The Alliance of Ethics and Art, a not-for-profit with the mission to educate the public about the cause and answer to racism, proudly presents a monumental archive of more than 40 in-depth video interviews and photographs with Tennessee civil rights pioneers. This virtual collection presents the personal narratives of those who stood on the front lines of the struggle for equality and justice, capturing their courage, resilience, and unyielding spirit. This project is more than a collection of stories; it is a tribute to the individuals who transformed the landscape of civil rights in Tennessee and beyond.
In partnership with The Tennessee Tribune, the AEA aims to bring this powerful history to the forefront, in a repository of voices that should never be forgotten. This collection honors the legacy of both famous and unknown people and serves to educate and inspire future generations.
The Tennessee Civil Rights Movement is a critical chapter in America’s history that continues and represents profound challenges and remarkable progress. The individuals interviewed played pivotal roles in this movement, and their stories are invaluable to the pursuit of equality.
“This project is more than a collection of stories; it is a tribute to the individuals who transformed the landscape of civil rights in Tennessee and beyond,” said Alice J. Bernstein, one of the museum’s organizers. The AEA is grateful to preserve these firsthand accounts, ensuring their lessons and legacies are accessible to all. We aim to create a resource to educate, inspire, and empower everyone in the pursuit of justice.
Currently, this list includes people both born in Tennessee or who have contributed to the state’s rich history, including Rosetta Miller-Perry, publisher of The Tennessee Tribune, who was born in Coraopolis, Penn.
- Bailey, D’Army: Memphis, Tenn.
- Barrett, George: Nashville, Tenn.
- Belz, Jack: Memphis, Tenn.
- Boyd III, T. B.: Nashville, Tenn.
- Brown, Clarence: Memphis, Tenn.
- Butler Jr., Washington: Nashville, Tenn.
- Coleman Williams, Jamye, Dr.: Louisville, Ky.
and established in Nashville, Tenn. - Crook, Dorothy: Vicksburg, Miss.
- Dinkins, Richard: Nashville, Tenn.
- Harris, Forrest, Rev. Dr.:
Nashville, Tenn. - Hefner, James A., Dr.:
Nashville, Tenn. - Hensley, William L. “Willie”:
Went to high school in
Tennessee, from Alaska - Hood, Leamon: Memphis, Tenn.
- Hood, Leamon Jr.: Memphis, Tenn.
- Hooks, Benjamin L., Dr.: Memphis, Tenn.
- Hooks, Frances: Memphis, Tenn.
- Hughes, Jason: Nashville, Tennessee
- Kellar, Marcel, Rev.: Nashville, Tennessee
- Kellar, Pamela: Nashville, Tennessee
- Kyles, Samuel “Billy”,
Rev.: Memphis, Tennessee - Leight, Connie: Nashville,
Tennessee - Long, Milton: Nashville, Tennessee
- Mallory, Elisabeth Smith: Tennessee
- Maraniss, Andrew: Madison,
Wisconsin, writer of race and
sports in the South - McKissack, Leatrice: Keytesville, Missouri
- Meyer Cecil: East Tennessee
- Michael-Banks, Carolyn: Memphis, Tennessee
- Michael, Monique: Port O’ Prince, Haiti
and gave lessons in Tennessee - Mitchell, Reavis L. Jr., Dr.: Nashville, Tennessee
- Myers, Charles: Nashville, Tennessee
- Norris, H. Lloyd: Columbia, South Carolina
- Owens, Major, Congressman: Collierville, Tennessee
- Perry, Ledwald O.P., Dr.: Nashville, Tennessee
- Perry, Rosetta Miller: Coraopolis, P.A., Nashville, Tennessee
- Powell, H. Thomas ‘Tommy’: Memphis, Tennessee
- Rogers, Taylor: Memphis, Tennessee
- Scandrick, James: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Thomas, James, Rev.: Nashville, Tennessee
- Walker Jr., Matthew: Nashville, Tennessee
- Wallace, Ludye: Nashville, Tennessee
- Wallace, Perry: Nashville, Tennessee
- Williams, McDonald, Dr.: Nashville, Tennessee
The organizers of The Rosetta Miller-Perry Tennessee Civil Rights Museum
are Bernstein, journalist, author, civil rights historian, and interviewer of “The
Force of Ethics in Civil Rights” Oral History Project which includes more than
1,000 video and audio interviews. A contributor to the African American National
Biography of Henry Louis *ates, Bernstein’s scholarly work also appears in books
and archives. Renata Leguisamo is a seasoned media producer with the Alliance
of Ethics and Art, where she has been contributing since 2018. Leguisamo’s
expertise spans videography, video editing, photography and production.
Leguisamo is currently developing and producing “The Force of Ethics” podcast
series, which features more than 200 interviews by Bernstein. Additionally, she
is cataloging materials for the upcoming Rosetta Miller-Perry Tennessee Civil
Rights Museum.
