The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School is proud to announce the launch of their 2025 annual Membership Drive. The McKinney Center invites the community, friends, artists, and students to Share the Love to support the Center’s scholarship and event programs by raising $2,000 in membership donations. The annual Membership Drive will start now and run through March 1, 2025, with a goal of 100 members and membership renewals. You can even purchase a membership in memory or in honor of someone special in your life. Become a member https://townofjonesborough.regfox.com/mckinney-center-membership-drive

Among other benefits, 2025 member names will be listed on the McKinney Center website and various printed publications throughout the year. Other 2025 Membership Benefits include the following:

• $10.00 off Masterpiece Mingle Tickets on April 25, 2025.

• $10.00 off classes and workshops at any time, regardless of Early Bird Deadline. Your promo code will be sent to you once your membership is purchased or renewed.

• One ticket per membership to our Members-Only Brunch on February 22, 2025.

“Folk music reminds us of our shared humanity.” –Alan Lomax

All the arts play a crucial part in our lives. Whether we are listening to music with family, sharing stories with friends, or teaching a craft to children, creative expression has the power to bring people together. As people work together or give advice, they rely on each other and create respect for each other. Beyond that, seeing or hearing someone else’s creative expression allows us to know a part of who they are. Then we can value and enjoy them as fellow people.

The McKinney Center has fostered a place where people can come together to practice all kinds of art, from sculpture to music and painting to stories. We are endlessly grateful for our members who have given their financial support to the mission of the McKinney Center. You have helped people learn and practice art in a way that helps connect them to each other.

With our 2025 membership drive, we hope to grow the support that allows us to share the gift of art with more and more people in the region. We recognize the power of art to remind us of our shared humanity–all the things we have in common with the people around us. And we cannot wait to continue spreading that gift.

Expanding our membership through this drive is an important endeavor as we continue to cultivate the arts in the region. Each new membership, and each renewal, is an investment in the McKinney Center’s future. Your support is vital as we strive to be a space in Historic Jonesborough that helps individuals express themselves creatively, provides room for constant learning, and brings people together.

For more information, please call 423.753.0562 or contact Theresa Hammons at theresah@jonesboroughtn.org.

Thank you!

The McKinney Center will debut a new play in February that is 250 years in the making. The First and Last Town in Tennessee shares stories from Jonesborough’s past and present to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial. Written by Program Manager Anne G’Fellers-Mason, the play takes the audience on a journey from 1779, the year of Jonesborough’s founding, to present day.

“The title of the play is a combination of a nod to the Oldest Town in Tennessee as well as a report from 1801 that referred to Jonesborough as, ‘the last town in Tennessee,’” Mason explains. “For a moment, Jonesborough was the edge of the Western frontier. We have such rich history right here, and amazing stories, and we wanted to combine all that into this production. Where else do you get a chance to include stories about John Sevier and Andrew Jackson alongside Alfred Greenlee, Beverly Jenkins of Main Street Café & Catering, and Jimmy Neil Smith. All the major American events, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and so on, each of these played out on the local level, and this play will capture that.”

The show includes a large cast of multiple ages. Characters in the play include the Shanks Oak (Jonesborough’s Heritage Tree), Julia Bullard Nelson, Jimmy Rhein, Marat Moore, David Deaderick, Jesse Walton, Ella Russell, Elihu Embree, and so many more. The play will include music and dancing and will be an experience for the whole family. The play will serve as the kick-off to the 250th celebration in Jonesborough.

The First and Last Town in Tennessee will run February 27th, 28th, and March 1st. There will also be a second weekend of shows on March 6th, 7th, and 8th. Shows will take place at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20.00 for general admission and $18.00 for seniors 55 and over as well as groups of 8 or more. The matinee on March 1st is a special, “Pay What You Can” performance with a $2.50 suggested donation. Seats

must be reserved for all performances, including the “Pay What You Can” performance. Tickets can be purchased at Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.

This project is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.

About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.

StoryTown is dedicated to bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds in Jonesborough to strengthen our community and enrich the lives of those who live here through the power of our stories.

The McKinney Center will debut a new play in February that is 250 years in the making. The First and Last Town in Tennessee shares stories from Jonesborough’s past and present to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial. Written by Program Manager Anne G’Fellers-Mason, the play takes the audience on a journey from 1779, the year of Jonesborough’s founding, to present day.

“The title of the play is a combination of a nod to the Oldest Town in Tennessee as well as a report from 1801 that referred to Jonesborough as, ‘the last town in Tennessee,’” Mason explains. “For a moment, Jonesborough was the edge of the Western frontier. We have such rich history right here, and amazing stories, and we wanted to combine all that into this production. Where else do you get a chance to include stories about John Sevier and Andrew Jackson alongside Alfred Greenlee, Beverly Jenkins of Main Street Café & Catering, and Jimmy Neil Smith. All the major American events, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and so on, each of these played out on the local level, and this play will capture that.”

The show includes a large cast of multiple ages. Characters in the play include the Shanks Oak (Jonesborough’s Heritage Tree), Julia Bullard Nelson, Jimmy Rhein, Marat Moore, David Deaderick, Jesse Walton, Ella Russell, Elihu Embree, and so many more. The play will include music and dancing and will be an experience for the whole family. The play will serve as the kick-off to the 250th celebration in Jonesborough.

The First and Last Town in Tennessee will run February 27th, 28th, and March 1st. There will also be a second weekend of shows on March 6th, 7th, and 8th. Shows will take place at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20.00 for general admission and $18.00 for seniors 55 and over as well as groups of 8 or more. The matinee on March 1st is a special, “Pay What You Can” performance with a $2.50 suggested donation. Seats

must be reserved for all performances, including the “Pay What You Can” performance. Tickets can be purchased at Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.

This project is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.

About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.

StoryTown is dedicated to bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds in Jonesborough to strengthen our community and enrich the lives of those who live here through the power of our stories.

The McKinney Center will debut a new play in February that is 250 years in the making. The First and Last Town in Tennessee shares stories from Jonesborough’s past and present to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial. Written by Program Manager Anne G’Fellers-Mason, the play takes the audience on a journey from 1779, the year of Jonesborough’s founding, to present day.

“The title of the play is a combination of a nod to the Oldest Town in Tennessee as well as a report from 1801 that referred to Jonesborough as, ‘the last town in Tennessee,’” Mason explains. “For a moment, Jonesborough was the edge of the Western frontier. We have such rich history right here, and amazing stories, and we wanted to combine all that into this production. Where else do you get a chance to include stories about John Sevier and Andrew Jackson alongside Alfred Greenlee, Beverly Jenkins of Main Street Café & Catering, and Jimmy Neil Smith. All the major American events, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and so on, each of these played out on the local level, and this play will capture that.”

The show includes a large cast of multiple ages. Characters in the play include the Shanks Oak (Jonesborough’s Heritage Tree), Julia Bullard Nelson, Jimmy Rhein, Marat Moore, David Deaderick, Jesse Walton, Ella Russell, Elihu Embree, and so many more. The play will include music and dancing and will be an experience for the whole family. The play will serve as the kick-off to the 250th celebration in Jonesborough.

The First and Last Town in Tennessee will run February 27th, 28th, and March 1st. There will also be a second weekend of shows on March 6th, 7th, and 8th. Shows will take place at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20.00 for general admission and $18.00 for seniors 55 and over as well as groups of 8 or more. The matinee on March 1st is a special, “Pay What You Can” performance with a $2.50 suggested donation. Seats

must be reserved for all performances, including the “Pay What You Can” performance. Tickets can be purchased at Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.

This project is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.

About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.

StoryTown is dedicated to bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds in Jonesborough to strengthen our community and enrich the lives of those who live here through the power of our stories.

The McKinney Center will debut a new play in February that is 250 years in the making. The First and Last Town in Tennessee shares stories from Jonesborough’s past and present to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial. Written by Program Manager Anne G’Fellers-Mason, the play takes the audience on a journey from 1779, the year of Jonesborough’s founding, to present day.

“The title of the play is a combination of a nod to the Oldest Town in Tennessee as well as a report from 1801 that referred to Jonesborough as, ‘the last town in Tennessee,’” Mason explains. “For a moment, Jonesborough was the edge of the Western frontier. We have such rich history right here, and amazing stories, and we wanted to combine all that into this production. Where else do you get a chance to include stories about John Sevier and Andrew Jackson alongside Alfred Greenlee, Beverly Jenkins of Main Street Café & Catering, and Jimmy Neil Smith. All the major American events, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and so on, each of these played out on the local level, and this play will capture that.”

The show includes a large cast of multiple ages. Characters in the play include the Shanks Oak (Jonesborough’s Heritage Tree), Julia Bullard Nelson, Jimmy Rhein, Marat Moore, David Deaderick, Jesse Walton, Ella Russell, Elihu Embree, and so many more. The play will include music and dancing and will be an experience for the whole family. The play will serve as the kick-off to the 250th celebration in Jonesborough.

The First and Last Town in Tennessee will run February 27th, 28th, and March 1st. There will also be a second weekend of shows on March 6th, 7th, and 8th. Shows will take place at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $20.00 for general admission and $18.00 for seniors 55 and over as well as groups of 8 or more. The matinee on March 1st is a special, “Pay What You Can” performance with a $2.50 suggested donation. Seats

must be reserved for all performances, including the “Pay What You Can” performance. Tickets can be purchased at Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.

This project is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.

About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.

StoryTown is dedicated to bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds in Jonesborough to strengthen our community and enrich the lives of those who live here through the power of our stories.