With Memphis and the Black struggle for equal representation in Tennessee in the news right now, the story of Collins Chapel CME is relevant and important to hear. The city has a complicated history when it comes to race relations. As the oldest, continuously operated African American church in Memphis, this congregation has seen everything, from slavery to the Civil Rights movement. But one of its most tragic chapters is also one of the least mentioned: the 1866 Memphis Mass

This is the second installment on Utopias in Tennessee, past and present, this time on Black Utopias. We'll explore the fascinating histories of African Americans in Tennessee who sought a promised land where they could have freedom, their own properties, businesses, schools and churches, and live safely away from violent racism. Here are the stories of three Black Utopias in Tennessee with very different beginnings and outcomes: Free Hill(s), Nashoba and Promise Land.

The story of the Trail of Tears is a heartbreaking tale of greed, betrayal and tragedy, and Red Clay State Park is where it all began.