Clarksville, TN – The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department will host a Black History Month event from 1:00pm-2:15pm on Saturday, February 12th, at Fort Defiance Civil War Park and Interpretive Center.
This free, educational event is open to the public and will feature the presentation “Your Story and Lives Won’t Die Twice” from the following guests of the Mt. Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society (MOCHPS) and Austin Peay State University:
- Delton Wells, U.S. Army soldier and member of MOCHPS – How Black History Month started and why it exists
- Nick Nicholson, President of MOCHPS – History of Mt. Olive Cemetery
- Phyllis Smith, Historian of MOCHPS – Select civilian and USCT biographies from Mt. Olive Cemetery
- Mike Taliento, Director of Grounds and Preservation of MOCHPS – Why and how we preserve Mt. Olive Cemetery, both the grounds/facilities and the memories of the people
- Eboné Amos, Assistant Professor of African American Studies at APSU and her dance student – Dance Interpretation: Lewis Douglass’ Letter to his Dear Amelia
- Tyler Nolting, Director of Education and Engagement of MOCHPS and Assistant Professor of Public Health at APSU – Musical reflection- “You Won’t Die Twice (A Salute to the U.S. Colored Troops)”
- Larry Wells, board member of MOCHPS – Motivational send-off
“Most people are familiar with Black History Month, but not everyone understands its origins,” said William Parker, Historical Interpreter at Fort Defiance. “The goal with this event is to educate the public about the history as well as the importance of this special month.”
Tours of the Mt. Olive Cemetery will be offered following the event for those interested in learning more about the historic cemetery.
For more, visit wwww.clarksvilleparksrec.com
