1 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme History Topics

Topic and Year(s) Barrier Barrier Broken Barrier Barrier Broken Knoxville Sit-Ins (1960) Before 1960, Knoxville’s Inspired by the The city and its merchants Students stayed in downtown department Greensboro Sit-Ins, agreed to do so, however, Knoxville and conducted stores and other amenities students from Knoxville they waited for students sit-ins which ultimately were legally segregated. College, an historically to go home for summer forced an end to black college established break as a stalling tactic to segregation in the shops after the Civil War, avoid desegregation. and restaurants. expressed their intentions to sit-in at downtown lunch counters if city merchants did not desegregate. Memphis Sit-Ins (1960) Before 1960, Memphis’ Inspired by the Nashville The Memphis police The secretary of the local downtown department and Greensboro Sit-Ins, arrested more than 300 NAACP chapter, Maxine stores and other amenities black students from demonstrators on Smith, joined the struggle were legally segregated. LeMoyne College and loitering charges. and as a result of her and Owen Junior College the NAACP’s efforts, the organized sit ins at the city desegregated public main library and buses and parks. downtown department stores to desegregate the city. 2 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Tennessee’s Interstate With the rise of the In 1955, President System (Dwight D. automobile as the Eisenhower authorized the Eisenhower System of preeminent means of construction of a national Interstate and Defense transportation, a network interstate network for easy Highways) (1955–85) of roads became a pressing transportation for military need. needs and social interconnectivity.

Memphis Sanitation Strike Prior to 1968, Memphis’s After two Black workers After the assassination of (1968) sanitation department were crushed in a garbage Martin Luther King, Jr., supervisors treated black compactor, African national labor leaders, employees poorly. They American workers in Pres. Lyndon Johnson, and faced poor working Memphis sanitation TN Governor Buford conditions and low pay, industry went on strike. Ellington pressured the and the city refused to city of Memphis to allow them to join unions recognize the local union that might otherwise help and allow deduction of them to improve their union dues from workers’ working conditions and paychecks. pay.

3 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Chattanooga Sit-Ins (1960) Before 1960, downtown Inspired by the Nashville lunch counters were legally Sit-Ins, students from segregated in the city of Howard High School Chattanooga. organized sit-ins at lunch counters to force an end to segregation, resulting in a successful negotiation between local NAACP leader James Mapp and the city. Kelley v. Board of In the 1950s, Nashville’s In 1955, prominent black White resisters protested As a result of white Education: The public school system was Nashville and NAACP the integration of opposition, Kelley v. Board Desegregation of segregated by race. Black attorneys Z. Alexander Nashville public schools, of Education became Nashville Schools (1955) school students were given Looby and Avon Williams which included bombing a Tennessee’s longest used text books and filed a federal case against school and enrolling their running school supplies discarded by white Nashville public schools to children in private desegregation case, which schools, and they were bring the city into institutions. was not settled until the forbidden to attend the compliance with the 21st century. better-funded white Brown v. Board of schools. Education decision. In 1957, Judge William E. Miller ordered the Nashville School Board to desegregate its public schools.

4 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Ratification of the 19th Prior to the passage of the Majority-white Tennessee As a result of suffrage The Tennessee General Amendment in Tennessee 19th Amendment, women women organized efforts, the Tennessee Assembly ratified the (1920) were not allowed to vote in themselves to campaign General Assembly passed Nineteenth Amendment in Tennessee. for female suffrage. a bill in April 1918 which August 1920. granted partial suffrage to women. Despite fierce opposition, women’s suffrage organizations continued the battle. The Coal Creek War Before the Coal Creek War, Coal Creek miners Hundreds of coal miners The publicity of the event (1891–92) Tennessee state revolted against coal mine were arrested for their forced the Tennessee government allowed the owners and the state involvement. General Assembly to later use of convict labor by government militia. refuse to renew convict private companies to labor contracts with undermine wage labor. private businesses in 1896.

5 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Oak Ridge school Like other Tennessee public After the brown decision, Even so, elementary desegregation (1955) schools in Tennessee the Atomic Energy schools in Oak Ridge Robertsville Junior High Commission issued an remained segregated School and Oak Ridge High order to desegregate the another 12 years. School remained school. In 1955 the two segregated after World War schools admitted a large II, despite the 1954 Brown number of African v. Board of Education Americans, making the decision. Since Oak Ridge schools the first public was technically a schools in the south to “government town” due to desegregate, just before its connection to the the nearby Clinton High nearby nuclear facility, the School. school was subject to Federal rules, even though it tried to adhere to local custom. The Harriman Hosiery Mill Workers at the Harriman Textile workers at Federal officials Strike (1933–34) Hosiery Mill experienced Harriman Hosiery Mill in intervened and poor working conditions Harriman initiated a strike negotiated a compromise which they had limited over the poor working that failed to benefit the options legally redress. conditions. workers. 6 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

The Elizabethton Rayon Workers at the Elizabethton rayon plant Mothwurf and Plant Strike (1929) Elizabethton Rayon Plant workers struck over the management refused to experienced very low conditions. President of implement the demands. wages, unfair promotion rayon plant, Arthur In response, workers practices, and petty Mothwurf, and labor initiated a series of regulation that applied only representatives negotiated subsequent strikes. to women with few options a compromise to increase to legally redress such wages, protect strikers discrimination. against discrimination, lift injunctions, and recognize an in-plant grievance committee. Tent City (1959) African American US Department of Justice sharecroppers in Fayette filed several suits against and Henderson counties landowners, merchants, built a makeshift and one financial community known as Tent institution for violating City after their white African American voting employers fired and and civil rights. evicted them for attempting to register to vote.

7 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Nashville Sit-Ins (1960) In 1959, downtown Nashville college students Although a compromise After the bombing, a Nashville lunch counters launched a series of sit-ins solution was attempted, it silent march was and other amenities were at local lunch counters to failed. White protestors organized by the segregated by custom. challenge Jim Crow harassed and attacked protestors ending in a segregation. protestors, and in April moral dialog with Mayor 1960, Black attorney Z. Ben West. Not long Alexander Looby’s house afterwards, city officials was bombed by and local businesses segregationists. negotiated an agreement to desegregate lunch counters. DeFord Bailey (1899– DeFord Bailey was stricken He overcame his disability The WSM Barn Dance- Bailey became a beloved 1982) with polio as a child. which made it difficult for Grand Ole Opry was a star after he became the him to do manual labor by show containing first African American playing the harmonica, an previously only hosting performer on the show. instrument at which he white country music excelled. performers.

Tennessee Implements Tennessee ratified the Democrats and white The Democrat-controlled Segregation 13th and 14th vigilantes challenged the Tennessee General Amendments in order to be new social, political, and Assembly passed a series readmitted into the Union economic rights of black of legislation to in 1866. Tennesseans. disfranchise African Americans and people.

8 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Clinton Desegregation In the early 1950s, public After successfully pressing Clinton made several In August, twelve African Crisis (1947–58) schools in Tennessee were Clinton to improve African attempts to curb full American students segregated by race. Clinton American school facilities, integration of public desegregated Clinton High did not have a high school local African Americans, schools, but in 1956, School. Despite state for black people, so African with the support of the Federal Judge Robert L. intervention, members of American high school NAACP, filed a lawsuit to Taylor ordered the school the local White Citizens students were bussed to desegregate the public board to end segregation Council and other outside Knoxville in order to adhere school system. by the fall term of 1956. agitators launched a to the terms of the Plessy v verbally and physically Ferguson decision (1896). violent campaign against school integration. Not until 1965 would the city’s primary schools be desegregated. Adolpho A. Birch, Jr. Nashville was a segregated He successfully defended (1932–2011) city when Burch moved Sit-In protestors and there to practice law. eventually became the first African American to serve as Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court.

9 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Archie W. Willis, Jr. (1925– Willis’s city, Memphis, was Willis started the first 1988) a segregated city. integrated law firm in Memphis. He became the predominant NAACP lawyer in Memphis during the early . He was the first Black to be elected to the Tennessee General Assembly since Reconstruction. WDIA (1947) Prior to WDIA radio station, WDIA, which had white there were no all-black owners, devised the first format radio stations in the all-black format show in . the US. The success of the show encouraged them to change the station’s format completely, making WIDA the first all-black format station in the US. Battle of Athens (1946) Before the end of World World War II veterans led War II, the local a rebellion against the government of McMinn local government push for County was known for reform. The veteran-led GI political corruption and Non-Partisan League voter suppression. overthrew the government and began legislating reforms to combat political corruption in the county. 10 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Bobby Cain (1940– Before Brown v Board of Cain was one of the first of Agitators came to Clinton Some white students and present) Education (1954) schools in 12 students (known as the to stir up resistance to other locals resolved to Tennessee were “Clinton 12”) to enroll in desegregation of the protect the students. segregated. Clinton High Clinton High School when school, and the activity Order was restored when School was one such the school system decided was covered by the Frank Clement sent in the school. Black people were to comply with Brown. He national press. National Guard to Clinton. bussed to Knoxville instead became the first African Bobby Cain became the because they didn’t have a American to graduate first African American black high school and this from a public high school student to graduate from was the typical plan used to in Tennessee. a public formally circumvent the Plessy v segregated white high Fergusson decision. school in Tennessee in 1956. Scopes Trial (1925) Substitute school teacher The court found Scopes John Scopes was charged guilty and fined him $100, with violating Tennessee’s but the verdict was later Butler Act, which overturned on a prohibited the teaching of technicality. The case was human evolution in public considered a win for schools. The trial publicized Fundamentalists. the Fundamentalist- Modernist debate. 11 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Lucie Eddie Campbell- During the Jim Crow Era, Campbell become an Williams (1885–1963) black Tennesseans faced educator in Memphis. She persistent discrimination by also began writing the first white people. This made of many African American living difficult for many gospel songs, being the black families. Even gospel first woman to do so. music was segregated, These songs were meant although the influences to raise the spirits of less intertwined. fortunate individuals and families. Her songs reached white people as well, changing the sound of music for future generations. Robert R. Church, Jr. Between 1880 and 1920, Robert R. Church, Jr., son The Great Depression Because of the continued (1885–1952) Jim Crow was the rule in of one of the nation’s first seriously curtailed the interest of African Tennessee. However, black millionaires, founded effectiveness of the Americans in the political because E. H. Crump’s the Republican Lincoln Lincoln League as Black system and the unusual political machine desired to League to increase black voters began switching to number of black voters in retain power, many African voter participation and the Democratic party. Memphis, African Americans were given interest in law. The League Church was run out of American voter voting leeway as long as was a formidable political town by the Crump participation played a key they voted for Crump. force during its time. Machine. role in breaking the effects of Jim Crow during the Civil Rights Era 12 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Fisk University (founded Prior to the Civil War, the In 1865, leaders of the 1865) majority of enslaved American Missionary African Americans were Association founded Fisk legally refused access to Free Colored School for formal education. the education of freed people in Nashville and surrounding counties.

Ernest Withers (1922– In the 1950s, the Withers snapped 2007) mainstream press was not thousands of photographs interested in photographs of black life in Memphis at taken by African a time when such Americans. documentation was rare. During the Southern Civil Rights Movement, Ernest Withers was able to take countless photographs of the movement when other white photographers did not. His photographs became extremely important in documenting the movement, breaking barriers for African American photographers in the national press. 13 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Anne Dallas Dudley Prior to 1920, women in In the early 1910s, Dudley (1876–1955) Tennessee were unable to joined women’s suffrage vote in local and national organizations in elections. Tennessee and helped successfully petition the Tennessee State Legislature to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment

Alex Haley and Roots Prior to the Civil Rights Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize Movement, most white winning work Roots was Americans showed little instrumental in interest in African broadening the awareness American history. of Americans about African American struggles from the earliest days of slavery to the present. It also helped increase interest in genealogy among African Americans. 14 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Fisk Jubilee Singers (1871– In the early days of the The Fisk Jubliee Singers present) Nashville HBCU, Fisk were formed to raise University, the institution money. The group toured struggled financially. Being to raise money and were instrumental in the instrumental in bringing education of former black spiritual music to the enslaved African world. The money raise Americans, it was deemed was enough to construct crucial for it to survive. the University’s notable building, Jubilee Hall.

Diane Nash (1938– Throughout the early-20th Fisk student Diane Nash, present) century, Nashville was a along with several other segregated Southern city. black college students from surrounding schools, organizing the Nashville Sit-In movement which successfully desegregated downtown lunch counters. 15 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

John and Viola McFerrin African Americans were Inspired by political Black people were illegally Although residents had to (1960–62) kept from registering to campaigns involving black kept from registering, and live in the Tent Cities until vote in Fayettte and candidates in Memphis in many were fired as 1962, they were rewarded Haywood counties by white 1959, John and Viola sharecroppers, leaving when the Federal administrators. This meant McFerrin began an them nowhere to go. The government intervened that black people were not organization to encourage McFerrins helped organize on their behalf. These adequately represented, local Black residents to Tent Cities, where the voter registration drives keeping them from register to vote in Fayette expelled residents could laid the groundwork for enjoying full citizenship. and Haywood counties. live. This attracted press the better-known attention. Mississippi voter registration drives that came later. Wilma Rudolph, Ed Wilma Rudolph’s early Rudolph, noticed by Temple, and the years were plagued by Tennessee A & I coach Ed Tigerbelles (1956–58) challenges and illnesses Temple, became a including polio which cause Tigerbell winning three her to have to wear leg gold medals at the 1956 braces. Olympics. As result, she was recognized as the United States’ first female star athlete. Afterward, she continued to make important social contributions. 16 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Memphis State Eight Prior to the 1959 academic Hoping to see the school They faced harassment Nevertheless, they all (1959) year, Memphis State desegregated, Memphis and special rules made obtained college degrees University did not accept NAACP leader Jesse Turner just for them by the from the University. African American students. recruited 8 African school. American students with high academic records to enroll in the school that year. The school permitted them to enroll making them the first African Americans to do so. Theotis Robinson, Jr. Prior to 1960, segregation Robinson participated in Before 1961, the Emboldened by the (1960) was the norm throughout the Knoxville Sit-Ins, which success of the Knoxville Knoxville. saw some success, but did not accept African Sit-Ins, Robinson applied many entities in Knoxville American students as to become the first black remained segregated, undergraduates, even undergraduate student at including the University of though NAACP lawyers the university. Despite Tennessee. had fought successfully to initially being rejected, he force the school to accept was permitted to attend black people as graduate by the Tennessee Board of students earlier in the Regents. decade. 17 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Bessie Smith (1894–1937) Chattanooga’s Bessie She auditioned for and Smith, one of six children, was hired by the Moses was orphaned by the age of Stokes Company where nine. She had to survive she was influenced by playing music with her “Mother of the Blues” Ma brother on the streets. Rainey. She began her own act and became extremely popular throughout the south. She was signed by Columbia Records, a move which helped her reach worldwide fame. Avon Rollins (1941–2016) Like most Southern cities, Knoxville-born Avon Knoxville, TN, was legally Rollins joined the Student segregated. Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1963 to challenge the city’s segregation laws. From there, he travelled throughout the South organizing against local and national segregation laws. 18 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Ida B Wells-Barnett In 1883, a white train In 1884, she sued the Unfortunately, the (1862–1931) conductor forcibly removed Chesapeake, Ohio, and Tennessee Supreme Court Ida B. Wells from a ladies’ Southwestern Railroad overturned the verdict in train car for refusing to Company for damages, 1885 in accordance with move to the segregated and the judge decided in legal segregation by “colored” car. her favor. private companies.

Tennessee Valley Prior to the 1930s, rural In 1933, Congress created Authority (1933) communities throughout the TVA to provide the had electricity to the region in little to no access to order to modernize the electricity and other region’s economy and modern energy sources. society. 19 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Maxine Atkins Smith Prior to the 1960s, the In 1969, Smith co- (1929—13) Memphis City School organized Black Mondays, System, like other Southern a series of school boycotts school systems, were which successfully forced resistant to segregation Memphis City Schools to even after the passage of fully integrate the city the 1964 Civil Rights Act. public school system

Kitty Wells (1919–12) Country music in the early In 1952, Wells’ single “It and mid-20th century was a Wasn’t God Who Made male-dominated industry. Honky-Tonk Angels” became the number one country hit recorded by a female vocalist. 20 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Clarence Saunders and Prior to 1900s, customers In 1916, Saunders opened Piggly Wiggly (1916) at grocery stores waited on the first Piggly Wiggly store clerks to select their Store in Memphis, one of items for purchase. the first self-service stores, which revolutionized how shoppers selected their produce.

Frederick W. Smith and Prior to the 1970s, In 1973, Smith began FedEx (1973) overnight delivery systems Federal Express (FedEx) were largely unreliable. which revolutionized overnight delivery both nationally and internationally. 21 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

General Education Bill of Before the turn of the In 1909, the Tennessee 1909 century, there existed few General Assembly standardized programs for established three normal, training public school or teacher-training teachers in Tennessee institutions, one for each of the grand divisions.

Jere Baxter and Tennessee In the late-19th century, the In 1893, Baxter formed the Unfortunately for Baxter, Central Railroad (1893– Louisville and Nashville Tennessee Central the L&R-supported Senate 1968) (L&R) Railroad Company Railroad Company (TC) to defeated his bill. had a monopoly over rail break the L&R monopoly connections to Nashville and later, petitioned the and therefore, Nashville state Senate to force L&N commerce. to open Union Station to TC traffic. 22 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Perry Wallace and Prior to the 1960s, African In 1966, the Vanderbilt Godfrey Dillard (1966) American college athletes University basketball team were not allowed to play in recruited Wallace and the segregated Dillard, making them the Southeastern Conference first black athletes to play (SEC). in the newly-desegregated SEC.

Cornelia Fort (1919–43) Prior to World War II, air- Fort was the second piloting was a largely male- woman in Tennessee to dominated profession. get her commercial flying license and the first woman in the state to get her instructor’s license. She would later use her skills as a member of the World War II-era Women’s Auxiliary Service Pilots. Fort. Fort became one of the first witnesses to the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States into World War II. 23 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Frances W. Preston Prior to the 1960s, country In 1965, Preston became (1928—2012) music in Tennessee was a Tennessee’s first female male-dominated industry. cooperate executive for Broadcast Music, Inc., a music performing rights organization, and paved the way for women in Nashville’s music industry.

Oak Ridge “Secret City” The technological advances US officials procured land (1942—present) of the Axis Powers during in out of World War II made US which they built Oak officials realize the lack of Ridge, a city which housed comparable technological secret government sophistication in their facilities for manufacturing warfare armaments. atomic weaponry and advancing technological research. 24 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Robert E. Clay (1875— In the late-19th and early Beginning in 1917, Clay 1961) 20th centuries, few African worked with several American children in the organizations, including rural South had access to the Julius Rosenwald segregated public-school Fund, to build schools and facilities. educational programs for African American children in the South.

Sequoyah (c. 1770–1843) Prior to the 1820s, there In 1821, Sequoyah created existed no written Native a syllabary for the American language language which translatable to English. made possible the writing and reading of Cherokee, the first written language of native North America. 25 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Sergeant Alvin Cullum During World War 1, During a mission to take Upon his return to civilian York (1887–1964) German forces occupied control of the Deauville life, York attempted to several sections of , railroad in October 1918, expand education including Meuse-Argonne York and sixteen other US opportunities for youth in to which York and several soldiers mistakenly wound the Upper Cumberland. other US soldiers were up behind enemy lines and dispatched. successfully defeated the German unit.

Elihu Embree, the In pre-Civil War Tennessee In 1819 and 1820, Manumission Society of and other Southern states, respectively, the Quaker Tennessee, the the legal institution of and member of the Manumission slavery physically and Manumission Society of Intelligencer, and the spiritually oppressed Tennessee, Elihu Embree Emancipator (1819–20) several thousand Africans published The and African Americans. Manumission intelligencer and The Emancipator, the first newspapers in the United States devoted to abolishing slavery gradually and recolonizing the formerly enslaved. 26 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Captain Thomas Green For most of the 19th Beginning in 1864, Ryman Ryman (1841–1904) century, transportation on created a riverboat the Cumberland River in business which rapidly Nashville was expanded transportation underdeveloped. capabilities on the Cumberland River.

Acuff-Rose (1942–1985) Prior to the 1940s, country Roy Acuff and Fred Rose music was a largely folk- formed Acuff-Rose music based genre with little publish company in 1942 popular acclaim nationally which transformed or internationally. country music from a folk- based music to a popular commercial music. 27 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Estes Kefauver (1903–63) Since the late-19th century, During his tenure as US South Democrats were House Representative to largely segregationists and Tennessee (1939-1949) opposed black civil rights. and US Senator (1950- 1963), Kefauver broke with Southern Democrats to support civil liberties, school desegregation, equal employment, and anti-crime syndicates.

P.V.H. Weems (1889– In the early 1900s, air During the late 1920s and 1979) navigation research was in early 1930s, Weems its infancy. perfected an air navigation system which received wide acclaim. 28 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Lawrence Tyson and the During , the In 1917, Tyson became the 30th Infantry Division US in Hindenburg Line was a first and only Tennessee WWI (1918) German defensive position WWI general of the 59th in France. Brigade of the 30th National Guard Division. In September 1918, Tyson and the Brigade were supposedly the first unit to cross and break the Hindenburg Line at its strongest point. Josephine Amanda Groves Girl Scout Troops in the After unsuccessfully Holloway (1898–1988) early-20th century remained petitioning the Nashville segregated based on race Girl Scout Council to with few accredited black create a troop for black girl scout troops. girls, Holloway stated her own unofficial troop which gained official recognition in 1942. 29 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Almira S. Steele and the Prior to the 1880s, no In 1884, teacher and Steele Home for Needy orphanage existed for missionary Almira Steele Children (1884–1925) African American children founded the Steel home in the South due in large for Needy Children, the part to institutional racism. South’s first African American orphanage.

Pat Summitt (1952–16) In her first year as head Despite their strains, coach of the women’s Summitt coached her basketball team at the players to several University of Tennessee in victories, including the 1974, she and her players first women’s basketball suffered financial strains SEC tournament. because women’s basketball was not yet NCAA-sanctioned. 30 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

The Streetcar Era (late Prior to the 1870s, Beginning in the late 1870s) Tennesseans relied on 1870s, city-controlled walking and animal-drawn private companies began buggies for transportation manufacturing interurban within cities. railways in major Tennessee cities, which increased the availability of transportation within city limits, and eventually, to suburban areas for middle- and working-class families. Dolly Parton (1946– Prior to the 1960s, country In 1966, Dolly Parton’s hit present) music was a male- single “Dumb Blond” dominated industry where became a top-ten hit and Parton often found herself earned her local and marginalized and eventually, national and uncredited. international acclaim. 31 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

US Army Corps of Environmental barriers In each era of war, the US Engineers in Tennessee often prevented US military Army Corps provided forces from performing topographic military maneuvers and reconnaissance and surveillance during war and mapping, fortification peacetime. design and construction, and related services across Tennessee.

Admiral David Glasgow Prior to the Civil War, there Farragut became the first Farragut (1801–70) existed no permanent US admiral of the US Navy in military. recognition of his leadership in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was the highest ranking Tennessean during the Civil War. 32 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Tennessee Ferries (late The lack of roads prior to Companies began 1770s–1880) the late-19th century constructing ferry boats prevented easy travel for commercial across and between enterprises and common communities in Tennessee. Tennesseans to travel more easily across the state.

W. C. Handy (1873–1958) Outside of black W. C. Hardy of Memphis, communities, blues as a Tennessee was the first music genre had little African American to national acclaim in the publish music in the blues early-20th century. form, propelling it to national and international popularity 33 Breaking Barriers in History 2020 National History Day Theme Tennessee History Topics

Jewish Immigration into The rise of Nazism and Nashville businessman Tennessee (1830s, 1880s, Fascism in Europe led to Mortimer May used May 1930s) the persecution of Jews Hosiery Mill to extract and other marginalized Jews from Eastern Europe religo-ethnic minorities on in the 1930s. He rescued the continent. between 230 to 280 people.

James Morris Lawson Jr. Before 1960, Nashville In 1960, Vanderbilt For his efforts, the (1928—present) department stores and University Divinity School Vanderbilt University eateries were racially student James Lawson Board of Trustees segregated. trained and expelled Lawson from the Tennessee State University Divinity School. students in the principles of nonviolent direct action to successfully challenge Nashville’s desegregation laws.