JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Beene Pearson Public Library in South Pittsburg recently displayed a collection of historic photographs and additional activities about the Civil Rights Movement for Black History Month.
The photographs and activities provided were part of the Tennessee State Museum’s “Modern Movement for Civil Rights in Tennessee” traveling trunk, a mobile exhibit dedicated to the history of the Civil Rights Movement within the Volunteer State. Tammie Parker, Assistant Library Director for Beene Pearson Library, said the photographs on display showcase a variety of pivotal moments during the Civil Rights Movement in the state, ranging from The Clinton 12 to the Nashville and Chattanooga sit-ins.
“The trunk also comes with lessons, lesson plans, and the state standards and curriculums for the homeschool children,” Parker said.
Parker detailed how the library has utilized the museum’s travelling trunk program for two years, the museum offering a wide selection of mobile exhibits covering different topics regarding the state’s vast history. She shared having the exhibits allows students and visitors to dive deeper into the state’s history, providing a hands-on and immersive experience for all who tour the exhibits’ artifacts.
“Besides learning the history, its interactive, hands on, and they actually get to touch, see, and feel things from the past,” Parker said. “It’s a great learning resource and a great way to reconnect with our history through hands on learning.”
Currently, Parker and others at the library are in the works of hosting two new travelling exhibits this year. The first exhibit titled “Tennessee Civics and You” is planned for July this year, and the second is set to be held in November and is themed around Cherokee history and culture, in time for Cherokee Heritage Month.