History of Tennessee in Timeline
Tennessee is a Southeastern U.S. state bordered by eight other states. It ranks as the 36th largest state by area and the 15th most populous, with an estimated population of 7.22 million as of 2024.
1909: Blues Music on Beale Street
As early as 1909, musicians such as W. C. Handy performed in clubs on Memphis's Beale Street, considered the epicenter of the blues.
1915: Start of the Great Migration
Beginning in 1915, many Black Tennesseans migrated to industrial cities in the Northeast and Midwest due to increasing racial segregation and poor living standards.
December 30, 1917: Lowest Recorded Temperature in Tennessee
On December 30, 1917, Mountain City recorded the lowest temperature in Tennessee at −32 °F (−36 °C).
1917: Tennessee Bans Alcohol
By 1917, Tennessee became the first state in the nation to effectively ban the sale, transportation, and production of alcohol through a series of laws as part of the Temperance movement.
July 9, 1918: Worst Rail Accident in U.S. History
On July 9, 1918, Tennessee experienced the worst rail accident in U.S. history when two passenger trains collided head-on in Nashville, resulting in 101 fatalities and 171 injuries.
August 18, 1920: Tennessee Ratifies the Nineteenth Amendment
On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote.
1920: Tennessee votes for Warren G. Harding
In 1920, Tennesseans narrowly supported Warren G. Harding over Ohio Governor James Cox in the presidential election.
1925: Grand Ole Opry broadcast begins
Since 1925, the Grand Ole Opry, based in Nashville, has broadcast continuously.
1927: Victor Recording Sessions in Bristol
In 1927, the Victor recording sessions in Bristol generally mark the beginning of the country music genre.
1928: Tennessee votes for Herbert Hoover
In 1928, Tennesseans voted for Herbert Hoover over New York Governor Al Smith in the presidential election.
1929: The Great Depression Strikes Tennessee
In 1929, the Great Depression began, severely impoverishing much of Tennessee, even by national standards.
August 9, 1930: Highest Recorded Temperature in Tennessee
On August 9, 1930, Perryville recorded the highest temperature in Tennessee at 113 °F (45 °C).
1933: Creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority
In 1933, as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created to bring electricity, jobs, flood control, improved waterway navigation, agricultural development, and economic modernization to the Tennessee River Valley.
1954: Brown v. Board of Education
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education.
1955: Oak Ridge High School Integrated
In 1955, Oak Ridge High School became the first school in Tennessee to be integrated following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.
1958: Inaugural WGC Invitational
In 1958, the WGC Invitational, a PGA Tour golf tournament, was first held in Memphis.
May 1960: Nashville Lunch Counter Desegregation
Between February and May 1960, sit-ins organized by the Nashville Student Movement led to the desegregation of lunch counters in Nashville.
1962: Baker v. Carr U.S. Supreme Court Case
In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr arose out of a challenge to the longstanding rural bias of apportionment of seats in the Tennessee legislature, establishing the principle of "one man, one vote".
1965: Voting Rights Act
Not until after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were African Americans able to regain their full voting rights in Tennessee.
1966: Howard Baker elected to US Senate
In 1966, Howard Baker was first elected, becoming the first Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee since Reconstruction.
April 4, 1968: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
On April 4, 1968, James Earl Ray assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, where King was supporting striking African American sanitation workers.
1970: Winfield Dunn elected governor
In 1970, Winfield Dunn was elected as governor of Tennessee.
1970: Tennessee's Growth Since 1970
With the exception of a slump in the 1980s, Tennessee has been one of the fastest-growing states in the nation since 1970, benefiting from the larger Sun Belt phenomenon.
1971: Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with an activist group in the case of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe, establishing the framework for judicial review of government agencies regarding the construction of Interstate 40 through Memphis' Overton Park.
1972: Peak of Coal Production
In 1972, coal production in Tennessee reached its peak.
1972: Knoxville Smokies founded
In 1972, the Knoxville Smokies began play in Minor League Baseball.
1976: Chattanooga Lookouts founded
In 1976, the Chattanooga Lookouts began play in Minor League Baseball.
1978: Nashville Sounds founded
In 1978, the Nashville Sounds began play in Minor League Baseball.
1978: Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill
In 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court case Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill, concerning the Tellico Dam's impact on the endangered snail darter fish, led to amendments of the Endangered Species Act.
1982: 1982 World's Fair
In 1982, the World's Fair, also known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, was held in Knoxville with the theme "Energy Turns the World".
1986: Homecoming '86
In 1986, Tennessee held a yearlong celebration of the state's heritage and culture called "Homecoming '86".
1996: Tennessee Bicentennial and Atlanta Summer Olympic Games
In 1996, Tennessee celebrated its bicentennial with "Tennessee 200", opening Bicentennial Mall in Nashville, and hosted the whitewater slalom events at the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games on the Ocoee River in Polk County.
1997: Tennessee Titans founded
In 1997, the Tennessee Titans played their first season in the National Football League (NFL).
1998: Memphis Redbirds founded
In 1998, the Memphis Redbirds began play in Minor League Baseball.
1998: Nashville Predators founded
In 1998, the Nashville Predators played their first season in the National Hockey League (NHL).
2000: Growth of Hispanic Population
Between 2000 and 2010, Tennessee's Hispanic population grew by 134.2%, the third-highest rate of any state.
2000: George W. Bush's margin of victory
In 2000, Republican President George W. Bush had a 4% margin of victory.
2000: Al Gore fails to carry his home state
In the 2000 presidential election, Vice President Al Gore, who had previously served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Tennessee, failed to carry his home state.
2001: Memphis Grizzlies founded
In 2001, the Memphis Grizzlies played their first season in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
2002: Tennessee Establishes a Lottery
In 2002, Tennessee amended its constitution to establish a lottery.
2004: George W. Bush increases margin of victory
In 2004, Republican President George W. Bush increased his margin of victory in Tennessee from 4% to 14%.
2006: Tennessee Bans Same-Sex Marriage
In 2006, the Tennessee state constitution was amended to outlaw same-sex marriage, though this was later invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015.
2007: Ron Ramsey becomes Speaker of the State Senate
In 2007, Ron Ramsey became the first Republican Speaker of the State Senate since Reconstruction in Tennessee.
December 23, 2008: Kingston Fossil Plant Waste Spill
On December 23, 2008, the largest industrial waste spill in United States history occurred at TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant, releasing over 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry into the Emory and Clinch Rivers.
2011: Nashville Superspeedway Closure
In 2011, the Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, which previously held Nationwide and IndyCar races, was shut down.
2012: Land placed in federal trust
In 2012, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians placed 79 acres in Henning into federal trust.
2014: Tennessee Promise Created
In 2014, the Tennessee General Assembly created the Tennessee Promise, allowing in-state high school graduates to enroll in two-year post-secondary education tuition-free.
2016: Nashville Surpasses Memphis in Population
By 2016, Nashville surpassed Memphis to become Tennessee's largest city.
2016: Tennessee votes Republican by more than 60%
Since 2016, Tennessee has been the most populous state to vote Republican by more than 60% in presidential elections.
2016: No Inheritance Tax
Since 2016, Tennessee has had no inheritance tax.
2017: TBR no longer operates six public universities
Until 2017, the TBR also operated six public universities in the state; it now only gives them administrative support.
2019: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC founded
In 2019, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC became a member of the third-tier USL League One.
2019: Record Number of Tourists
In 2019, Tennessee received a record of 126 million tourists, making it the 11th-most visited state in the nation.
2019: Tennessee Employment Statistics
In 2019, Tennessee reported a total employment of 2,724,545 and a total number of 139,760 employer establishments.
2019: Foreign-Born Population in Tennessee
In 2019, about 5.5% of Tennessee's population was foreign-born, with approximately 42.7% being naturalized citizens and 57.3% non-citizens.
2020: Tennessee Population Demographics
According to the 2020 census, 5.7% of Tennessee's population was under age 5, 22.1% were under 18, and 17.1% were 65 or older.
2020: Hispanic or Latino Population
In 2020, 6.9% of the total population in Tennessee was of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race), up from 4.6% in 2010.
2020: Chattanooga FC begins play
In 2020, Chattanooga FC began playing in the third-tier National Independent Soccer Association.
2020: Nashville SC founded
In 2020, Nashville SC played their first season in Major League Soccer (MLS).
2020: Republican margin
In 2020, Tennessee voted Republican by the largest margin of any state in terms of number of votes.
2020: Per Capita Income
In 2020, the state's per capita personal income was $30,869, and the median household income was $54,833.
2020: 2020 United States Census
The 2020 United States census reported Tennessee's population at 6,910,840, an increase of 8.90% since the 2010 census.
2021: Gross State Product
As of 2021, Tennessee had a gross state product of $418.3 billion.
2021: Hall Income Tax Phased Out
By 2021, the Hall income tax on most dividends and interest was completely phased out in Tennessee.
2021: Electricity generation statistics
In 2021, nuclear power produced about 43.4% of Tennessee's electricity. 22.4% was produced from coal, 17.8% from natural gas, 15.8% from hydroelectricity, and 1.3% from other renewables.
2021: Nashville Superspeedway Reopening
In 2021, the Nashville Superspeedway reopened to host the NASCAR Cup Series.
2021: OVC University Stats
In 2021, the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) includes the Austin Peay Governors from Clarksville, the UT Martin Skyhawks from Martin, and the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles from Cookeville.
2021: High school graduation rate
In 2021, the four-year high school graduation rate in Tennessee was 88.7%.
July 2022: Belmont Bruins Conference Change
In July 2022, the Belmont Bruins, previously members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), are set to move to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).
2022: Homeless Population
According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 10,567 homeless people in Tennessee.
2024: Estimated Population of Tennessee
In 2024, the United States Census Bureau estimated Tennessee's population to be 7.22 million.
2025: Ford assembly plant expected to be operational
In 2025, Ford is expected to have an assembly plant operational in Stanton, Tennessee.
