By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — As they have for the last seven years, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center culminated a weekend of festivities acknowledging the date slaves were freed in Tennessee with the debut film presentation of a film by Emmy Award winner Loki Mullholland. The film did not disappoint. With Civil Rights legend Jo Ann Bland as the film moderator, “After Selma” tells the story of what happened after the Bloody Sunday attempted crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery in a march for voting rights by over 600 people who were beaten during the…
Author: Vivian Underwood Shipe
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — As she looked out over the crowd of over 6,000 Knoxville Area Urban Leagues, President/CEO Phyllis Young Nichols joyfully remarked that it was the largest back-to-school effort by the organization in the 20 years since they started giving children school shoes. The Knoxville Area Urban League began in Knoxville in 1968. It is a civil rights, economic development and social service organization and is a member of the National Urban League, the oldest community-based movement in the United States, devoted to empowering African Americans. Stretching across the vast entrance way to Caswell Park in…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — What do you do when you learn the numbers are down in the inner city during early voting and you know how critical local elections are? If you are Gail Carter, long time community advocate for over 50 years, you rally the troops. Carter decided that the first Monday of early voting she would remove one of the barriers of trying to vote on the lunch hour by providing a free lunch for those who came out to vote with hotdogs, chips, and drinks. Her dedication to the community and her connections from over…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — As she prepared to retire, Valeria Clark, or “Cherry”, as she has been known in the community for decades, looked around the city in which she worked and realized just how financially unprepared the young generation around her was. Clark has always been involved in the financial field in one role or another and what she saw really alarmed her. With a poverty rate of 42 percent in the Black community of Knoxville; Valeria Clark has stepped up to make a difference with a burning desire to see a change in the community in…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It was a celebration befitting a King. The festivities were held in the ballroom of the Crowne Plaza, one of Knoxville’s finest hotels. Guest came from far and wide, dignitaries, community leaders, including candidate for Tennessee governor, Memphis Councilman, JB Smiley Jr. It was the celebration of 80 years of an icon. A man of integrity. A walking, living , breathing part of history who, by his courageous efforts during the civil rights movement, has made life better for those living today and for generations to come.
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — In Knoxville, the celebration of June 19th began as it did in 1866 — with a big church celebration at Lennon Seney UMC, and, over the weekend, moved up the street to The Beck Cultural Center. The Beck continued the festivities over the weekend, holding a virtual town hall meeting and a delicious Father’s Day jazz luncheon, well-attended by fathers and their families. There were prizes for the fathers and stories were shared by those in attendance about their fathers and lessons passed onto them. Following a parade the festivities ended on Monday with…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It is the faces that will grab your eyes and heart as you turn onto Harriet Tubman Street . Against a blue background , stretching the length of the Change Center are twenty five faces of children, all under the age of twenty who have died by gunfire and other traumas in Knoxville over the last few years. Twenty five. Felicia Outsey, Executive Director of Love is the Answer, with the permission and blessing of the overseers of the Change Center, wanted to create a way to remember the children. in keeping with her…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — As part of an effort to learn the concerns of the people they serve across the state, members of the Tennessee Black Caucus State legislature have been meeting in town hall settings across the state. Sam McKenzie, State Legislator from Knoxville hosted the listening event for Knoxville on June 2nd at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. Rev. Renee Kesler, who is the Executive Director moderated the two-hour meeting. The members of the caucus were also joined at by Representatives Bob Ramsey and Gloria Johnson during a special presentation of a Living Legend proclamation which…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It was a scene reminiscent of the festivals held on the World’s Fair Site 40 years ago. Food vendors lined the lawn of the Worlds Fair Site under the shadow of the Sunsphere. It was the second year of the Knoxville Caribbean Jerk Festival and on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the park once again was filled with the sights, sounds and smells of delicious foods, fun and laughter The festival had doubled in size from its inagural year. There were twice as many vendors and more activities for the whole family. Spade tournaments,…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Dr. William Arnold wants to be a bridge builder. As the Director of the newly formed Office of Re Entry for the state of Tennessee, Dr. Arnold heads the only program in the United States not connected to a department of corrections. OOR seeks to look at those returning to life after prison through a new lens with focus on work and good jobs to lower recidivism. The program has three objectives, increase awareness, track the data, and increase use of services. To reach his goal and to create a model for the nation,…