Nashville's Jefferson Street Back in the Day - A Black Entertainment Paradise

 Along with Harlem's Apollo Theater, Beale Street in Memphis, the New Orleans French Quarter and Atlanta's Sweet Auburn.... there was Nashville's Jefferson Street.  Click twice on the "play" arrow below:  

President Obama: "What If I Had Done What The Trump MAGA's Had Done"

 

Click the "Play" button below, twice:

2026 Riverview Soul Food Gathering: Guess What They Ran Out Of First?

 

Different people, different cultures and different tastes came together for the annual Soul Food Gathering in Kingsport's Riverview neighborhood recently.

"We had people from Erwin and Asheville, North Carolina," says organizer Johnnie Mae Swagerty.  "They came from Johnson City and Bristol, Gate City, Rogersville, Greeneville, even a couple from Morristown.  It's a yearly tradition for them."

And of all the soul food dishes and delectables, guess what got gone first?

One of the New Vision Youth volunteers came up and said, "Johnnie Mae, ain't no more pig's feet.  They all gone."

Yes, you heard correctly.  The pig's feet disappeared first.  Hardly anything left.  

"I said 'pig's feet?'  It used to be chicken, meat loaf or something like that," thought Swagerty.  "Again, he said 'pig feet.  They were all gone in just a few minutes.  I'm wondering chicken, the neck bones, the tenders we had."

"The pig's feet.  First thing gone."

"I checked and when they cleaned their plates, the pig's feet bones had all the meat sucked off of them, right there at the table," laughed Swagerty.  "Everybody broke up when I made the announcement of the most popular item on the menu and what was left of it."  

"I went around going "oink, oink, oink at 'em," says Swagerty.  "It was a funny moment."

 

Quail came in a close second, she says.  "Some folks had never tasted quail meat before.  Again, we also had neckbones, but we took the bones out and made neckbone tenders with potatoes and onions.  They loved that, too.  We also made rice to go along with it.  It was something different."

Another tasty treat was pork cooked with cabbage.  "If you didn't eat pork, we had it with turkey breast instead of pork," she said.  "By the time you mixed in all of the side items, you had a feast you'd never forget.." 

Just over a hundred people stopped by the Riverview Community Room to sample a few items, and gorge themselves on others.  The menu read like the 'who's who' of anybody's barnyard from years ago:

Fried chicken

Ham 

Pig Feet

Meat Loaf

Barbeque Ribs

Neckbone Tenders w/ potatoes

Corn

Potato Salad

Cole Slaw

Sweet & Sour Rice

Soup beans with ham hocks

Turkey/Pork Cabbage

Mac N Cheese

Collard Greens

Green Beans

Gravy

Broccoli Casserole

Carden Salad

Homemade biscuits

Gravy Rolls

Cornbread

Key Lime Pie

Chocolate pie

Coconut pie

Pineapple upside down cake

Banana pudding

Peach cobbler

Fruit cups

Applies

Tea, lemonade & water

"All of our food was cooked and donated by community churches and folks who cooked it all homemade," says Swagerty.  "Various organizations and people spent a lot of time preparing the dishes.  One lady made us four different desserts: banana pudding, peach cobbler, pineapple upside down cake, and chocolate chip cookies.  She's 80 years old with one of the busiest ovens in town."

31 years ago, the Soul Food gathering began with the idea of bringing people together to taste food their ancestors used to enjoy.  Those kinfolk lived off the land and its products.  Every year, the Soul Food Gathering introduces the culinary "Cuisine of the Earth" to new, younger audiences.

"We were only supposed to have the Gathering from 3 PM to 5 PM," Swagerty says, "but people kept stopping by after work, after other engagements, other things they were doing.   "We just kept going until all the food was gone.  If there was anything left, we took it down to the Mission.  It was a tribute to all of the cooks who came together to feed the people."

Sponsors of the annual Soul Food Gathering were the New Vision Youth, South Central Kingsport Community Development, KHRA, Kingsport community churches, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, and Kingsport Parks and Recreation.

Swagerty and the New Vision Youth are also planning a "Soulful Soupful Soup Gathering" for April 25th from 3 PM to 5 PM in the Riverview Community Room on Wheatley Street next to the pickle ball courts.  She says folks can try different soups from cabbage to brocholi... from potato to even fried chicken vegetable soup.  Foods you never suspected would taste good in soup form.

Meanwhile at the Soul Food Gathering, missing on the menu this year were the ever-popular "chitlins," and probably for good reason.  "Nobody wanted to clean 'em," says Swagerty.  "Everybody knows you gotta cull chitlins before you boil them.  Usually that runs all the kids out of the house, but if you can get past that, maybe we'll have 'em next year."

"If we can find somebody that wants to clean them," she laughed.

Can you Identify these Douglass Band Members?

 If you can identify anybody in the following Douglass Band pictures, please let me know so I can put them in touch with the DB Band folks.  I enhanced the pictures to make them a little more in focus.  Let me know who these folks are and perhaps how to contact them, at: douglassriverview@gmail.com  

Click on the pictures to make them larger.

1949

                                                        1956

                                                       1959

                               1965

Rev. Dr. Helen Styles: Happy Birthday Celebration!

 

Dear Family and Friends,

With hearts full of gratitude and joy, we invite you to join us in celebrating a truly remarkable woman of faith, Rev. Dr. Helen Styles, as she marks her 80th Birthday on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

For eight decades, God has blessed her with life, wisdom, grace, and an unwavering commitment to serving His people. Her ministry has been a beacon of light, her prayers a source of strength, and her leadership a testament to God’s faithfulness. As Scripture reminds us, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:24-26). We gather to honor a life that has reflected His glory so beautifully.

This special occasion will be an All White Affair — a symbolic expression of purity, celebration, and thanksgiving for a life dedicated to Christ. We ask that guests wear white as we come together in unity to celebrate her legacy, her impact, and the many lives she has touched.

Attached you will find the official flyer with event details. To RSVP, please visit Helen’s party site at: 

https://helens80th.wixsite.com/helens80th

https://helens80th.wixsite.com/helens80th

Come prepared for an afternoon/evening filled with love, fellowship, joyful reflection, and heartfelt tributes as we honor 80 years of divine purpose.

Let us gather in gratitude to celebrate God’s goodness and to bless a woman who has faithfully poured into so many. We look forward to rejoicing together on this unforgettable day.

 

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. SIMPLY RSVP ON THE SITE 

Charles Gregory (Greg) Hickman remembrance

 

On Sunday evening, March 1, 2026, Charles Gregory Hickman passed away unexpectedly at his residence in Kingsport, Tennessee. He was 65 years old. He was a lawyer, basketball aficionado and an avid Bicyclist.  His bucket list included a visit to every continent in the world.

 

“Greg” leaves behind a legacy defined by academic achievement, devotion to his family and friends, and a lifelong commitment to learning.  He was never married and had no children, but he poured his heart into loving his young nieces and nephews. His life reflected quiet strength, intellectual curiosity, and of course an unwavering love for the people that meant the most to him.  Greg loved Kingsport, Tennessee.

Greg graduated high school in 1978. He was an honor student at Dobyns Bennett High School, having been selected as a National Merit semifinalist in high school.  As a point guard, he was one of the leaders on the Dobyns Bennett High School varsity basketball team for 3 years.  He considered Coach Buck Van Huss and Coach Anthony Eckels as favorite teachers and role models. With the encouragement of Guidance Counselor Virgealia Ellis, Greg pursued a degree in economics at Wake Forest University.  Faced with a serious illness during his junior year, Greg sat out a semester and completed his degree at East Tennessee State University.

After his graduation, Greg obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

 

Greg put his legal education to good use.  He became a hearing officer for the State of Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. He worked in the Appeal Tribunal Unit for more than 20 years. He served as a Hearing Officer in Chattanooga and Johnson City. Greg was an exceptional employee ”married“ to his work. He received several performance outstanding awards.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Willie Mae Hickman; paternal grandparents, Zack and Annie Hickman; maternal grandparents, Ben and Lucille Swann; uncle, Arthur D. Hickman; aunt, Mildred; uncle Kelsie Davis; and Uncle Bennie Swann.

 

Greg was the youngest of four brothers and is survived by his brother, Varley and his family, Amiri (Donna) Dawn, Amirah Omari, Jamaal, Jamillah, Jalyn, Jayla, Jada, Noah and Journee; his brother Don (Jan) and his family GJ (Melaine) Donovan (Brittany) Brixsey Drew, Canon, Destin, Hanon, Haden, Alane (Alexander); and his brother Jim (Vanessa) and his family Maurice (Tiffany) Trevian, Kaemon and Jamie. He is also survived by his aunt Barbara Greene (Wayne Swann and Rhonda), Deidre Pettus, Sir David Pettus, David Green;  aunt Melva Hickman Cooke Mitchelle (Sabine) Patrick and Alexander Cooke, Kenny (Leidys) Cooke and Christopher Cooke; aunt Marva Swann; uncles Carl and Vernon Swan (Mary Ruth); cousins, Jewell (Percy) Keisha (Aaron)Edmond. Greg had numerous lifelong friends.  Among these are Arthur Bradley”, Jerome Pierce, George Long, Paul Horton, Ronnie Horton, Patrice Ben Abbey, Bryan Smith of Nashville, and Bryan Smith of  Arkansas.

 

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the Carter-Trent Funeral Home-Kingsport.  A funeral service will follow at 2:00 pm in the funeral home chapel.

 

A graveside service will be held on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 2:00 pm.  Those wishing to attend are asked to arrive at the cemetery by 1:50 pm.

 

Carter-Trent Funeral Home in Kingsport is serving the Hickman family.

 

“You never lose what you love if you love what you lose”

Phony reports trigger lockdown, arrests at Cora Cox Academy, Kingsport

From the Kingsport Police Department: 

 

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Cora Cox Academy was placed on lockdown after students reported seeing an individual with a weapon outside the school. 

Police responded and determined the students' statements were fabricated. The students who made the false allegations were taken into custody and charged with False Reporting.

No further information will be released at this time, and, as they are juveniles, the students' identities will not be made available to the public.

Greg Hickman announcement

 

Our hearts are saddened by the passing of Greg Hickman in Riverview.  He passed away recently at his home.

The remembrances are being finalized, but Going Home Services will be Sunday, March 8th, 2026 at the Carter-Trent Funeral Home, 520 Watauga Street, Kingsport, Tn 37660.

According to the funeral home, the Receiving of Friends will be from 1 to 2 PM at the funeral home, with the Going Home Service at 2 PM.

The interment will be on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at Oak Hill Memorial Park, 800 Truxton Drive, Kingsport, TN 37660.  

From the Douglass Alumni, the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, we send our condolences to the Hickman family during this difficult time.

Can You Identify Anyone in these Douglass High School Band pictures?

 

If you can identify anybody in the following Douglass Band pictures, please let me know so I can put them in touch with the DB Band folks.  I enhanced the pictures to make them a little more in focus.  Let me know who these folks are and perhaps how to contact them, at: douglassriverview@gmail.com  

Click on the pictures to make them larger.

1949

                                                        1956

                                                       1959

                               1965

Quincy P. Jones remembrance

 

Quincy P. Jones, 57, of Johnson City, received his wings on Friday, February 6, 2026, after a brief illness. Quincy attended and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School.

Quincy was preceded in death by his father, Anthony Jones; his paternal and maternal grandparents; five uncles; and four aunts.

Quincy leaves to mourn his passing his mother, Mary Treece; stepfather, Stanford; brother, Clifford Miller (Valerie); sister, Melissa Jones; his children, Sergio Leeper, Kelena, Brooklyn Jones and Treece Jones; and several nieces and nephews; favorite cousins, Paul Bristol and Wendy Smith; stepsiblings, Michael Knight, Sumona Allen and Tanyelle Bellamy; great uncle, James L. Bristol; great aunt, Edith Brown; uncles, James “Moose” Henry, Richard Henry, Tommy Henry and Harold Carson; aunts, Patricia Bristol, Mary Henry, Margaret Kincaid and Carrie Riggins; several cousins and friends; grandchildren, Okland Gray and Kayla Grace; special friend, Linda Love.

The family received friends on Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Central Baptist Church. Funeral services followed at 3:00 p.m. with Rev. Billy Pearson officiating.

The graveside service was held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026 at Holston View Cemetery.

Tragedy at the Walnut Street Bridge

 

         The Walnut Street Bridge, Chattanooga

Normally, I visit historic bridges around the South, Midwest and Northeast.  But every Black History Month, I visit a bridge that has significant ties to African-American history during the beginnings of Jim Crow.  The article below is about heinous crimes committed at Chattanooga's Walnut Street Bridge, now a tourist attraction for its peaceful, calm and panoramic views of the surrounding area. ---- Calvin.

Walnut Street Bridge courtyard.

"God Bless you all.  I am a innocent man."  

No one in the lynch mob expected to hear those profound, final words coming from an African-American man about to be hung by the neck beneath a beautiful steel truss bridge over the mighty Tennessee River.

The man speaking was Ed Johnson.  The city was Chattanooga, Tennessee, the year 1906.  The accusation involved the alleged rape of a White woman.  The local community's atmosphere was one of vengeance.

 

Bronze sculptures of Ed Johnson and defense attorneys Noah Parden and Styles L. Hutchins in bridge courtyard.

Before local and federal courtrooms could decide final justice, an angry lynch mob broke into the Hamilton County jail and dragged Johnson to the Walnut Street Bridge at one of the Tennessee River shallows.  

Bronze hangman's noose.

After Johnson uttered those haunting words, several members of the crowd took target practice, riddling his body with bullets.  The lifeless torso was then hanged by the neck underneath one of the spans.  To this day, the symbolism of the events at that bridge 120 years ago still affects people.  

Today, some members of Chattanooga's African-American community will not cross the Walnut Street Bridge or even go near it.  

"My dad was one of them," says LeFrederick Thrilkill.  The local historian has spent almost 25 years studying the history of the Ed Johnson case, part of that time working on the memorial honoring Johnson.  "I was telling him what information I had found," says Thrilkill "and out of a clear blue sky, he said that he swore that he would never walk across that bridge."  

The bridge span that Ed Johnson was hung from.

"Later, I heard other older African-Americans say the same thing.  I thought, 'Wow. They hate this bridge.'  But others love it because it's a beautiful bridge and a symbol of the community.  Bridges are supposed to join two sides, but in this case, this one bridge represented the divide between two sides, instead of their connection."  

Touring the National Lynching Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, underneath the corden steel monument for lynching victims from Hamilton County, TN.

A total of four African-American men were lynched in Hamilton County near the turn of the 19th century, two of them were at the Walnut Street Bridge.  

Memorial to the four lynching victims in Hamilton County.

In 1885, documentation from the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) shows that a mob hanged Charles Williams at the county jail.  In 1893, Alfred Blount was dragged from his cell at the jail and hanged at the bridge.  Charles Brown was lynched at a barn in 1897 in what would later become the community of Soddy-Daisy.  

Old Hamilton County Jail, Chattanooga, circa 1900.

On the night of March 19, 1906, Ed Johnson who was charged and convicted of rape, was dragged from his Hamilton County jail cell while his case was being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.  The bullets rang out shortly after 11 PM that night.  Evidence at the bridge indicated he was shot more than 50 times, one bullet severing the rope by which he later hung.  While his lifeless body lay on the ground, a deputy sheriff fired five bullets into his head.

Hall of the Dead:  Among the 800 corden steel monuments in the National Lynching Museum, each one representing every single county in the United States that recorded a lynching.

According to the EJI, these four hangings were among more than 4,000 racial terror lynchings between 1877 and 1950 mostly in the South.  Several of these incidents occurred near populated areas, but both Blount and Johnson were hanged separately at the Walnut Street Bridge.  

The highly visible Walnut Street Bridge, Chattanooga

Thrilkill says the location was strategic.  "If mobs were going to lynch somebody," he says, "they're going to pick the most visible location to carry out the crime.  The Walnut Street Bridge was the perfect location for their crimes."  

"Lynch mobs generally had a message they wanted to get out into the community," says Linda Wynn, longtime assistant director for state programs at the Tennessee Historical Commission.  

The infamous "Hanging Bridge" - Shubuta, MS

 

"Bridges in high visibility locations are very intimidating factors.  Mobs who've made the effort to break into jails to take somebody felt that hanging their prey in a prominent location sends the message to the Black community and sympathetic Whites that 'this could happen to you.'  As for this location, it was a bridge everyone sees and knows about, and it just happened to be in the right place for Alfred Blount's and later Ed Johnson's murders."

Bronze statues of Ed Johnson and defense attorneys Parden and Hutchins with legal documents.

The Ed Johnson case initiated several legal "firsts."  Thrilkill says among them, the Supreme Court did grant a stay of execution for Johnson, the first time a Black man in America had ever received one.  Despite the stay, the lynch mob murdered him.  

Bronze cariature of Ed Johnson's legal document being taken to the U.S. Supreme Court

It was also the first time the U.S. Supreme Court intervened in a state ruling that ultimately found the Hamilton County sheriff at the time in contempt of court for failing to protect Johnson from the lynch mob, after the execution stay was granted.

Although Ed Johnson's rape trial appeal was never heard in 1906, unfortunately he would never learned the outcome of his case.

Judge Doug Meyer, Hamilton County, TN
 

94 years later in 2000, Hamilton County Judge Doug Meyer posthumously dropped the rape charge against Johnson.  The judge cited what he called, the lack of a fair trial and what he ruled, should have been a change of venue for the case back in 1906.  The legal precedent had already been set.  

Grave of Ed Johnson, Chattanooga 

Today, Ed Johnson rests in a quiet little cemetery east of downtown Chattanooga where a wind always seems to blow through the trees.  

Visitors at the Walnut Street Bridge on the last day before closing for repairs

Several miles away, the Walnut Street Bridge is now a popular tourist destination known for its views, calm and serenity.  Since becoming a walking bridge, it draws thousands of visitors annually.  Necessary renovations have closed it for repair until September, 2026.

Ed Johnson's & Attorneys Parden and Hutchins' bronze statues in courtyard, Walnut Street Bridge south end.  Photo courtesy the New York Times.

Meanwhile, visitors can stop by a monument to Johnson at the foot of the bridge, which is greeted by the words "God Bless You All... I am a innocent man."  

Thrilkill says although Johnson had been expecting the lynch mob at his jail cell door, it's amazing how he somehow found the love in his heart to ask God to forgive them.  

"In the sculpture, his arm is stretched out with the palm up and there is an ever so slight smile on his face. It's as if he's saying  'I have found inner peace from God.'  Johnson is walking into that innocence as if he is being led once again to the bridge, saying, 'It's been a long journey, but now I'm free."  

Was the Walnut Street Bridge in the wrong place at the wrong time of history?  "Not really," says Thrilkill.  "The bridge was in the right place back then because it was so visible.  The timing was perfect because it could attract a crowd downtown really fast, and did."  

"The bridge was in the right place at the right time... but it was there for the wrong reason."

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