First Presbyterian Bicentennial History Book Wins Prestigious 2023 AASLH Award of Excellence

FPC's bicentennial history book, “Following the Faith: A Bicentennial History of First Presbyterian Church, Clarksville, 1822-2022,” was selected as this year’s Publications winner in the small press category of The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)! Only one book in this category each year is selected to receive this national award, one of the AASLH’s Leadership in History Awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in state and local history. This year, AASLH conferred fifty-one national awards honoring people, projects, and exhibits. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history. We are so proud of this accomplishment and all of the authors, especially editor Ellen Kanervo.

Over the last two centuries, First Presbyterian Church, through its mission, its members, and its ministers, has significantly influenced Clarksville’s civic path. Members of this church have served the community and the nation as mayors, city council members, Tennessee and US representatives, a US Senator, judges, lawyers, bankers, doctors, teachers, soldiers, business leaders, and civic volunteers. In this volume, authors have tried to tell their stories along with the church’s stories, the good along with the not-so-good.

Ellen Kanervo edited the book and wrote the final chapter, and graphic designer Mike Fink laid it out. Volunteers who wrote chapters of the book were church members Rhonda Banasiak, Liz Thomas, Phillip Kemmerly, Karen Goggin, Phyllis Smith, David Kanervo, Tim Arrington and Barbara Rogers Grigsby. Pastor Greg Glover wrote a Foreword to the book.

One reviewer wrote of the book, “The contextualization, the open willingness to tell the good and not so good stories, the writing quality—and more so the consistency—with multiple authors is amazing. Great selection of primary and secondary sources. “This is a microhistory that is an example for other organizations to follow. It has an index, in-source citations, and end notes after each chapter. It also contextualizes the church's story making the story very rich. For example, and there are many that could be cited, on page 100, they talk about the average working man's wage -- his capacity to give at church. This book made me care about a church I’ve never even seen, and that says something about the quality of this work.”

For more information about AASLH visit www.aaslh.org.