Speakers: Dr. Angela Sutton and Mr. Cyril Stewart.
Fort Negley began as a Union fortification built by nearly 5000 laborers, including free blacks, enslaved persons, as well as “contraband” folks seeking refuge in Nashville during the Civil War. The working and environmental conditions were very poor, and 800 folks died during the construction. Following the end of the Civil War, the Fort went through many different phases, including a shameful time as a gathering place for the Klu Klux Klan.
Most recently, in the 2018, plans to create the Cloud Hill commercial development brought many Nashvillians together to save the park, its history, and the green space it provided to an area hemmed in by interstates and other developments. Importantly, in 2019, the Fort was designated a ‘Site of Memory’ within the Slave Route Project by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
Since then, Metro Parks began its work to create an Open-Air Museum of National Significance. The Master Plan was finalized in October of 2022, and the first phase started this winter. The development and expansion of building and activities will continue through 2023 and into the future, dependent upon funding. The presentation was moving and informative. This is a place that Nashvillians should preserve and treasure. Our history must not be denied nor forgotten, but provide for a shared future with meaningful hope and justice for everyone in our community.