The Hermitage is updating the "In Their Footsteps" tour, which details the lives of people enslaved by President Andrew Jackson. It begins at Alfred Bradley Jackson's cabin.
How do we honor people who were enslaved when the enslavers are at the center of so much of our history?
For generations, Nashville’s portrayals of its Black history has lacked accuracy, as institutions have shied away from the legacy of American slavery.
Today, we look at three well-known historical sites in Middle Tennessee: The Hermitage, Fort Negley and Travellers Rest. All have made recent efforts to adjust how they portray their history — but not everyone is satisfied with the approach.
This episode was produced by Cynthia Abrams.
Guests:
- Jamel Campbell-Gooch, community organizer and descendant of Esquire Hayes, who was enslaved at The Hermitage
- Dr. Aisha Francis, president of Franklin Cummings Tech and descendant of Hiram and Eveline Overton, who were enslaved at Travellers Rest
- Dr. Angela Sutton, Vanderbilt historian who studies Fort Negley
- Eola Lewis Dance, ethnohistorian and former CEO of James Madison’s Montpelier
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