The Tennessee Centennial Exposition was a large fair that was
held in Nashville in 1897 to celebrate Tennessee’s 100th
anniversary of becoming a state. The actual anniversary date was
June 1, 1896, but because of money problems, the fair opened a
year late. The exposition opened May 1, 1897, to large crowds.
It had been built on a former race track west of the city. New
buildings were constructed and even a lake was dug. The fair
celebrated technology. There were exhibits on transportation,
machines, agriculture, and commerce. There was a recreated
Chinese village, a Mexican home, and the most famous, a replica
of the Parthenon in Greece. The exhibits also celebrated the
social progress of women and blacks. The Woman’s Building
featured displays about home arts and sponsored lectures by
leading figures of the time including Jane Addams. The Negro
Building also had speakers and information about black
achievements. Even with this celebration of African Americans,
there was still strict segregation. Fair organi