The Tennessee State Museum (TSM) hosts two free special events in May you might be interested in. TN Writers / TN Stories: Elizabeth Elkins and Scott Williams is Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 10:30 AM – 12:00 Noon, and The Lunch and Learn: Bicentennial Mall: How the Park Created a Cultural Destination is on Thursday, May 18, 2023, from 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM.
The May 13 event explores two books — Elizabeth Elkins’ We Should Soon Become Respectable: Nashville’s Own Timothy Demonbreun (Vanderbilt University Press) and R. Scott Williams’ The Accidental Fame & Lack of Fortune of West Tennessee’s David Crockett. The program will explore these biographies — each with a unique approach — of two legendary Tennessee figures.
Author Elizabeth Elkins sorts through the legends and nails down the facts in order to present the true story of “Nashville’s First Citizen,” while Scott Williams uncovers what propelled Crockett’s fascinating journey, while also examining the birth of Tennessee during one of the most fascinating periods in American history. This event takes place in the Digital Learning Center at TSM and includes an opportunity to purchase books through the Museum store and get them signed by the author.
Elizabeth Elkins is a professional songwriter and writer, with a Master’s in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor’s in English and History from Emory University. Scott Williams is President and CEO of Discovery Park of America, a 100,000-square-foot museum and 50-acre heritage park, in Union City, Tenn.
On Thursday, May 18, 2023, from 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM, The Lunch and Learn: Bicentennial Mall: How the Park Created a Cultural Destination is in the Museum’s Digital Learning Center at 12:00. No RSVPs are required to attend this free event. It will also be live-streamed on the Museum’s website at TNMuseum.org/Videos. If you have any questions please email Public.Programs@tn.gov.
The Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park was dedicated on Statehood Day, June 1, 1996, and over the past twenty-five years it has matured and hosted a wide variety of celebrations, concerts, and educational events. Located directly north of the Tennessee State Capitol, the 19-acre urban setting is part of Tennessee’s state park system, and it is one of Nashville’s most visited public spaces and has received national and international recognition.
Join us as the park’s lead designer, Kem Hinton discusses his new book, Tennessee’s Bicentennial Mall, and how the park, now flanked by the Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee State Library & Archives, has evolved into a comprehensive cultural and educational destination, delighting citizens and visitors, and reinforcing the original theme of the park to present “the land, the people, and the music of Tennessee.” Boxed lunches by Apple Spice Nashville, including a sandwich, chips, and a cookie ($12.24) must be ordered by noon Tuesday, May 16, if desired.
Don’t miss the A Better Life For Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and The 4,978 Schools That Changed America Exhibition at TSM, which closes on Sunday, May 21, 2023. See the TSM website for details on all programs: https://tnmuseum.org/
