Descendants of Phillis Gordon, who was enslaved by former Mayor John Gordon of Gordonsville, TN, prior to and following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, will visit the site of the former plantation Saturday, July 16, at 9:30 a.m. The celebration of her life is part of the family’s biennial Family Reunion, being held in Nashville. Family members from California, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgiawill attend. Gordonsville Mayor John Potts and local historian John Waggoner will welcome the family at the Gordonsville Funeral Home, 71 E Main Street, in Gordonsville, which is adjacent to the former home of…
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By Marquita Bradshaw and Vonda McDaniel All eyes are on Tennessee as the issues of climate, racial justice, and economic opportunity intersect in our state.Our communities have long suffered from attacks on our well-being that damper our ability to thrive – dangerous jobs that don’t offer a living wage, the toxic and long-lasting health impacts of fossil fuel pollution, and a state government that is hostile to unionization, as most Southern states are. Now, Tennessee has an opportunity to do things right – or risk repeating the mistakes of the past. The electric vehicle industry is taking off nationwide, and Tennessee…
Memphis, Tenn. (TN Tribune)-The Memphis Memorial Committee will hold a groundbreaking Saturday, July 16 and announce plans for the second phase of the development for the Ida B. Wells Plaza, located on the east end of Beale Street. Although the Ida B. Wells statue was installed in July 2021, the Committee always envisioned plans to educate visitors and activate the site. The plans will transform this location from a site that houses the statue of a historic figure, to a significant tourist attraction which will give visitors another important reason to extend their stay in Memphis. Renderings of the $300,000…
Nashville, TENN. – Today, Mayor John Cooper announced the formation of the Youth Career Exploration and Alignment Opportunities Task Force, the latest example of his administration’s commitment to investing in youth career development. This first-of-its-kind group for Nashville comes as Mayor Cooper made the largest investment for Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville’s history for the second year in a row earlier this year. The task force will expand workforce development, career exploration options and enhance access to high-wage, high-demand industry jobs for youth and young adults in Nashville. “We know that an early introduction to job opportunities can shape a positive path forward in…
National-The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will host its inaugural Hip-Hop Block Party Saturday, Aug. 13, to celebrate the first anniversary of the release of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap. The event will feature performances by local and national talent, presentations and activities that explore hip-hop music’s origins and cultural influence from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The main stage will be outdoors near Madison Drive and indoor performances and events are set for Heritage Hall on the museum’s first floor. The Hip-Hop Block Party is free; however, tickets are required for entry and are…
Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)-Art, crafts, music, theater, along with food and drinks promise to make Creative Park Nashville’s big event of the year – Starry Night – even bigger than last year’s inaugural fundraiser. Show your support for visual and performing arts in the parks and mark your calendar for the free event: 6-9 p.m. September 10, 2022 at the Centennial Art Center (CAC) Courtyard and Herb Garden, 301 25th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37203. Tickets are free to Starry Night (starrynight.eventbrite.com) and everyone will be treated to music, drama, silent auction, and a wide range art on display and…
By John E. Warren It appears that we continue to live in Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities”. He wrote these words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Where you fit in between “the best of times” and “the worst of times” really depends on…
GREENVILLE, MS — Delta Health System Board of Trustees Chairman Sam Newsom announced today the appointment of Iris Yeldell Stacker as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Delta Health System. In her new role, she will oversee the full operations for all hospitals and clinics under the Delta Health System umbrella. Stacker replaces Scott Christensen, who will step down at the end of the month. Stacker, who has served as Vice President and System Compliance Officer for Delta Health System, has had a 40+ year career in health care and administration including time at Kings Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Catahoula Parish…
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Alumni Summer College recently returned to MTSU in-person for the first time since 2019 after Covid forced the cancelation of the popular event the past two years. Nearly 70 participants came from across the region, state and Southeast, to learn what’s happening on the Middle Tennessee State University campus, renew and make new friendships and literally get a taste of a five-year-old Fermentation Science program in late June. The aim of Alumni Summer College is to educate alumni, family and community members about MTSU in a fun, relaxed and interactive environment. Bob Cimino (Class of 1967) of…
By Rhonda Sonnenberg Senior Staff Writer Set on a pastoral landscape at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside Orange, Virginia, Montpelier is among the country’s premier historic plantation sites. It was the home of James Madison, the so-called father of the U.S. Constitution and the nation’s fourth president. It was also “home” to 300 enslaved people during Madison’s time, and their descendants are now boldly asserting the right to tell their stories. For the past 18 months, Montpelier’s conservative, white leaders had been battling the Montpelier Descendants Committee (MDC) – an organization dedicated to restoring the narratives of enslaved African Americans on the…