Nineteen years after the attacks of 9/11, some American veterans of the war in Afghanistan wrestle with the idea that Pres. Trump’s pull-out of U.S. troops was born out of a deal…
John Lewis; Feb. 21, 1940- July 17, 2020
One of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, John Lewis continued to fight for people’s rights since joining Congress in 1987. NATIONWIDE (July 20, 2020)…
Happy Birthday Maya Angelou
OP-ED (The day – April 4, 1968 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died in Memphis was Maya Angelou’s 40th birthday. That intersection was observed recently by social change advocate John Burl…
Knoxville Black Women in History
With the interruption and closures of non-essential businesses Beck Cultural Exchange Center offers this tribute to Knoxville’s Women’s History Month. KNOXVILLE, TN (March 31, 2020) – Women’s History Month is a celebration…
Beck Presents: The Art of Delaney
The Art of Delaney: Redeeming, Reconciling & Healing Monday, 6:30 pm, Feb 24. 2020, at The Bijou Theatre in downtown Knoxville. TICKET PRICE: $10 ADULT | $5 STUDENTS (K-12). Tickets are available online…
SSgt. Waverly Woodson: A World War II Unsung Black Hero
The 75th anniversary of World War II’s D-Day was recognized on June 6, 2019. Over 2,000 black soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy on that day. NATION-WIDE (June 2019) – One…
Jack Daniel learned whiskey making from Nearest Green, a slave
The contributions of black people to America’s history across various fields have, over the years, been largely forgotten and this is also evident in the spirits industry. The story of how…
Theotis Robinson Jr. awarded honorary UTK Doctorate
Theotis Robinson, Jr. acknowledged with 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award and an honorary Doctorate from the School of Social work for over 60-years advocating for social justice. A Volunteer, trailblazer, and an advocate…
Mapped Documentary of American History of Lynching: 1835 to 1964
“Before this website, it was impossible to search the web and find an accurate scope of the history of American lynching. The names have always been kept safe but distant, in old…
Dr. Carolyn Hodges to be Inducted into UTK African-American Hall of Fame
It’s homecoming week at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. For a listing of homecoming events sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Student Life and the Frieson Multi-cultural Center visit; https://multicultural.utk.edu/. Some events…
Clinton 12 Honored with KAUL Lifetime Achievement Award
KNOXVILLE, TN (Oct. 2019) The Knoxville Area Urban League honored “The Clinton 12” with its lifetime achievement award at the Equal Opportunity Awards Gala that was on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the…
Clinton 12 Commemorative Walk, Aug. 26
The Clinton 12 Commemorative Walk, Monday, August 26, 2019 at 10 a.m. The remaining 8 living members of the Clinton 12 and other dignitaries will walk from Green McAdoo Cultural Center (the…
Olga Lash Barnes, Celebrated Centenarian Dies at 103
Republished from December 2015 in the Knoxville News-Sentinel to honor Mrs. Olga Lash Barnes who died in June 2019. Go to the ETE Obituaries for more information. By Patricia Williams (KNOXVILLE, TN…
First Black Woman to be Crowned Miss Tennessee
Knoxville, TN — Brianna Mason, a 23-year-old Nashville native, has recently been crowned Miss Tennessee, making her the first-ever Black woman to win the title since the competition started over 80 years…
Patricia Bath, Inventor of Laser-Based Cataract Treatment, Dies
The UCLA ophthalmologist worked to combat blindness in underserved communities. By SHAWNA WILLIAMS (Jun 6, 2019) Retired University of California, Los Angeles, ophthalmologist Patricia Bath, an inventor whose research on lasers advanced…
Legendary Cicely Tyson Gets Honorary Academy Award
(Feb. 2019) There’s Black girl magic on the front and the back cover of TIME magazine’s 2019 Optimists issue. The cover features the legendary Cicely Tyson and was guest-edited by visionary filmmaker…
Dr. Edith Irby-Jones, Medical Pioneer, KC Grad Dies
KCean, Board Chair, Civil Rights Legend, History Maker Dies By Franklin Tate She came to Knoxville College (KC) on a scholarship from Mayflower, Arkansas, graduated, and became the first black student…
Oldest Black-Owned Grocery Store Shuts Down After 51 Years
Leon’s Thriftway, the country’s oldest Black-owned grocery store located in Kansas City, Missouri, has closed its doors marking the end of 51 years in business. Leon Stapleton, the store’s owner, is now…
Poet, Knoxvillian Nikki Giovanni visits Thursday for Unveiling of Historic Marker
World-acclaimed author, educator and poet Nikki Giovanni will read her “Knoxville, Tennessee” poem during the unveiling of a Mulvaney Street historic marker at Cal Johnson Recreation Center. Mayor Madeline Rogero and…
Carl A. Cowan 1902-1985, Knoxville, TN
Carl Cowan was born in Knoxville and lived in Mechanicsville on College Street, near the Knoxville College campus, with his father and mother, Hugh and Maggie, and his younger brother, Clause. Cowan…
Unita Blackwell, 1st Black Woman Mississippi Mayor Died
Civil Rights Icon and the first black woman mayor in the State of Mississippi. Unita Blackwell died May 13, 2019, in Biloxi, Mississippi of complications of dementia at the age of 86…
Top 3 USA Pageants Culminate in Historic First
By Patricia Williams For the first time in the history of the top beauty pageants in the country, three Black women are simultaneously wearing crowns as 2019 Miss USA, Miss Teen USA,…
Davene Delories (Davis) Thomas, Accomplished Pianist Died
Arlington , TX – On April 3, 2019, Davene Delories (Davis) Thomas, 77, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee and former resident of Paducah, Kentucky, departed her earthly home on Wednesday April 3, 2019 at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas.
Remains of WWII Tuskegee Airman Buried with Honors
Seventy-five years after his fighter plane crashed in Austria, Tuskegee Airman Capt. Lawrence E. Dickson was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, March 23, 2019. Air Force jets roared…
Six Historically Black Beaches to Visit This Summer
By Angela Dennis When we think of black history often times vacation destinations are left out of the dialogue. Our past is well documented with stories of slavery, plantations, and oppressive reality…