IN THIS ISSUE:
Greetings from the President
Historic Marker Dedication Ceremony
Christmas Luncheon Invitation
BHA Board Tours E.W. King House
November Program Highlights
New Museum Exhibit Features BHA Images
Have You Moved?
Renew Your Membership
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Greetings!
The year 2021, as well as my tenure as President of the Bristol Historical Association, is quickly drawing to a close. What a pleasure it has been to serve in that role, even during the shutdowns caused by the pandemic! During these past two years, I have been amazed by the loyalty of board members, committee members, and volunteers who did not seem to lose any of their enthusiasm for the mission of the Historical Association. We carried on. We learned new ways to perform our duties and convey our message to the public. We embraced the technology that allowed us to reach many more people than we have historically reached through programs open to all at the Bristol Public Library, although we still view those programs as central to carrying out our mission. Our cooperative efforts with the YWCA, the Bristol Herald Courier, BTES.TV, and BTN.TV, as well as a group of citizens who joined our task force to make the dedication of historical markers to honor influential people from the African American community a reality, gave our Association a more significant role in the life of the community.
As Fall approached, it was clear that activities were finally beginning to resemble many of the traditional functions of the Association. Tour requests for the Ernie Ford House have resumed. In August, September and October, we had three public programs at the library. Donations to our archives and to the Robert Preston House have continued, and requests for information, mainly on buildings and persons, have been numerous.
I must mention one more time the outstanding and highly successful event on October 30th honoring Charles Spurgeon Johnson and the Lee Street Baptist Church. This project, guided by Sid Oakley, may be the most significant public event that the Bristol Historical Association has sponsored. If you missed it, ask a board member to tell you about it! Also, see our report in this newsletter.
I would certainly be remiss in my duties if I did not express my thanks to the board members, committee members, and volunteers for their support during my tenure. Thank you.
In closing, let me urge you to make your reservation to attend our Christmas Luncheon at the Old Customs House at 12:30 PM on December 12, 2021. You will be glad you did. On that occasion, I will turn the gavel over to Barbara Smith who, I have no doubt, will lead the Bristol Historical Association into a new era of significance in our community. Carry us forward, Barbara!
Respectfully,
Charles Flannagan
President
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Dedication of First Historic Markers In Bristol Honoring African American Leaders |
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The October 30, 2021, dedication of two Virginia historical markers in downtown Bristol was the culmination of several years of work by a task force of community members. The markers are the first to recognize African American residents of Bristol, honoring and celebrating the contributions of the Reverend Charles Henry Johnson, long-time pastor of Lee Street Baptist Church, and Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson, his son.
The Bristol Historical Association and Lee Street Baptist Church hosted this event which featured a very special guest, Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security and grandson of Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson. The dedication was attended by many city leaders, ministers, historical preservation leaders, and citizens of the Bristol area, as well as a number of Johnson family members. To commemorate the special day, local artist Dakari Wheeler presented a piece of artwork depicting those being celebrated.
Led by former Bristol Historical Association president Sid Oakley, the task force spent untold hours on the project which began following the publication of a 2017 Bristol Herald Courier article entitled "Bristol’s Most Famous [Unknown] Son," which highlighted the life and career of Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson. Click here to read the article: "Bristol's Most Famous (Unknown) Son."
Charles Spurgeon Johnson was born in Bristol and later became a noted scholar on race relations, focusing on understanding the root of racism and dismantling it from within.
The Rev. Charles Henry Johnson led Lee Street Baptist Church from its humble beginnings in a little wooden church started in 1865 by thirty-nine freed slaves. The church was the hub of Bristol’s African American community, and just two years after Johnson’s call to Bristol in 1890, the congregation outgrew their building and moved to a new location on Lee Street between what is now the Bristol Virginia Courthouse and the Lee Street Fire Station. The church thrived under C. H. Johnson’s leadership, and he remained their pastor until his death in 1932.
The text for the marker dedicated to Lee Street Baptist Church reads, “In 1865, at the dawn of their freedom from slavery, 42 former members of the white-led Goodson (now First) Baptist Church organized the Anglo African Baptist Church. The congregation met in a series of buildings until, under the leadership of the Rev. Charles Henry Johnson, they built a new edifice just across the street from here in 1905. The Rev. Johnson served the church, later renamed Lee Street Baptist, until he died during his 42nd year as pastor in 1932. After six decades here, the original brick-veneer church, weakened by the periodic flooding of adjacent Beaver Creek, was razed. In 1966, the congregation moved into a new building at 1 West Mary Street.”
The text for the marker dedicated to Dr. Charles Spurgeon Jonson (1893-1956) reads, “Charles S. Johnson, sociologist, author, and civil rights leader, was born in Bristol, son of a 42-year pastor of Lee Street Baptist Church. He attended Virginia Union University and the University of Chicago and served in combat during World War I. A scholar of race relations, he was the primary author of a seminal analysis of the Chicago race riots of 1919. He became the first director of research at the National Urban League and was a driving force behind the Harlem Renaissance as editor of Opportunity magazine. At First University, Johnson led the social sciences department, published widely, and established annual Race Relations Institutes. In 1947 he became Fisk’s first Black president."
The dedication of these markers is an important recognition and acknowledgment of the contributions of members of Bristol's African American community to not only the fabric of the Bristol community, but also our society at large. Those whose time and effort made this event possible are listed in the program shown in the photos below.
To view clips of the event, please visit BHA's YouTube Channel by clicking on the following links:
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BHA Board Tours
Newly Restored E. W. King House
The Honey Do Franchising Group graciously invited BHA Board members to a private tour of the E. W. King House, now the Honey Do home office and headquarters, on November 5th. Many King family members attended this event.
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Front Row 1: Ruth, Gwen and Geneva King
Row 2: Nell King Bieger, Morgan King, and Joshua King
Row 3: Will King, Peggy Parks Cowan, and Claire Adamson Barrus
Row 4: Tom King and Patty Faulkner
Top Row: William King, Mary and John Warner, George Parks, Dan Bieger, and Lisa Crockett
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November Program Highlights
On November 8th, BHA president Charles Flannagan presented "Speaking of Controversial Elections --- Let's Talk Local," a review of the hotly contested Congressional election in the Fighting Ninth District that resulted in the shooting by and of one of the candidates in the Bristol Virginia Courthouse.
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MEMORIES..... OF THE WAY WE WORKED
No, it's not a sequel to the 1973 Barbra Streisand movie! It's a great new special exhibit from the Smithsonian at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum that tells the story of the history of work in America. The Way We Worked explores how work became such a central element in American culture by tracing the many changes that affected the workforce and work environments over the past 150 years.
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The Museum has created a supplementary display that features thirty-one images from BHA's Carolyn and Roy Williams Collection of Historic Photographs related to work in Bristol and the Tri-Cities region from major manufacturing and resource extraction (e.g. coal, timber) to retail, food services, farming, local industry, and the local newspaper. Other organizations, businesses, and individuals who loaned images and object for this display include the Archives of the City of Kingsport, Black in Appalachia, Bristol Herald Courier, Buchanan County Historical Society, Tim Buchanan, Eastman, Helms Candy Company, Ruth King, Jack Pierce, Tom Rogers, and Strongwell.
The Way We Worked presents a wonderful educational opportunity for local and regional schools and ties in well to state standards and curricula through engaging content. Teachers can contact Erika Barker at ebarker@birtplaceofcountrymusic.org to learn more about booking in-person and virtual tours of this exhibit.
The exhibit runs through January 23, 2022.
And while you are downtown, be sure to check out the Bristol Historical Association's current showcase display about Helms Candy Company at the Bristol Public Library - a great way to continue to learn about local work history! This display is a perfect complement to the Museums special exhibit, The Way We Worked.
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Has Your Address Changed??
Have you moved?
Or, are you among the over 7,300 residents of Bristol,Virginia, who found themselves issued a new street address and/or street name this summer? To say address changes are frustrating is a great understatement! As you struggle with updating your mailing address with endless organizations and entities, don't forget to send a change of address note to BHA so our records can be kept current.
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Not a Member?
Need to Renew your Membership?
Click HERE for a Membership Form
or simply send your check to BHA
P.O. Box 204 Bristol, TN 37621
Did you know that a variety of membership levels are available?
When you renew or join this year, please consider doing so at one of the following levels:
Individual $30
Family $45
Researcher $50-$99
Historian $100-$249
Curator $250-$499
Preservationist $500-$999
Lifetime Member (Individual) $1000 and above
Lifetime Member (Family) $1500 and above
Virginia Intermont Legacy $50 ($20 supports preservation of VI Records)
Business Partner $100 and above
Student Membership (under 21 years old) $5
Please also consider adding a donation to your membership dues. All non-profits have been challenged financially this year due to COVID-19 and the cancelling of most annual fundraising events, so any gift is very greatly appreciated! For those of you who have already renewed at these levels and/or given a little extra above and beyond your membership dues, BHA thanks you for helping fund our mission of identifying, preserving, interpreting, and promoting Bristol's History!
As a member, you will enjoy participation in all BHA events and programs while supporting its vital mission. As we embark into our 42nd year, there is a renewed focus to be faithful to our founding principles and broaden our efforts to educate a new generation.
If you are not already a member of BHA, we strongly encourage you to join today. Just click on the link below to join BHA or to renew your annual membership. And remember, BHA memberships make great gifts!
Click the following link for a membership application and information about membership levels:
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VIEW VIDEOS ON BHA'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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Did you know you can read past newsletters and stories and view both historical and modern photos on our newly designed website, always up to date with the latest news?
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Editor and Photographer, Amy Hopper
Writer and Designer, Susan Long
Consultant and Proofreader, Carolyn Williams
Contributing Writers, Gail Fleenor and Beth Flannagan
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