“Experiences of Black People in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1844-1974” - A Brown Bag Lecture with Robert J. Booker

From the institution of slavery to the black church, to businessmen, politicians, Knoxville College, schools, segregation laws, and much more, Knoxville historian Bob Booker will discuss 130 years (1844-1974) of black history in Knoxville. His encyclopedic knowledge was earned through decades of historical research and from the perusal of thousands of pages of old newspapers. Much in demand as a speaker, Booker is the author of three books, several booklets, and is a long-running newspaper columnist and a former executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center in Knoxville. Mr. Booker’s new book, Experiences of Black People in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1844-1974, will be available for purchase and signing following the lecture.

The program is sponsored by the Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory. The lecture is free and the public is invited. It will begin at noon on Wednesday, August 16 at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville. Guests are invited to bring a “Brown Bag” lunch and enjoy the lecture. Soft drinks will be available. For more information on the lecture, exhibitions, or museum hours, call 865-215-8824 or visit the website at www.EastTNHistory.org.

Published August 12, 2017