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East Tennessee History Center to host video event showcasing history of Knoxville

The video will follow a notable historian as he walks through parts of his former neighborhood, known as The Bottom, before it radically changed in the 1950s and 60s

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In the 1950s and 1960s, Knoxville went through a period of rapid change. Urban renewal policies separated many Black communities from the rest of the city. The policies also removed many Black families from their homes, while also pulling customers away from Black-owned businesses.

A noted historian will take audiences through the changes on a simple walk through the city on Sunday. Robert Booker, a notable Knoxville historian, walked through many parts of the city accompanied by a Calvin McClung and a cameraman.

During the video, Booker identifies historically significant locations and explains how they changed. He goes through the history of areas around the Civic Coliseum, the Old City and First Creek. He will discuss what they were like before being changed by Knoxville's Urban Renewal period.

The communities he explores were collectively known as "The Bottom" and were where many Black families lived being the 1960s. He also shares archives, photographs and films of The Bottom before the policies changed the city.

The event will be hosted by the East Tennessee History Center on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m. Booker will be there on hand to answer questions from the audience. While the event is free, people will need to register ahead of time before attending.

They can call 865-215-8729 to register.

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