Black History Lesson: Exploring the Ancestry of our Greene County Neighbors

PICTURES POSTED AT LINK

Kingsport's New Vision Kids got a real good history lesson this past Saturday, February 12th.

They traveled to Greeneville, Tennessee,the county seat of Greene County to explore the Nathanael Greene Museum, named after the Revolutionary War general, under whom, the ancestors of many local residents served, and the man to whom the city and county were both named after.

Click here to see a slideshow of the New Vision Kids' visit to the Nathanael Greene Museum for Black History Month, 2011.


31 New Vision Youth Kids made the trip, along with 7 adult chaperones.   New Vision Director Johnnie Mae Swagerty says, the annual journey is important during Black History Month so that the neighborhood youth can explore the lives and cultures of communities, other than their own.

The Nathanael Greene Museum features 10 galleries, including the Presidential Gallery honoring President Andrew Johnson, his family and descendants (one of whom has a local connection to Riverview)... a Veterans Honor Gallery saluting Greene County heroes who fought and died to preserve our freedom and independence.... a Civil War exhibit featuring artifacts collected from Greene County ancestors who fought in the War Between the States... the Main Street Greeneville Gallery, with storefronts and room interiors from a bygone era... and for this month, the Black History in Greene County exhibit, with local African-American pictures, items and documents donated by local residents to spotlight history.

The New Vision Youth visit, which was the group's third such trip to the museum, was co-sponsored by  Kingsport Parks and Recreation, Community Services Division.