By Monique Gooch Jody Harris is an acclaimed poet, visual artist and art historian. Alongside Harris is his wife, Keelah Jackson-Harris who is an award-winning educator, writer, singer/songwriter. The two artists use their diverse creative styles to complement each other in visual arts as well as in spoken word, singing, writing and life. This newly-formed collaboration of giftings is the brainchild of international artists and creative couple, Keelah Jackson-Harris and Jody Harris (lending to the moniker “Keeody”). Keeody Art openly offers art, love and soul to the public in the form of inspired and original mixed-media compositions. “Officially we opened…
Author: Monique Gooch
By Monique Gooch CHATTANOOGA, TN — The Chattanooga African American Museum was founded in 1983 and is located in an area once dubbed as the city’s black enterprise zone, (the famed 9th Street District) now known as M.L. King Boulevard. The museum’s original goal was to present the many contributions African Americans made to Chattanooga. In 1996 a renovated facility became the new home of the Chattanooga African-American Museum and the Bessie Smith Hall. The facility was established to pay homage to the late “Empress of the Blues”, Bessie Smith, through the establishment of a Performance Hall within the complex. The…
By Monique Gooch FRANKLIN, TN — The Battle of Franklin was fought on Nov. 30, 1864 as part of the Tennessee Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. The Carter House, which stands today and is open to visitors, was located at the center of the Federal Army’s position. And it was surrounded by some of the worst hand to hand combat of the war. The surviving buildings are a testament to the skill of the enslaved carpenters and masons who built them. One can still…
By Monique Gooch NASHVILLE, TN — Although Music City Vintage was founded in 2016, it started as a hobby by owners Trea Broyles, 27, and Justin Allman, 25, in 2012. “My girlfriend told me I had too many clothes and to do something with all of it,” said Broyles. Music City Vintage is completely grassroots and it is a buy sell and trade business. They specialize in ‘80s and ‘90s vintage sports leisure and pop culture. “It’s very nostalgic for people born in the ‘80s and ‘90s,” Broyles said. Their mission: We strive to give our customers the highest quality…
By Monique Gooch LA VERGNE — The new Juneteenth federal holiday wasn’t just celebrated in Tennessee’s larger municipalities but in smaller communities like La Vergne where residents like Chermil Balbalousa, 38, organized the event at Veterans Memorial Park. “I’ve always felt a great deal of pride in our people. The reason I felt the need to celebrate Juneteenth in La Vergne is because I’ve seen different celebrations popping up all over the country, so why not here?” She and her husband have stayed in La Vergne is because its more diverse, she said. Balbousa, originally from Dayton, Ohio has lived…
By Monique Gooch MEMPHIS, TN — The modern STAX Museum of American Soul Music was founded in 2003 and is one of a handful of museums dedicated to telling the story of soul music. Stax Recording Studio formally known as Satellite Records was founded in the late 1950s by Jim Stewart, a banker who also played the fiddle and his sister, Estelle Axton. He became a producer despite his lack of experience or knowledge about the record industry. The first record by Satellite Records was a country song called, “Blue Roses”. The company was later renamed Stax in 1960, a…
Journey to Jubilee: From Enslavement to Freedom By Monique Gooch NASHVILLE, TN — In 1807, John Harding came from Virginia with his father to Tennessee. He bought 250 acres of land from Daniel A. Dunham which today is the Belle Meade Plantation which has two tours available _ the Journey to Jubilee which focuses on enslavement and freedom of African Americans, and the Mansion Tour which focuses primarily on the Harding-Jackson family and the horse industry. The tour can be with a tour guide, a segway tour or a self-guided tour. The intention of the Journey to Jubilee tour is to…
Exploited Black Labor and a Bastion of Freedom Looking to get out again now that more people have been vaccinated? This is the debut of the Tribune’s summer travel series, “Going Places.” Over the next few months we will take you on one-day trips to places around the state where African American’s impacted Tennessee history. By Monique Gooch NASHVILLE TN — Fort Negley, built in 1862 atop St. Cloud Hill in Nashville by more than 2,700 enslaved, self-emancipated and free Blacks, is the largest inland stone fortification constructed during the Civil War. It covers four acres and measures 600 feet…
By Monique Gooch NASHVILLE, TN — The Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center (MWCHC), the state’s oldest nonprofit federally-funded health center, will host the 2021 Dr. Matthew Walker, Sr. Legacy Breakfast on April 22. Because of COVID-19 ,the event will take place virtually at 9:00am. Admission is free, and donations are encouraged, with all proceeds benefiting patients at MWCHC. Attendees can register here or go to https://mwchc.org for more information. The Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center is a non-profit federally-funded medical center providing affordable and quality healthcare to patients in the Middle Tennessee and surrounding areas. MWCHC is dedicated to providing…
By Monique Gooch NASHVILLE, TN — When you think of abstract art, what comes to mind? Does it move you? Does it speak to you? When Carol Saffel, 51, started working as a visual artist, she said she had always been drawn to the post-modern or mid-century forms of creativity, “whether it be industrial, furniture, homes, art, etc.” Saffel said that something about abstract arts moves her spirit. “It makes me want to be a part of that creative process—paintings or textiles. I am really drawn to those aspects of Abstract Modern Expressionism,” she said. “This was the path that was given to…