A shattered Civil Rights Era plaque picks up ‘a new life’ in Fisk collection

A historic marker that was smashed during protests in 2020 has now become part of Fisk University’s permanent collection, which includes artifacts from the founding of the historically Black school in 1866.

The granite plaque, erected in 1995, commemorated a peaceful Civil Rights protest in 1960. But shards of the sign were used to smash windows of the Nashville Courthouse 60 years later.

The peaceful protests two years ago against the murder of George Floyd and police brutality turned destructive in Nashville. In the mayhem, the courthouse became a target. People smashed several windows and even started a fire.

Along the way, this plaque came down, and bits of it were thrown through the front windows, ending up on the floor of deputy mayor Brenda Haywood’s office. She and Mayor John Cooper ventured back into the damaged courthouse early the next morning.

Gary Layda Metro Nashville

The sign was installed in 1995 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the bombing and march to the courthouse.

“It was very obvious because we could read some of the wording,” she says. “I had seen that plaque so many times. It was so meaningful. It was so symbolic to me.”

Haywood recalls being a little girl and wanting to be part of the impromptu march commemorated by the plaque. On April 19, 1960, civil rights attorney Z. Alexander Looby’s house was bombed. A subsequent march to the courthouse led by Fisk student Diane Nash ultimately resulted in the desegregation of Nashville’s lunch counters.

More: Nashville Civil Rights Pioneer Diane Nash — The Path To Change Is Still Nonviolent Protests

The historical marker, which could have easily been overlooked before, has “picked up new life” and become a living artifact, says Fisk president Vann Newkirk.

“It means so much more because it’s a living piece. So it’s kind of ironic to have this broken and have the pieces right here at this university,” he told WPLN News at Tuesday’s unveiling. “Prior to this, it was just something on a building. Now it’s a piece that has a history.”