2025 Certificate of Merit Awards Announced

The Tennessee Historical Commission celebrates National Preservation Month each May by presenting Certificate of Merit Awards in recognition of exemplary work by individuals, groups, organizations, corporations, or governmental entities that further promote historic preservation or the study of history in Tennessee. Since 1975, THC’s Certificate of Merit Program has solicited Merit Award nominations from the public. All nominations are judged by category.

The Historic Preservation category recognizes excellence in the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of a historic or archaeological site, preservation leadership, preservation planning, publications related to historic preservation, public programming, or research. The 2025 awards in this category goes to:

Bob Holliday, for the preservation of the African Methodist/Wyly Cemetery and Reacons Cemetery. Through GPR survey, these cemeteries were mapped, and burials will be able to be marked in future projects. Additional work was also completed to remove hazardous trees from the cemetery and a Cultural Resource Vegetation Plan was created for Johnsonville State Historic Park.

J. Channing Greene, for the preservation of numerous cemeteries around Newport, TN. Greene has conducted research on local cemeteries, cleaned headstones, removed vegetation, and placed flags on veteran’s gravesites.

Serena Gilbert, for the preservation of the Promise Land Historic Site. Through a capital improvement project, Gilbert preserved the historic structure of the Promise Land School. In addition, through work with the Promise Land Heritage Association, Gilbert promoted the history of the community.

Metro Nashville Historical Commission, for the preservation of Sunnyside Mansion in Nashville. This 1853 Greek Revival home serves as offices for MNHC. In this project, structural damage was repaired, and outbuildings were repaired and reconstructed for public use.

The Book or Public Programming category recognizes notable achievements toward advancing the study of Tennessee history through certain types of books or public programming. The recipient in this category is the Grundy County Historical Society for their efforts to document all cemeteries within the county. This research tool has been compiled into a three volume book series.