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HJR 1536

Memorials, Recognition - 150th anniversary of the Colored National Convention held at the Tennessee State Capitol -

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Justin Jones

Tennessee honors the 150th anniversary of the Colored National Convention (1876), highlighting its role in voting rights, education funding, labor reform, and Black political organ

Signed by Governor.
#memorials #recognition
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Bill Summary · HJR 1536

Summary of Bill: HJR 1536 (Session 114, Tennessee)

Purpose

  • To memorialize and honor the 150th anniversary of the Colored National Convention held at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, April 5–7, 1876.
  • Acknowledges the convention’s historical significance in Reconstruction-era efforts for voting rights, civil rights, education funding, and labor reform.
  • Reflects on the broader history of Black political organizing and its impact on equality under the law.

Key Provisions

  • Recognition: The Tennessee House of Representatives, with concurrence from the Senate, expresses honor for the 150th anniversary of the Colored National Convention held at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville.
  • Historical framing: Emphasizes the convention’s focus on:
    • Voting rights and civil rights
    • Political strategy for African Americans
    • Education funding (noting resolutions calling for Congress to provide $7 million for public education in the South)
    • Labor reform (calling for a Congressional committee to investigate Southern labor and improve wages)
  • Documentation reference: Mentions contemporary media coverage, including a wood engraving based on a photograph by Carl Caspar Giers, published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (May 6, 1876).
  • Contextualization: Situates the convention within the long history of Black conventions (1830s–1880s) and the broader Black mobilization before, during, and after the Civil War.
  • Symbolic value: Describes the engraving as a powerful reminder of resilience in the fight for civil rights and economic opportunity.
  • Formal enactment: The resolution authorizes the preparation of an appropriate copy for presentation, with a minor textual clause about formatting the copy (omitting the final clause from the copy and ensuring the seal language appears without House/Senate designation).

Who/What Is Affected

  • State recognition by Tennessee state government (House of Representatives and Senate).
  • The public record and historical acknowledgment within Tennessee.
  • Educational and cultural institutions may reference or utilize the resolution in commemorative materials or events marking the anniversary.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Filed for introduction on 2026-04-20.
  • Sponsorship: Primary sponsor is Representative Jones (with a co-sponsor, Justin Jones).
  • Nature of bill: Joint resolution (no new statutory authorities or funding; purely ceremonial/honorary in nature).
  • Effective impact: Largely symbolic; creates formal recognition and invites appropriate presentation of a commemorative copy.

Implications

  • Educational and historical awareness: May spur public commemoration, exhibitions, or educational programming related to Reconstruction, civil rights history, and Black conventions.
  • Civic framing: Positions Tennessee as acknowledging a notable historical event connected to Black citizenship and political organization.
  • Non-operational: No new funding, regulatory changes, or procedural obligations for state agencies are created by the resolution itself.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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