Back to the grindstone. Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanza have come and gone. So much has happened since 2024 ended, so I am presenting two December losses that should give us all pause to think, ponder and thoughtfully become involved.
Nikki Giovanni: Died December 9, 2024
I thought our community, nationally and KnoxTNToday, did an excellent job of telling her story. How fortunate that the Beck Cultural Center has her work. For Hannukah, I gave my family copies of her work. Her essay on what happened at her grandparents’ home on Linden Avenue should be required reading for city planners and architects. Her personal feeling of moving to Linden Avenue jumps off the page with fury that must be listened to and acted upon. Knoxville has a tremendous amount of growth going on where the community’s input must be considered.
See today’s article about the city’s updated one year plan and how the community may provide input: here.
I taught a multi-cultural counseling course back in the day where I had the students read Lucinda Roy’s book, No Right to Remain Silent: The Tragedy at Virginia Tech. The book focuses on the shooting of 30 plus students and others. Nikki Giovanni identified the shooter before the shooting occurred. He had acted out in her class, but no one listened to her warning.
How fortunate we are that Nikki Giovanni came our way.
Jimmy Carter: Died December 29, 2024
The death of President Jimmy Carter allowed us to reflect on what kindness and humility look like and work in the office of the President. Of his accomplishments, I want to focus on the creation of the Department of Education since it may be closed soon. President Andrew Johnson signed legislation creating the first Department of Education in 1867. President Carter proposed reinstating a cabinet-level Department of Education in 1979.
The Department of Education has several important national goals:
- Collect information: Gather data on schools and teaching to help states establish effective school systems
- Promote educational excellence: Ensure equal access to education and foster educational excellence
- Develop and enforce federal education laws: Oversee education policy and funding
- Administer financial aid programs: Provide financial assistance to schools
- Conduct research: Research educational issues and share information
Moving the Department of Education to the state level severely limits the collective minds at a national level to work collaboratively on the issues facing education today.
Jimmy Carter’s legacy included many other nation-changing accomplishments. A few of those major ones include:
1978: At the Camp David Accords, Carter brokered one of the most significant diplomatic achievements of the 20th century in a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, leading to a lasting peace treaty between the two nations.
1977: Carter established the Department of Energy to address energy shortages, promote energy conservation and advance research into renewable energy.
1980: Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which protected over 157 million acres of land in Alaska, significantly expanding U.S. national parks and wildlife refuges.
2002: Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of tireless efforts in diplomacy, promoting peace, democracy, human rights and international development, particularly through The Carter Center.
The Carters’ work helped Habitat for Humanity become internationally recognized for its work to build affordable housing.
Jimmy Carter left a legacy around the world and a blueprint for honorable leaders to follow.
Next, a local impact maker in our community.
Bob Kronick is professor emeritus University of Tennessee. Bob welcomes your comments or questions to rkronick@utk.edu.
What wonderful examples — I hope we can get beyond today’s turmoil and see more of these types of dedicated individuals in our immediate future. Also, in 1977 Jimmy Carter worked with Repulican Minority leader, Sen. Howard Baker, on his “most intellectual effort” to pass the Panama Canal Treaty. As I once heard Sen. Baker say, something to the effect — The US is not a colonizing nation…take a look at this 2016 student essay https://www.jfklibrary.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/2016-Winning-Essay-by-Zhen-Tu.pdf