Public Art Chattanooga + the Bessie Smith Cultural Center recently unveiled a new public art installation in honor of Bessie Smith and Blue Goose Hollow, the predominantly Black neighborhood where Bessie Smith grew up, which was demolished during a 1950s redevelopment.
“Unearthing Boldness,” created by local artist Rondell Crier, is part of the Blue Goose Hollow Artistic Trailhead Marker Project — an effort to celebrate Chattanooga’s Black history by spotlighting the “Empress of the Blues,” Bessie Smith.
“This artistic marker is symbolic of strength, joy, and resilience,” said Crier. “It is meant to capture
the boldness of Bessie’s ancestry and the lineage of all people who have been displaced from this land.”
You can check out the new sculpture at the Blue Goose Hollow Trailhead at 935 Riverfront Pkwy.
