By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — Knoxville will be awash with tradition this fourth of July weekend as an event that only occurs every five years takes over the city with memories, music, and activities celebrating several generations. From this years new fresh face graduates as young as 17 to those who graduated long ago and are now in their 90s; good times will flow across the city as Black students who have lived through the changes of time descend to deliberately choose to remember.
Before Austin-East was birthed, the parent schools had existed separately across town from each other for a very very long time. The panthers of Austin High started in 1879 and the institution was Knoxville’s first Black high school. East High School had been an all white high school until integration in 1968 brought the school their first Black students. Those students who did not graduate in ’68, would only be mountaineers for a year as when the schools merged due to integration, they too like their Austin Panther counterparts would become Austin-East roadrunners and would forever wear the scarlet red and columbia blue; a part of roadrunner nation.
Along with remembering their high school days of old, this particular gathering will be also be intentional in remembering all principals past and present, and a special Austin Panther classmate; Dr. Robert Bob Booker who passed away earlier in the year. Dr. Booker, the founder of the Austin Austin-East Alumni Association, which sponsors the event every five years; was instrumental in keeping it going over the past four decades until he passed the baton to the next generation under the guidance of Austin East class of 1977, president George Underwood.
Booker, a renowned author and civil rights icon who successfully fought for lunch counters to be integrated in in Knoxville, will be honored during three days of reunion events that include school tours, get togethers on the grounds of the school, a jazz club hospitality suite, scholarship award ceremony, photography sessions, a special performance by Brian Clay jazz artist, commemorative t-shirts and a special edition program book. There will also be a plated meal at the Knoxville Convention Center with entertainment during the meal by the combined voices of a specially formed city wide Austin Austin-East mass choir. the weekend will close out with a worship service which will be held at Overcoming Believers Church on Sunday morning at 11 am. OBC is the largest mega black church in the city , able to hold the 1,200 expected to attend the historic weekend events.
Preparations have been in the works for over two years in an effort to get as many home as possible. People coming from all over the country are able to get special hotel rates at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville, and shuttle service and free parking will be provided for the dinner,
While the celebration invitation has now been extended to the city of Knoxville, every effort is still being made to call home the Austin panthers, the East Mountaineers and the Austin East Roadrunners from across the nation. Tickets for the whole weekend are 100.00 per person and the deadline to purchase is June 20, 2024.
Contact Joyce Echols via phone or text 865-414-4965 for tickets or information.
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