Black History Month Research Talk

On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 6 pm, Executive Director Patrick Hollis will give a talk on his research on the Franklin Family.

Admission is FREE. Join us at 6 pm at Mabry-Hazen House.

One of the challenges in interpreting the stories of people enslaved by the Mabry family is the lack of individualized details, but over the last few years, the museum has uncovered fascinating and sobering tales like Wiley Mabry--the man who bought himself–and the Franklins, a family who were enslaved by the Mabrys.

Last year, our colleagues at the East Tennessee Historical Society shared a research lead that unlocked a trove of information about Eliza Franklin, her husband, Ben Franklin–a Free Black man in Knoxville–and their children. In those last twelve months, new details have been recovered, while others have led in wrong directions or dead ends.

Join our executive director, Patrick Hollis, as he shares new findings on the Franklins, methods for learning about our past, and recent plans for integrating their story into Mabry-Hazen House, including a new permanent exhibition. 

The presentation will take place in the Julia-Meek Guest House on the Mabry-Hazen campus and is free and open to the public