(MURFREESBORO)  Oaklands Mansion continues its search of history about the enslaved residents of the 1,500 acre plantation of the 1800's. 

GPR Gives Picture Below Earth

On Monday (10/18/2021), Middle Tennessee State University began a ground penetrating radar (GPR) study of land that is now known at Section M at Evergreen Cemetery. The electronic device was slowly rolled over the earth and it detected where the earth had been disturbed over the past two-centuries. Flags were placed in the ground along with the recording of a precise longitude and latitude marking. 

NewsRadio WGNS was at the Evergreen Cemetery while the GPR study was being made. Oaklands Mansion Executive Director James Manning said . . .

Historians have completed extensive research into the lives of enslaved African Americans at Oaklands Mansion, and that information is available now. The property was owned by the Maney family, reportedly being one of Tennessee’s largest slave owners in the 1860s. 

Auction Saturday To Fund Projects

WGNS then spoke with Margaret McKinley with the African American Heritage Society of Rutherford County . . .

Again the fund raising auction by the  African American Heritage Society of Rutherford County will begin at 2:00 o'clock this Saturday afternoon (10/23/2021) at the Patterson Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard). 

Oaklands Mansion is releasing the names and life stories of enslaved African Americans who likely lived on the plantation.

Leaders In The Enslaved Community

Every section of society has leaders. Murfreesboro's Photographer Laureate Tommy Womack was witnessing the research and looking for information about leaders from the enslaved population at Oaklands Mansion . . .

Previously, very little research had been devoted to the African-Americans enslaved by the Maney family. However, Oaklands’ launch of a new 2021 initiative seeks to bring these individuals’ stories to the forefront via “The Untold Stories” project. “The Untold Stories project attempts to give a voice to 87 African Americans who have been overlooked by history,” said James Manning, executive director. “The initiative names each individual believed to have been enslaved on the Maneys’ plantation and their descendants. This new research broadly increases our knowledge of the African American community in Murfreesboro both during the Civil War and beyond.”

Walk Through History This Sunday

There is a rare opportunity for the public to walk-through local history this coming Sunday afternoon (10/24/2021). The Old City Cemetery Historic Preversation Project Director Laura Bartel said . . .

Again, the OPEN DAY at the old City Cemetery, 320 East Vine St., will take place this Sunday afternoon (10/24/2021) from 2:00-4:30PM. There is no charge.