Ernest McKinney Day of Giving

The McKinney Center will host their inaugural event, Ernest McKinney Day of Giving, on Monday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the McKinney Center. There will be musical and poetry performances, interviews with students and teachers and a personal tour of an exhibition.

The namesake of the McKinney Center, Ernest L. McKinney, was the first African-American elected to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Jonesborough. He was elected on April 4, 1968.  It has been over 50 years since Ernest McKinney’s initial election to the Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen, yet it is important to remember the dedicated efforts of Ernest L. McKinney in uniting and serving all the citizens of Jonesborough and Washington County regardless of race, ethnic background or color. Since the election of Ernest McKinney Sr. in 1968, Jonesborough has had a person of color serving on the Town Board continuously for five decades including one of Ernest McKinney’s sons, Kevin B. McKinney, who served as Mayor from 1988 to 1997.

The McKinney Center and the Town of Jonesborough is proud to honor Ernest McKinney’s legacy through the artistic and cultural programming provided for the region at the McKinney Center.

View the activities on the McKinney Center’s Facebook page throughout the day.

Donations will go toward the scholarship program and cultural programming at the McKinney Center, and their goal is to raise $1,000. Donate online anytime during the year at mckinneycenter.com/the-ernest-l-mckinney-day-of-giving/. The McKinney Center also accepts checks or cash. Donations can be mailed to:

The McKinney Center

103 Franklin Avenue

Jonesborough, TN 37659

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About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.

About the Town of Jonesborough: A unique 18th century town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, Jonesborough’s natural beauty, charming architecture, and storytelling heritage have attracted visitors worldwide. Stay a day, a week or forever, and create your own stories in beautiful Historic Jonesborough. Visit www.jonesborough.com for more information.