NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — "I'm enamored, I'm grateful, I'm inspired by Diane Nash and their entire generation — John Lewis and Lawson and all of them — what they did. They were just students, and they saw something that was not right in society and they decided they wanted to do something about it, and they put their lives on the line to make it happen. I always say if there were no Diane Nash or John Lewis, who knows where we would be as a society?" Councilwoman Zulfat Suara said.
Councilwoman Suara is the Chair of the Diane Nash Committee, previously known as the John Lewis Committee.
On Saturday, they are officially dedicating the plaza in front of the courthouse to Diane Nash in an event called "A Celebration of Courage and Conviction," with Fisk Jubilee Singers and Ruby Amanfu performing and Reverend James Lawson participating.
Several people are on the Committee, including council members, state legislators, people who work for Metro, the Historical Commission, and others.
"We wanted it to be a celebration for the entire city, not just the government," Councilwoman Suara said.
Everyone is welcome to attend, and Suara said she wants as many people as possible to come out and support Nash.
"We want people to come out and celebrate. I think I would love to look out at the sea of people that are out on Saturday. So I'm asking everyone to come out," she said.
It starts at 8:30 a.m. with a press conference, and then a parade to the courthouse starting at 9:00 a.m. and the dedication at 10:00 a.m. at 1 Public Square Nashville, TN 37201 — the plaza at Metro Courthouse. You can learn more information on their website.
Who is Diane Nash?
Diane Nash went to Fisk University in Nashville beginning in 1959, where she first experienced the segregated South. At the time, lunch counters were segregated so African Americans couldn't sit and eat at restaurants — Black customers had to order food and eat outside the restaurant.
In 1960, Nash was appointed to lead the Nashville Student Movement — a group working to desegregate the lunch counters. She organized several sit-ins in restaurants where they would sit down and ask to order food. With training from Reverend Jim Lawson's workshops on how to remain nonviolent in these situations, even when she was yelled at, had things thrown at her, and more, her and others involved remained calm.
Later in 1960, Nashville became the first southern city to desegregate lunch counters.
Nash also was a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and on the front lines as a Freedom Rider. You can learn more about the work she did for the Civil Rights Movement and beyond in the Tennessee State Museum website.
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