Award-Winning Documentary on Nashville Black Baseball History Selected for 20th Annual International Black Film Festival

NASHVILLE — An award-winning documentary that tells the story of Nashville Black baseball history has been selected for screening at the International Black Film Festival on Oct. 5, 2025.

Author/Director/former TSU Professor Harriet Himbro-Hamilton’s film, “A Tour of One City: The History of the Negro Leagues in Nashville (Tennessee) and Beyond,” recently won the Grand Prize Documentary-Television at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival. It also received exposure in June at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Black Film Festival.

“We are honored and thrilled with the positive response to the documentary so far,” said Hamilton, who shares top creative billing with videographer Quinton Cox. “The Negro Leagues represent a critical yet often underrepresented chapter in both baseball and Civil Rights history.”

Author/Filmmaker Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton received the 
Grand Prize Documentary-Television Award at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival.

Hamilton developed her vision for making the film several years ago while writing books about her father, Nashville Black baseball legend Henry Kimbro, and other famous Negro Leaguers. “Daddy’s Scrapbook” and “”Home Plate” were warmly received by surviving athletes and their families, leading to Major League Baseball recognizing NBL players as professionals. 

“I had accumulated a lot of video footage of several players while conducting research for my two books,” the author added. “The question I asked myself was what I was going to do with all of that footage.”

Her documentary weaves rich archival materials and personal testimonies into an educational and emotionally resonant narrative. It brings to life the cultural and historical significance of the local players who participated in the Negro Leagues, which filled baseball stands from the Civil War to the 1960s.

The Nashville Sounds has embraced the project, even screening a segment of the documentary during a game in 2024. 

“Dr. Kimbro-Hamilton’s documentary on Negro League Baseball is not only a compelling piece of storytelling but an essential contribution to the broader understanding of history, race and sports in Nashville and beyond,” noted Doug Scopel, vice-president of operations for the Sounds Baseball organization.

Screening at the International Black Film Festival will occur from 2-3:15 p.m. Oct. 5 (Sunday) at the Hutton Hotel in Music City. Filmmakers and movie lovers can attend the showing for $13.17, plus a transaction fee of $1.80. To learn more or buy tickets, visit www.ibffevents.com.

“This documentary honors many local Nashvillians whose impact on the game transcended the field,” Kimbro-Hamilton said.

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'The Ryman Diaries' Historical Play Adds November and December Shows at Miss Jeanne's Mystery Dinner Theatre

     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 2016) – Actor/playwrights Tom Dolan and Debbie Mathis Watts are extending the run of their multi-media musical stage play "The Ryman Diaries" with pre-holiday matinees at Miss Jeanne's Mystery Dinner Theatre in Nashville. 

     Theatre-goers can celebrate Captain Tom Ryman's 175th birthday with the show and brunch on Nov. 13 and Dec. 11. Showtimes are 12 p.m. (dinner) and 1 p.m. (show) on Sunday. Admission is $38 (show with dinner) and $18 (show only). 

     The riverboat legend was born on Oct. 12, 1841. Mayor Megan Barry signed a proclamation naming Oct. 12, 2016 as Captain Tom Ryman Day.

     Described as a 19th Century love story, "The Ryman Diaries" is a historical drama that depicts the life and times of Cumberland riverboat Captain Tom Ryman as told through the eyes of his wife, Bettie Baugh Ryman. The story covers 70 years of the couple's lives through film media, stage acting, and original musical numbers. It tells of their unlikely romance, marriage, entrepreneurship, raising seven children on a riverboat, ultimate success, Christian conversion at a tent meeting, and the building of the Union Gospel Tabernacle. 

     The play is based on Watts' book, with additional dialog from Dolan. The actors penned seven original songs for the production. Film clips feature flashbacks of young Bettie and historical stills provided by the Metro Archives. 

     "We are thrilled to extend the show with brunch as a continued celebration of Captain Ryman's 175th birthday," said Watts, a former producer for various shows on TNN: The Nashville Network. "He and his wife Bettie were true romantics who laid the musical foundation for Middle Tennessee." 

     A veteran educator, professional pianist-vocalist, and author, Watts' theatrical roles include Mollie in "Mousetrap" and Agnes in "I Do, I Do". Dolan has received national acclaim starring as Elwood P. Dowd in "Harvey", Dr. Albert Schweitzer in "Memoirs from Africa", and Sam Clemens in "Mark Twain Live". The actors also star in a new play in San Diego based on the lives of John and Lillie Spreckels. 

     Miss Jeanne's Mystery Dinner Theatre is located at 2416 Music Valley Drive. To buy tickets for "The Ryman Diaries", call (615) 902-9566 or visit http://www.MissJeannes.com. To learn more about the play, visit http://wattsd2.wix.com/rymandiaries.

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'The Ryman Diaires' Continues at Bibb Center Through May 7

          NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 2015) – Award-winning actor/playwright/director Tom Dolan and author/musician/educator Debbie Mathis Watts will portray Music City legends Captain Tom Ryman and Bettie Baugh Ryman in the multi-media musical stage play "The Ryman Diaries" through May 7 at the Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center.

          The shows will be staged at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. No shows will be offered Sunday-Wednesday. Admission is $12. The Bibb Center is located at 10545 Old Charlotte Road in White Bluff, Tenn., near Dickson. 

          Described as a 19th Century love story, "The Ryman Diaries" is a historical drama that depicts the life and times of Cumberland riverboat Captain Tom Ryman as told through the eyes of his wife, Bettie Baugh Ryman. The story covers 70 years of the couple's lives through film media, stage acting, and original musical numbers. It tells of their unlikely romance, marriage, entrepreneurship, raising seven children on a riverboat, ultimate success, Christian conversion at a tent meeting, and the building of the Union Gospel Tabernacle. 

Debbie Watts and Tom Dolan portray Captain Tom Ryman and his wife Bettie.

          The play is based on Watts' book, with additional dialog from Dolan. The actors penned seven original songs for the production. Film clips feature flashbacks of young Bettie and historical stills provided by the Metro Archives. 

          "Both Bettie and Tom had the hearts of musicians, so it was totally fitting that they would play and sing," said Watts, a former producer for various shows on TNN: The Nashville Network. "They were true romantics who laid the musical foundation for Middle Tennessee." 

          A veteran educator, professional pianist-vocalist, and author, Watts' theatrical roles include Mollie in "Mousetrap" and Agnes in "I Do, I Do". Dolan has received national acclaim starring as Elwood P. Dowd in "Harvey", Dr. Albert Schweitzer in "Memoirs from Africa", and Sam Clemens in "Mark Twain Live". The actors also star in a new play in San Diego based on the lives of John and Lillie Spreckels.  

          To buy tickets for "The Ryman Diaries", call (615) 797-1154 or send an e-mail inquiry to Wattsd2@att.net. To learn more about the play, visit http://wattsd2.wix.com/rymandiaries.
 

Arts Town Travel: Historic Fort Mims to Observe 200th Anniversary

Published in The Mobile (Ala.) Press Register: This article was written by Claudia "2G" Slaughter Campbell, president of the Fort Mims Restoration Association that oversees preservation and restoration of Fort Mims in Baldwin County, Ala., site of the historic Massacre of Fort Mims in 1813. The restoration organization is observing the 200-year anniversary of events of 1813 and accomplishments achieved during those decades. Campbell, of Tensaw, and her family trace their family lineage back to the settlers of Fort Mims, and she shares here her memories of her family’s deeply rooted connections to the fort and the community surrounding it.

When I think back about my earliest recollections of Fort Mims, a smile comes across my face. I can see my brother and sisters running in the freshly plowed dirt in the field near Boatyard Lake playing and throwing dirt clods at each other. It was around 1954 or so.

Mama was there trying to keep up with all of us as we ran behind the tractor that Daddy was driving. He was plowing up the potatoes he had planted several months before. What fun we were having, but not paying that much attention to the job at hand -- what we were picking up was not the beautiful red potatoes that we would have for supper! Instead, the treasure we were finding were beautiful pieces of painted pottery in varying shapes and colors, they were like the pretty flowers on the plates my grandmother had.

There were sharp triangular rocks, too, that I would later learn were arrowheads. We all had jars with lids, and we filled them to the top! Being the youngest of five, I was immediately “hooked:” I wanted to hunt for treasure every day! 

My mother, June Slaughter, began to write a lot of letters back in those days trying to get support for something to be done at Fort Mims. She put a jar out on the counter of the store, put pictures and notices in the newspaper and wrote to the state for help. One of the letters was to the Alabama Department of Parks and Conservation and before too long she received correspondence from Mr. Marks of the Parks Division, State of Alabama! She had stirred interest in Montgomery and the officials were coming to Tensaw to see what they could find. Fort Mims would not be forgotten! I remember that the whole family was happy and we could hardly wait to see what would come next.

Upon arrival to Tensaw a few months later, the officials from the state got my dad, Carl Slaughter, to bring his bulldozer to the site. The area was covered with trees, bushes and lots of undergrowth like the rest of the swamp -- as if nothing had ever happened there. As we were all standing around to see what would be uncovered, Daddy lightly pushed back the top layers of earth, a little at a time. Eventually, we were all able to see the charred remains of the outside walls of the fort. What an exciting time that was -- the site of Fort Mims had been re-discovered!

Because of the way the burned wood was found, the men decided that the fort must have been put up horizontally -- at least in several places. Two posts would have been put into the ground and logs laid between them and built up until the wall of logs was high enough to protect those inhabiting the fort.

Every year in the heat of August, Mama loaded up all five of her children, occasionally several cousins from down the road and any friends who were lucky enough to be around, and we would head down to Fort Mims for a memorial service. We were fairly good for kids during the “service,” swatting at the mosquitoes and bugs, and trying to understand the serious look on Mama’s face. Before long, she had a fence and a gate delivered to the store, “Smith and Slaughter,” so an official improvement could be made to Fort Mims, as specified. That was 10 years after the Till family donated five acres to the state of Alabama.

The site of Fort Mims was cleared and cleaned, a small area at the time, by the archeological excavations done almost every decade. In the ‘60s, many of the local high school Key Club members, including my brother and cousins from Tensaw and others from Bay Minette, worked on the excavation. They were full of fun and energy as many artifacts were found in the wire bins that were filled with dirt and moved to and fro like a sifter. Excitement would sound out when something was discovered. They were looking eagerly to find whatever may have been hiding in the clumps of dirt, things that had been left from the terrible day in August nearly 150 years before.

Articles appeared frequently in the local papers, the Fort Mims Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution placed a monument at the site, and interest in this historic site in north Baldwin County soared throughout the state and Baldwin County. My grandmother wrote a short book during this time, ‘Sunshine and Shadows -- Along the Trails the Tensas Trod,’ with some of the research she had done throughout the years.

A young girl, totally influenced and surrounded by this much history, could hardly go in any other direction. The mold was set: Fort Mims -- high priority! Do your best to bring recognition to this historic site in Tensaw, Alabama, that changed so many lives and affected the course of history for a young nation.

It looks like that is still what I think is of importance as many improvements have been made at Fort Mims by the Fort Mims Restoration Association -- and many more will be completed before Aug. 30, 2013 for the commemoration of the 200th anniversary.

My roots grow deep in the Tensaw Country as my ancestors settled here 200 years ago. Fort Mims was a part of that. Through my grandmother, Claudia Smith Slaughter, my great-great-great-grandfather, Reese Smith, his wife Nancy and their daughter, arrived at Fort Mims on or about, Aug. 29, 1813. Because of the conditions within the fort, they decided to move on, thus surviving the deadly attack on the 30th.

After the massacre at Fort Mims, my ancestors Capt. Joseph Booth and Col. Lee Slaughter rode south with Andrew Jackson to avenge those killed at Fort Mims. They went on to fight the British at the Battle of New Orleans; Jesse Embree and Reese Smith also joined Jackson’s forces during the War of 1812 and the Creek Indian War, all settling in this area.

A portion of Capt. Booth’s plantation remains in the family and his grave, and those of several of his children and grandchildren, are tended by descendants who honor them and the memory of their many contributions during the early days of this country.

Now, I am proud to serve as president of the Fort Mims Restoration Association and we are sponsoring a commemorative event for the 200th Anniversary of Fort Mims on Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2013. Descendants from all over the country plan to attend. Don’t miss this outstanding event! Visit our webpage: fortmims.org (next week after reconstruction is complete). “Like” Fort Mims on Facebook for recent happenings, photos and see what is going on as we near the anniversary date! 

-- By Claudia Slaughter Campbell, President, Fort Mims Restoration Association in Tensaw, Ala.