As the 100th anniversary of the Scopes trial is commemorated, battles over public education continue in Tennessee and surrounding states amid a new wave of government scrutiny.
It’s been two years since state legislators passed a law that would slash the size of Nashville’s 40-member Metro Council. In response, Metro sued. After the city saw some victories in the lower courts, the latest ruling sided with the state — and a smaller council.
The 1925 Scopes monkey trial famously put the spotlight on evolution and appeared to mark a defeat for biblical fundamentalism. But a century later, many Americans still embrace creationism, and that’s evident at a giant replica of the biblical Noah’s Ark in Kentucky.
At the century mark, a big part of what’s kept the Grand Ole Opry going are the many generations and styles of performers who have been part of the show.
The low-lying area of downtown Nashville that’s south of Broadway and along the Cumberland River was once known as “Black Bottom” and will get a historical marker.