Calendar of Events

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Knoxville History Project: The Story of Knoxville College with Dasha Lundy

Category: Free event, History, heritage and Lecture, panel

Tuesday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m. at Maple Hall, 414 S. Gay Street

At Maple Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 11, our KHP board member Dasha Lundy will tell some of the complicated story of Knoxville College, the historically Black college founded here in 1875 that has dwindled in recent decades, emptying most of its old hilltop buildings, but never given up the ghost. (It recently lost one of its largest old buildings, Elnathan Hall, to fire.) Lundy, a former Knox County Commissioner who has a doctorate in physical therapy, has made a sideline of local history, especially that of Knoxville College, of which she’s a former board member.

Free program. Food and drinks available for purchase.

Knoxville History Project: 865-300-4559, www.Knoxvillehistoryproject.org

UTK Department of Classics: Shopping for Artists’ Materials in Ancient Rome

Category: Free event, History, heritage and Lecture, panel

Lecture - "Shopping for Artists’ Materials in Ancient Rome: Pigment shops, pigments, and product choice"
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 6pm

AIA/East Tennessee Society and McClung Museum are pleased to present the next program in the 52nd Annual Series, 2024-2025. The lecture will feature Hilary Becker, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, Binghamton University. This is the UTK Department of Classics Haines-Morris and AIA’s Robert J. Braidwood Lecture.

Lecture Summary: The discovery of the only known pigment shop in ancient Rome revealed an array of colors in their raw, mineral form waiting to be sold to wall painters. Ancient pigments provide a surprising opportunity to understand how science can be used in archaeology, revealing what pigments were present in the shop and, potentially, the source from which they originated, as well as exploring the supply-side economy of Roman painting and the steps by which these pigments went from the mine, to a shop, to the walls of a Roman house. This lecture also explores the economy of the Roman pigment trade, looking at the prices of pigments as well as the potential for their adulteration.

At Frank H. McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park, Knoxville, TN 37996
865-974-2416 or https://calendar.utk.edu/event/hilary-becker

Beck Cultural Exchange Center: Black History Month Events

  • February 7, 2025 — February 27, 2025

Category: Festivals, special events, History, heritage, Lecture, panel and Meetup

Celebrate with us!

FRIDAY, FEB. 7 @ BECK - The Indelible Appalachians
5:30PM
Dinner, Documentary & Discussion in partnership with UTK
RSVP at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2RNYUX1x3UWeypqhnAnW-doMsPbB2jpLgxTPHLA9EBJUQzJQTlo0TUNIOFA3NjlBMDRUV0g0QllUWCQlQCN0PWcu

Sat Feb 8, 15, 22, 10 AM - 2 PM @ Beck
Tell Your Story - Record Your Oral History

Feb 13 - Nat'l Assoc of Real Estate Brokers
Panel Discussion & snacks at 5:30 PM

Feb 18 at 6 PM at Beck
Hip Hop Forum = Can We Kick It?

Feb 24 at 6:30 PM at Bijou - Leaving Legacy - Living Legacy
Black History Month Feature Program

Feb 26, 5:30 PM at Beck
The Black Church - Sacred Legacy

Feb 27, 10 AM - AARP Black Veterans Scam Jam
Panel discussion with Lunch

For More Information Call Us Today at 865-524-8461 or Visit http://www.beckcenter.net

McClung Museum: Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Fine Crafts, Free event, History, heritage and Kids, family

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, announces a new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art,” opening to the public on January 25, 2025. The project sets a new standard for collaborative exhibition practices at the McClung and represents the museum's most significant renovation in more than 20 years.

"‘Homelands’ is a defining moment for the McClung Museum. It’s the largest project we’ve undertaken in over two decades, but its impact goes far beyond its scale,” said Claudio Gómez, Jefferson Chapman Executive Director of the museum. “This exhibition has challenged us to rethink how we collaborate, bringing in new perspectives and allowing us to honor Native voices in ways that are both respectful and forward-thinking.”

“Homelands” showcases contemporary art by 17 Native artists to emphasize the enduring ties between Native Nations and Knox County. As a result of the exhibition, the museum has acquired 22 new works for its permanent collection.

https://news.utk.edu/2025/01/07/mcclung-museum-to-open-exhibition-centering-native-voices-and-contemporary-art/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

Knoxville Walking Tours

  • January 1, 2025 — December 31, 2025

Category: Festivals, special events and History, heritage

Storyteller Laura Still helps you live the stories of pioneers, soldiers, outlaws, and even fictional characters who walked these streets before you.

Knoxville has a rich history full of colorful characters and famous, and infamous, figures whose lives have been the inspiration for books, movies, and works of art. Take a stroll through history in beautiful downtown Knoxville while listening to true tales of the heroes, heels, and hardened criminals that are part of the hidden lore of this unique East Tennessee town.

A portion of the proceeds for downtown tours go to help fund the work of the non-profit Knoxville History Project. Many stories are based on the books and stories of award-winning journalist and writer Jack Neely. Knoxville Walking Tours opens a window to Knoxville’s varied past and leads you on a journey through both hard times and high times of a city growing through over two centuries of history.

Tours include:
• Knoxville: The Early Years
• Misbehaving Women
• Civil War
• Gunslingers
• Musical History
• Literary Heritage
• Side Street Shadows Ghost Tours
• Knoxville Botanical Garden
• Old Gray Cemetery
• Side Street Shadows Ghost Tours

Tour on Your Schedule! Rather than posting a calendar, we’re letting you pick the tour and time — subject to availability. Call (865)309-4522 or visit https://knoxvillewalkingtours.com/

Trollkretsen Scandinavian Dancers

Category: Classes, workshops, Dance, movement, History, heritage and Meetup

Join the Trollkretsen dancers weekly to learn traditional Scandinavian dances! All ages are welcome and no prior knowledge is required to participate, just a willingness to learn. Experts will be present to teach every night from 7pm to 9pm to convene their own exciting take on the ancestral dance.

Tuesdays at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville
http://jubileearts.org/ongoing-events/

English Country Dance

Category: Classes, workshops, Dance, movement, History, heritage and Meetup

Sundays at 8 PM, held by Knoxville English Dance. 17th-18th Century Social Dancing with live music. This is a performance group and newcomers are welcome. Also Sword dance and Morris dance teams.

At the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville
http://jubileearts.org/ongoing-events/