Thanks to current events, I’ve learned a lot about Tennessee’s involvement, or more specifically Nashville’s involvement, in pivotal moments of American history this summer.
Being a Southern city, Nashville has a lot of history. There’s of course Civil War history to be found here and throughout the state. There are even two presidential homes here. Well, sort of.
- The Hermitage was home to America’s 7th president, Andrew Jackson. It’s a popular tourist attraction that welcomes upwards of 200,000 visitors a year.
- The President James K. Polk Home and Museum in Columbia is the only surviving former residence of America’s 11th president.
Like many other cities have done this year, Nashville lawmakers have found themselves having to arbitrate disputes over what to do with Civil War Monuments.
But it’s also the site of some other interesting American history, including the Suffrage Movement and the Civil Rights Movement.
To Remove or Not to Remove, That Is the Question
As we know, some people aren’t giving their cities a choice whether to keep controversial monuments or not. Some groups have taken it upon themselves to tear down statues without a formal process.
Nashville also finds itself dealing with such a modern-day controversy. There’s a bust of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the capital that many don’t think should be there. Myself included.
Some may consider Forrest a war hero, but I’m with those who consider him a bad dude. I’ll let this snip from History.com speak for itself:
In addition to his ingenious cavalry tactics, Forrest is also remembered for his controversial involvement in the Battle of Fort Pillow in April 1864, when his troops massacred black soldiers following a Union surrender. After the Civil War Forrest worked as a planter and railroad president, and served as the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
The State Capitol Commission voted to remove the bust, but, of course, with government comes bureaucracy. In this case, only the Tennessee Historical Commission can decide the bust’s fate thanks to the Heritage Protection Act.
For over two months, protesters camped out on the State Capitol’s steps demanding the bust’s removal. They had their work cut out for them because a similar resolution to remove the bust had been shot down in 2017.
At least this time it was met with least resistance, but it’s shocking –although not surprising after having lived here for 15 years– that this is even an issue. That bust doesn’t deserve prominence anywhere except maybe a museum exhibit about the Civil War.
I don’t advocate destroying monuments. Moving them elsewhere and putting their significance in context, yes. Because destroying them destroys history, which needs to be preserved. Otherwise, we risk forgetting. If we forget, we leave ourselves vulnerable to repetition.
Interestingly, in response to the peaceful protesters who camped out on the state capitol’s steps demanding a meeting with Governor Lee, who never granted them one, the governor also called a special session of the legislature to pass a bill making it illegal to camp and protest like the citizens had done.
Yowser. Talk about violating First Amendment rights. The ACLU has filed a suit against it. I’ll be curious to see what happens with it.
Tennessee Helps Pass the 19th Amendment
In the summer of 1920, 35 out of 36 states had ratified the 19th amendment. Eight had rejected it. Five hadn’t voted on it.
Like 2020, 1920 was also an election year. Suffragists wanted to try and get the last state before the election and they felt Tennessee was their best bet.
Turns out it was. Tennessee ratified the Amendment on August 24, 1920 after the governor called a special assembly.
It was a close vote and a contentious one. Pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage activists lobbied like crazy. The resolution passed easily in the Tennessee State Senate, but was close in the state House of Representatives.
It was thanks to Harry T. Burn breaking ranks and changing his vote that Tennessee was the 36th state to approve the 19th Amendment. It officially became part of the United States Constitution on August 26, 1920.
Thanks, Harry! I’m sure that was a difficult decision but I hope you’re resting in peace knowing what a valuable one what it was!
The “I Ring the Bell” Campaign
When the 19th Amendment was ratified, cities across the country rang bells. But not Nashville, where the vote to become the 36th and deciding state in the amendment’s future happened.
The Nashville Public Library decided to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote with the “I Ring the Bell” campaign.
Their goal was to break the silence and they encouraged people to ring a bell in support of a cause that’s important to them, post it on their social media, tag Nashville Public Library (NowAtNPL) and use #IRingTheBell.
I didn’t do it because I couldn’t decide on a cause, but I loved the concept of it.
For more info: https://library.nashville.org/research/votes-for-women
Sit Ins and Civil Rights
And how crazy was it that two civil rights leaders died the same day this year? John Lewis and C.T. Vivian both died on July 17.
I was a fan of John Lewis. What a legacy he left behind, especially the idea of “good trouble.” I love that.
I have to admit, however, I was not familiar with Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian until his death. Because he had strong Nashville roots, founding the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference, the local news ran a lot of stories about him, and that’s how I learned more.
But I wish I had known more about him before he died. It made me realize how little I really know about the Civil Rights Movement. I know the basics. I know a couple of the major players, namely Martin Luther King Jr.
But the deaths of JOhn Lewis and Ct.T. Vivian highlighted to me there is so much more to learn about what they and others did to bring about the changes for equality that they did.
They started something that is still not fully resolved yet. 2020 has definitely punctuated racism is still alive and well in America.
Well, “well” is disputable. That suggests healthy and there really is nothing “well” about racism. It’s a sickness.
I’m not sure what all the Black Lives Matter protests and marches will do to affect much-needed changes, but it is an election year and I hope people who really want to see change for the better do get out and out-vote those who are proponents of “the good old days” and the status quo.
What about you? What have you learned this summer?