For more than two centuries, women have sustained Knoxville not only through care and community, but through education, often in informal, overlooked, and marginalized spaces. Long before classrooms were equitable or accessible, women taught children in homes, churches, kitchens, and community gathering places, carrying knowledge forward even when society denied them power, protection, or recognition.
This lecture examines the critical role women, particularly those on the margins, played in holding Knoxville together through education during the city’s first 250 years. From enslaved and formerly enslaved Black women who passed down literacy and cultural knowledge, to working-class women who nurtured learning beyond formal institutions, these educators shaped generations despite systemic barriers.
Participants will leave with a renewed understanding of how everyday acts of teaching and learning built community, preserved dignity, and empowered futures—and how those same forces remain essential in our present moment.
Dr. Melody Hawkins is an award-winning educator, author, and school leader dedicated to providing equitable, high-quality learning experiences for all students. She began her career as a science teacher at Vine Middle Magnet School, later serving as Assistant Administrator at Austin-East Magnet High School and District K–12 Science Facilitator for Region 5 in Knox County Schools.
-Lecture will start at 6pm
-The special speaking event will be at Blount Mansion Visitors Center, 200 West Hill Avenue, Knoxville TN 37902.
-Limited free parking onsite
-$10 Donation suggested at the door. Cash and card accepted
-RSVP to Rose@BlountMansion.org