A Retrospective on ‘The Nashville Retrospect’

Newspapers are sometimes called the first drafts of history. And for the last five years, Allen Forkum has been trying to make sure Nashvillians don’t forget what those first drafts looked like.

Forkum is the editor and publisher of The Nashville Retrospect, a monthly publication that reprints historic articles from Middle Tennessee newspapers, some of which date back 200 years or more. The Nashville Retrospect also features essays by local historians and remembrances from longtime residents.

On June 21, Forkum will tell the story of his newspaper during a free workshop at the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA). The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. that day in TSLA’s auditorium. TSLA’s building is located at 403 Seventh Avenue North, just west of the State Capitol building in downtown Nashville.

Forkum, who grew up in Mt. Juliet, has been in the publishing business since 1988. He became interested in local history while doing research on his 100-year-old house in the Belmont area. He launched The Nashville Retrospect in 2009. Much of his personal research is conducted at TSLA.

Although the workshop is free and open to the public, reservations are required due to limited seating. People can register for the workshop by telephone at (615) 741-2764 or by e-mail at workshop.tsla@tn.gov.

Parking is available in front, beside and behind the TSLA building.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.