I was teaching as hard as I could about Teddy Roosevelt’s involvement with the Panama Canal when Ruth Pettis asked, “If you could go back to a particular time and place in history, where would it be?” more

In the heart of the Cumberland Plateau in Pall Mall, Tennessee, on December 13, 1887, Alvin Cullum York was born. Raised in a modest log cabin, Alvin grew up in a large family where he was one of eleven children. Like most in the area, the Yorks faced the harsh realities of poverty and a hardscrabble existence. more

My first wife’s first cousin’s first born son (say that real fast ten times in a row) went to college on a fishing scholarship. Now, I know what you’re thinking. I had to sit down, too. more

“A republic, if you can keep it” was the response Ben Franklin gave to Elizabeth Willing Powell of Philadelphia when asked, “Do we have a republic or a monarchy?” It was the last day of the Constitutional Convention, 1787, and Franklin had finished addressing the members with the warning that “when you assemble men with the advantage of joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men all their prejudices, their passions and the local interest and selfish views.” more

Have you ever wondered about the origins of football… American Football? Well, here’s the answer. American football evolved from soccer and rugby. more

Some of my fondest memories growing up come from my recollections of me as a little boy spending time with my granddad, Verdell Story. He was born and raised here, and when he returned home in the early 1980s after his career in California, it was as if he never left. Most of his friends and acquaintances welcomed him home. more

Mister (Fred) Rogers said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ more

Mom was not a big proponent of Halloween. She thought it had pagan roots. Or at least, she feared the idea of haunted houses, witches stirring up secret recipes over a burning cauldron, and guys running around wearing that bloody mask with the hatchet sticking into the skull might warp us for life. more

Sampson W. Keeble, a prominent figure in Tennessee’s political history, left an indelible mark on the state through his remarkable accomplishments and dedication to public service. Born in 1833, Keeble’s life journey took him from humble beginnings as a slave to becoming the first African American to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly in the late 19th century. His legacy of resilience and trailblazing in politics continues to inspire generations of leaders and citizens. more

Am I the only one confused here... I thought the Supreme Court ruled some time ago this “forgiving” government loans to college students was not legal, proper or allowed. I breathed a sigh of relief. Simply because I was under the strong persuasion that what’s fair for the goose is fair for the gander. more

. . says the Lord. With so much anger and hate boiling over in the Middle East, please allow me to share the following two passages of scripture with you, my neighbors: for the day of vengeance and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip? Because the day of their calamity is at hand; their doom comes swiftly. more

After serving two terms as President from 1829 to 1837, Andrew Jackson retired to his beloved plantation, The Hermitage, just outside of Nashville. His retirement, however, did not mark the end of his political influence but rather the beginning of a new phase in his career as a statesman. more

Andrew Jackson’s two terms as president, which spanned from 1829 to 1837, were marked by a series of pivotal events and policies that left a lasting imprint on American history. His tenure in office was not without controversy, as he navigated critical issues such as the Nullification Crisis, the Indian Removal Act, the Bank War, the Peggy Eaton Affair, the Spoils System, and the expansion of suffrage. more

I miss McKenzie in October. more

Football season is in full swing. Life is filled with “fourth and one” situations, tailgate parties, blitzes, Dr. Pepper commercials, Lee Corso’s headgear predictions, and last second heroics. We hear terms like “closing speed,” “on-side kick,” “run-pass option,” “trips right,” “flanker reverse,” and “targeting” which apply to no other sport. more

The lifestyle of a Southern gentleman did not suit Andrew Jackson. His journey from a military hero during the War of 1812 to the highest office in the land is a testament to his resilience, charisma, and outright stubbornness. more

The story of Andrew Jackson’s life is inseparable from the passionate and tumultuous love affair that defined his early years. In 1788, Jackson met Rachel Donelson, while boarding at the family’s tavern in Nashville, Tennessee. Andrew was instantly smitten, and their connection was immediate. However, there was a significant obstacle to their love story - Rachel was already married to Lewis Robards, a marriage plagued by troubles. more

Brother L. H. Hatcher was a big man. When you were seven, he looked like a giant! He would stride purposefully across the church lawn, smiling and nodding to all the grownups, but he was walking straight towards me! more

Although I was not in attendance at any of the events mentioned and described in Mr. Radford’s letter/opinion piece published in the September 12 issue of The Banner, I could just kiss “Gus” Radford. more

Friends come over today, take one cursory look at my lawnmower and make the same comment, “Did that thing come over on the Mayflower?” more