Special Report
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Learotha Williams, Jr., a scholar of African American, Civil War and Reconstruction, and Public History at Tennessee State University (TSU), has been appointed Davidson County Historian. He is believed to be the first African American to hold the position.
Williams was appointed by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and confirmed by the Metro Council on January 20.
“Dr. Learotha Williams has made Nashville’s history come alive for so many of us. He has led the North Nashville Heritage Project, enshrined history in our collective memories with historical markers, and I have been an excited attendee at each of his annual African American History Conferences (he co-chairs),” O’Connell said. “It’s been great to see that event grow and blossom into one of the great moments of conversation on our annual calendar. I’m excited for his being an honorary historian because our collective memory is all better thanks to his work and investment in our city.”
Williams, a native of Tallahassee, Florida, earned his doctorate in history from Florida State University. He has worked as a Historic Sites Specialist for the State of Florida, acted as coordinator of the African American Studies Program at Armstrong Atlanta State University, and served as a trustee of the Historic Savannah Foundation in Savannah, Georgia.
At TSU, he coordinates the North Nashville Heritage Project, which encourages a greater understanding of the history of north Nashville, including Jefferson Street and its historic relationship to the greater Nashville community. He serves on the Metro Historic Zoning Commission in Nashville; the board of the Friends of Fort Negley, a UNESCO Memory Site in Nashville; and is the director of public history for Nashville Sites. Williams is also co-chair of the annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture and owner, lead researcher, and consultant for Past Perfect, LLC, a Nashville-based historical research and consulting firm.
Expressing his passion for education, Williams said, “I’m always looking for better and new ways to teach history. If a student is enrolled in a class at TSU, I’m going to give them my very best. But by that same token, everybody doesn’t attend TSU. So, this position affords me an opportunity to bring history to other spaces and provide a better understanding of Nashville.”
“Dr. Williams makes history accessible to the Public—he embodies the concept of Public History,” commented Dr. Samantha Morgan-Curtis, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “He is recognized as one of the premier public historians who translates his love of history and learning into his courses and internships for his students. We are lucky to have him at TSU, enriching the community and the University.”
Dr. Adebayo Oyebade, professor and chair of the Department History, Political Science, Geography, and African Studies, added, “It is not a surprise to hear about the appointment of Dr. Learotha Williams as the new Davidson County Historian. Dr. Williams is a community leader, an erudite historian, and a public intellectual who has contributed immensely to historical learning, not only in the State of Tennessee but nationally. His appointment is a testimonial to an unflinching devotion to preserving and honoring the historical past and for a deep understanding of the contemporary world. The impact of Dr. Williams’ public history scholarship, especially on the generation of our students, is truly commendable.”
Williams’ most recent publication is a co-authored work with Serina K. Gilbert, From the Fiery Furnace to the Promise Land: Stories of a Tennessee Reconstruction Community (Vanderbilt University Press, 2025).
To learn more about Williams and his work, visit: https://learothawilliamsphd.com/
Featured Photo: Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, and award-winning historian and Belmont Professor, Dr. Mary Ellen Bethel, congratulate Dr. Williams on his appointment. (submitted Photo)
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