Events

Farmers and craftspeople made the American Revolution possible and shaped the growth of American democracy. Tennessee growers and crafters have always been - and continue to be - part of this process. Make plans to join local practitioners and scholars for a panel discussion exploring 250 years of the civic, social, and economic roles of…

Mary Ellen Pethel, Ph.D. and Don Cusic, Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story (University of Tennessee Press), in conversation with Mary Beth Pruett Throughout her career, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon skillfully balanced her dual roles as Minnie and Sarah. Whether at the Opry, on the road, or on Hee Haw, Minnie remained a trusted friend to female performers…

Sheri Sellmeyer, Nashville’s New Americans: Tracing the Journeys of Immigrant Neighbors (Vanderbilt University Press) in conversation with Cindy Abrams Whether it’s building skyscrapers, running successful restaurants, researching diseases, performing music, cleaning hotel rooms, or holding public office, immigrants are changing Nashville from a mid‑sized city known for its country music industry to an increasingly diverse, multicultural destination.…

Scott Williams, Townmania: Marcus Winchester and the Making of Memphis Marcus Winchester (1796–1856) devoted his life to transforming the small settlement on the fourth Chickasaw bluff into a thriving center of transportation, commerce, and industry that became Memphis. Sent there at Andrew Jackson’s request while still barely out of his teens, Winchester went on to become…

Timothy D. Johnson, Robert Neyland: The West Point Engineer Who Built Tennessee Football (University of Tennessee Press) Robert Neyland was not your typical college football coach. A graduate of West Point and veteran of both world wars, Neyland often played a dual role as both an army officer and football coach, shifting seamlessly between the two professions.…

Joe Pagetta, The Apostle of Tennessee: The Indefatigable Life and Ministry of Father Aloysius Orengo (Vanderbilt University Press) When Nashville became a Catholic diocese in 1837, it was mostly an aspirational exercise. The few Catholics scattered throughout the state were ministered to only occasionally by missionary priests who traveled by horseback from Kentucky. It is believed that…