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Morristown’s newest park sits on the site of significant history
Jeremy Weaver • Nov 19, 2019
A New Face to the Morristown College Campus legacy
The Heritage Park colonnades stand, serving tribute to the sentinel that stood watch for more than 100 years over African-American students who came to a hill in Morristown in search of the opportunity to learn, grow and better themselves through the miracle of education.
But history is complicated; it’s never all good or bad, never all success or failure.
And as much as the colonnades serve as a tribute to one of Morristown’s true shining beacons, an educational lighthouse atop the hill, they also serve as a stark reminder of the failures of generations to protect and save the historic site of Morristown College.
The colonnades stand on the spot that used to connect two of Morristown College’s historic brick buildings, but they are not original, rather replicas built because the originals, like all the other buildings on the former site, could not be saved in a financially reasonable manner.
In the end, in as much as the Heritage Park colonnades serve as a tribute to the site’s former mission, they also stand as a reminder of what was lost through neglect, lost through the deterioration of time and ultimately lost in ravaging infernos.
Still, out of those ashes comes a new beginning, a hopeful rebirth of a historic location that had become unsalvageable, unusable and dangerous to surrounding neighborhoods.
Heritage Park – built upon the former site of Morristown College – is the shiny new centerpiece of the Morristown Parks and Recreation system. Heritage Park is a place to for the community to come walk, explore the park’s wide green spaces, soak in the area’s natural beauty and, of course, reflect on the history of the site.
The park will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 16 with A Salute to Heritage Park, a daylong celebration featuring musical artists, vendors and, at the end of the evening fireworks.
Addition to the fanfare, hoopla and regalia, there will be solemn acknowledgement of the site’s history. There will be recognition of the vital role the site – and the college – played in the lives of the African-American communities of Morristown, East Tennessee, and the nation itself.
There will be acknowledgement of the key role that the college – and the people who lived, learned and educated there – played in the growth of Morristown and Hamblen County.
Morristown College was founded in 1881 by the National Freedman’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church and closed in 1994 after a brief affiliation with Knoxville College. Prior to the Civil Rights movement, Morristown College, Knoxville College, and the Swift Institute were distinctive educational institutions in East Tennessee for African Americans, according to the Knox Heritage website.
Prior to the college’s founding, the site had figured in a local skirmish in the Civil War and became a federal camp during the final days of the war and into reconstruction. The site had been the location for a slave auction and one slave sold there, Andrew Fulton, returned to serve as one of the college’s first professors.
Almyra H. Stearns established a Freedman’s Bureau Grammar School for recently freed blacks on the site in 1869 and for more than 100 years, the site served the community as a place of education.
“This wasn’t an easy process due to racial tensions,” Knox Heritage’s Todd Morgan told the Tribune in 2012. “Community leaders rallied to protect the teacher and student from taunts, threats and even arson.”
Originally founded by Judson S. Hill as Morristown Seminary, in 1881, it soon became Morristown Normal and Industrial College and was used after the war as a secondary school where freed slaves were taught reading, writing and arithmetic.
Fred McMahan, a prominent African-American builder from Sevierville, designed many of the college’s buildings in a Classical Revival style.
According to the book, “A School for Freedom,” edited by JoVita Wells, Hill won the respect and financial support of the white community.
The book states that when the original Clary Hall burned in 1921, local merchants and citizen contributed nearly $10,000 to its reconstruction. Of course, acceptance and support wasn’t universal.
While the Hall burned, one bystander reportedly told Hill “Guess this puts you out of business, doctor.”
Hill replied, “There will be more and better building starting tomorrow.”
Over the years, serving African-American students from Morristown, East Tennessee and beyond, the college gained ownership of a 300 acre dairy farm and had 12 buildings. At its height, it was at the center of culture and education for the African American community of the region. Numerous luminaries visited the campus, including Alex Haley, Hank Aaron and the daughters of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Morgan said that in the 1913 book “A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans” the strength of the Morristown College diploma was lauded and that the school had furnished more than 2,000 teachers for public schools in the south.
“For over 100 years, Morristown College graduated generations of African American leaders, including ministers, college presidents, educators, businesspeople, scientists, attorneys and civil rights activists,” Morgan said.
The students were also known for their masonry skills and bricks manufactured on site were used in campus buildings as wlel as for hundreds of other structires in Morristown.
In addition to serving as a college, the school was also an African-American high school for Morristown and the surrounding areas during segregation.
The school began to struggle financially as early as World War II and in the years following the Civil Rights movement, as open, legal segregation ended and other colleges began admitting African American students, Morristown College’s prominence faded.
By the middle of the 1980s, the college was in serious financial trouble and was shuttered in 1994.
Over the ensuing decades, the college campus fell into a serious state of disrepair. Ideas to save the campus were floated – and then faded away in seemingly regular intervals.
In 2007, the college sold to a Knoxville businessman who died a day after the purchase. With no clear plan or action taken, the condition of the college’s buildings worsened. Two separate fires claimed a pair of buildings on the site – including the Laura Yard Hill Administration building – and eventually the site was sold again to a company that salvaged scrap materials before eventually selling the site to the city of Morristown.
Thus, the plan for Heritage Park began.
Now the park, at more than 50 acres located along a hill overlooking Buffalo Trail, offers wide green spaces for visitors to enjoy.
The Great Lawn, located at the highest elevation of the property, was the former Morristown College baseball field. A walking trail and a sidewalk will be constructed from the parking lot to the lawn area. The other two divisions of the park are the educational area and the replica of the Great Colonnade that once connected two of the college buildings.
A courtyard near the Colonnade will be a great place for movies at the park and special events like weddings. The Great Lawn is expected to host other types of special events, like music concerts and community gatherings.
A celebration of the park is planned for Nov. 16, featuring musical acts, fireworks, special recognitions and more. As part of the event, the Morristown Task Force for Diversity will host a booth and banner, celebrating the site’s historic purpose. Morristown College alumni will also be recognized at the event.
The headliner is Chris Blue, a Knoxville-based entertainer who was 27 in 2017 when he won season 12 of “The Voice” television singing competition. Since that time, he’s been performing to sellout crowds across the nation and abroad.
Another Knoxville-based singer who appeared on “The Voice,” Emily Ann Roberts, a country music artist, will be performing at the event. Starstruck Records signed Roberts after she left “The Voice.”
Stuart Clawson, who grew up in Georgia but is now writing and recording music and playing clubs in Nashville, will also appear at the salute to Heritage Park. Clawson grew up in Thomasville, Georgia before moving to Tennessee five years ago. He plays original songs, along with covers from modern and classic country artists.
Rounding out the lineup will be Further Born, a Morristown band who gained more notoriety after starring in the Encore Theatrical Company’s production of Rock of Ages. Guitarist Mitch Smith and vocalist Chris Morelock began their collaboration at the production, and since have been co-writing and performing music.
The other members of Further Born are bassist Rodney Tomlinson and drummer Derrick Blankenship.
Admission to the event is free.
Reference: Gullion, John. "Morristown’s newest park sits on the site of significant history." Citizen Tribune, 6 November 2019, https://www.citizentribune.com/news/local/morristown-s-newest-park-sits-on-the-site-of-significant/article_00a1dd0c-00c4-11ea-a8a1-cb5ad5c3e3b3.html. Accessed 19 November 2019.
My journey at Morristown College began a couple of years after a disappointing first-time college experience at a prominent large institution in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. At the recommendation of the late Dr. Addie B. Crutcher, an Upward Bound High School Counselor, I enrolled in Morristown the fall of 1973. Upon arriving on the campus, I was nervously excited and had no idea of the far-reaching impact that was to follow. From the time I moved into my dorm room and met my roommate, to the first day of classes, the first canteen cheese steak and the first basketball game, Morristown College was the place where almost everyone knew your name. The intimate class sizes, the academically supportive faculty, the extra-curricular activities, chapel services, study in the library, and local Sunday church worship were all conducive for a well-rounded experience. After graduation in 1975, I attended Clark College(now Clark Atlanta University). As a result of the Morristown College experience, I was not only prepared spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually to excel at Clark College, but was able to interact with students at the other nearby institutions including Spellman, Morehouse, Morris Brown, and Atlanta University. Little did I know in 1973 that the Morristown College experience would launch my road to academic and professional success. I am grateful for the privilege to be a graduate of Morristown College.
The festivities of Jubilee Day put smiles on faces as crowds enjoyed the soul food, games for children and music at Fulton-Hill Park for the Aug. 8 state holiday that celebrates the emancipation of Tennessee’s slaves. Dr. Alpha Alexander, the chair of the Morristown Taskforce on Diversity, said she was pleased to see communities coming together and enjoying themselves. “I think it’s a wonderful start for Hamblen County,” she said. “This is the first Jubilee Day we have celebrated here. I think it has the potential to grow and be an annual event here. Knoxville, Greeneville, Johnson City, Newport… they have been celebrating it for years.” The day started out with speakers including Todd Morgan, executive director of the Knox Heritage and East Tennessee Preservation Alliance and Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney. Chesney said it was important for people to understand the importance of the park where Morristown College, a historic institution of higher education for African Americans that stood at the site. “I think it’s an appropriate history at that location,” he said. “Andrew Fulton is one of the men Fulton-Hill Park. As a child, along with his mother, he was auctioned as a slave at that site. Later, he was a graduate of the school and then a professor who taught there until he passed away.” Chesney said he was looking forward to next year. Games for children were organized, including an egg toss where splattered eggs created big smiles on many faces. The Morristown-Hamblen Library was on hand and were giving away books to children. The Taskforce on Diversity provided free school supplies and prizes for the game winners. The evening ended with a showing of “Best of Enemies,” a movie about the friendship between former enemies in North Carolina- a Ku Klux Klan leader and a civil rights worker. Source: “Day of Jubilee: Fulton-Hill Park Hosts Celebration of Freedom.” Drew Robinson [Morristown, TN], 9 Aug. 2021, www.citizentribune.com/arts_and_entertainment/fulton-hill-park-hosts-celebration-of-freedom/article_f6c11b1a-f930-11eb-85e8-dbdbb4bc3095.html.
Reunion of the Ages has announced its annual scholarship winners. Reunion of the Ages is a non-profit organization established in 2002 and serves as a voice for the legacy, history and pride of Morristown College. It also serves to preserve, honor and celebrate the history and impact of former black educational institutions in Hamblen County in view of the present and future need of the community. Each year scholarships are awarded to graduating high school students based on availability and academic achievement. Students must maintain a high grade point average, be involved in their community and write an essay on why they are applying for the scholarship and their educational goals. Over the course of 18 years the organization has awarded $65,150 to 140 students. The following awards have been awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year: Kailey N. Hoffner, Jefferson County, attending Carson Newman University, nursing, awarded the Francis Pressley Scholarship, $1,000. Kellen Harrison-Lee, Henderson, NV, Eastern Nazarene College, criminal justice, James A. Nichols Scholarship, $500. Isaiah Sherles, Jacksonville, FL, University of Central Florida GPA, computer engineering, Samuel Braziel Scholarship, $500. Daeshawn Harris, Morristown East, Walters State Community College, business, James A. Nichols Scholarship, $500. Kelly Fluker, Morristown West, Tennessee Technological University, computer engineering, Melissa Dukes Scholarship, $500. Noah Lovell, Morristown West, Middle Tennessee State University, journalism, James A. Nichols scholarship, $500.
"I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love." ~ Leo Buscaglia Marjorie Senter ( FORMER MC DORMITORY MATRON) Rev. Donald Daniels ( FORMER MC EDUCATOR / FORMER BETHEL UMC PASTOR) Hazel Simpson ( FORMER MC COOK/DIETICIAN) Janice McMahan Martha Ilene Patterson Alma Estelle Davis Alley Henry Mason Brenda Goodson Mary Alice Davis Litton Mary Wilson Mavis Laverne Dallis If your loved one was missed, please inform us so that we can honor them on our social media page.
Plans are well underway for the Second Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Cherokee Park on Saturday, June 19, 2021. This festival-event will be open all day and will involve all kinds of activities and presentations to inspire, motivate, educate and entertain event goers. Juneteenth recognizes that although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect on January 1. 1863, the news did not travel fast and there were states that did not accept this news readily. The people of Texas did not actually receive the news that those who had been enslaved in that state were now free until June 19, 1865. Texas was the last state to comply and so "Juneteenth" has been celebrated in that state and others since that day. What began as a localized celebration has been adopted by many states as an illustration of Dr. King's often quoted statement that "none of us are free until we all are free." Booths are available at no charge for marketing purposes. Please contact Keisha Monroe at keishajmonroe@gmail.com for more information. Donations are welcomed. Our 2021 Scholarship Recipients will be recognized at this event.
Membership in the ROTA ensures you stay connected to Morristown College and its extensive alumni network and ensures the voice of all alumni is heard. Membership helps provide programming to keep alumni connected with the legacy of Morristown College, the affiliate schools and each other. Together, members advocate for the Legacy, promote excellence and help the ROTA promote and advance the best and brightest students with scholarship support. Only $15.00 per person annually Applications are available on our website. Click Here Contact Walter Evans at 423-586-3957 or Michelle Stokes at 423-307-9511
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Our Mission is to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our community and to promote acceptance and understanding among its residents. Our Vision is to make Morristown a city where all individuals are equally valued solely “by the content of their character,” and are welcomed and celebrated for the uniqueness they contribute to our community. An Operating Principle: We seek partnership and inclusion in every endeavor. Dr. Alpha Alexander, Chairperson
Men Of Vision is a grassroots organization of professional men who are interested in impacting the Community of Morristown, TN. The organization was founded to enhance the development of growth of the character within the African American community in a small town in eastern Tennessee. This group is on a mission to impact this area Civically, Socially, and Economically. Since its inception the community of Morristown is already reaping the benefits of this organization, and we are looking forward to meeting our challenges and goals in the year 2021. John H. Jones, President
TONI YVETTE THOMPSON OXY Occidental College Francis Pressley Scholarship JORDYN NECHELLE YEARY East Tennessee State University William “Sam” Braziel Scholarship ASTRID VANESSA RIVERA Walters State Community College James A. Nichols Scholarship HASLAN LACHELLE WOLF University of Tennessee, Knoxville Melissa McCray-Dukes Scholarship LYRIC MARIE KNIGHT Tennessee Tech University James A. Nichols Scholarship JAYSON ALEXANDER LUTTRELL East Tennessee State University James A. Nichols Scholarship