Historian, author, politician, Knoxville College graduate, veteran, former state legislator, and co-founder of the Beck Cultural Center, Robert J. Booker has passed away. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Robert Booker (politician) Cause of death
Robert Booker died at the age of 88, on Thursday, February 22, 2024, and the was no cause of death recorded.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the sad news of the passing of Dr. Robert J. Booker on February 22, 2024, on behalf of his family,” shared Rev. Reneé Kesler, Beck Center president.
Robert Booker (politician) obituary information
Robert Booker was born on April 14, 1935, and was raised during the era of segregation in Knoxville. He started a newspaper as a student at Austin High School, served in the Army in the 1950s, and became a champion of civil rights as a student at Knoxville College, serving twice as student body president and organizing peaceful protests that helped desegregate downtown Knoxville businesses in the 1960s.
Rorbert Booker wrote several books focusing on Knoxville’s Black history including Two Hundred Years of Black Culture in Knoxville, Tennessee 1791-1991; And There was Light!; The 120-Year History of Knoxville College; The Heat of a Red Summer; An Encyclopedia: The Experiences of Black People in Knoxville, Tennessee 1844-1974; and From the Bottom Up.
Source: Ghanafuo.com
