Several newly designated sites will honor Black history in Nashville. The U.S. Civil Rights Trail has added two music museums to its roster. The Jefferson Street Sound Museum showcases how music, culture and activism intersected to energize Nashville's civil rights movement while the Museum of Christian and Gospel Music examines the powerful role gospel music and musicians played as a source of hope, unity and inspiration during the fight for civil rights. Read more about the new designations in news release from the trail. In addition, a new memorial is being planned for the some 6,000 enslaved people buried in the Nashville City Cemetery. The cemetery, which is raising money for the tribute, says the majority of graves have no marker at all. WKRN reports on the effort.

“Lovely One: A Memoir Adapted for Young Adults” by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is now available, according to the Tri-State Defender. The book traces Brown Jackson’s journey from a curious child inspired by her family and her lawyer father to a history-making jurist. In a review of the book, the reporter says the new version takes time to show that Brown Jackson was just an ordinary kid once. “Playing, attending classes she loved and ones she disliked, traveling, spending time with her grandparents, getting a new sibling — these are experiences Jackson shares with young readers, and they’re very engaging. Her narrative, though it uses adult-level language, is easy to grasp and quite relatable for her audience, and her excitement at some of her life’s highlights is delightfully charming.”

Knoxville is highlighting Black history attractions and exhibits across the city in recognition of Black History Month. Featured sites include the Beck Cultural Exchange Center in East Knoxville, the Alex Haley Heritage Square at Morningside Park, the Cal Johnson Mural, and downtown institutions such as the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the East Tennessee History Center. The guide also spotlights the Knoxville Museum of Art, home to the world’s largest public collection of works by Knoxville-born artist Beauford Delaney, as well as the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture on the University of Tennessee campus. Outdoor and historic destinations include Carl Cowan Park, the William Hastie Natural Area and statues honoring Negro Southern League players at Covenant Health Park. The self-guided Knoxville African American Heritage Guide and related tours offer additional context on the city’s Black leaders, artists, athletes and civil rights history. Visit Knoxville has more details on these sites.

Tennessee State University’s (TSU) College of Liberal Arts and the Metropolitan Historical Commission will host the 45th Annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture (NCAAHC) on Feb.13 at TSU's Avon Williams Campus. This year's theme is “From Roots to Resilience: Reclaiming Black Journeys, Stories, and Legacies Across Tennessee." Learn more and purchase tickets on the event's website. Across town, the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Vanderbilt Law School has announced a series of events to celebrate Black History Month. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the admission of the first Black students to the law school. The theme is "From Pioneers to Progress: 70 Years of Black Legal Advancement in the Face of Resistance." The BLSA will host a panel featuring Vanderbilt Law alumni on Feb. 18. Kristen Clarke, who served as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2021 to 2025, will deliver the keynote address on Feb. 26. More information is available on the law school's website.

A number of events are planned in Chattanooga to celebrate Black History Month. The Bessie Smith Cultural Center will host an art contest and community day on Feb. 7, a documentary on the history of Black representation in children’s toys on Feb. 12, a celebration of Black spirituals on Feb. 19 and the unveiling of a new historical marker honoring those affected by lynchings on Feb. 26. The National Medal of Honor Heritage Center will host a workshop for teachers and a session on Medal of Honor recipient George Jordan on Feb. 16. The Chattery will host an interactive art cafe with Black artists on Feb. 19 and a night market on Feb. 27. From Feb. 13-21, Crabtree Farms will host a play offering alternative perspectives not featured in the “Hamilton” musical. Access more information about these and other events from Nooga Today.

Memphis is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events throughout February. The Dixon Gallery and Gardens will feature "Black Artists in America: From the Bicentennial to September 11" through March 29. The Hattiloo Theatre will present "Dreamgirls" through March 8. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will host a free "Super Saturday" on Feb. 7 highlighting artist Chakaia Booker. On Feb. 20, author Emily Yellin and John Lawson will discuss their new book "Nonviolent" at the National Civil Rights Museum. The Collage Dance Collective will perform "Rise" on Feb. 20-22. Dom Flemons will bring The Bronze Buckaroo Film & Songster Show to Crosstown on Feb. 23. Finally, Black Children’s Books and Authors will hold a free read-in "Our Stories Matter" on Feb. 28 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. The Commercial Appeal has more on these events.

“How to Sue the Klan: The Legacy of the Chattanooga Five” will be screened on Feb. 26 at the Chattanooga State Community College. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST in the CC Bond Auditorium of the HUM Building. The film tells the story of four Black women who were shot by local Ku Klux Klan members. In criminal court, an all-white jury acquitted two of the Klansmen and sentenced the third to just nine months. Civil unrest followed the verdict, which also caught the attention of the Center for Constitutional Rights. The center successfully sued the shooters in federal civil court on behalf of the women. The court awarded today’s equivalent of over $1.5 million and issued an injunction against all Klan activities in the city. The suit also served as a precedent to go after the Klan in cities across the nation. Learn more about the story and the film.

The YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee will hold its first in-person Lunch & Learn since the pandemic on Feb. 27 with a focus on the intersection of faith, spirituality and social justice. From the Civil Rights Movement to present-day activism, faith and spirituality have long been pillars of resilience, resistance and radical change in the Black community. Panelists will discuss how these traditions evolved and the role they play in the fight for justice. The event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST at 1608 Woodmont Blvd., Nashville TN 37215. Register to attend the event in-person or virtually.

The Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of events and activities. These include an art exhibit, screening of “The Six Triple Eight” movie, a panel discussion on Black excellence in sports and the Tennessee Songwriters Showcase Semifinals. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga also has events planned, including a library exhibit, talks with the first Black McDonald's franchisee in Birmingham and a presentation from Temple University's professor of Africology Molefi Kete. Finally, Hamilton Place will hold a Black-owned business expo on Feb. 22 and The Chattery will hold a Black History Month Night Market on Feb. 28.

Several Black History Month programs will take place in Nashville in the coming weeks. On Feb. 14, join Tennessee State University’s College of Liberal Arts and the Metropolitan Historical Commission for the 44th Annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture (NCAAHC), a dynamic celebration of African Americans' contributions to Nashville and Tennessee history. On Feb. 19, Vanderbilt University will present The History of Communities from North Africa: Sudanese, Egyptians, Tunisians, Moroccans, Libyans and Algerians. Speakers include Vanderbilt Law School professor Samar Ali. The Nashville Public Library also is hosting a number of programs, including the National African-American Read-In on Feb. 18, the Black Lift Poetry Festival; Write with Pride on Feb. 22, and on demand programs about the legacy of civil rights lawyer Z. Alexander Looby and the history of black Nashville. Finally, the Tennessee State Museum has a number of events planned.