Nashville has a rich indigenous history that dates back to the last ice age, as well as a small but vibrant Native American community that is working to gain recognition and resources in Middle Tennessee.
The first people to inhabit the area that is now modern Nashville were Native Americans who arrived here about 14,000 years ago. During the Mississippian period they built farms, villages and even cities – all decades before contact with European settlers.
In this episode, we address a listener email This Is Nashville received after the first episode about the number of folks who lived in prehistoric Nashville. We speak to a historian and an archeological advisor to learn more about the original inhabitants of Nashville, and what they left behind. Then we’re joined by two more members of Nashville’s indigenous community to discuss their experiences and efforts to preserve and raise awareness of their history and culture, from beadwork to land acknowledgments.
Guests:
- Albert Bender, Cherokee activist with the American Indian Coalition
- Charles Robinson, member of TN Archeological Advisory Council and enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation
- Sally Wells, president of the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee and enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw
- Dante Reyna, Ph.D. student and member of the Vanderbilt Indigenous Scholars Organization
Resources and additional reading:
WPLN: The dream to build Tennessee’s first Native American cultural center keeps getting further away
Nashville Scene: Neighbors Raise Concerns About Stadium, East Bank Plans
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