Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Tennessee State University

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 18, 2021

1. Tennessee State University Marker

Inscription. Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School for Negroes first opened its doors to 247 students in 1912. This site gave birth to a new era of public higher education for African Americans in the state of Tennessee, with emphasis on agricultural and industrial occupations. In 1922 the school became a college and in 1951, a university.

Erected 1977 by The Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. (Marker Number 69.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.

Location. 36° 10.085′ N, 86° 49.806′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County. It can be reached from John A Merritt Blvd. Marker is between Hankal Hall and the Love Learning Resource Center on the Tennessee State University campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3400 John A Merritt Blvd, Nashville TN 37209, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally,

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it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: National Negro High School Basketball Tournament (approx. 0.2 miles away); Coach Ed Temple (approx. 0.2 miles away); Iconography of the TSU Olympian (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lt William McBryar, Buffalo Soldier (approx. 0.2 miles away); TSU's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Tennessee State University (approx. 0.4 miles away); Edward Stanley Temple (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Tennessee State University (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nashville.

More about this marker. This marker was installed in 2021 to replace the original marker, which had been vandalized.

Also see . . . About TSU: An HBCU Legacy. History page on the university's website. (Submitted on September 19, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 18, 2021

2. Tennessee State University Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 720 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 19, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.