William Bennett Scott Sr. (died 1885) was a pioneering newspaper founder and publisher, mayor, and civil rights campaigner who helped found Freedman’s Normal Institute in Maryville, Tennessee.[1][2] He was the first African American to run a newspaper in Tennessee and had the only newspaper in Blount County, Tennessee for 10 years.[1] A Republican, he switched his and his paper's allegiance to the Democrats in the late 1870s.
As increased tensions followed Nat Turner's Rebellion, he left North Carolina and moved to Tennessee, settling in Friendsville, Tennessee and continuing his work in the harness and saddle making business. He moved to Knoxville as strife against free African Americans increased ahead of the American Civil War. After the war in 1865 he moved to Nashville and established the Colored Tennessean.[1][3][4] The paper ran notices from people searching for family and loved ones separated by slavery.[5][6][7]
He attended the 1865 Colored Convention in Nashville. He was described as being light skinned.[8]
A few years later he moved to Maryville, Tennessee and published the Maryville Republican.[1] His son, W. B. Scott Jr. was listed as an editor of the paper along with his father.[9] Scott Jr. reportedly had the paper endorse General Bate (William B. Bate) in 1882[10] when Bate was running for governor.
He was elected Mayor of Maryville in 1869.[11] He was inducted into the Tennessee Newspaper Hall of Fame and a historical marker commemorates his life.[12]
He died in 1885 and was buried in the old New Providence Church Cemetery. His headstone states: “Respected Black Journalist / Businessman and Mayor of Maryville / Placed in honor of his faithful service to his community.” A historical marker commemorates his life and his portrait is displayed in the Maryville Municipal Building.[13]
Some of his descendants traveled to Marysville in 2013 for the unveiling of a portrait of Scott that will be displayed in Maryville's Municipal Building.[11] Shirley Carr Clowney wrote about Scott in her history book covering the history of African Americans in Blount County.[14]
Referencesedit
^ abcd"William B. Scott | School of Journalism and Electronic Media".
^"The Colored Tennessean (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866". Library of Congress.
^Son, W. B. Scott & (October 7, 1865). "The Colored Tennessean. (Nashville, Tenn.), Vol. 1, No. 24, Ed. 1 Saturday, October 7, 1865". The Portal to Texas History.
^Colored Tennessean, Many Rivers to Cross video, November 22, 2013, Nashville Public Television, on YouTube
^Craighead, Sandra G. (1991). "Abstracts from the Colored Tennessean, 1865-1867: Want Ads for Lost Relatives".
^"America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War".
^"Proceedings of the State Convention of Colored Men of the State of Tennessee, :with the addresses of the convention to the white loyal citizens of Tennessee, and the colored citizens of Tennessee. : Held at Nashville, Tenn., August 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th, 1865". 1865.
^"Maryville Republican Scott editor April 25, 1874". Maryville Republican. April 25, 1874. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
^"W. B. Scott, Jr. Ill health". Public Ledger. 23 September 1882. p. 1.
^ ab"Maryville's 1st & only black mayor honored". www.wbir.com.
^Times, Emily Huffstetler Special to The Daily. "A life of service: William Bennett Scott crucial to Maryville's history". The Daily Times.
^"Hidden History: Historian publishes book on African-American history in Blount County". January 22, 2019.
External linksedit
Findagrave entry
May 07, 2024
william, bennett, scott, died, 1885, pioneering, newspaper, founder, publisher, mayor, civil, rights, campaigner, helped, found, freedman, normal, institute, maryville, tennessee, first, african, american, newspaper, tennessee, only, newspaper, blount, county,. William Bennett Scott Sr died 1885 was a pioneering newspaper founder and publisher mayor and civil rights campaigner who helped found Freedman s Normal Institute in Maryville Tennessee 1 2 He was the first African American to run a newspaper in Tennessee and had the only newspaper in Blount County Tennessee for 10 years 1 A Republican he switched his and his paper s allegiance to the Democrats in the late 1870s As increased tensions followed Nat Turner s Rebellion he left North Carolina and moved to Tennessee settling in Friendsville Tennessee and continuing his work in the harness and saddle making business He moved to Knoxville as strife against free African Americans increased ahead of the American Civil War After the war in 1865 he moved to Nashville and established the Colored Tennessean 1 3 4 The paper ran notices from people searching for family and loved ones separated by slavery 5 6 7 He attended the 1865 Colored Convention in Nashville He was described as being light skinned 8 A few years later he moved to Maryville Tennessee and published the Maryville Republican 1 His son W B Scott Jr was listed as an editor of the paper along with his father 9 Scott Jr reportedly had the paper endorse General Bate William B Bate in 1882 10 when Bate was running for governor He was elected Mayor of Maryville in 1869 11 He was inducted into the Tennessee Newspaper Hall of Fame and a historical marker commemorates his life 12 He died in 1885 and was buried in the old New Providence Church Cemetery His headstone states Respected Black Journalist Businessman and Mayor of Maryville Placed in honor of his faithful service to his community A historical marker commemorates his life and his portrait is displayed in the Maryville Municipal Building 13 Some of his descendants traveled to Marysville in 2013 for the unveiling of a portrait of Scott that will be displayed in Maryville s Municipal Building 11 Shirley Carr Clowney wrote about Scott in her history book covering the history of African Americans in Blount County 14 References edit a b c d William B Scott School of Journalism and Electronic Media Maryville Republican The Colored Tennessean Nashville Tenn 1865 1866 Library of Congress Son W B Scott amp October 7 1865 The Colored Tennessean Nashville Tenn Vol 1 No 24 Ed 1 Saturday October 7 1865 The Portal to Texas History Colored Tennessean Many Rivers to Cross video November 22 2013 Nashville Public Television on YouTube Craighead Sandra G 1991 Abstracts from the Colored Tennessean 1865 1867 Want Ads for Lost Relatives America s Reconstruction People and Politics After the Civil War Proceedings of the State Convention of Colored Men of the State of Tennessee with the addresses of the convention to the white loyal citizens of Tennessee and the colored citizens of Tennessee Held at Nashville Tenn August 7th 8th 9th and 10th 1865 1865 Maryville Republican Scott editor April 25 1874 Maryville Republican April 25 1874 p 3 via newspapers com W B Scott Jr Ill health Public Ledger 23 September 1882 p 1 a b Maryville s 1st amp only black mayor honored www wbir com William Bennett Scott Sr Historical Marker www hmdb org Times Emily Huffstetler Special to The Daily A life of service William Bennett Scott crucial to Maryville s history The Daily Times Hidden History Historian publishes book on African American history in Blount County January 22 2019 External links editFindagrave entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Bennett Scott Sr amp oldid 1217936612, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
