September 3, 2019

Women in the Occupied City

When Tennessee seceded from the Union, Nashville's female community responded to the Civil War and the challenges of living in an occupied city.  They managed households, cared for the sick, and comforted the bereaved. Dr. Carole Bucy's lecture will focus on the recollections of several Nashville women whose diaries and memories have left rich sources about daily life during the war. In addition to the women of Adelicia Acklen's social circle, Dr. Bucy will examine the lives of enslaved women living in the city through the writing of their owners.

Presented by Dr. Carole Bucy, Davidson County Historian and Professor of History at Vol State Community College 

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September 10, 2019

Archaeological Expeditions of the Peabody Museum in Middle Tennessee, 1877-1884

The Peabody Museum at Harvard University sponsored archaeological explorations across Middle Tennessee between 1877 and 1884.  Extensive field records and artifact collections from 38 site investigations were brought to light during three research trips to the Peabody Museum and Harvard University Archives between 1998 and 2002.  This presentation will review the records and artifacts from these expeditions, as well as how this new information served to revise our understanding of late prehistoric settlement (dating AD 1000-1475) in the Middle Cumberland Region.

Presented by Mr. Mike Moore, Director of the Tennessee Division of Archaeology and Tennessee State Archaeologist 

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September 17, 2019

The Volunteer State Goes to Mexico 

In 1846-47, Tennessee cemented its status as "The Volunteer State" when 5,500 young men enlisted to fight in the country's first foreign war.  Tennesseans played a prominent role in this controversial conflict, not just on the battlefield, but all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue where a Tennessean occupied the White House.  What motivated them to volunteer?  What was their role in the war?  How did success and failure impact postwar careers?  Why did it take forty years for Congress to approve a pension for Mexican War veterans?  Professor Johnson will answer these questions and more in this overview of Tennessee's Mexican War experience.

Presented by Dr. Tim Johnson, Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History, David Lipscomb University 

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September 24, 2019

Necessary Luxuries: Pets, Menageries, Circuses and Zoos in Tennessee 

Beyond the idea of simple domestication of animals lies a realm of fancy – where animals serve as companions, educational tools, and even amusement. Tennessee’s own part in this history is a winding road mirroring the progress our country has made toward the humane treatment of animals (and people). From Andrew Jackson’s pet parrot, Poll, to the horrific execution of Mary the elephant in 1916, this lecture will explore the lines between people and animals and how their relationship has evolved in the state of Tennessee from the early 19th to the mid 20th century.

Presented by Ms. Danielle Ullrich, Registrar and Education Coordinator, Belmont Mansion

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