Early Black Life and Culture

African Americans were among the earliest settlers in Nashville, but until recently, most histories written about early Black life and culture presented them as passive actors. This tour will give voice to the lives and the work of enslaved and free Black Nashvillians before the Civil War. As the city grew to become the Volunteer State’s second largest slave port, behind Memphis, African Americans who arrived here were simultaneously Nashville’s most valuable and vulnerable resources.

Before 1861, the majority of African Americans arrived in chains. Meanwhile, free Blacks who lived in Nashville avoided the restrictions of slavery but faced severe forms of racism. Despite such difficult circumstances—Black men, women, and children created a vibrant community in Nashville with schools, churches, and businesses—all anchored by a strong sense of community.

Hello friends, my name is Chakita Patterson, and I am the founder of a guided walking tour company that focuses specifically on Black history. This tour was written and curated by the fabulous Dr. Lea Williams, Associate Professor of History at Tennessee State University. It will be co-narrated by myself and Maya Dunn. “My name is Maya Dunn, and I am a Health Science major, concentration in Occupational Therapy at the Tennessee State University.” Let us begin as we explore important places and people in the first 100 years of Nashville’s African American history. Begin the tour at Fort Nashborough.