I remember your dad the late Myron Lowery interviewing me. You cannot imagine what life was like for a Black man in Memphis who was a "World Champion."  I had to deal with Memphis  Mayor J. Wyeth Chandler because I was representing Memphis via E.S.P.N .  In 1983 Memphis Mayor Dick Hackett loved the idea of E.S.P.N. whereas he arranged for the City of Memphis to paint "Memphis Distribution Center" on the canvas to show companies the benefit of E.S.P.N. The issue was I was a Black man and Memphis companies were not about to support  a Black man.

Whereas I had an arrangement to bring NBC Sports world to Memphis whereas no Memphis Company would support a "Black World Champion" whereas I brought highest corporate executive to Orange Mound in Orange Mound's history.

In regards to the new Shelby County Mayor Mickell M. Lowery Orange Mound resident Anthony "Amp" Elmore is the only Memphis resident in the history of Shelby County other than Elvis Presley to be honored by NARA or National Archives and Records Adminstration.

 In 2009 Anthony "Amp" Elmore created an African Styled Tuxedo that was accepted by White House and President Obama whereas it the 1st time in American Presidential history an African garment made and styled in Africa accepted by an America President whereas the garment created by Elmore African Imports in Orange Mound is preserved via Federal Records by the "Nation Archives and Records Administration."

In 1990 Anthony "Amp" Elmore's 1988 Orange Mound Memphis produced film "The Contemporary Gladiator" premiered in the African Country of Kenya whereas the film's premier in Kenya is the 1st Industrial Trade Deal between an African Government and an African/American business whereas a historic partnership was created via Kenya and Memphis that has taken place since 1990 or 36 years.

In 2019 Kenya Dignitaries head by Kisumu, Governor Peter Anyang Nyong'o visited Memphis whereas their 1st Stop was Anthony "Amp" Elmore's home in Orange Mound. Anthony "Amp" Elmore made the arrangements schedule for the African Dignitaries whereas in 2024 Governor Nyong'o invited Anthony "Amp" Elmore as his special guest for the FESTAC celebration in Kenya.

Kisumu Kenya Governor Anyang' Nyong'o is the father of Academy Award winner and Black Panther Star Lupita Nyong'o. Governor Nyong'o promised to come back to Memphis and bring his family and his daughter Lupita Nyong'o to Memphis.

We are asking Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery to extend a formal invitation to Governor Nyong'o and Black Panther Star Lupita, Nyong'o to visit Memphis.

We in Memphis started the production of the film "Rock and Roll A Black Legacy" whereas we would partner with Kisumu, Kenya shooting early scenes in Kisumu, Kenya. The Memphis Shelby County Film Commission used their function and authority to prohibit Anthony "Amp" Elmore from Filming at the Orange Mound Community Center.

The Memphis Shelby County Film Commission erased Anthony "Amp" Elmore's film history and used their authority to block Anthony "Amp" Elmore's Films and Film history.
In 2019 in celebration of Memphis Bicentennial Anthony "Amp" Elmore chronicled Black Memphis History whereas he created the film "200 Years of Black Memphis History" Memphis in May Celebrated Memphis Cinema whereas Anthony "Amp" Elmore was not allowed to be on Memphis official calendar and celebration.

In challenging the Memphis Film Commission's discrimination Anthony "Amp" Elmore rented the Malco Theatre in Hickory Hill of the exact bicentennial day May 22, 2019. In order to create a historic record Anthony "Amp" Elmore concurrently premiered the movie "200 years of Black Memphis History" on You Tube May 22, 2019.

Anthony "Amp" Elmore's 1988 film release is not only Memphis film history "The Contemporary Gladiator" made world Film history whereas it "The 1st Kickboxing Film in World Film History." In addition it's the World 1st Buddhist Biopic and the 1st Biopic of a Karate-Ka beating the stories of both Tina Turner (Buddhism) and Brue Lee (Karate.)

Anthony "Amp" Elmore created the "African Cultural Embassy" whereas it introduce "The Charter of Kinship" a new diplomacy. The African Tuxedo via the Obama Library touches both Mali where the Cloth was made and Ghana were the tuxedo was produced.

In 1988 Anthony "Amp" Elmore used digital technology to complete the 1988 film "The Contemporary Gladiator." Most people take film and convert it into video whereas Anthony "Amp" Elmore took Video and converted it into film. Anthony "Amp" Elmore produced Kickboxing bouts from 1984 to 1987. The production of the 35mm Camera and Film crew was over budgeted and expended. Anthony "Amp" Elmore took his years of Kickboxing and shot video and used technology to convert the video into film.

A machine takes a 35mm film camera and shoots the video and creates a separate sound track. The video is slowed to 24 Frames a second as in film. A computer enhance the resolution whereas the video is transformed into a 35mm film. Anthony "Amp" Elmore using his actual fight footage inserted it into the film that historic.are culturally significant are preserved for future generations. In regards to Shelby County Mayor Mickell M. Lowery Anthony "Amp" Elmore via this communication publically asks the Shelby Mayor to support not only "Orange Mound Film History" we are asking the Mayor to support African Cultural Diplomacy.

We have established diplomatic and cultural relationships with not only various African Countries, our 1988 film "The Contemporary Gladiator" was dubbed into German whereas we have the opportunity to establish relationships in both Europe and Asia.

In 1990 Anthony "Amp" Elmore fought in Australia. In 1995 Anthony "Amp" Elmore traveled to Taisekiji, Japan and spend days living and filming at the almost 800 year old Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Temple.

In 1998 Anthony "Amp" Elmore Anthony "Amp" Elmore was the official videographer for the opening of the 1st Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Temple in Accra, Ghana. It was in 1998 whereas Anthony "Amp" Elmore created the 1st Black Buddhist Website in World History. This is before Google, You Tube and Facebook.

While the City of Memphis refused to acknowledge our movie "200 Years of Black Memphis History" we petition our movie into 100's of short educational videos via our website "Black Memphis History. Com." In 2006 we created the 1st All African Home in America whereas we went o Ghana and created not just Custom furnishing we created a concept called "African Styled" whereas we created African made products for the American market. We created a culture whereas we can make Orange Mound "African' Distribution Center."

In 2013 we were honored in Kenya via the "Luo Council of Elders" whereas the preserve the culture of the Luo people of Africa who history trace to the Nile Valley. We created Orange Mound's tourist destination whereas tour buses would come and visit our all African home.
We in Memphis in Orange Mound lead the nation via "African Cultural Diplomacy." Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery we ask that you support our efforts celebrate United Nations Day and support Orange Mound as the birthplace of African Cultural Diplomacy.

There has not been a hit movie made in Memphis in 20 years. The last movie that gained attention was "Hustle and Flow" whereas a White filmmaker created about a "Black Pimp." Black youth created a song "Its Hard out here being a Pimp. The White filmmaker Craig Brewer benefited from Black Culture.

Move to Atlanta; Black Filmmaker Tyler Perry has created a multi-billion dollar film industry in Atlanta where Black movies like the "Black Panther" made millions. 

View the above video whereas Linn Sitler an old White woman controls Memphis film culture and art. In Memphis, Tennessee there is no place for Black Films and Black Filmmakers. We ask our new Black Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery to publically acknowledge "World Black History Facts." The 1988 Orange Mound Produced film "The Contemporary Gladiator" is the 1st Kickboxing film in World Film history.  In addition "The Contemporary Gladiator" is the 1st Industrial Trade deal between an African Government and an African/American business."

In regards to the movie "Rock and Roll A Black Legacy" the film was never produced whereas there is a record of how Linn Sitler the White Memphis Shelby County Film Commissioner used her function and authority to stop the filmming of the movie.

The Film Commission along with Black officials  would not clear locations and provide services. The point regarding the matter both Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Paul Young refuse to address the issue.

On September 8, 2026 Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen made the decision to use his function and authority to get our 1988 film "The Contemporary Gladiator" acknowledged via "The National Film Registry" that honors film because of their significance to American history and Culture.

Little Black kids worldwide should know that the 1st Kickboxing film and the biopic Film of a "Karate-Ka did not happen in Asia the film was made in Orange Mound.

Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery, we are not just talking about pass, we are taking about "Orange Mound Black Memphis Hollywood" whereas we can transform Orange Mound into a culture and center for Filmmaking, Culture and trade.

We have the movie script "Rock and Roll A Black Legacy" whereas we were going to film our early scenes in "Kisumu Kenya" the African home of  Academy award winner Lupita Nyong'o where her father Anyang Nyong'o is the Governor of Kisumu County Kenya.  Kenya and Kenyans would be happy to work with Memphians whereas our film would be the ultimate in "African Cultural Diplomacy."

Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery you would have to tell the "Truth of World Black History" whereas what the world thought was Asia and Asian is Black History from "Orange Mound."