By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Neighbors of the Edgehill area are using visioning sessions to try to control and restrain efforts by MHDA and the city to sell or develop a site in a historically black neighborhood, which has included a community garden popular with residents and also the 1930s homesite of renowned Black sculptor, William Edmondson. The homesite was demolished to create a school as part of an urban renewal effort in the 1950s. The meeting last week was one of several such sessions where residents discussed potential uses of the parcel of land which runs along 12th…
Author: Clare Bratten
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Despite the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), some folks are still uninsured or underinsured. Faith Family Medical Center was created to do something about that. It could be considered a “safety net” clinic and it is centrally located in downtown Nashville on 21st Avenue North. The clinic provides medical care, dental care, and mental health services at low cost or no cost on a sliding scale based on ability to pay. The clinic is clean, cheerful and it’s expanding. The clinic was started by two doctors – Dr. John Lamb and Dr. David Gaw who…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Vanderbilt University has been taking a hard look at its own history and challenges faced by its African American students and faculty. “There are these figures who have been overlooked who made Vanderbilt a better institution,” said Nicholas Zeppos, Chancellor of the university. Recently, the university honored a group of “Trailblazers” with a series of portraits along with other honors such as named buildings, fellowships and scholarships. Vanderbilt commissioned noted African American portrait artist Simmie Knox to paint portraits of four trailblazers who “broke barriers at the university and changed society.” The portraits honor…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — A Maury County woman says she’s complaining to state election officials about what she calls “rigging” of the August 2018 election for county commission. “If I go through the local [officials], it’s not going to be resolved fairly,” Patricia Hawkins says. Maury County’s elections administrator refutes her allegations. In 2016, Hawkins was elected to the county commissioner because of her write-in campaign during a special election to fill a seat vacated by a commissioner who moved from the district. On election night, write-in votes were not tabulated before Ross Jaynes was announced as the…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Following a strong turnaround in test scores from children from low income families and diverse backgrounds in Valor Voyager Middle School, the charter school organization opened a new college prep high school designed for diverse and low income students. The new school, Valor Academy and College Prep high school is located next door to Valor Voyager Academy & Valor Flagship Academy middle school. During a ribbon cutting for the high school, Governor Bill Haslam, Mayor David Briley, former mayor Karl Dean and head of Metro Nashville Public Schools Dr. Shawn Joseph praised the school’s…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools Dr. Shawn Joseph led a presentation to a packed audience of educators, media and parents why some 21 Nashville area schools had been added to the state list of “priority” schools – meaning schools that have fallen below minimum standards on testing results and were a priority for improvement and additional state funding. Most of the low performing schools designated as “priority” were linked to problems of students missing too much school–often because of poverty related issues–no adequate health care, no dental care, not enough clothing or food…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — James Baldwin once said “. . . as Malcolm X once put it, the most segregated hour in American life is high noon on Sunday.” Kirk Adkisson and his wife Deborah who arrived here in April are hoping to change that. Kirk Adkisson who characterizes himself as a “church planter” is a minister with Evangelical Presbyterian Churches, or EPC, to start a church called “All Souls Church” that serves a diverse congregation. “We want a church on Sunday mornings to look like it will be when Jesus returns – of every tribe…
By Clare Bratten FRANKLIN, TN – People who think that Tennessee was not so heavily involved in the slave trade as other states in the Deep South are mistaken according to historian Bill Carey. Carey told a gathering Friday at the African American Heritage site, the McLemore House in Franklin, that even the state government of Tennessee owned slaves and used slave labor to build infrastructure and the Capitol building. Carey researched advertisements in early newspapers across the state Tennessee from 1791 to 1864 to document Tennessee’s history of slave trading, the sale of slaves and slaves. His book, “Runaways, Coffles…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Just in time for Mother’s Day week, James Shaw Jr. was honored in the presence of his parents Karen and James Sr. with a reception on Monday at Tennessee State University, his alma mater. Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover, who was present at the reception honoring Shaw said in a statement. “The TSU family is extremely proud of alumnus James Shaw, Jr. for his bravery and courage. His actions saved the lives of many others.” Karen Shaw’s reaction to the public accolades from politicians, community leaders and media at even the national level…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — It took Barbara G. Key only a little while of foster parenting Elijah and Jeremiah to decide to permanently adopt them. When they first arrived at ages 4 and 18 months, she could tell they had come from a very tough situation. “They were non-verbal and would hide up under things. I’d find them under the bed clutching each other. They tried to eat dog food from the dog bowl. It was obvious they did not come from a pleasant experience. Now, they are happy, talking, hugging me, touching me,” Key said. Elijah…