MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - At 2:00 o'clock this Saturday afternoon (4/18/2026), the community is invited to gather in Maney Hall at Oaklands Mansion, 901 N. Maney Ave., Murfreesboro, for a powerful and deeply local story—one that stretches from the era of enslavement to modern-day leadership. The speaker is Elma Black McKnight, a retired Murfreesboro City Schools educator and a direct descendant of David Maney, the blacksmith enslaved on the Oaklands/Maney plantation generations ago.
For five generations, the Maney family’s roots have run through Murfreesboro soil. David Maney’s skill as a blacksmith helped sustain the plantation that would later become a Civil War battlefield, a historic house museum, and a public park. Today, his legacy continues through his granddaughter, who now serves on Oaklands Mansion’s Board of Trustees—an extraordinary full-circle moment that bridges past and present. Her service stands as a living reminder of resilience, continuity, and the enduring presence of the descendants of those once enslaved on this land.
McKnight’s presentation will share David Maney’s story, but it also opens the door to the broader, often painful history of enslavement at Oaklands. Historians now emphasize that the Maney family enslaved dozens of men, women, and children whose labor built and enriched the plantation. While some formerly enslaved people adopted the Maney surname after emancipation, researchers note this reflected the realities of enslavement, not benevolence—names were often the only recorded identity they had.
One of the most significant physical links to this history is Section M of Evergreen Cemetery. Long identified through oral tradition as the burial ground for enslaved individuals from the Maney plantation. The area of Evergreen has now been confirmed through modern research. MTSU’s Department of Geosciences used ground‑penetrating radar to locate numerous unmarked graves—about 18 in one scan, with more likely present. A weathered tin obelisk marked “Carrie” remains one of the few visible markers of those buried there.
The land itself tells the story. In 1872, after the Civil War, Dr. James Maney sold twenty acres of the former plantation to the City of Murfreesboro for a new cemetery. Oral history held that this acreage already served as a burial ground for enslaved people, and that is now confirmed with the radar studies.
In 2023, Oaklands Mansion and the African American Heritage Society of Rutherford County dedicated a permanent memorial in Section M, acknowledging lives “largely overlooked by history” and committing to remembrance.
This Saturday afternoon’s event is free and open to the public. It will take place rain or shine. Light refreshments will be provided by Simply Pure Sweets. Parking is available at the Oaklands Park pavilion at 427 Roberts Street, with ADA parking at the Visitors Center at 901 N. Maney Avenue.
McKnight’s talk offers Murfreesboro a chance to listen, learn, and honor the people whose stories shaped this place. Again, that's at 2:00 o'clock this Saturday afternoon.
