Caitlyn Hickman's Honors Retreat Blog Post: Empowerment through History, Love, and Whiskey

Empowerment through History, Love, and Whiskey

        Stories surrounding legacies and empires were few and far between when I was growing up. Of course, I was taught by my mother and my grandmother about black historical figures and pioneers, as well as a few other important figures in school. It was well-documented, in the sense that there was a lot of information to be shared and discussed. However, as the years went by, I've heard my grandmother say that so much of black history, our history, is lost or hidden away. There are literal companies and agencies that have the sole purpose of erasing our history from multiple records, refusing to acknowledge the past and the pain that followed. However, instead of just reading about it, I wanted to explore the world of our history, where riots and rallies took place, where leaders stood and spoke out against injustice. I truly believed visiting where history was made instead of just reading about it would bring me a deeper appreciation for what I have and where I am now. That's exactly how I felt when we went to the Uncle Nearest Distillery in Shelby, Tennessee, a legacy built on friendship and a pure love for making whiskey.

        What stayed in the back of my mind as I walked around in the distillery was when Weaver said that she was taught to question everything, just based on how she grew up and how she left her home. In my experience, most adults tell you to never question them or what they teach. If we want to know more, we can look it up. However, being at Uncle Nearest taught me that us as researchers, students, and black women, we absolutely must look deeper into not only our own history, but the details of other historical events. Reading about anything can only give us surface information about what happened, who was there, what events overlapped, and, in some cases, what plans are made to change the future. Being there and being present in the moment can give a more emotional, almost spiritual, connection to the past. As our tour guide walked and talked about the distillery’s history, I could almost hear the soft pours of newly-made whisky, the barrels being rolled into a shed, and the laughter of friends and family as they gather to enjoy drinks and each other’s company. In other words, I felt a though I was there, reveling in the opportunity to even set foot on the land, let along have a lesson on what the distillery meant to us and what Tennessee meant to the United States.

        The first photo I took at the distillery was the huge rack of whiskey bottles past the gift shop. To me, that was what tied friendship, harmony, and legacy all together. Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniels’s bond wasn’t just about mentorship and the love of making whiskey. With friendships, there’s mutual respect and understanding. That is what it took for the love of friendship and the wisdom of whiskey-making to bring that sort of legacy to the present for everyone to see and appreciate. The photo also hints at the cross between entrepreneurship and the responsibilities for what you sell. As an entrepreneur, you create something new, unique, and possibly something that one’s ever heard of or dared to attempt. Once you perfect your product, the responsibilities shift into “supply and demand.” The many bottles of whiskey show us just how much people in Tennessee, and all across America, appreciate the brand and the joy it brings to the consumers.  

        The second photo, or in this case a video, I took was in the speakeasy. Learning how that speakeasy played a huge role in the fight for women’s right to vote truly shocked me. It wasn’t just a place for people to hide from the law while they enjoyed a good spirit. It was a place for women to gather, plan, and initiate their goal of being seen and heard by everyone. Finally, the third photo of the autograph sticker from the author points to marketing overlapping with the history of the distillery itself. Here stood one woman to hear about a story, almost lost and forgotten, who had the courage to dig deeper and write the story in a way that everyone can understand. To promote a business is to share the history, and the legacy that the place, or company, wants to leave behind for future generations to discover.

by Caitlyn Hickman

(Love Story)

(Tension)

(History and Brand)