Event: Homecoming 2026
Updated: 13 hours ago
A crowd of farmers, foresters, funders, friends, and family recently gathered on the Friendship CME Church lawn in Holladay Tennessee on a sunny fall day to celebrate the anniversaries of the Moore Flatwooods Homecoming at 150 years, Tennessee at 230 years, and America at 250 years.
The event began with R and B, neo soul, and gospel music by the Band. A cemetery preservation and headstone cleaning seminar at the Moore Chapel Cemetery was led by Mr. Graham with the Tennessee Historical Commission. A landowner estate planning seminar at the Friendship CME Church was facilitated by Mr. James with the Tennessee State University Heirs Property program.
Music, art, architecture, walking trails, history panels, farmer wisdom panels, farm history exhibits, landowner outreach exhibitor booths, a Holladay McIllwain fire truck, games tables, County Road petting zoo, and a play area for families with children served as a backdrop for the event on the big lawn.
The festivities under the big tent continued with Director Renee sharing the theme of play, acknowledgements of contributors, introductions, a vintage dance-a-long highlighting R and B music, as well as a historical sing-a-long spotlighting negro spirituals. Mr. Tyrone represented the next generation during a heartfelt welcome, and a reading of the Moore Flatwoods legacy of love story. Minister Quanita offered a blessing over the event.
The newly formed cemetery committee was presented to the attendees. The annual Ancestor African drumming tribute featured Attucks as representative for the children, Markees for the young adults while Ms. Robbin, and Marines Veteran Howard read the names of 21 veterans and 199 ancestors resting in three cemeteries located at Benton, Decatur, and Gibson Counties. The community remembered the contributions of their veterans and ancestors who served our country and built the Moore Chapel School, Friendship CME Church and the Moore Flatwoods community. The band played the national anthem to complete the tribute.
The fish fry meal was served by Touch of Sass along with Pastor Dwayne and side dishes prepared by the Hooper, Jones, Menzies, Moore, Murphy, and Williams families. The band continued to fill the air with music during the meal.
The farmer showcase featured Mr. James with Browns Consulting, a farmer with a career of service with the USDA and Dr. Monica White, Professor of Environmental Justice at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Distinguished Chair of Integrated Environmental Studies, and the first African American woman to earn tenure in both the College of Agricultural Life Sciences and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. The NAPAS Navigators highlighted the Robinson farm, from McNairy County as one of twenty farms who are in their landowner mentoring program.
After the ceremony, attendees participated in karaoke and a soul train line hosted by Ms. Kyanna and Ms. Metra, as well as continuation of games, tours, and fellowship coordinated by the Moore Next Gen group. Kickball, dodgeball, corn hole, and other historic field games were played by families. The hay bale demonstration and the narrated farm tips hayride tour offered by Mr. Brian was well received and photographed by children and adults.
The participants also interacted with exhibitors and representatives from the NAPAS Navigators, Tennessee Natural Resources Conservation Services, the TN Department of Agriculture, Brown’s Outreach Consulting, the American Forest Foundation, and Reid Security. Event sponsors included US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, and the Sustainable Forestry and Landowner Retention Network.
Ten generations of attendees aged 1 to 90 said they were pleased with the activities of the day and offered ideas for next year. When you are in the Benton County area, take a self-guided tour or reach out to schedule a guided tour at www.visitmoorefarm.org
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