Black History Month Expo
Nashville Black Market is back, February 8 – 9th. A Free Event – Family Friendly. Join the folks for a Black History Month Expo to celebrate culture. There will be Food Trucks, Vendors, Games, DJs, Installations + more. Saturday, Feb. 8, 12:00 Noon – 6 PM and Sunday, Feb. 9, Noon – 4:00 PM, Nashville Fairgrounds, 401 Wingrove Street, Nashville, 37203.
Nashville Black Market, a Black-Owned/Veteran-Owned organization, supports and develops Black-owned businesses and communities across the U.S. by creating ecosystems for entrepreneurs through market events, expositions, conferences, and gatherings. It also hosts leadership panels, networking events, and mentorship opportunities.
Featured on EMMY-nominated TV shows and partnering with brands like Pepsi Co. and Red Bull, it brought over $3 million to Nashville’s Black businesses from 2020-2023. The organization promotes Black culture and values, inspiring cities nationwide to celebrate and empower Black communities. The Nashville Black Market serves as a model for amplifying Black business, leadership, and creativity.
William Edmondson Documentary & Panel Discussion Sunday, February 9th at 3pm at Edgehill UMC
Celebrate Black History Month at a special viewing of an excerpt of the in-progress documentary “Chipping Away: The Life & Legacy of Sculptor William Edmondson.” It will be followed by a panel discussion of the film with filmmaker Mark Schlicher, Edmondson family members, and community members and by a light reception. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more on the NJwebsite: https://www.edgehill.org/edmondson
Back in 1937, Edmondson was the first African American to earn a solo exhibit at New York’s prestigious Museum of Modern Art, just a couple of years after Pablo Picasso was first shown. The 62 year old retired janitor-turned-tombstone carver was an unlikely choice, in an unlikely time and place–the American South during the Jim Crow era of segregation. But Edmondson was gifted, tireless, and faithful.
Edmondson’s story is a story of inspiration, determination, and hard work. And It’s a story of friendships…friendships that crossed the color line at a time of rigid racial division in America.
William Edmondson, inspired by what he described as divine visions, was nearly 60 years old when he began to carve limestone in a backyard workshop at his Nashville home. He called his figures, which included biblical characters, whimsical animals and community heroes, “miracles I can do.” His strong, straightforward, yet subtle forms beguiled the modernists’ eye. Yet, his fame was fleeting and he died in obscurity just a few years later. Today, his “miracles” are highly prized by collectors and continue to inspire new generations of artists.
“Chipping Away: The Life and Legacy of Sculptor William Edmondson” brings his remarkable story to life, combining original research, interviews and rare archival images, including the only known motion picture footage of the artist at work. Interviews include respected art historians David C. Driskell and Jennifer Marshall, historian Bobby L. Lovett, and legendary journalist John Seigenthaler, as well as some of the few living individuals who knew William Edmondson personally.
