White supremacy and the state of hate in Tennessee

Tennessee has a long history with hate groups and white nationalism. The state is the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan, but more recently, a “White Lives Matter” protest at a Juneteenth celebration on June 18 in Franklin, Tennessee, provided a visible local example of anxieties around white identity. Another white supremacist group, American Renaissance, routinely hosts its annual conference at Montgomery Bell State Park. 

In this episode, we’re talking with local historians about how white supremacy has transformed over the years, how it has influenced Tennessee, and how these ideologies remain even as the state grows and diversifies.

But first, WPLN reporter Cindy Abrams talks about the latest Curious Nashville investigation into the frustration caused by freight trains in some Nashville neighborhoods.

Guests: 

• Cindy Abrams, WPLN reporter
• Betsy Phillips, historian, author and columnist for the Nashville Scene
• Daniel Sharfstein, professor of legal history at Vanderbilt University and author