Life as an African American in Knoxville during the 1960s was a heady time. Between protests and lunch counter sit-ins, there were school dances, family picnics, and business as usual. On First Friday, September 5, the public is invited to Say It Loud!, an evening celebrating authentic views of African American life during Knoxville's civil rights era through rare historic film, live music, and art exhibits from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center. The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
As part of Unfinished Business: Then, Now & Going Forward, a year-long series of events commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, Say It Loud! highlights Knox County Public Library's Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound with footage from newsreels, home movies, and other documentation of lunch counter sit ins, parts of East Knoxville before urban renewal, programs at the Highlander Center, and a typical day at Vine Junior High School. This footage dates back to the 1940s and highlights some of the leaders that set the foundation for the Civil Rights Movement. Footage also includes Knoxville College in its prime.
Farther Along with the Swan Silvertones! from TAMIS on Vimeo.
Schedule of Events:
5:30 pm: Museum of East Tennessee History remains open to the public; refreshments will be served
6:00 pm: Civil Rights-themed art show by local artists W. James Taylor and John Simm
7:00 pm: Live soul music provided by Kelle Jolly & the Will Boyd Project and the Singing Barber
7:30 pm: Screening of Say It Loud! Knoxville During the Civil Rights Era
1963 was a pivotal year in Knoxville’s history, culminating with Look Magazine’s designation of Knoxville as an All-American City in April of that year. During that same year, African Americans attempted to purchase, and were refused, tickets to attend a screening of the now-classic film “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Tennessee Theatre.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 corrected an unjust situation in Knoxville. Area schools, restaurants, churches, and theaters were finally open to everyone. By 1971, African Americans were running for political office in Knoxville. Indeed, social change had arrived, but it was a long, hard road to get there.
Documenting this social change on film were amateur home movie filmmakers and the television news film photographers from WBIR-TV. Over a 15 year span, WBIR-TV managed to capture news of the Clinton High School bombing, the integration of city schools, sit-ins and protests in downtown Knoxville. Also depicted are urban renewal efforts during the mid-to-late 1960s, and important people and events within the African American community.
Say It Loud! is a collaboration between departments of Knox County Public Library, the City of Knoxville, and WBIR. Funding for the production of the film was provided by the Friends of the Knox County Public Library. Unfinished Business: Then, Now, and Going Forward is made possible through generous partnerships between the City of Knoxville, Visit Knoxville, Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, TVA, UTK- Vice Chancellor Office of Diversity and others.
