The Tanner Committee
115 Mulberry St, Newport, TN 37821
423-623-9272 fax 423-613-0787
email: tannercomittee@easttncontact.org
 THE TANNER COMMITTEE |
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Tanner Committee Values
* We strive to preserve the cultural heritage of the minority community.
* We believe the minority community has the right & responsibility to be involved in decisions impacting the community at large.
* We strive to be an organization that provides information, links to resources and direction to resolve community issues.
* We believe our community is one that has struggled through a special kind of oppression and triumphed. We know it is our responsibility to share it, teach it, and live it!
History
July 1995 marked the beginning of an effort by a group of citizens from Newport and Cocke County to save part of the history of the African - American Community. This effort was a result of the Cocke County planning and implementation of the East Tennessee Foundation Rural Communities Initiative, a partnership with the Ford Foundation. The form it took was to attempt to save a portion of the Tanner School building, specifically the gymnasium. This group was called the Tanner High School Committee. After more than a year of making appearances at meetings of the Board of Mayor and Alderman, and despite the commitments from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the plans were thwarted when the decision was made to demolish that portion of the building.
Mission
The Committee regrouped, reformed and became The Tanner Committee with the mission of promoting "community awareness, opportunities increasing citizen involvement and improving opportunities for success by making available to all citizens of Cocke County information that will enable them to experience personal, social, cultural, economical and political growth."
Achieving the mission of the Committee has taken many forms including voter registration drives, celebration of East Tennessee's Emancipation (the week of August 8th), cemetery cleanup and earth-day participation and celebration. Activities carried out by the Committee are funded by moneys raised by the Committee through fundraisers, donations, and grants.
The Committee next undertook the task of establishing a venue for activities to occur. Given a dilapidated greenhouse (by the City) attached to the Tanner Cultural Center the Committee restored and refloored the site and many activities occurred on the stage the summer of 1998. Another goal was to seek funding from the City of Newport to build an enclosed pavilion on the site of the former gymnasium which would serve as an additional site for activities involving the youth and senior citizens of the county. Needless to say The Tanner Committee was disappointed when the city failed to provide funding for the construction of the pavilion. The Committee continues to move forward in an effort to achieve its mission. The first opportunity to utilize the stage in 1999 was the Second Annual Poetry Festival which took place in May. Sponsored by Community House Cooperative and The Tanner Committee.
The Tanner Committee works to provide alternatives to violence through its many community and cultural activities.
For any questions concerning the above subject matter please send e-mail to: tannercommittee@easttncontact.org