Nashville, TN – The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) congratulates First Presbyterian Church Clarksville, whose bicentennial history book, “Following the Faith: A Bicentennial History of First Presbyterian Church, Clarksville, 1822-2022,” was selected as this year’s Publications winner in the small press category.
Only one book in this category each year is selected to receive this national award, one of the AASLH’s Leadership in History Awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in state and local history.
Over the last two centuries, First Presbyterian Church, through its mission, its members, and its ministers, has significantly influenced Clarksville’s civic path. Members of this church have served the community and the nation as mayors, city council members, Tennessee and US representatives, a US Senator, judges, lawyers, bankers, doctors, teachers, soldiers, business leaders, and civic volunteers. In this volume, authors have tried to tell their stories along with the church’s stories, the good along with the not-so-good.
Ellen Kanervo edited the book and wrote the final chapter, and graphic designer Mike Fink laid it out. Volunteers who wrote chapters of the book were church members Rhonda Banasiak, Liz Thomas, Phillip Kemmerly, Karen Goggin, Phyllis Smith, David Kanervo, Tim Arrington and Barbara Rogers Grigsby. Pastor Greg Glover wrote a Foreword to the book.
One reviewer wrote of the book, “The contextualization, the open willingness to tell the good and not so good stories, the writing quality—and more so the consistency—with multiple authors is amazing. Great selection of primary and secondary sources.
“This is a microhistory that is an example for other organizations to follow. It has an index, in-source citations, and end notes after each chapter. It also contextualizes the church’s story making the story very rich. For example, and there are many that could be cited, on page 100, they talk about the average working man’s wage — his capacity to give at church. This book made me care about a church I’ve never even seen, and that says something about the quality of this work.”
This year, AASLH is proud to confer fifty-one national awards honoring people, projects, and exhibits. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history.
The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also bring public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions, and programs to make contributions in this arena. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615.320.3203, or go to www.aaslh.org
First Presbyterian Church, Clarksville
Soon after Clarksville, Tennessee, was incorporated in 1784, Dr. Gideon Blackburn, an itinerant Presbyterian minister, preached outdoors in a place south of Clarksville owned by Larkin Bradley (subsequently known as Tompkins Grove, after Bradley sold the property to Tompkins in 1868). Dr. Blackburn organized First Presbyterian Church on May 25, 1822.
First Presbyterian Church has been located at 213 Main Street since the late 1830s, when Lucinda Elder, wife of Clarksville’s first mayor, gave the land that intersects at Third and Main to the church. The current sanctuary was completed and dedicated on May 26, 1878. We are a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), known for our involvement and service to the community, and the beauty of our music and worship.
In 2022 we marked our 200th year of continuous service to Christ and to this community
About AASLH
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), a national nonprofit association, provides leadership and resources to help the history community thrive and make the past more meaningful for all people. AASLH serves the tens of thousands of history organizations, professionals, and volunteers around the country who help people of all ages develop critical thinking skills and understand how learning history helps society make progress toward justice. Through research, advocacy, and our field-leading professional
