The Nashville Symphony’s annual Let Freedom Sing concert honors the life, legacy and triumphs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. This free annual celebration features classical works and popular songs that affirm equal rights and social justice. PERFORMERS: Nashville Symphony | Dr. Jeffery Ames, conductor | Celebration Chorus | Celebration Youth Chorus | Margaret Campbelle-Holman, Celebration Youth Chorus Co-Director | Nita Smith, Celebration Youth Chorus Co-Director | Odessa Settles, Celebration Chorus Manager | Dave Ragland, Celebration Chorus Director | Dr. Destiny O. Birdsong, poet | NaGuanda Nobles, soprano PROGRAMJ. Rosamond Johnson | Arr. Roland Carter – Lift Every Voice and SingJames Williams – Fanfare for LifeTraditional Spiritual | Arr. Joseph Joubert and Linda Twine – Wade in the…
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NASHVILLE, TN – A researcher at Vanderbilt University says the invasion of Ukraine raises serious questions about the future of NATO and the security of Western Europe. The following interview with Professor Samar Ali was conducted on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. It has been edited for length. What are the possible outcomes of the war in Ukraine? We’re seeing it evolve on a daily basis. We see there are talks going on, we see a ceasefire. We see the war stop between Russia and Ukraine, that’s one option. Another option is that Russia goes further and invades a NATO country…
Yesterday, the Biden administration announced a record $2.7 billion in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s), funds that derive from the broader rubric of the president’s American Rescue Plan that provides economic relief during the deadly Coronavirus Pandemic! Specifically, these funds will flow to both public and private HBCU’s through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), one that’s purpose is to ensure that students at HBCU’s are equipped with the financing necessary to further their educations at schools that often serve as bulwarks for surrounding communities of color. As a double HBCU graduate that holds degrees from Morehouse…
NASHVILLE—The 2022 Tennessee Poetry Out Loud (POL) champion is Kendall Grimes, a senior at Battle Ground Academy (BGA) in Franklin, TN. The competition was held on Saturday, March 5, at the Tennessee State Museum. Kendall Grimes is a senior who has been involved with Poetry Out Loud since her freshman year. Kendall is an outstanding student, athlete, and musician who will be headed to Yale in the fall. “I am so lucky that Poetry Out Loud has been so prominent in my life these past four years.” said Kendall Grimes, “I have met so many amazing people, been given countless…
CNN — The Senate passed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022 on Monday night by unanimous consent. The bill, which would make lynching a federal hate crime, now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. The legislation was approved by the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 422-3. Passage of the bill is a long-sought goal of advocates, who have been working for years to secure its approval in Congress. “After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking the long overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act.…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Representative Robin Smith has resigned from the Tennessee House of Representatives, effective immediately, amid allegations of wire fraud. Rep. Smith announced her resignation Monday. Neither she nor her attorney, Ben Rose, offered any additional comments. She was first elected in 2018 to serve District 26, which includes a portion of Hamilton County.Plea hearing set for Rep. Smith House Speaker Cameron Sexton released a statement, which reads: “More than a year ago, federal authorities started an investigation into public corruption. Today’s news and the ultimate resignation of Rep. Smith is a sad day for all who know…
New ownership resurrected the former Woolworth building in downtown Nashville, honoring the historic Civil Rights sit-ins with inclusive live performances at the new Woolworth Theatre. The theatre, set to open mid-2022, will accommodate 400 people with floor, box and VIP seating. It will host live musicians, plays and other acts such as songwriter nights while also serving as a cocktail lounge. The Woolworth building in downtown Nashville has gone through many owners over the past few decades including a restaurant, Woolworth on 5th, which closed in March of 2020. Its newest owners said they are taking extra steps to honor…
America – and most notably Black America – is back to work, declared President Joe Biden as he announced one of the most robust job reports in modern times. “History has been made here,” the president declared. The economy created 467,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate for Black workers fell to 6.9 percent and dropped to 5.8 percent for African American women. The president highlighted the 6.6 million jobs added to the U.S. economy in the year since he took office. “It comes alongside the largest drop in the unemployment rate in a single year on record, the…
All over the US, there is a major problem with fake prescription drugs. People think they are buying one drug when they are actually buying Fentanyl. Fentanyl is an extremely powerful opioid that can kill with even the smallest dose. These deadly pills are purchased on the dark web or over Facebook. Purchasing anything illegal over the internet comes at a high price that can cost your life. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, please seek help before it is too late. We can help you overcome addiction and get your life back on track. To…
One veteran colleague trudged laboriously to the speaker’s stand assisted by a walker and a relative who gripped his arm to steady him. That long walk from the audience, to the front of the room, and over to a microphone could have symbolized the long triumphant life journey of the man on the walker and the man he came to honor during a celebration of his friend’s life. Trini Garza was the 90-year-old retired federal government appointee, civic leader, businessman, and education advocate on the walker. Garza came to honor the late Marvin E. Robinson, a civil rights trailblazer, Dallas…