Green McAdoo Cultural Center

Green McAdoo Cultural Center In August of 1956, 12 young people from East Tennessee walked into history and changed the world. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. At one point, Rev.

About the Center

An Inside Peek at the Museum

1950s Period Classroom
Come in and join the class as Ms. Theresa Blair discusses the “Jim Crow” era in the South, the rights of her students at Green McAdoo, and desegregation of Clinton High School. She will introduce you to the local 1950 lawsuit, McSwain et al vs. Anderson County, and its relationship to the landmark 1954 U.S. Board of Education…a

ll of which led to the desegregation of Clinton High School in 1956. Desegregation of Clinton High School
Follow the chronologically detailed story of the 1956 desegregation of Clinton High School in life-size pictures with dramatic narrative. The story begins with the community’s initial constructive approach to the historic event…then the arrival of outsiders with anti-integration propaganda… a week of growing violence… the formation of a home guard… the arrival of the national guard and martial law. Unlike the stories in Arkansas and Alabama, both the city and state governments supported the “Law of the Land”, represented by the desegregation ruling. The city’s white religious and economic leaders, such as the Rev. Paul Turner, a local Baptist minister, allied with the black students and their families, offering them protection in integration and challenging those they led to do the same in the face of rising violence. Turner was physically attacked for his heroic stand. The African-American community on Foley Hill became a rallying point for Clinton in the struggle for equal rights for all citizens. In retaliation, white supremacists bombed the high school in 1958, destroying the building, but not halting the progress of equality. Instead, the Anderson County community, citizens and students from Clinton and Oak Ridge refurbished an abandoned elementary school in Oak Ridge- and Clinton High School was back in session in one week, still integrated. This documented history is not an independent account of Green McAdoo School, Clinton High School, the black community, the white community, or the Clinton 12, but the complete story of how all came together and became the success story that is deserving of preservation and national recognition. Interactive screens will allow you to see the Clinton 12 and others in person and hear their recollections and reflections from interviews by Keith McDaniel, producer of the award winning Clinton 12: A Documentary, which was narrated by James Earl Jones. Epilogue Room
In this room you can read the biographies of the Clinton 12 and others who played a role in the desegregation of Clinton High School. You can also watch the CBS broadcast of See It Now, entitled Clinton and the Law, narrated and produced by Edward R. Murrow and Fred Friendly, in January 1957, and a short sequel from CBS Reports which aired nationally in 1962.

The house is full at First Baptist. Big thank you to Diane Moore Cain, Rev. Alan Jones, Jerry Shattuck, and Clinton 12 h...
08/29/2026

The house is full at First Baptist. Big thank you to Diane Moore Cain, Rev. Alan Jones, Jerry Shattuck, and Clinton 12 hero, Minnie Ann Dickie Jones!

We are excited to have 9.1.YUM serving the good stuff tonight at the Clinton 12 Day Celebration! Join us at 6:00 for a l...
08/29/2026

We are excited to have 9.1.YUM serving the good stuff tonight at the Clinton 12 Day Celebration! Join us at 6:00 for a live performance from Evelyn Jack and the Band!

Today is an important day, as we mark the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12's desegregation of Clinton High School. Mau...
08/28/2026

Today is an important day, as we mark the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12's desegregation of Clinton High School. Maurice Soles, Alfred Williams, Gail Epps, Ronald Hayden, Robert Thacker, Jo Ann Allen, Bobby Cain, William Latham, Minnie Ann Dickey, Regina Turner, Anna Theresser Caswell, and Alvah McSwain all played an incredibly important role in ensuring a better and more equitable nation.
While we should celebrate the successes of these heroes, we must also reflect on the trials and tribulations they faced. Their journey was not an easy or fair one. The racism and hatred they faced on a daily basis showed us the worst parts of our society. However, their perseverance and strength in the face of opposition gives us light into the greatest aspects of humanity. We are forever grateful for the actions of these people and laud them for their heroism.
Today we give our sincerest thanks and send our love to the Clinton 12 and their families.

08/26/2026
Join us this Saturday, August 29 for our Clinton 12 Day event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12 with a ...
08/25/2026

Join us this Saturday, August 29 for our Clinton 12 Day event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12 with a preference by Evelyn Jack and the Band with food from 9.1.yum! The event is free to attend and all are welcome!

Join us next Saturday, August 29th for Clinton 12 Day! We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12’s deseg...
08/22/2026

Join us next Saturday, August 29th for Clinton 12 Day! We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Clinton 12’s desegregation. We will have live music from Evelyn Jack and the Band! Free to attend, and it’ll start at 6:00!

Join us for a showing of the Clinton 12 documentary August 29 at First Baptist Church - Clinton Tennessee We will be sta...
07/29/2026

Join us for a showing of the Clinton 12 documentary August 29 at First Baptist Church - Clinton Tennessee We will be starting at 2:00PM.

We want to wish everyone a happy Juneteenth!
06/19/2026

We want to wish everyone a happy Juneteenth!

Want to escape to the Mayan Palace in Mexico? Join us this Thursday at the Green Tie Gala for your chance to win this ex...
06/15/2026

Want to escape to the Mayan Palace in Mexico? Join us this Thursday at the Green Tie Gala for your chance to win this experience in our live auction!

We've got Dead End BBQ for our Green Tie Gala this Thursday at 6:30! Tickets are still available, you can buy them at th...
06/14/2026

We've got Dead End BBQ for our Green Tie Gala this Thursday at 6:30! Tickets are still available, you can buy them at the center or through Eventbrite.

Address

101 School Street
Clinton, TN
37716

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

(865) 463-6500

Website

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