Tennessee has always been a state with three different sections. East, Middle, and West Tennessee are the geographical sections that this state has had and been broken up into. However, these sections might be defined by the lines of the state, but also have been the lines that influenced the changes within the state. Many people from East Tennessee during the Civil War, were more or less on the Union’s side. However, the state as a whole was on the Confederate’s side, but because of the lines between the Union and Confederates were within Tennessee. Tennessee, would be in return the defining line during the Civil War, because of the railroads that ran through Tennessee. Railroads were significant in transportation of people and goods. This changed the State of Tennessee, and its uniqueness when it came to the historical context of defining a side during much of the Civil War. Furthermore, this would later change when the Civil Rights Movement began.
East Tennessee would become the future home of “The Highlander Folk School” in 1932 founded by Myles Horton. This school was a place that would come to teach African American’s and White’s to take a join force stand against racism and integration within schools.
Middle Tennessee was more known for the Capital of Nashville and the home of TSU (Tennessee State University), a University that educated future African American educators. TSU was founded on June 19th, 1912. Many of the future educators that attended this school would transpose a new future for the children of African Americans, and the way they would dress, speak, and present themselves. Also TSU, along with Fisk became a place for African Americans to join up and participate in sit-ins within diners of downtown Nashville. One of the individuals that participated was John Lewis, he would later become one of the main individuals that had impact within the communities, during the Civil Rights Movement. However, it was also a place in which the Ku Klux Klan had input, and where they came to have their first convention on May of 1867. In the 1960’s many of the African American churches would be burned and would soon become overly unpopular place for African Americans to live. Martin Luther King was a well-publicized leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but also a well-respected religious figure for the African American churches, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, in standing up for racial justice. Those churches would have pull because of membership reaching 4 million. But because of what the churches could teach and show African Americans during this time, gave way for other churches to join forces as well, and that included the United Methodist Church in 1968.
West Tennessee was a marching place for the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, and was a place where integration was not accepted to its full potential. It was a place where Martin Luther King like to demonstrate and show the people of Memphis change. Later, this area would become the very spot in which Martin Luther would be killed, outside of his hotel room on April 4th, 1968.
East Tennessee would become the future home of “The Highlander Folk School” in 1932 founded by Myles Horton. This school was a place that would come to teach African American’s and White’s to take a join force stand against racism and integration within schools.
Middle Tennessee was more known for the Capital of Nashville and the home of TSU (Tennessee State University), a University that educated future African American educators. TSU was founded on June 19th, 1912. Many of the future educators that attended this school would transpose a new future for the children of African Americans, and the way they would dress, speak, and present themselves. Also TSU, along with Fisk became a place for African Americans to join up and participate in sit-ins within diners of downtown Nashville. One of the individuals that participated was John Lewis, he would later become one of the main individuals that had impact within the communities, during the Civil Rights Movement. However, it was also a place in which the Ku Klux Klan had input, and where they came to have their first convention on May of 1867. In the 1960’s many of the African American churches would be burned and would soon become overly unpopular place for African Americans to live. Martin Luther King was a well-publicized leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but also a well-respected religious figure for the African American churches, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, in standing up for racial justice. Those churches would have pull because of membership reaching 4 million. But because of what the churches could teach and show African Americans during this time, gave way for other churches to join forces as well, and that included the United Methodist Church in 1968.
West Tennessee was a marching place for the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, and was a place where integration was not accepted to its full potential. It was a place where Martin Luther King like to demonstrate and show the people of Memphis change. Later, this area would become the very spot in which Martin Luther would be killed, outside of his hotel room on April 4th, 1968.