TN Writers/TN Stories: Rachel Martin
TN State Museum 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN, United StatesAustralia advertise that they fry their chicken “Nashville-style.” Thousands of people attend the Music City Hot Chicken Festival each year. The James Beard Foundation has given Prince’s Chicken Shack an American Classic Award for inventing the dish. But for almost seventy years, hot chicken was made and sold primarily in Nashville’s Black neighborhoods—and the story…
Wild Summer of Authors: Poetry Slam!
Soddy Daisy Community Library 9619 Dayton Pike Suite C,, Soddy-Daisy, TN, United StatesJoin the Soddy-Daisy Community Library (SDCL) and the Kelcurt Foundation in welcoming poets KB Ballentine, Christian J. Collier, Kelly Hanwright for an evening of poetry performance. For more information, visit: https://kelcurtfoundation.org/current-events The SDCL Wild Summer of Authors series is partly supported by a grant from Humanities Tennessee.
WYXR Stereo Sessions: John Gary Williams
Memphis Listening Lab 1350 Concourse Ave, Memphis, TN, United StatesJoin WYXR at the Memphis Listening Lab to listen to and discuss John Gary Williams' album "John Gary Williams." WYXR Stereo Sessions are a series of free, in-person listening parties that explore and examine albums in the Memphis music catalog that achieve cult recognition. Click here for more information and to register. The series is partly funded…
Wild Summer of Authors: Debbie Dadey
Soddy Daisy Community Library 9619 Dayton Pike Suite C,, Soddy-Daisy, TN, United StatesJoin the Soddy-Daisy Community Library (SDCL) and the Kelcurt Foundation in welcoming author Debbie Dadey for a reading and discussion event. For more information, visit: https://kelcurtfoundation.org/current-events The SDCL Wild Summer of Authors series is partly supported by a grant from Humanities Tennessee.
Wild Summer of Authors: Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
Soddy Daisy Community Library 9619 Dayton Pike Suite C,, Soddy-Daisy, TN, United StatesJoin the Soddy-Daisy Community Library (SDCL) and the Kelcurt Foundation in welcoming author Kristin O'Donnell Tubb for a reading and discussion event. For more information, visit: https://kelcurtfoundation.org/current-events The SDCL Wild Summer of Authors series is partly supported by a grant from Humanities Tennessee.
Facing Down Storms: Memphis & the Making of Ida B. Wells
Malco Studio on the Square 2105 Court Ave, Memphis, TN, United StatesThe Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at The University of Memphis cordially invites you to a screening of "Facing Down Storms: Memphis and the Making of Ida B. Wells," a documentary on the life of civil rights activist Ida B. Wells, at the Malco Studio on the Square! The Hooks Institute will host…
Manuia Samoa & More
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin Samoan filmmaker, educator, and anthropological activist Queen Muhammad Ali and her equally talented husband Hakeem Khaaliq as they share elements of their healthy lifeways project in American Samoa, Manuia Samoa. They will share film and conversation, as well as be joined by a local Siva dance group, for a memorable afternoon sharing traditions and…
Hip Hop in Bluff City: the Roots of Memphis Hip Hop with DJ Spanish Fly
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the first in a series of free, virtual discussions. Hip Hop in Bluff City features a conversation with DJ Spanish Fly and Dr. Langston Wilkins about Hip Hop in Memphis since the mid 1980s. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a…
Splash Summer Arts Festival
Miller Park, 928 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USAJoin Splash Arts for their summer festival featuring live music, art demonstrations, interactive art making, performances and much more. For more information about Splash Arts and it's programs visit: https://splashyouthartsworkshop.org/festival.php Humanities Tennessee is pleased to provide partial support for Splash Arts, Inc. though a SHARP grant.
TN Writers/TN Stories: Jeff Zentner
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAAs part of our programming for our exhibition, Painting the Smokies: Art, Community, and the Making of a National Park, Zentner reads from his award-winning young adult novel, In the Wild Light. Life in small-town Tennessee has never been easy. Cash already lost his mother to an opioid addiction and is losing his papaw, who raised him, one…
Country Soul: Making Music & Making Race in the American South
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the second in a series of free, virtual discussions. Country Soul features Dr. Charles L. Hughes discussing the entwined evolution of country and soul music, and its impact on race relations across the state. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee…
Cemetery Preservation Workshop
Powell Chapel Cemetery, 119 Powell Chapel Rd, Pulaski, TN 38478, USAJoin Wolf Gap and its volunteers to learn how to research historic cemeteries and preserve & maintain them at this hands-on event.Workshops are occurring throughout Giles County this fall. Click here for a complete schedule and more information.Wolf Gap received operational funding from Humanities Tennessee's SHARP grant program to support their work throughout pandemic recovery.
In the Groove: Photographing Black Club Life on the South Side of Chicago
Stax Museum of American Soul Music, 926 E McLemore Ave, Memphis, TN 38126, USAJoin Stax in welcoming Dr. Earnestine Jenkins, Professor of Art History-Visual Studies at the University of Memphis.Jenkins will highlight elements from the museum’s “Love in the Club” exhibition of Michael Abramson photos and discusses the impact of club culture within Black communities in Memphis, Chicago, and Pittsburgh in the mid-1970s.Click here for more information.The "Love in…
Cemetery Preservation Workshop
Brick Church Community Cemetery, CornersvilleJoin Wolf Gap and its volunteers to learn how to research historic cemeteries and preserve & maintain them at this hands-on event.Workshops are occurring throughout Giles County this fall. Click here for a complete schedule and more information.Wolf Gap received operational funding from Humanities Tennessee's SHARP grant program to support their work throughout pandemic recovery.
Memphis 13: Screening & Mural Kickoff
Springdale Elementary, 880 N Hollywood, Memphis TN 38108Join the Memphis 13 Foundation at Springdale Elementary to commemorate 61 years since the desegregation of Memphis City Schools by the Memphis 13. The event includes a documentary screening, a Q &A with members of the Memphis 13, a mural unveiling and discussion with the artist, Jamond Bullock.To RSVP or find our more contact Dwania…
Cemetery Preservation Workshop
Phoenix Chapel AME Cemetery, 9600 Prospect Road, Prospect TNJoin Wolf Gap and its volunteers to learn how to research historic cemeteries and preserve & maintain them at this hands-on event.Workshops are occurring throughout Giles County this fall. Click here for a complete schedule and more information.Wolf Gap received operational funding from Humanities Tennessee's SHARP grant program to support their work throughout pandemic recovery.
Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong & the Black String Band Tradition
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the third in a series of free, virtual conversations. Dom Flemons and Dr. Elijah Wald will discuss Louie Bluie;s life, art and legacy. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee 101: the History of Tennessee Music, funded, in part, by Humanities…
Southern Festival of Books
War Memorial Auditorium 301 6th Ave N, Nashville, TNThe Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word is among the oldest literary festivals in the country, annually welcoming approximately 200 authors and 25,000 visitors to downtown Nashville each October. The Festival is free, and includes performance stages, food trucks, and more than 60 publishers and booksellers. After two years of virtual…
Authors In The Round – Fundraising Dinner
War Memorial Auditorium 301 6th Ave N, Nashville, TNWe hope you will join us for Authors In The Round, a special event dinner that provides vital funding for the 34th annual Southern Festival of Books. Your participation in the dinner ensures that Humanities Tennessee may continue to present the Festival at no charge. As a guest, you’ll enjoy a festive cocktail hour, then a…
Cemetery Preservation Workshop
Indian Creek M. B. Church & Cemetery, 4144 Newman Hol Rd, Ardmore, TN 38449, USAJoin Wolf Gap and its volunteers to learn how to research historic cemeteries and preserve & maintain them at this hands-on event. Workshops are occurring throughout Giles County this fall. Click here for a complete schedule and more information. Wolf Gap received operational funding from Humanities Tennessee's SHARP grant program to support their work throughout pandemic recovery.
Greek Architecture & Ancient Color
The Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203, USA 2901 Parthenon Ave, Tennessee, United StatesJoin the Parthenon for this virtual symposium featuring Dr. Brian Martens, archaeologist and Supervisor at the Athenian Agora Excavations in Athens, Greece, who will speak about polychromy in ancient Greece. Click here for more information and to register for this free, online event. The symposia series is partially funded in conjunction with the exhibition project "The Odyssey: A…
Center Point Homecoming @ Wolf Gap
Wolf Gap, 2718 Tarpley Shop Rd, Pulaski, TN 38478, USAJoin Wolf Gap for this fall event to share the story of historic Center Point as they collect photos, stories and family histories related to the community. Tour the historic Center Point church/school and cemeteries, and bring your memories. Food and fellowship included! Click here for more details. Wolf Gap received operational funding from Humanities…
Passport to Understanding: Multicultural Arts Integration
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave #3, Nashville, TN 37209, USAJoin the Global Education Center for PreK-12 teacher workshop that shares approaches to teaching about Native American history, culture and arts. Click here for more information and to register. The workshop is part of a project series, "Indigenous Voices," partly supported by Humanities Tennessee's SHARP Grant program.
Kristen Tubb O’Donnell Author Visits
Soddy-Daisy, TN, USAThe Soddy-Daisy Community Library & Kelcurt Foundation welcome children's author Kristen Tubb O'Donnell, who will visit local elementary schools to read from her works and meet the students over two days. The Tuesday, November 8, schedule: 10-11am Big Ridge Elementary 1-2pm McConnell Elementary The author visit series is funded partly by Humanities Tennessee's Opportunity Grant…
Musica sin Fronteras (Music without Borders)
VirtualJoin the Tennessee Historical Society for the fourth in a series of free, virtual discussions. Manual A. Delgado and Dr. Gregory Reish discuss the history and genres of Mexican music in Tennessee. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee 101: the History of Tennessee Music, funded, in…
Knoxville History Project Tour Launch
Maple Hall Bowling Alley, KnoxvilleJoin the Knoxville History Project team at Maple Hall Bowling Alley cocktail bar for the launch of Knoxville: A Walking Literary Tour, a new guide to the local sites of literary note. Pick up a copy of the guide and meet the team highlighting Knoxville's role in national literature. For more information and an online…
Color in Ancient Tennessee
The Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203, USA 2901 Parthenon Ave, Tennessee, United StatesJoin the Parthenon for this virtual symposium featuring Dr. Kevin Smith, archaeologist and professor at Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. Smith will share his work to understand the pigments and colors used by Native Americans right here in ancient Tennessee. Click here for more information and to register for this free, online event. The symposia series is partially…
Hill’s Island with Dr. Learotha Williams
Join the Cumberland River Compact for a virtual conversation with Dr. Williams about the history of Hill's Island in the Cumberland River. The event is part of an ongoing project to research and interpret the island and its significance to Nashville's historical narrative. Registration available soon. Visit the CRC website for more information. The Hill's…
Orchestra Unplugged: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
Halloran Center for Performing Arts & Education 225 S. Main Street, Memphis, TN, United StatesCan you hear the dogs barking in Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons? How about the driving snow and ice, swirling in the winter wind? Join the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with the Orpheum Theater Group as conductor Robert Moody hosts an evening of listening and learning as he unveils these, and many more secrets of…
Lights! Camera! East Tennessee!
East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum, 601 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902, USAVisit the East Tennessee History Center to learn about the history of moving images in the Knoxville region. This exhibition explores the technological roots of the film industry locally, film celebrities and artists with regional ties, and the dramatic changes in our relationship to the moving image during the pandemic.For more information, visit the exhibition…
A Laughing Matter: Black Sitcoms in Review, 1950-2000
Tom & OE Stigall Museum, HumboldtVisit the Stigall Museum to see a traveling exhibit from Noir-Tech that explores the evolution of different forms of blackness across media, from Amos & Andy through the 1970s and 1980s. The museum is open Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2-4pm, Saturdays 12-2pm, or by appointment. Contact Johnny Cyrus, Sr.: jcyrussr@yahoo.com The traveling exhibit and accompanying school…
Marching with Purpose: The Legacy of HBCU Music Programs in TN
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the next event in a series of free, virtual discussions. Dr. Gary Powell Nash of Fisk and Dr. Reginald McDonald of TSU will discuss the legacy of HBCU musical tradition. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee 101: the History of…
The African American Moviegoing Experience in the Segregated Era
East Tennessee History Center, 601 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902, USARobert J. Booker will delve into the history of the African American moviegoing experience in Knoxville, Tennessee, in a conversation with Knoxville History Project Executive Director Jack Neely. Booker will discuss the city’s segregated Black theaters from the early 1900s to the 1960s, as well as his experiences at the Bijou Theatre, where African Americans…
Jubilee! From Slavery to Freedom
Capitol Theater, 110 W Main St, Lebanon, TN 37087, USAJoin the Wilson County Black History Committee for a multimedia event sharing the history of the places and people of Wilson county from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including the historic Pickett Chapel, and Maggie Porter and Thomas Rutling, both formerly enslaved Wilson Countians who became two of the original nine Fisk Jubilee Singers.…
TN Writers/TN Stories presents Mary Ellen Pethel
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAIn Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers, Mary Ellen Pethel introduces readers to past and present pioneers—each instrumental to the success of women’s athletics across the state of Tennessee and the nation.
Knoxville Girl: Murder Ballads & Misogyny in TN Music History
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the next event in a series of free, virtual discussions. Author and musician Karen Hogg will delve into the misogyny that is ingrained in American music and its relationship to violence in our culture. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee…
TAM Conference – Memphis
Join us in Memphis on March 14-17 as we gather on the river with the TAMfam to explore this theme, visit landmark historic sites and museums with national significance and prepare ourselves to be leaders in our state during times that may continue to be difficult but also offer opportunities for change that the revolutionaries…
Folk & Traditional Arts Day-Turkey Calls
Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USAJoin the Creative Discovery Museum for a demonstration and discussion of turkey calls with Kenny Brancefield at 1pm and 3pm, and tour the museum's new Appalachian Arts exhibit to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional ramp festival. Visit the museum's website for more information. The Folk & Traditional Arts series is partly…
Reimagining America: The Maps of Lewis & Clark
Lewis County Depot, 112 E. Main Street, Hohenwald, TNJoin the Lewis County Historical Society at the Depot Center for a traveling exhibit, Reimagining America: The Maps of Lewis & Clark, organized by the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. The exhibit explores the impact on map making of the expedition, including the geography of indigenous cartographic traditions. The project is made possible with…
Folk & Traditional Arts Days: Ramp Cooking
Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USAJoin the Creative Discovery Museum for a ramp cooking class and discussion, and tour the museum's new Appalachian Arts exhibit to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional ramp festival. Visit the museum's website for more information. The Folk & Traditional Arts series is partly supported by Humanities Tennessee's General Grant program.
TN Writers/TN Stories presents Yasmine Ali
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAA gripping and meticulously crafted work of narrative nonfiction, Walk Through Fire: The Train Disaster That Changed America (on-sale February 21, 2023) reconstructs the events of a horrific explosion in 1978 that can still be felt today. The explosion of a tank car full of liquid propane devastated the small town of Waverly, Tennessee, shocked the nation,…
Southern But Not Country: The Interwar Career of Nashville Bandleader Francis Craig
Join the Tennessee Historical Society for the next event in a series of free, virtual discussions. Dr. Carrie Allen Tipton, of Vanderbilt, provides a window into interwar Southern consumption and production of mainstream popular music. For more information and registration visit the THS website. This event is part of a series, Tennessee 101: the History of Tennessee…
Tennessee History Day Competition
Tennessee History Day is the state level contest for National History Day. Students from across Tennessee come to Nashville to showcase the exhibits, performances, websites, papers, and documentary films they have created. National History Day is a year-long education program for students in grades 6-12 that engages both educators and students to improve the teaching…
Carl T. Rowan, Naval Officer, Journalist, Diplomat
Warren Arts Performing Arts Center, MorrisonJoin Warren Arts for a presentation and discussion by Mark Dudney about the life and legacy of locally-born journalist and diplomat, Carl Rowan. This keynote event of the Caney Fork Writer's Conference is free and open to the public. The remainder of the conference requires registration. More details may be found here. Humanities Tennessee provided…
Reimagining America Speaker Series: Dr. Antoine Saugrain
Lewis County Public Library, 15 Kyle Street, Hohenwald 38462Join the Lewis Co. Historical Society in welcoming Char Ollinger Waughtel, who will discuss Dr. Antoine Saugrain at the county library. The speaker series coincides with the exhibition Reimagining America: The Maps of Lewis & Clark, on view in the Hohenwald Historic Depot, 112 East Main Street. The project received partial support form Humanities TN.
TN Writers/TN Stories presents Elizabeth Elkins and Scott Williams
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAJoin us as we explore biographies — each with a unique approach — of two legendary Tennessee figures, David Crockett and Timothy Demonbreun. In We Should Soon Become Respectable: Nashville's Own Timothy Demonbreun, Author Elizabeth Elkins sorts through the legends and nails down the facts in order to present the true story of "Nashville's First Citizen." In The…
Folk & Traditional Arts Days: Old Time Music
Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USAJoin the Creative Discovery Museum for an old time music concert and discussion with the players at 1pm and 3pm, and tour the museum's new Appalachian Arts exhibit to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional ramp festival. Visit the museum's website for more information. The Folk & Traditional Arts series is partly supported by…
Abraham Verghese at Parnassus Books
Parnassus Books, in partnership with Humanities TN, is pleased to present an evening with Abraham Verghese as he discusses his new book, The Covenenant of Water. This is a ticketed event which will take place IN STORE on Thursday, May 18th at 6:30pm Central Time. Masks are strongly encouraged during this event. Ticketing: Each ticket is $35.00 and includes…
Social Judgement: Physiognomy & Silhouettes
Exchange Place Historic Site 4812 Orebank Rd, Kingsport, TN, United StatesThe Exchange Place Junior Apprentices will attend a workshop exploring the widespread prejudices associated with 18th-19th centuries practice of silhouette portraiture and similar expressions over time to the present.
Historic Figures of Tipton-Haynes
Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum 116 W. Main Street, Joneborough, TN, United StatesOrganized by the Tipton-Haynes Historic Site, this traveling exhibit that explores the people and the past of the storied site, and the property's role in broader, regional history. Click here for more information about the Chester Inn, or here for more about Tipton-Haynes. The project is partly supported by Humanities Tennessee.
Community Author Experience Project: Tammera Hicks
Join the Soddy Daisy Community Library for a discussion with Tammera Hicks, Director of Native American Services, who will explore the stories, myths, history and culture of Native Americans in the region. Humanities TN provide partial support for the Community Author Experience Project.
Community Author Experience Project: Kimberly Brock
Author Kimberly Brock will present a writing workshop, followed by a discussion of her historical fiction at the Soddy Daisy Community Library. Register for free at Eventbrite. Humanities TN provided partial support for the Community Author Experience Project.
The Role of the Replica
The Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203, USA 2901 Parthenon Ave, Tennessee, United StatesVisit the Parthenon's latest exhibition for an interactive, hands-on exploration of how replicas of ancient items and places are created, and why they teach us so much about our understanding of the past. Visit the Centennial Park Conservancy's webpage for more information and a calendar of events. Humanities TN provided partial support for this project.
Ruta Sepetys: You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAYou: The Story is a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page. Masterfully weaving in humorous and heartfelt stories from her own life that illustrate an aspect…
WYXR x MoSH: The Way They Play panel discussion
WYXR and the Memphis Museum of Science & History (MoSH) are joining forces to uplift the voices of prominent local guitarists in Memphis by hosting a live panel discussion called “The Way They Play." The panel guests will include multiple Memphis guitarists featured in the touring exhibit “America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR and a…
Community Author Experience Project: Kiersten Modglin
Join the Soddy Daisy Community Library for a discussion with author Kiersten Modglin, who will discuss her body of work in addition to her latest undertaking. Register for free at Eventbrite. Humanities TN provided partial support for the Community Author Experience Project.
Voices & Votes: Let’s Talk about It
Dickson County Library TN, United StatesThe Promise Land Heritage Association is hosting a discussion panel program to complement the Smithsonian-Museum on Main Street exhibit "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" which is currently on display at the Promise Land Historic Site in Charlotte. The public is invited to join the discussion with distinguished panelists about the history of voting, local…
Community Author Experience: Rhyme N Chatt Interactive poetry Organization
The Soddy Daisy Community Library welcomes poets Taylor Iman, N'nako Kande, and MK Simon from Rhyme N Chatt Interactive Poetry Organization, to read from their works and discuss the poetic process. Register for free at Eventbrite. Humanities TN provided partial funding for the Community Author Experience Project.
African American Fife & Drum Music in TN
VirtualJoin the TN Historical Society for a free, virtual discussion with musicologist John Shaw about these historic bands, which have served both as a rallying tool for political militancy and provided community music for funerals, picnics, parades, and dances. The event is part of a series, "Tennessee Music 101: The History of TN Music." Click here…
Rachel Louise Martin, A Most Tolerant Little Town: The Explosive Beginning of School Desegregation
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAIn graduate school, Rachel Martin volunteered with a Southern oral history project. One day, she was sent to a small town in Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachians, where locals wanted to build a museum to commemorate the events of September 1956, when Clinton High School became the first school in the former Confederacy…
Clarence Brown Film Festival
TN, United StatesCelebrate the work and legacy of Knoxville's Clarence Brown, one of Hollywood’s most highly regarded directors. His prolific body of work spanned the silent era into the 1950s. Join international experts in downtown Knoxville for an exploration of Brown's legacy through film screenings, talks, tours, and more. All events are free and open to the…
A Community Born of Water & Stone Exhibit Opening
Historic Ramsey House 2614 Thorngrove Pike, Knoxville, TN, United StatesJoin Historic Ramsey House for a ribbon cutting ceremony to open a new permanent exhibit, "A Community Born of Water & Stone," which explores the history, legacy and stories of people and events surrounding the property in rural Knoxville. Find our more about this historic site on their website. Humanities Tennessee is pleased to provide…
Voices & Votes: Democracy in America Exhibition Opening
Maury County Library 211 W. 8th Street, Columbia, TN, United StatesJoin the African American Heritage Society of Maury County (AAHSMC) for the opening of the Smithsonian's "Voices & Votes" exhibition at the public library. The interactive exhibit explores, through multiple perspectives, the roots and legacy of the nation's democratic experiment. Contact the AAHSMC for more details. Humanities Tennessee is the proud organizer of this exhibit…
UNMASKING: Chattanooga Elders Speak
Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum 200 E M L King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN, United StatesJoin Mark Making for a theater performance based on oral history interviews of Chattanooga elders, followed by a facilitated discussion with the elders, performers and the audience. Click here to learn more about this free event. The event is supported, in part, by Humanities Tennessee's Opportunity Grant program.
2023 Southern Festival of Books Preview
Parnassus Books 3900 Hillsboro Road, Suite #14, Nashville, TNParnassus Books is pleased to partner with The Women’s National Book Association (Nashville) in hosting a preview of the 2023 Southern Festival of Books. Serenity Gerbman, of Humanities Tennessee, will be in conversation with Parnassus’ own Elyse Adler to preview which authors will be attending this year’s Festival and what Nashville’s readers won’t want to…
Carrie Tipton: From Dixie to Rocky Top: Music and Meaning in Southeastern Conference Football
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAThe first book to explore the history of college fight songs as a culturally important phenomenon, From Dixie to Rocky Top zeroes in on the US South, where college football has forged a powerful, quasi-religious sense of meaning and identity throughout the region. Tracing the story of Southeastern Conference (SEC) fight songs from the late nineteenth to the…
Music & the Politics of Treason & Disloyalty in the American Civil War
VirtualJoin the TN Historical Society for a free, virtual discussion with Billy Coleman, Assistant Teaching Professor of History, Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy and the Honors College at the University of Missouri. This talk draws on evidence of sixty cases of Confederates being arrested, punished, or getting away with singing, selling, or publishing rebel songs in Union-controlled…
Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee Symposium
The Tennessee State Museum and the John Hope & Aurelia E. Franklin Library at Fisk University are presenting a two-day symposium in conjunction with the museum's exhibit, "Building a Brighter Future: Black Communities & Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee," on view June 16, 2023-February 25, 2024. Visit the museum's webpage for more information. Symposium events will…
50 Years | 50 Books: Jane Marcellus talks to Denise Kiernan
VirtualJoin us for a conversation between Chapter16.org contributor Jane Marcellus and Denise Kiernan, author of "The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II." This event is part of the "50 Years/50 Books" series marking the 50th anniversary of Humanities Tennessee. For more information, please visit www.chapter16.org.
“Show Us Your Nashville” Youth Civics Art Contest
Artville Main Stage Wedgewood HoustonJoin Kidizenship at Artville for an exhibition of finalists in the Show Us Your Nashville, a youth civics contest. Nashville youth were charged with creating a presenting one idea to the mayor for making Nashville great. Winners will be announced and cash prizes awarded. Learn more about Kidizenship and the contest here. Humanities Tennessee provided…
Three Roots of Appalachia: Readings, Discussion, Panel
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNGlobal Education Center is hosting an event in its Three Roots of Appalachia project that includes a presentation of Scots-Irish traditions by Dr. Jane MacMorran, a reading from "Black Indian: A Memoir," by Shonda Buchanan, and a moderated conversation with both MacMorran and Buchanan. Click here for more information and the complete project series.
Impact of the Cordell Hull Dam & Lake in Granville
Granville Museum 169 Clover Street, Granville, TNVisit the Granville Museum for an opening ceremony of phase one of an exhibition project exploring the legacy of the construction of the Cordell Hull Dam to the local community. Marking 50 years since the Dam project began, the phase one opening will begin a chronicle of the events as they unfolded and areas of…
Tennessee Music Box: History, Mystery, Revival
VirtualJoin the TN Historical Society for a free, virtual discussion with musician and educator Sandy Conatser, who will share her research of these ingenious folk instruments made of materials at hand in the counties of southwest and south middle Tennessee, 1880s-1940s. The event is part of a series, "Tennessee Music 101: The History of TN Music."…
Festival Event: Erica Waters at Parnassus Books
Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Pike #14, Nashville, TN 37215, USA 101 Hillsboro Pl, United StatesHumanities Tennessee and Parnassus Books are pleased to present an evening with Erica Waters as she discusses her new YA novel, All That Consumes Us, as part of the 35th annual Southern Festival of Books. This is a free event which will take place IN STORE on Wednesday, October 18th at 6:30pm Central Time. Because space will be limited, registration…
Festival Event: Terrance Hayes at Tennessee State University
TSU Forum Auditorium 3500 John Merritt Blvd, Nashville, TNTerrance Hayes is a 2014 MacArthur Fellow and a finalist for the 2018 National Book Award in Poetry. He is the author of American Sonnets for My Past And Future Assassin and To Float In The Space Between: Drawings and Essays in Conversation with Etheridge Knight. To Float In The Space Between was winner of…
Festival Event: John Scalzi at Parnassus Books
Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Pike #14, Nashville, TN 37215, USA 101 Hillsboro Pl, United StatesHumanities Tennessee and Parnassus Books are pleased to present an evening with John Scalzi as he discusses his new book, Starter Villain, as part of the 35th annual Southern Festival of Books. This is a ticketed event which will take place IN STORE on Thursday, October 19th at 6:30pm Central Time. JOHN SCALZI is one of the…
Authors in the Round: a fundraiser benefiting the Southern Festival of Books
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum 222 5th Ave S, Nashville, TN, United StatesOne of your favorite events, and ours, returns Friday, October 20, 2023 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. We hope you will join us for Authors in the Round, a special event dinner that provides vital funding for the 35th annual Southern Festival of Books. Your participation in the dinner ensures that Humanities Tennessee may continue…
35th Annual Southern Festival of Books
The Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word is among the oldest literary festivals in the country, annually welcoming approximately 150 authors and 25,000 visitors each October. The Festival is free, and includes performance stages, food trucks, and more than 60 publishers and booksellers. In 2023, we’re launching new community events to…
TN Writers | TN Stories and Festival Event with Margaret Renkl
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAIn The Comfort of Crows, New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Margaret Renkl presents a literary devotional: fifty-two chapters that follow the creatures and plants in her backyard over the course of a year. As we move through the seasons—from a crow spied on New Year’s Day, its resourcefulness and sense of community setting a theme for the…
A Place at the Table: Tennesseans Lead the Way for American Democracy
Martin Public Library 410 S Lindell St, Martin, United StatesMark Dudney, a public historian and historic preservation planner from Cookeville, will review the story of democracy in Tennessee, including Native American and early settlement, the Jacksonian era, the Civil War, and Women’s Suffrage. This event, sponsored by Humanities Tennessee and the Jackson Purchase Historical Society, will include access to the Smithsonian travelling exhibit, Voices and…
The Development of the Chitlin’ Circuit in Middle TN & the Road to Popular Music (1860-1960)
VirtualJoin the TN Historical Society for free, virtual discussion with musician and public historian, T. Minton about the rise and decline of the strong network of entertainment spaces built by African Americans following the Civil War to support the development and spread of Black vernacular music culture called The Chitlin' Circuit. The event is part of…
American Experiments
Martin Public Library 410 S Lindell St, Martin, United StatesJoin the library for American Experiments, interactive, all-ages programs that explore democratic fundamentals such as critical reason and compromise, facilitated by educator Becky Verner. The program is presented alongside the Smithsonian exhibition "Voices & Votes: Democracy in America," on view at the library October7-November 19, 2023. The exhibit tour is sponsored by Humanities Tennessee. Click…
Savages & Princesses: The Persistence of Native American Stereotypes
Museum Center at 5ive Points 200 Inman St SE, Cleveland, United StatesJoin the Museum Center for this traveling exhibit organized by the Mid-American Arts Alliance, which explores, through the work of indigenous artists, the various themes of stereotyping of Native Americans in mainstream and pop culture. This traveling exhibition brings together twelve contemporary Native American visual artists who reclaim their right to represent their identities as…
Savages & Princesses exhibit opening event
Museum Center at 5ive Points 200 Inman St SE, Cleveland, United StatesJoin the Museum Center for a reception to open a traveling exhibit, Savages & Princesses: The Persistence of Native American Stereotypes. Enjoy a discussion panel moderated by Dr. Rondall Reynoso with artists featured in the exhibit: Heidi Bigknife, Micah Wesley, Hoka Shenandore, and Karin Walkingstick. The event begins at 6:30, the panel at 7:00pm. For more…
Mary Leuana Christensen: Cherokee Author
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin the Global Education Center for an evening of reading and discussion with Cherokee poet and author, Mary Leuana Christensen. The event is part of the "Three Roots of Appalachia: Indigenous, Black, Scot-Irish" program series, partially funded by Humanities Tennessee. Visit the Global Ed website for more information.
Voices & Votes: Democracy in America
Tom & OE Stigall Museum, HumboldtThe Tennessee tour of “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” launched in Clinton at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center and is now concluding at the Tom & O.E. Stigall Museum in Humboldt. TN. The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) traveling exhibit examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government “of, by and for the people,” and…
The Evolution of Transportation
Tipton Haynes Historic Site 2620 S Roan St, Johnson City, TN, United StatesTipton-Haynes new, permanent exhibition includes conveyances from their collection to explore the changes in transportation over time in the region. Visit http://www.tipton-haynes.org/ for more information. Humanities Tennessee is pleased to provide partial support for this project.
TN 101 The History of Music: Lucy’s Record Shop & Community
Join the TN Historical Society for a virtual discussion of the stories and significance or Lucy's Record Shop and independent shops overall with Mary Mancini.Info and registration coming soo to: Tennessee 101: The History of Tennessee Music - Tennessee Historical Society (tennesseehistory.org)The event is part of the Tennessee 101: History of Music series, funded, in…
Stories of the Past, Photographs of the Present: Living Legacies of the Lee-Buckner Rosenwald School
The Franklin Theater 419 Main Street, Franklin, United StatesJoin the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County at the Franklin Theater for an exhibit highlighting oral histories of the alumni of a local Rosenwald school--one of those created across the rural south in the early 20th century through desegregation to educate black children. Activities include an exhibition viewing and a moderated roundtable discussion with local,…
We Will Speak: Film Screening/Discussion
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin the Global Education Center for a screening of We Will Speak, an award-winning film exploring Cherokee language preservation, and a discussion with the filmmaker. The event is part of the "Three Roots of Appalachia: Indigenous, Black, Scot-Irish" program series, partially funded by Humanities Tennessee. Visit the Global Ed website for more information.
Community Author Experience Project
The Kelcurt Foundation concludes its inaugural Community Author series with school visits by author Rita Mae Hubbard. Ms. Hubbard will visit students for reading discussions at the following elementary schools in north Hamilton County: Soddy-Daisy, Allen, Big Ridge, North Hamilton and McConnell. Humanities Tennessee provided partial support for the author series, which occurred over nine…
“How to Sue the Klan” film screening
Walker Theater 399 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, United StatesCivil Productions is pleased to announce the premiere of its documentary, How to Sue the Klan, which chronicles an historic event from 1980 Chattanooga involving Klan violence and the five women who sued them in civil court. Humanities Tennessee provided partial support for the production of this film.
TN 101 The History of Music: Black Country Music – Listening for Revolution
Join the TN Historical Society for a virtual discussion of the roots and significance of Black country music with Dr. Francesca Royster. Info and registration coming soon to: Tennessee 101: The History of Tennessee Music - Tennessee Historical Society (tennesseehistory.org) The event is part of the Tennessee 101: History of Music series, funded, in part,…
People of Wessyngton after 1865
Robertson County History Museum 124 6th Ave, Springfield, United StatesJoin the Robertson County History Museum in welcoming John Baker Jr., for a discussion of based on the newly expanded Wessyngton exhibit expansion focusing on the stories of those formerly enslaved at the plantation. Humanities Tennessee provided partial support for the exhibit expansion through an Opportunity Grant.
“Coal Black Voices” film screening & discussion with Frank X. Walker
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave #3, Nashville, TN 37209, USAJoin the Global Ed Center for a screening of the documentary, Coal Black Voices, followed by a reading and discussion with author Frank X. Walker. For more information, visit: http://www.globaleducationcenter.org/ The event is part of a series, Three Roots of Appalachia, partially funded by Humanities Tennessee.
Stories from Black Traditions
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin the Global Ed Center at Howard Congregational Church for an event featuring author Frank X. Walker reading from "A is for Affrilachia" and storytelling from the Graceful Soul Storyweavers, Tasneem Grace and Jack E Grace. For more information, visit: http://www.globaleducationcenter.org/ This event is one of the Three Roots of Appalachia series, partially supported by Humanities…
King Iron: the Story of Enslaved Furnace Workers in Tennessee
Clement Railroad Hotel Museum 100 Frank Clement Place, Dickson, United StatesCreated by the Tennessee African-American Historical Group, this new travelling exhibit examines the little known story of enslaved iron workers in the Volunteer State. Well researched and curated, "King Iron" seeks to further our understanding of pre-Civil War Tennessee through the lens of industrial slavery and its regional impact. The exhibit will be at the…
Gone Country: How Nashville Transformed a Music Genre into a Lifestyle Brand
During the late twentieth century, the music industry branded country as the sound of wholesome, family-friendly white conservatism, disregarding its multiracial and multiethnic roots. In this session, Dr. Amanda Marie Martinez will reframe the country music genre to demonstrate how Black and Brown artists resisted the industry’s exclusionary marketing practices. Dr. Amanda Marie Martinez received…
TN Writers | TN Stories: Dr. Mark Cheathem
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAThe presidential election of 1844 had it all: an unpopular incumbent forced out of the race, a perennial presidential loser, a candidate whose career appeared to be on life support, a long-shot whose political ideology had been transformed by religious conversion, even a political assassination. Out of this collection of contenders emerged James K. Polk,…
United We Stand: Racial Reconciliation in West TN
LivestreamThis United We Stand livestream will explore Tennessee’s collective imagination as a tool shaping a safer, more just civic life in which all Tennesseans belong, including the evolving roles played by civil society, media, and the State in reversing the “othering” of any Tennessean. The West TN theme of Racial Reconciliation will feature Ida B.…
Author Event: Jeanne Hardt
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave #3, Nashville, TN 37209, USAJoin the Global Education Center in welcoming Appalachian author Jeanne Hardt, who will read from and discuss her Smoky Mountain series. For more information, visit:http://www.globaleducationcenter.org/ The event is one in the Three Roots of Appalachia series, partially funded by Humanities Tennessee.
“All the Places We’ve Been”: Gil Scott-Heron’s Roots in Jackson
Join the TN Historical Society for a virtual discussion of the music and roots of Gil Scott-Heron with Gio Russonello, Brenda Monroe-Moses, and Carl Cornwall. Info and registration will be found at: https://tennesseehistory.org/home/programs/ The event is part of the Tennessee 101: History of Music series, funded, in part, by Humanities Tennessee.
Film Screening: King Coal
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin the Global Education Center for a screening of the documentary, King Coal, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. For more information, visit: http://www.globaleducationcenter.org/ The event is one of the Three Roots of Appalachia series partially funded by Humanities Tennessee.
TN Writers | TN Stories: Ciona Rouse
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAPoet, editor, and educator Ciona Rouse is the author of Vantablack, the first chapbook of Third Man Books (2017). Her poetry has appeared in the journals Oxford American, Wildness, Booth, The Account, Still, Talking River, Gabby Journal, Matter: a journal of political poetry and commentary and other publications. She has been featured on NPR Music and has work selected by Ada Limón for the podcast The Slowdown.
Quilts as Storytellers
Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TNJoin the Global Education Center for a reading with Colleen Anderson, whose focuses on the stories quilts tell, alongside a quilt exhibit by the Zuri Quilting Guild. For more information, visit:http://www.globaleducationcenter.org/ The event is one of the Three Roots of Appalachia series partially funded by Humanities Tennessee.
VIRTUAL EVENT: United We Stand – Cultural Competency in Middle TN
VirtualParticipants will share perspectives on the legacy of ethnic violence in middle TN and the current work of TNs to challenge the continued harms to immigrants and refugees in the region. The Middle TN theme of Cultural Competency will feature a panel discussion facilitated by public historian Brigette Jones in conversation with the following panelists:…
Encore Film Screening: How to Sue the Klan
Downtown Library, Chattanooga 1001 Broad Street, Chattanooga, United StatesJoin us May 4th the Downtown Chattanooga Public Library for an encore screening of the documentary How to Sue the Klan: The Legacy of the Chattanooga Five, featuring remarks from Mayor Tim Kelly. How to Sue the Klan is the story of how Five Black women from Chattanooga used legal ingenuity to take on the Ku…
TN Writers | TN Stories: Aime Alley Card
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAThe Tigerbelles tells the epic story of the 1960 Tennessee State University all-Black women's track team, which found Olympic glory at the 1960 games in Rome. The author tells a story of desire, success and failure--of beating the odds--against the backdrop of a changing America, but tells it in an intimate way. Readers will come to…
TN Writers | TN Stories: Michael T. Bertrand in conversation with Sheri Bartlett Browne, Ph.D.
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USASouthern History Remixed: On Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Dilemma of Race is a book about popular music. But it also is a book about southern history. The two are not mutually exclusive. Ultimately, it is an exploration which demonstrates that what occurs in the musical realm does affect and reflect what happens in the historical…
“King Iron” Exhibit
Black History Museum of Warren County 203 W. Main Street, Suite 13, McMinnVille, United StatesCreated by the Tennessee African-American Historical Group, this new travelling exhibit examines the little known story of enslaved iron workers in the Volunteer State. Well researched and curated, "King Iron" seeks to further our understanding of pre-Civil War Tennessee through the lens of industrial slavery and its regional impact. The exhibit is currently featured at…
Virtual: 50 Years | 50 Books Conversation with Ace Atkins
For the final conversation in our 50 Years | 50 Books series, Chapter16.org contributor and New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins will discuss "Fletch," by Gregory McDonald. This is free, virtual event held on Chapter 16's Facebook page on Tuesday, July 16 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Click here to save event and set…
TN Writers | TN Stories: Betsy T. Phillips
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAOn September 10, 1957, Hattie Cotton Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee, blew up. On March 16, 1958, the Jewish Community Center was bombed. On April 19, 1960, the home of Civil Rights attorney and Nashville city councilman, Z. Alexander Looby was dynamited. He and his wife were lucky to escape with their lives. These bombings…
Southern Festival of Books | Author Reveal Party
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAWe hope you'll join us Thursday, July 18 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Tennessee State Museum! Our initial roster of authors for the 2024 Southern Festival of Books will be announced, plus we'll share several exciting announcements about this year's event. We'll also shine a spotlight on the 2024 Authors in the Round dinner which raises essential funds…
Historic Marker Unveiling: Neighborhood Story Project, Gray, TN
Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church 136 Bob Jobe Road, Gray, United StatesThe McKinney Center and Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church invite you to join us for a special, Historic Marker Dedication on Emancipation Day, August 8, 2024, at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Members of the community, funded by a Neighborhood Story Project grant from Humanities Tennessee, researched the Ford vs. Ford court case. Their research resulted…
TN Writers | TN Stories: Sara Koffi
Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USAParasite meets Such a Fun Age in a scorching debut that is as heartbreaking as it is thrilling, examining the intersection of race, class, and female friendship, and the devastating consequences of everyday actions. After her best friend’s mysterious death, Elizabeth Smith’s picture-perfect life in the Memphis suburbs has spiraled out of control—so much so that she hires a…