Kristian Caldwell (Class of 2029)- Walking in Truth: What Uncle Nearest Taught Me About Legacy

When our Honors program traveled from Atlanta to the Uncle Nearest Distillery in Tennessee, I knew we were going to learn history in a different way, but I didn’t expect it to feel so personal. Reading Fawn Weaver’s Love & Whiskey gave me a framework, but actually being on that land, seeing the faces, hearing the stories, and walking across floors marked with words of truth made the history hit differently. It wasn’t just something I was studying anymore; it was something I was living through, side by side with my Spelman sisters.

 

Historical Consciousness

 

One of the photos I took on the tour was of portraits of Black men, one in a graduation cap and gown, another in a military uniform. Those images spoke to me because they showed dignity and progress in the middle of a history that often tried to erase or downplay Black achievement. It also reminded me of going to a grandmothers house, seeing pictures of family hung up during the times of their greatest achievements and how the memories are still kept alive.  Seeing those faces reminded me that Uncle Nearest’s story isn’t just about whiskey. It is about legacy, family, and survival.

 

Traveling from Atlanta to Tennessee also gave me a new perspective. Atlanta is filled with civil rights history, but being in Tennessee reminded me that this state too holds pivotal moments, like being the “Perfect 36” that secured women the right to vote. Hearing that story in the very place it happened showed me how fragile history is. One choice, one vote, one decision can change everything. And it made me think about how easily a story like Nearest Green’s could have been lost forever if no one fought to bring it back.

 

Ethical Discernment

 

Another photo I took was of the Ida B. Wells quote engraved on the floor: “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Standing on those words made me pause. Whiskey has always been celebrated as culture, but it has also caused pain, something the women’s temperance movement spoke to. That tension made me wonder what it means to succeed through something that brings both joy and harm.

 

Fawn Weaver’s leadership gave me one answer. She didn’t just create a company to sell whiskey. She used that company to uncover truth, restore a Black man’s name, and make sure women and people of color are leading in the industry. That is entrepreneurship with responsibility. The Wells quote on the floor wasn’t just decoration. It was a reminder that shining light on truth is itself an act of justice.

 

Curated Inwardness

 

The last photo I took was of an image from the women’s suffrage march. Seeing that inside the distillery was powerful because it tied two stories together: the story of Black legacy through Uncle Nearest and the story of women demanding their right to be seen and heard. It reminded me that these struggles are connected, and that as a Black woman at Spelman, I am part of that same tradition of resilience.

 

Being there with my classmates felt different from sitting in a classroom. At Spelman, we were given 4 books to read one being in Our Declaration and Robin D.G. Kelley in Freedom Dreams who push us to see democracy and freedom in bigger, more inclusive ways. But standing in Tennessee, I wasn’t just reading about those ideas. I was walking across Wells’ words, staring at images of women marching, and hearing stories of votes and legacies that shaped the world we live in now. It made those books come alive in a way no classroom ever could.

 

Closing Reflection

 

These three images, the portraits of Black achievement, Ida B. Wells’ words, and the suffrage march, tell the story of what this retreat gave me. It wasn’t just a tour. It was a lesson in how history lives in place, in people, and in truth-telling.

 

I left the distillery with more than new knowledge. I left with a sense of responsibility: to read deeply, to notice what stories are missing, and to see myself as part of the work of carrying those stories forward. Uncle Nearest’s story is not just about a brand. It is about love, resilience, and restoration. And as a Spelman woman, I feel called to continue that work, making sure the truths of our people don’t stay hidden, but shine for the world to see. 

    - Kristian Caldwell Class of 29'