Nashville PBS is hosting a free taping of A Slice of the Community on Thursday, March 26, that is open to the public. Host and producer Jerome Moore will welcome Johnson Learning Center students and faculty to explore Hawks Talk, Metro Nashville Public Schools’ first student-led podcast, and its new “Voices of Liberty” episodes about what it means to be American at the country’s 250th anniversary. The latest podcast interviews were inspired in part by the recent Ken Burns American Revolution series and were supported in part by a $20,000 grant Nashville PBS received from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
This event is free, but reservations are required at wnpt.org/events. Food will be provided by Five Points Pizza, Slice’s official pizza sponsor. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the taping begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. in WNPT’s Studio A.
The State of Tennessee made available $6,435,000 to the Tennessee State Museum to administer on behalf of the Commission, with the majority of funding to be regranted to Tennessee communities to support statewide America 250 activities.
The first round of the Tennessee America 250 grant program was a highly competitive process. In total, the Commission received 220 applications, totaling $3,995,982 in requests. The Commission has made full or partial awards for 80 grants across the state, representing 37 counties, for a total of $1,566,325 awarded. A second round of grants was awarded earlier this year. A complete list of Tennessee America 250 grantees, counties and amounts is posted at www.tn250.com.
“I am inspired by the excitement across the state to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Ashley Howell, executive director of the Tennessee State Museum and chair of the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. “This year will be filled with exhibitions, programs, festivals, and preservation of our local and state history. We hope that these projects inspire Tennesseans across the state to engage with the anniversary.”
The Tennessee America 250 Project Support Grants and Community Support Grants had maximum request amounts of $20,000 and $25,000, respectively. All projects funded in the first round must be completed by April 30, 2027.
Corporate funding for The American Revolution was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for The American Revolution was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. The American Revolution was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
About Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial: The Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial was legislatively established by Public Chapter 384 of the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019. The Assembly created the Commission to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and recognize Tennessee’s integral role in that event and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. For more information on Commission activities, please visit www.tn250.com.