Plateau VISTAs Honor MLK Legacy


VISTAs investigate historical civil rights abuses at Tracy City stockade

Local VISTAs joined thousands of volunteers across the nation on Jan. 18, to participate in the national MLK Day of Service. Inspired by the Roberson Project at the University of the South, the VISTA project began by examining the practice of convict leasing in the state of Tennessee and throughout the South. VISTAs then transcribed records from Tracy City’s historical Lone Rock Stockade, where thousands of African American convicts were leased to the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company for forced labor in coal mines between 1872 and 1896.

As background, VISTAs attended presentations by professor Woody Register, Director of the Roberson Project, and by visiting assistant professor Camille Westmont, Director of the Lone Rock Stockade Project. VISTAs additionally viewed the PBS documentary titled “Slavery by Another Name,” which is based on Douglas A. Blackmon’s Pulitzer Prize winning book of the same name.

VISTAs subsequently transcribed handwritten records for 913 prisoners incarcerated at the Lone Rock Stockade. Using FromthePage online transcription software, participants transcribed scanned-in, handwritten documents into easy-to-read typed text. “We accomplished an incredible amount today,” said Westmont of the event.

Participants in the virtual event included South Cumberland Plateau VISTAs, the VISTA management team, and VISTAs serving elsewhere in the U.S. “I commend you for making the most of a difficult situation and am grateful,” said Register, in reference to the VISTA cohort’s ability to adapt and serve meaningfully despite pandemic conditions.

The 913 completed transcriptions contribute to Westmont’s research of the Lone Rock Stockade, ultimately helping Westmont and her team to determine just how many convicts labored in Tracy City’s coal mines.

“It is too early in the transcription effort to know, but I expect to find the numbers lie between 5,000 and as many as 10,000 convicts forced into unpaid labor over the course of the stockade’s nearly 25-year history,” said Westmont of the record transcription effort.

Westmont’s research has already revealed that between 70 percent and 90 percent of stockade convicts were of African-American descent, while only an estimated 25 percent of Tennessee’s total population was of African descent at that time. “The stockade—one of several convict leasing prisons in Tennessee and throughout the South—was a blatant continuation of slavery under inhumane prison conditions. Leased labor greatly benefited the local economy and continues to, indirectly, even today. I suspect as a society we will struggle to reconcile these conflicts for generations to come,” said Westmont.

The transcription service project was inspired by the Roberson Project at the University of the South. Chartered in part with “shedding light on how slavery and its legacies have marked our local history,” the Roberson Project is focused on the history of the University, the town of Sewanee, and its people. Still the history of the South Cumberland Plateau and the University are inextricably linked. “Dr. Register, spoke to the VISTAs in December. His presentation sparked curiosity about convict leasing in Grundy County where many of our VSITAs serve,” explained VISTA Leader, Julianna McBee about how the project was developed. “Our MLK Day of Service was truly a success.”

2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May