Original Constitutions, Workshop Planned for Statehood Celebration

The Tennessee State Library and Archives will put all three of the state’s original constitutions on display to the public in commemoration of Statehood Day. The constitutions are typically protected in a vault, but all three versions will be in the Library and Archives’ lobby for public viewing June 1 to 2 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT.

“Seeing these wonderful documents makes Tennessee history come alive,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “Not many Tennesseans can say they’ve seen one of our constitutions up close, much less all three. Hopefully, this exhibition will demonstrate how the Library and Archives works tirelessly to protect and chronicle our great state’s history.” 

As part of this celebration, the Library and Archives will also host a free lecture on Tennessee’s first governor John Sevier and Tennessee’s road to statehood. Gordon Belt, Library and Archives Public Services director and author of the book John Sevier: Tennessee’s First Hero, will discuss how Tennessee became a state and the prominent role Sevier played in Tennessee's early history, eventually becoming the state’s first governor.

The lecture will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. CDT Saturday, June 2, in the Library and Archives auditorium. The Library and Archives is located at 403 Seventh Ave. N., directly west of the Tennessee State Capitol in downtown Nashville. Free parking is available around the Library and Archives building.

Although the lecture is free and open to the public, registration is required due to seating limitations in the auditorium. To reserve seats, please visit sevierstatehood.eventbrite.com.

Viewing the state constitutions is free. No reservation is required.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

A Father’s Day Debate – Who is the “Father of Tennessee”?

With Father’s Day on the horizon, we thought the holiday warranted a look back at the “Father of Tennessee” and the debate over which historical figure properly holds that distinction.

Many chroniclers of early Tennessee history have proclaimed James Robertson as the “Father of Tennessee.” As a leader of both the Watauga and Cumberland settlements, Robertson is credited with establishing the first frontier settlements in what would later become the state of Tennessee. In 1779, he and John Donelson founded Fort Nashborough, which later became Nashville. Robertson defended his settlements from frequent attacks by the Chickamauga Cherokees, and he paid dearly for the defense of this land. According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, “Robertson's brothers, John and Mark, were killed, as were his sons, Peyton and James Jr. Another son, Jonathan, was scalped. Robertson narrowly escaped death on two occasions.” George Washington, considered the father of our country, appointed Robertson brigadier general of the United States Army of the Territory South of the River Ohio. Under Robertson’s leadership, that territory prospered, thereby establishing the foundation for what would become the state of Tennessee.

Portrait of Gen. James Robertson (1742-1814), "Founder of Nashville."
Library Collection

Other writers, however, contend that John Sevier is our state’s founding father and deserves recognition as the “Father of Tennessee.” Sevier stood alone as a towering figure in early Tennessee politics. As a celebrated frontiersman, a revered military leader of the Revolutionary War and a respected and feared Indian fighter, Sevier earned the trust of his electorate and became Tennessee’s first governor in 1796. He served six two-year terms as governor. During his terms as governor, Sevier negotiated a series of treaties to clear Indian claims to territory in Tennessee and facilitated the establishment of trade routes throughout the newly formed state. His mark on the landscape can be clearly felt in East Tennessee, where schools, roadways, and historic landmarks still bear his name. Sevier, however, is a forgotten figure in Tennessee history, frequently overshadowed by the long branches of “Old Hickory,” Andrew Jackson, whose own reputation looms large across the state and the nation.

Portrait of John Sevier (1745-1815) in military uniform.
Library Collection

So who do you think appropriately deserves the moniker, “Father of Tennessee” – James Robertson or John Sevier? In celebration of Father’s Day, we invite your comments on this ongoing historical debate.

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