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There are moments in history that become larger than life—reduced to a single phrase, a single decision, a single flash of action.

“Damn the torpedoes.”

But behind that moment is a life shaped long before Mobile Bay.

In this episode, we trace the full arc of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut—from his beginnings along the Tennessee River near Campbell’s Station… to a childhood marked by loss… to a life forged almost entirely at sea.

By the time the Civil War began, Farragut was not an untested officer looking for opportunity. He was something far more dangerous—experienced, disciplined, and decisive.

At New Orleans, he proved he would act.

At Mobile Bay, he proved how.

But this story is not just about a command shouted in battle.

It is about:

• the weight of decision
• the cost of loyalty
• and the kind of life that prepares a man to move forward when others hesitate

Because when the moment came… Farragut did not wait.

He moved.

Full speed ahead.

Sources

DeHaan, P. (n.d.). Damn the torpedoes: Farragut & USS Hartford: 158 years of service. Self-published.

Farragut Museum. (n.d.). David Glasgow Farragut exhibits and interpretive materials. Farragut, TN.

Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). David Glasgow Farragut.
https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/david-glasgow-farragut/

Tennessee History for Kids. (n.d.). David Farragut.
https://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/people/david_farragut

American Battlefield Trust. (n.d.). Jorge Farragut.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/jorge-farragut

Credits:

Hosted by Big John Summers
Produced by Summers Media Enterprises

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Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional content, including on-location videos and historical insights from around the state of Tennessee as well as other places that bear relevance.

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Premium tier Patreon subscribers have exclusive access to bonus content, including interviews that tell the stories behind the stories.

We have great episodes coming your way in the month of April!

Buy branded The Tennessee History Nerd merchandise at https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.

Send us your comments. We'd love to hear what you think about the episode!

Long before widespread literacy reached much of the world, one man accomplished something extraordinary.

Sequoyah, a Cherokee silversmith with no formal education, created a written language for his people—transforming a primarily oral culture into a literate society in less than a generation.

In this episode of The Tennessee History Nerd, we explore the life and legacy of Sequoyah, the development of the Cherokee syllabary, and the lasting impact of one of the most remarkable intellectual achievements in American history.

But this story is more than invention—it’s about perseverance, identity, and the power of language to shape a people’s future.

Because sometimes, the most enduring revolutions don’t come through force…
but through understanding.

Sources

Hoig, S. (1999). Sequoyah: The Cherokee genius. University of Tennessee Press.

Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Sequoyah; Monroe County. Retrieved from https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net

Carey, B. (2015, June 1; updated 2022, November 1). Sequoyah—a great man whose life is shrouded in mystery. The Tennessee Magazine.Cherokee Nation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cherokee.org

Tennessee History for Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tnhistoryforkids.org

Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. (n.d.). Interpretive materials and on-site exhibits.

Rhodarmer, C. (2026, April 1). Personal interview.

🧠 Notes on Historical Interpretation

Much of what we know about Sequoyah comes from a combination of written records and oral histories. As with many historical figures whose stories were preserved through oral tradition, there can be variation—and at times contradiction—among sources.

This episode reflects a synthesis of widely accepted accounts, supported by available documentation and interpretive scholarship. Differences in narrative do not necessarily indicate error, but rather the complexity of reconstructing lives preserved across multiple traditions.

🎧 Bonus Content

A full-length interview with Charlie Rhodarmer, director of the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, is available for premium supporters on Patreon.

🔗 Links & Support

🎧 Support the show on Patreon (early access, bonus content, interviews):
https://www.patreon.com/c/SummersMediaEnterprises

🧢 Merch & Apparel:
https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

🎤 Book John for Speaking Engagements:
https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/speaking-engagements

📘 Follow on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

Premium tier Patreon subscribers have exclusive access to bonus content, including interviews that tell the stories behind the stories.

We have great episodes coming your way in the month of April!

Buy branded The Tennessee History Nerd merchandise at https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.

In the years after the Civil War, freedom had come—but stability had not.

In Nashville, a small group of students at Fisk University faced an uncertain future. Their school was struggling. Resources were scarce. The path forward wasn’t clear.

So they did something unexpected.

They sang.

What began as a desperate effort to raise funds became something far greater. The Fisk Jubilee Singers carried the spirituals of a people—songs born out of suffering, faith, and endurance—across the country and eventually across the world.

In this episode of The Tennessee History Nerd, we tell the story of the Jubilee Singers—how they preserved a musical tradition, helped save their university, and introduced the world to a sound that could not be silenced.

Because sometimes the most powerful voices rise not in comfort—but in hardship.

So grab your favorite beverage, find a comfortable place, and listen to a story that was meant to be heard.

Sources

• Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877 — Foner, E. (1988). Harper & Row.
• The African-American History of Nashville, Tennessee, 1780–1930: Elites and Dilemmas — Lovett, B. L. (1999). University of Arkansas Press.
  https://www.uapress.com/product/the-african-american-history-of-nashville-tennessee-1780-1930/
  
  
• Tennessee Encyclopedia —
  Mitchell, R. L., Jr. (2018). “Fisk University”
  https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/fisk-university/
  
  
• Tennessee Encyclopedia —
  McKenzie, R. T. (2018). “Reconstruction”
  https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/reconstruction/
  
  
• National Register of Historic Places —
  Jubilee Hall (Fisk University) (1971). U.S. Department of the Interior.
  https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/71000817_text
  
  
• The Jubilee Singers and Their Campaign for Twenty Thousand Dollars — Pike, G. D. (1873). Lee and Shepard.
  https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/jubileesingersth00pike
  
  
• Dark Midnight When I Rise: The Story of the Jubilee Singers — Ward, A. (2000). Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Links & Support

• Support the show on Patreon (early access, bonus content, interviews): https://www.patreon.com/summersmediaenterprises
• Merch & Apparel: https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch
• Book John for Speaking Engagements: https://www.summersmediaenterprises.com/speaking-engagements
• Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTennesseeHistoryNerd/

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.