PROGRAM FOR SAMPSON W. KEEBLE CELEBRATION
Monday, March 29, 2010
PART ONE: HISTORICAL PRESENTATION
Old Supreme Court Chamber, Tennessee State Capitol, 10:00 a.m.
1. Welcome and introductions: Rep. John DeBerry, District 90 Representative and
Chairman, Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus,
and Dr. Tommie Brown, District 28
Representative.
2. Historical background: “African Americans in the Civil War,” by Norman Hill, Tennessee Historical Commission and Capitol Commission
member, and USCT reenactor.
3. Historical background: “African Americans and Reconstruction,” by Linda Wynn, Tennessee
Historical Commission staff member and lecturer,
Tennessee State University.
4. Historical background: “The First Fourteen: African Americans in the Tennessee House of
Representatives,” by Kathy Lauder, Tennessee State
Library and Archives.
5. Slide show: “Realizing the Dream. Rep. Sampson W. Keeble: Creation of a Monument,” by
Roy W. Butler, sculptor, Henderson, Nevada – a
slide show illustrating the development of the Keeble bust from a wood block and an arrangement of pipes to the final installation in the
Tennessee Capitol.
Exhibits in Supreme Court Chamber (prepared by James V. Castro, Exhibits Committee chair, Tennessee State Library and Archives):
Composite photographs of the Tennessee State House of Representatives from the 42nd
General Assembly (1881-1882), the 44th General
Assembly (1885-1886), and the
45th General Assembly (1887-1888).
House Bill 329, filed by Sampson Keeble on February 14, 1873, to amend the city
charter of Nashville.
House Bill 506, filed by Sampson Keeble on March 18, 1873, to protect laborers, and to
secure their wages.
House Bill 507, filed by Sampson Keeble on March 18, 1873, for the benefit of the
Tennessee Manual Labor School.
Videography: Jeff Davidson, WKRN, Channel 2.
PART TWO: PRIVATE UNVEILING
For Keeble family members and invited guests, Voting Rights Chamber, near House of Representatives, Tennessee State Capitol, 11:00 a.m.
1. Remarks: Dr. Tommie Brown, District 28 Representative.
2. Historical Background: “Capitol Artwork,” by James Hoobler, Curator of the Capitol.
3. Unveiling of the Sampson Keeble Bust: James Hoobler and sculptor Roy Butler.
4. Presentation of flowers: Chad and Cameron White, Keeble’s great-great-grandchildren.
5. Photographs and television interviews.
PART THREE: LUNCHEON AT THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL
for Keeble descendants and invited guests at the Renaissance,
hosted by Norman Hill,
Cracker Barrel Corp. executive and TN Historical Commission member, 1:30 p.m.
PART FOUR: PUBLIC UNVEILING OF KEEBLE BUST
Voting Rights Chambers, Tennessee State Capitol, 4:00 p.m.
1. Welcome and introductions – Rep. John DeBerry, District 90 Representative and
Chairman, Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus,
and Dr. Tommie Brown, District 28
Representative.
2. Prayer – Rep. Johnny Shaw, District 80 Representative.
3. Unveiling of Keeble bust: James Hoobler, Curator of the Capitol, and Roy W.
Butler, sculptor.
PART FIVE: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – EVENING SESSION
Tennessee State Capitol, 5:00 p.m.
1. Remarks about the unveiling; introduction of Keeble family members and sculptor Roy W. Butler;
2. Proclamation honoring the 19th century African American legislators and presentation to family.
[Our gratitude to William Mills for sharing his photographs of the Keeble celebration. Other photographers are listed below.]
Photographs, from top:
1. Close-up of the Keeble bust, showing details of the face.
2. Sampson W. Keeble bust, showing engraved base with list of 19th century African American legislators.
3. Roy W. Butler, sculptor of the Sampson W. Keeble bust, with Keeble's great-great-granddaughters, Susanna Mills
Silverman and Rebecca Mills Peterson.
4. Sampson Keeble's great-grandson Leonard Davis (left) and great-granddaughter Helen Davis Mills (right) chat with Representative G. A.
Hardaway (center) after the unveiling of the Keeble bust.
5. Members of the Legislative Black Caucus stand with Keeble family members near the newly dedicated bust of Sampson W. Keeble, the first
African American elected to the Tennessee General Assembly (1872).
6. Tennessee legislators and Sampson Keeble descendants with the Keeble bust after the public unveiling.
7. Sampson W. Keeble descendants and families with Keeble bust: from left, Norma Hoffman Davis, Dr. Leonard E. Davis Jr., Leslie Davis,
William Mills, Helen Davis Mills, Chad White, Cameron White, Rebecca Mills Peterson, and Susanna Mills Silverman. (Photo by Rep. John J.
DeBerry Jr.)
8. The eight direct Keeble descendants who attended the ceremony: from left, Susanna Davis Silverman, Anna Elizabeth Peterson, Rebecca
Davis Peterson, Helen Davis Mills, Cameron White, Leslie Davis, Chad White, and Dr. Leonard E. Davis Jr.
9. Keeble descendants present at the 2010 unveiling: from left, Susanna Davis Silverman, Anna Elizabeth Peterson, Rebecca Davis Peterson,
Helen Davis Mills, Chad White, Cameron White, Leslie Davis, and Dr. Leonard E. Davis Jr.
10. Keeble sculptor Roy W. Butler explains the process by which the bust was developed.
11. Sampson Keeble's great-grandson, Dr. Leonard E. Davis Jr.
12. Roy W. Butler, sculptor of the Keeble bust.
13. Sampson Keeble's great-great-great-granddaughters, Cameron White (left) and Anna Elizabeth Peterson.
14. Sampson Keeble's descendants are delighted to discover the historical marker on South Broadway commemorating Keeble's
accomplishments. Pictured from left are Dr. Leonard E. Davis Jr., Anna Elizabeth Peterson, Rebecca Davis Peterson, Chad White, Cameron
White, Leslie Davis, Helen Davis Mills, and Susannah Davis Silverman. (Photo by Norma Hoffman Davis.)
