'He was a revolutionary': Knoxville celebrates the life of civil rights leader Robert Booker

In a poignant display of respect and admiration, state and local leaders came together to pay homage to the unparalleled legacy of Robert J. Booker, a towering figure in Knoxville's civil rights movement and a revered historian. The celebration of his life was held at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, a place deeply intertwined with Booker as a lifelong member and the profound impact he had on the community.

Booker died Feb. 22 at the age of 88.

The Rev. Harold Middlebrook, a civil rights leader in his own right, officiated the Feb. 28 service and Rev. Vincent Jones delivered the eulogy celebrating Booker's life.

Former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam; Johnny Ford, the former mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama, and founder of the World Conference of Mayors; and numerous government and community leaders were among the friends who told personal stories about the man who inspired others with his activism, his intellect, his warmth and his unrelenting commitment to Knoxville.

“He was a prophet. He was a radical. He was a revolutionary,” Knox County Commissioner Dasha Lundy said at the service. “If he didn’t have that spirit in him, Knoxville wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Booker made friends and allies across the political spectrum, throughout neighborhoods, among agency and business leaders, among history buffs and loyal readers of his Knox News column, and with those who shared his mission to make the community a more equitable place.

“He understood the love that people have for each other here in East Tennessee, and he just lived his life with this,” state Rep. Sam McKenzie said.

“He brought people together. Not just superficially. But he wanted to get to know the core of you and try to help you move along the way."

Booker was a young man when he took his first bold steps.

His place as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville dated back at least as far as his time as student body president at historically Black Knoxville College, from which he graduated in 1962 and where he played a pivotal role in initiating and leading the sit-in movement to desegregate downtown lunch counters and movie theaters.

He went on to work in local and state government and politics, including making history in 1967 as the first Black person elected from Knoxville to the Tennessee State Legislature.

“Bob accomplished so much in his life. He was a trailblazer who didn’t just break glass ceilings, but he actually kicked the doors in when he went to the state of Tennessee and served as the first black representative for Knoxville,” said Gwen McKenzie, Knoxville City Council member.

For 17 years, Booker served as the executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, and he remained active as a historian and archivist until his death. He contributed significantly to preserving the history of East Tennessee through his extensive research, numerous books and two decades as a columnist for the News Sentinel.

Shortly before his death, Booker was recognized by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees with an honorary doctorate.

Silas Sloan contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville celebrates the life of civil rights leader Robert Booker