Fuller Story initiative celebrates statue unveiling with An Elegant Evening | Entertainment

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The Fuller Story initiative hosted An Classy Night with The Fuller Tale on Friday to commemorate the historic set up of a United States Colored Troops statue on Franklin’s town sq.. 

It was a fit-and-gown celebration which integrated numerous speakers, a catered food, reside new music by area musician Jason Eskridge and dancing to Nioshi Jackson and the Heroes to conclude the night. 



Patricia Radcliffe, Alma McLemore and Paulette Johnson



The statue was sculpted by Tennessee native Joe Howard. It is titled “March to Flexibility,” honoring the almost 200,000 Black guys who fought and died for the Federal Army and Navy for the duration of the Civil War. 

“As these adult males joined the North, joined the Federal military, they weren’t even acquired very well by men and women on the exact same facet, persons who doubted their intelligence, persons who questioned their bravery, persons who taken care of them as nearly anything significantly less than a human staying, men and women who thought that at the very first sight of war, bloodshed and gunshots, that these previous slaves would run and not be able to participate in warfare, but boy had been they erroneous,” explained Pastor Chris Williamson of Robust Tower Bible Church, one of the founders of the Fuller Tale initiative. “We’re nonetheless proving that that was erroneous in 2021.”



An Elegant Evening with The Fuller Story

Kirk Whalum



The occasion also honored many “modern-day heroes” with the USCT Humanitarian Awards. 

Recipients were being recognized for using national platforms to market messages of hope, unity and excellence. The honorees had been Cyntoia Brown-Extensive, Kevon Edmonds, Dr. Bobby Jones, Bernard Pollard, Sherman Smith and Kirk Whalum. Whalum, Jones and Pollard spoke in individual at the event.

“They didn’t have the regard, they did not have what this basic humanity really should have afforded someone,” said Whalum, speaking of the USCT troopers. “I’m listed here now to rejoice individuals who did not have any.”

A slice of the proceeds from the function went towards 3 African American-led nonprofit businesses: Challenging Cut price Association, Local community Childcare and the Franklin Justice and Fairness Coalition.