BRISTOL HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
THE SOULS OF BRISTOL’S BLACK BOTTOM:
RECLAIMING A PLACE, RESTORING A STORY
September 14, 2026, 6:30 PM in the Henry Kegley room of the Bristol Public Library.
Join community story steward Tina McDaniel and Dr. Daryl Carter, Professor, Associate Dean, and Director/Black American Studies at East Tennessee State University, for a program exploring the history, significance, and legacy of Bristol's Black Bottom.
Dr. Carter will provide historical context by examining the rise of Black business districts across America following Emancipation, their role as centers of entrepreneurship, culture, and community during segregation, and the profound impact of Urban Renewal on these neighborhoods.
Building on that broader history, McDaniel will share the story of Bristol's Black Bottom—once a vibrant African American business district located where the Bristol, Virginia Courthouse and the WCYB-TV building now stand. Drawing from her research, she will discuss Bristol's Black Bottom,
what was lost when the neighborhood was dismantled, and the ongoing work to reclaim its history through The Souls of Bristol's Black Bottom initiative supported by the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation and Virginia Humanities.
Together, the presentations will place Bristol's story within the larger history of Black placemaking in America and explore why preserving these histories matters today. The program will highlight current efforts to restore memory, strengthen community connections, and ensure that the legacy of Black Bottom becomes a visible and lasting part of Bristol's shared history.
This program is free and open to the public to attend.
THE GRAVE LOCATOR SEARCH FEATURE ON EAST HILL CEMETERY'S
WEBSITE IS NOW LIVE!
The Grave Locator feature on the East Hill Cemetery (EHC) website is now available for the public to search for EHC burials online. This feature was created for the Bristol Historical Association by David Carney, Geographic Information System (GIS) Coordinator, and Johnathan Smith, GIS Analyst, both of whom work for the City of Bristol TN Engineering Department. Linda Kirk, a member of BHA’s Board of Directors, conducted a special project for EHC to locate, identify, and document all burials in East Hill Cemetery. Linda collected and mapped the information in an electronic database that was provided to EHC at the completion of the project in early 2025, and then delivered the database to Johnathan Smith, who integrated it into a web map that locates the physical structure (headstone, marker, or monument) of the interred person by simply searching by name. The search feature pins the location of and provides any available information about the interred, i.e., name, dates of birth and death, the headstone inscription, military service, and information that was found listed in early Bristol City Directories. The GIS map and Section Map provide the exact location of the structure, and the latitude and longitude of the structure can be located using a cell phone.
“BHA was very excited to offer this project to East Hill Cemetery. Linda saw a definite need to assist EHC when she discovered that very little information about people interred there was documented, and graves were very difficult to locate. Part of BHA’s mission is to conduct programs for the purpose of developing and furthering an interest in and appreciation for the history and culture of the lives of Bristol citizens through the identification, preservation, interpretation, and presentation of our past. As East Hill Cemetery, with over 4,500 structures, is the largest historic cemetery in the area and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this project was definitely an act of love to preserve this history.“
– Barbara Smith, President, Bristol Historical Association.
For the EHC Grave Locator feature, Click this link: East Hill Cemetery Grave Locator
To watch the BHA video: "Digitizing East Hill Cemetery: Bringing the Past into the Future"
on Youtube, click this link: Digitizing East Hill Cemetery
To watch the BTNTV program about the project,
click this link: East Hill Cemetery Documentary
And to watch the WJHL TV segment, click this link: WJHL East Hill Cemetery Interview
Historic Sites.
History is told through the buildings and homes in a city. The Bristol Historical Association promotes an interest in the history of Bristol by designating properties with historical significance. A generous contribution from Mr. William W. “Bud” Walling financed the cost of the first twenty-five plaques. Much credit is due to the late Mr Walling for his vital part in the promotion of the Landmark Designation program.
Are you interested in applying for a Landmark Marker for your historical building? If so, please complete the Historical Landmark Marker Application Form.
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