Black in Appalachia exhibit on display in Kingsport City Hall
In honor of Black History Month, Kingsport Cultural Arts, in conjunction with the Kingsport Archives has put on display a series of historical banners on the Black community in the Model City. The display – entitled “Black in Appalachia” – is on display in the first floor lobby of Kingsport City Hall through February 14.
“Black in Appalachia”, an initiative of East Tennessee PBS, explores the roots of African American influence on the history and culture of Appalachia through documentaries, research, local narratives, public engagement and exhibition.
The project aims to raise the visibility and contributions of the Black communities of the Mountain South.
In partnership with the Kingsport City Archives and the Kingsport Friends of the Archives, the Kingsport Community History Project worked with the Black communities of Sullivan and Hawkins counties of Tennessee and Scott County, Virginia to document this important history of the community, make it accessible, and share it with the broader region.
The banners on display in city hall include photographs, historical and biographical information, newspaper articles and a timeline of various topics of Black life in Kingsport, including Black churches, Douglass High School, the Riverview neighborhood, fraternal and social organizations, notable African Americans and the Pierce family.
For more information about the Black in Appalachia project, please contact the Kingsport City Archives at 423-224-2559.