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SEMC 2021 : Chattanooga

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We Acknowledge:

We acknowledge that this year’s Southeastern Museums Conference takes place on land which has been continually inhabited by Indigenous peoples for the past 12,000 years. We recognize the past, current, and future Muskogee, Yuchi, and Cherokee peoples who are stewards of this land. We remember that Ross's Landing, which later became Chattanooga, was the starting point of the Trail of Tears. It was here that internment camps housed Cherokee citizens who had been forcibly removed from their homes across the southeast, where thousands of Cherokee died in those holding camps, and where the survivors set out on the Trail of Tears that would claim the lives of thousands more. By offering this acknowledgement we seek to pay our respects to the memories of those whose lives were lost, to celebrate the vibrant living culture of Indigenous people today, and to affirm the importance of Native Sovereignty and truth telling as we move forward.

The Diversity of Chattanooga

The following page offers a few insights into Chattanooga's diverse history and culture. You'll find tidbits of history as well as links to sites of interest. We have included sites that focus on diverse histories, art, and experiences. In addition, we have included safe spaces for diverse attendees as well as some digital options for virtual attendees.

Image by Chad Madden
Indigenous History

  • Chattanooga was formerly known as Ross’s Landing. The name comes from Chief John Ross, ᎫᏫᏍᎫᏫ, who operated a ferry and trading post at the site which later developed into a small town. Chief Ross also operated a plantation in the area where he enslaved twenty people to plant, tend, and harvest the 170 acres of tobacco. Chief Ross was of mixed Cherokee and Scots-Irish heritage and grew up among both cultures; this served him well as he became one of the primary figures interfacing with American officials on behalf of the nation. 

  • “Beginning in late May 1838, thousands of Cherokee, enslaved African Americans, and Creek were taken from their homes by troops and held at removal camps near one of three emigrating depots. Two of these camps were located in the vicinity of Cherokee communities in Tennessee: Ross’s Landing, now known as Chattanooga, and Fort Cass in present day Charleston. During removal, Fort Cass served as the center for the largest emigrating depot. Removal camps in this area were spread out over a 12- by 4-mile area, extending from Charleston southward. Approximately 7,000 Cherokees were held at these camps prior to their departure to Indian Territory, but poor conditions at the camps led to rapid outbreaks of disease, and many perished before the journey began.” - Middle Tennessee State University, Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Brochure  

Explore these links to learn more about Chattanooga's Native American history. 

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Sites Highlighting Indigenous History and Culture

  • Moccasin Bend Archeological District

    • The area that today comprises the Moccasin Bend Archeological District has been continuously inhabited for the past 12,000 years. The district is within the larger Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield Park and was established in 2003 after years of citizen advocacy. It is the only Archeological District within the National Park System. In addition to being home to several important archeological sites, Cherokee prisoners were led from internment camps and marched through the area during the beginning leg of the Trail of Tears.​

  • Trail of Tears: Tennessee | Interactive Map

    • "Remember and commemorate the survival of the Cherokee people, forcefully removed from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee to live in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. They traveled by foot, horse, wagon, or steamboat in 1838-1839."​​

Image by David Sager

  • The Passage​

    • The Passage is the nation’s largest public art project celebrating Cherokee heritage and culture. Practically, the space is a pedestrian walkway that connects downtown Chattanooga to the Riverwalk. Symbolically, the site is located at the trailhead of the Trail of Tears. The 21st Century Waterfront redevelopment project commissioned Team Gadugi to create the work as a means of simultaneously acknowledging the traumatic history of the space and the vibrant culture and mythology of the Cherokee. Installed in 2005, The Passage features a series of seven ceremonial disks that portray different aspects of Cherokee culture.​

    • To learn more about the meaning of the symbols, see this document compiled by Adera Causey of the Hunter Museum. 

  • Brainerd Mission Cemetery​

    • Another site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, the Brainerd Mission Cemetery is all that remains of the 25-acre mission site established in 1817. With the assistance of the Federal Government, the American Board of Foreign Missions set out to found a school in the midst of the Cherokee Nation for the purposes of educating, converting, and assimilating them. In the 1930s the cemetery was deeded to the local SAR and DAR chapters who remain responsible for the site’s maintenance today.​

  • Audubon Acres​ - Elise Chapin Nature Sanctuary

    • Explore the natural beauty of the region as you walk the trails of the Audubon Acres sanctuary. You will see labels that include the Latin scientific names of various trees alongside their Cherokee names, written using the syllabary famously created by Sequoyah, and their common usage. The site is also home to the remnants of several village sites. Little Owl Village was named for a Chickamauga Cherokee elder who had lived in the area but is now believed to be a far older settlement site occupied by the Napochie in the 1500s. ​​

Further Afield

Image by Tory Doughty
Black History

  • Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga in the 1890's. At an early age Bessie began performing on the streets of Chattanooga. In pursuit of a better life, Bessie left Chattanooga in 1912 to join a traveling minstrel and vaudeville show as a dancer and singer with Pa and Ma Rainey. As a teenager, Ma Rainey became Bessie’s mentor and she stayed with the show until 1915. She gradually developed her own following in the south and along the eastern seaboard. Ma Rainey greatly influenced Bessie’s showmanship, however Bessie’s elegant contralto and her hypnotizing delivery was very different from that of Rainey.​​​

  • The story of Ed Johnson and his attorneys changed the course of justice in America forever with a series of historic precedents and legal firsts. Ed Johnson was the first African American awarded a stay of execution by the US Supreme Court. Noah Parden, a local Chattanooga attorney, was one of the first African American lawyers to appear before the US Supreme Court. For the first time, the US Supreme Court got involved in a state criminal case and halted an execution. After local Chattanoogans ignored the stay of execution and lynched Ed Johnson, the Supreme Court, the country and President Teddy Roosevelt reacted swiftly and with outrage. They investigated the lynching, and the Supreme Court held their first and only criminal trial to find a handful of the perpetrators guilty.​​

Explore these links to learn more about Chattanooga's Black history.

Sites Highlighting Black
History and Culture

  • Bessie Smith Cultural Center

    • ​The mission of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center is to preserve and celebrate African American History and Culture in Chattanooga through art, education, research and entertainment.

  • Ed Johnson Memorial - The Ed Johnson Project​

    • This reflective memorial recognizes Ed Johnson, his brutal death and sacrifice, honors the heroic and historic efforts of Noah Parden, Styles Hutchins and the African-American community that supported them, and commemorates the landmark Supreme Court case that changed the course of American history and civil rights. The memorial is a welcoming, contemplative space at the south side to the Walnut Street Bridge where people of all backgrounds and cultures can come to learn, reflect, mourn and find inspiration.

    • The Hunter has created a Family and Educators guide for discussing the Ed Johnson Memorial that can be accessed here.

Image by Chad Madden
Self-Guided Tours

  • Discover Chattanooga’s Art Bike Ride, Courtesy of Hunter Museum​

    • Discover an eclectic collection of local sculptures, murals and statues on two wheels with Bike Chattanooga! The Hunter Museum, collectors, preservers and presenters of American art, teamed up with Bike Chattanooga in creating a self-guided bike tour of our city’s public art. Grab a pass, unlock a bike and explore Chattanooga’s expansive art scene.​

  • Walk With Ed Johnson​

    • Ed Johnson Did Not Walk Alone: Revisiting His Chattanooga during the early 1900s.
Local Artists & Art Orgs

  • Keeody Gallery - Artist collaboration from Chattanooga couple, Keelah Jackson-Harris and Jody Harris.

  • The Artist SEVEN - Renowned muralist SEVEN is a Chattanooga native whose art can be seen on streets across the southeast. In this artist profile, he describes his artistic philosophy as one that seeks to “elevate, expand and educate on the art form and culture of street art muralism. He seeks to help communities develop a cultural awareness and an appreciation for street art as a relevant and empowering art form in today’s society.”

  • ELLA - East Lake Language and Art is a Chattanooga arts organization using “the power of language and art to help people connect.”

Image by Sarah Swainson
Image by Nathan Gonthier
Community Organizations

  • Glass Street Collective - A neighborhood organization using community partnerships and creative placemaking to promote positive change along Glass Street and the wider East Chattanooga community. 

  • Westside Community Evolves - Change is inevitable, but Westside Community Evolves seeks to ensure that the history, voices, and cultural impact of this downtown Chattanooga neighborhood are not lost during the process of evolution. Their team of stakeholders, community advisors, community connectors, planning professionals, and project stewards are striving for purposeful and positive development of their beloved neighborhood. 

  • Girl Stance - Founded in 2017, Girl Stance empowers Chattanooga’s Black youth through yoga. Yoga is the foundational aspect, but Girl Stance programs foster critical skills like leadership, self-care, financial literacy, healthy habits, a love of the outdoors, self-confidence, and much more.

  • Sanctuary Performing Arts & Cafe - Founder and Creative Director Kye Sayers established Sanctuary to fill the need for a safe and supportive space for LGBTQI+ artists that would help promote acceptance within the wider Southern community and bring greater visibility to trans artists in the South.

  • La Paz Chattanooga - “For the past 15 years La Paz has been serving the Latinx community in Chattanooga and the surrounding region for more than fifteen years. We build community, develop leaders, and contribute to the strengthening and development of our city by investing in its Latinx population.” 

  • The Beth - Born from two women’s Methodist Ministries, the Bethlehem Center has served Chattanooga for over 100 years. Their mission is to empower “inner-city youth and families by providing discipleship, education, and leadership development.” 

Business & Civic Orgs

  • Launch Chattanooga - Chattanooga-based organization fostering entrepreneurship throughout the community.

  • Latina Professionals - Chattanooga chapter of the national organization that aims to “help Latina women reach their full potential, empowering them with the knowledge and resources that open doors of opportunity and equality for all.”

  • Urban League - The Chattanooga Urban League’s mission is to ‘enable African-Americans and other disadvantaged persons to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.” In particular, their Inclusion By Design Executive Leadership program is a great example of activating interest in DEAI to create a pipeline of leaders ready to help close the diversity gap at the executive level. 

Image by Matt Reiter
Additional Web Resources

  • Chattanooga Queer Community Forum (Facebook) - A loose community collective, the Chatanooga Queer Community Forum's mission is to empower the Chattanooga LGBTQ+ community through conversation and consensus-driven activism. 

  • The Mayor’s Council on Disabilities (Facebook) - The Mayor’s Council on Disability is part of an initiative created to help make Chattanooga more accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability. Visit them on Facebook for local news and a wide array of resources related to disability, access, and inclusion. 

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