A RESOLUTION to recognize and honor the fifteen enslaved persons who helped build the Tennessee State Capitol.
Summary
House Joint Resolution 152 is a commemorative resolution that formally recognizes and honors fifteen enslaved Nashvillians who were rented by the State of Tennessee to help complete an early phase of construction of the Tennessee State Capitol between 1846 and 1847. The resolution recounts their labor in carving out the Capitol’s cellar from limestone, notes that twelve of the fifteen names have been identified from historical records, and emphasizes that their skilled work was long overlooked despite its importance to one of the state’s most prominent landmarks.
The resolution also places their story in the broader context of slavery, emancipation, and the long struggle for proper historical recognition. It frames the Capitol’s construction as an example of the irony that enslaved labor helped build a building associated with democracy, and it seeks to correct what it describes as a historical failure to acknowledge these individuals’ contributions. The measure does not create new programs or regulatory changes; it is a symbolic act of remembrance and public recognition.
Impact
HJR0152 does not amend Tennessee statutes, create new legal rights, or impose obligations on state agencies or private parties. Its effect is ceremonial and historical: it directs the state to recognize the named enslaved laborers and preserve their legacy through an official legislative resolution. The practical impact is on public memory, state commemoration, and the historical narrative associated with the Tennessee State Capitol and the history of slavery in Tennessee.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows unanimous support in both chambers, with the House passing the measure 88-0 and the Senate adopting it 31-0. That vote pattern indicates broad bipartisan agreement and little to no opposition. The resolution’s tone is solemn and honoring, and the legislative sentiment appears strongly favorable toward acknowledging the enslaved workers’ contributions and correcting their historical erasure.
Contention
No committee debate or recorded opposition is provided, and the floor votes were unanimous, so there is no evident policy contention in the legislative record supplied. The only potentially sensitive issue is the resolution’s candid discussion of slavery’s role in constructing the Capitol and its critique of the historical failure to recognize enslaved laborers. Even so, the bill appears to have been received as a noncontroversial act of commemoration rather than a disputed policy measure.
Recognizing that the United States has a moral and legal obligation to provide reparations for the crime of enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm on the lives of millions of Black people in the United States.
A RESOLUTION to honor and commend the Tennessee Highway Patrol officers and Sergeants at Arms who served at the State Capitol and Cordell Hull Building during the 114th General Assembly.