Ep. 224: Tennessee Voices, American Stories: Miranda Fraley Rhodes

Ep. 224: Tennessee Voices, American Stories: Miranda Fraley Rhodes

March 24, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

Miranda Fraley Rhodes discusses the Tennessee State Museum's exhibitions and the importance of inclusive storytelling in connecting Tennesseans with their history.

This episode features Miranda Fraley Rhodes, Ph.D., assistant chief curator at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. Miranda discusses how the museum’s exhibitions and interpretive programming help Tennesseans connect with their shared history through inclusive storytelling and compelling artifacts. The conversation highlights the museum’s new exhibition, "Tennessee Voices, American Stories," created as part of the statewide America 250 commemoration. The exhibit features three areas centered on key concepts from the preamble to the United States Constitution: “We the People,” “A More Perfect Union,” and “The Blessings of Liberty.” Each area includes artifacts and stories related to remarkable people who helped to build Tennessee and the United States. Spanning from the 18th century to the present, the exhibition brings together early statehood items and cultural artifacts tied to music, civil rights, public service and more, showing how both prominent figures and everyday people contribute to the ongoing American story. Rhodes gives listeners a richer appreciation for how museums use objects, research and storytelling to make history tangible, memorable, and meaningful for…

People in this episode

Guest: Miranda Fraley Rhodes

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

The Citizens Bank

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tennessee State Museum

Books & works: Tennessee Voices, American Stories

Places: Tennessee, Nashville

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