November 15th Salon Series Lecture at APSU to Discuss Harlem Renaissance

Clarksville, TN – In the early 20th century, some of the country’s leading African American writers – including Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and Claude McKay – found a home for their works in the influential journal, “The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races.”

The magazine’s long-serving editor, W.E.B. Du Bois, the first African-American Ph.D. graduate of Harvard University, championed these writers, ushering in that pivotal period in American literature known as the Harlem Renaissance. But what many people don’t realize is that the literary movement was born out of the strained relationships between these writers, Du Bois and the journal’s white benefactors. [Read more]

APSU art professors discuss trip to Africa at October 12th salon

Clarksville, TN – The taxi, a dust-covered Toyota Range Rover, sped down what could only loosely be called a road in the remote wilderness of Tanzania. Austin Peay State University art professors Cindy Marsh and Jennifer Snyder sat in the back seat, bracing themselves for a crash.

“We were going at crazy speeds,” Snyder said. “People were diving out of the way. They were shaking fingers and yelling at our driver to slow down.” [Read more]

APSU Salon Series to Feature Recipes of Famous Tennesseans

Clarksville, TN – Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, often enjoyed a nice slice of gingerbread. Alan Jackson, a famous country music star, thinks chicken salad really hits the spot. The tastes of these two well-known Tennesseans might not have much in common, but what they eat and how they came to enjoy certain foods is a fascinating part of the state’s cultural history.

“With every recipe comes a tale,” Gerald Gilman, Clarksville artist and arts advocate, said. “Food is evocative. It’s a call from the past.” [Read more]