April 28th 6p.m. Hermitage Dining Room

Speakers: Felicia Felder-Hoehne
Dr. Barbara Lynne Ivey Yarn, MD

Two sisters, Felicia Felder-Hoehne and Dr. Barbara Lynne Ivey Yarn, MD, Knoxville natives, will share the stage at the 2011 Mary Utopia Rothrock Lecture.

Felicia Felder-Hoehne, a research librarian at the University of Tennessee, and her sister, Dr. Yarn, a renowned anesthesiologist, former scientific researcher in mammalian genetics at ORNL, and pain management specialist, will discuss their early experiences with libraries, their education in the segregated schools of Knoxville, their careers, and the changes they’ve witnessed and experienced.

Felicia’s service at the John C. Hodges Library began in 1969 when she became the first professional librarian of African descent to be hired at The University of Tennessee. She was also the first Black person to serve on the Knoxville-Knox County Library Board of Directors from 1971—1977, during which time she served five years as secretary to this governing body.

The lecture will explain some of the motivation the sisters received from their elders and outstanding teachers, the parental guidance so critical to their philosophy of service, the duties and rewards of civic involvement instilled in them by the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, and their desire to help others—to give something back to their communities. This lecture will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of Knoxville African American history and will introduce useful resources to those researching the Knoxville African American community.

For more information: Chris Durman, 865-974-3474 or cdurman@utk.edu