How 96-Year-Old Vivian Sims Is Still Making A Difference
There’s a chance most people have never heard of Vivian Sims. South Central Tennessee Tourism Association is hoping to change that.
Vivian Sims, at 96, is still achieving extraordinary feats. With a bigger-than-life spirit and must-do attitude, she is a force to be not so much “reckoned with” as inspired by. Thanks to travel writers Jenn and Ed Coleman, and the Associated Press, Vivian’s most recent accomplishment is a story being published far and wide.
The U.S. Colored Troops sculpture is representative of Vivian Sims’ desire to show young Black children, especially boys, to take pride in themselves and their heritage. Scott Stewart / Pulaski Citizen
Ask yourself “what are the odds?”
What are the odds that a 94-year-old woman (at the time this story begins,) who is African American, and lives in Pulaski, Tenn., would be able to rally town leaders to champion the creation of a bronze statue to honor the United States Colored Troops who fought in the American Civil War more than 150 years ago?
What are the odds that this same woman, who was a school teacher and an elementary school principal, would pay $82,000 out of her own pocket for the statue?
Now ask yourself, what are the odds this would happen in the birthplace of the KKK?
The path toward creating “The Resurrection of Valor” statue began during a Community Advisory Committee meeting on Inclusive Recognition & Acknowledgement led by then-Mayor Pat Ford. He asked the committee to share their best ideas. Vivian Sims jumped to her feet and said, “You need to honor the United States Colored Troops.”
“Growing up a Main Street kid and carrying a flag at our 1996 All-American City celebration, it has been tough, as an adult, to realize the shadow cast on our community that is not representative of who we are,” said Jessie Parker, CEO, Giles County Chamber of Commerce. “Over the past 10 years, we have participated in projects and had articles written about ‘who we really are,’ but nothing has compared to the work of Pulaski’s Community Advisory Committee on Inclusive Recognition & Acknowledgement, Three Star tourism programming, and the South Central Tennessee Tourism Association. We are so grateful.”
Though Sims had lived in Giles County for more than 60 years, she only learned about the USCT when she was in her 80s. In her research, she discovered that during the Civil War, more than 200,000 Black men courageously served in the Union Army, advancing the cause of freedom for more than four million enslaved people.
President Abraham Lincoln said the contribution of the USCT’s was so significant that “Without the military help of the Black freedmen, the war against the South could not have been won.”
Sims, a lifelong educator, worked hard to shatter racial and gender barriers. She was the first Black female assistant principal of Pulaski Elementary School and later became the first Black principal of Southside Elementary School. During her 46-year tenure, she noticed children — particularly young Black boys — needed positive role models.
Her vision for creating a USCT statue in Pulaski was directed straight toward these young Black boys, and girls. In fact, the bronze statue is of a child looking up at a USCT soldier.
Sims wanted to share a message with these children: “You are the descendant of brave warriors who fought and died for your freedom. God created you free and equal to all Americans. Take pride in yourself and your heritage. Always do your best, work hard to succeed, and make this world a better place to live and love one another.”
Determined to see the project through, Sims worked with a local artist and sculptor Pamela Sue Kellor to design and create the inspiring memorial. The statue, along with a plaque, was celebrated with a city-wide installation within Cave Spring Heritage Plaza in Pulaski. That event resulted in several positive local and regional stories. That was not enough for the ever-vigilant Vivian. She fretted often about how to get this story out to the masses. It was too important not to be told far and wide.
Ryan French, CEO, SCTTA, has supported the project throughout the process.
“After stepping into this role, one of my first conversations with Jessie Parker was about the town’s efforts to tell a more complete and unifying story — one that brings people together instead of dividing us,” French said. “We collaborated with journalist Elena Cawley and photographer Amanda Morton to produce five articles highlighting Giles County’s African American history, covering significant topics like the Rosenwald School, Rev. John Gilmore, the Quilting Our Heritage Quilting Club, Center Point (Wolf Gap), and what was then the beginning of the USCT statue sculpture.
“The story of the U.S. Colored Troops from Giles County left me awestruck — it gave me chills. It was a profound realization that this was the true story of Giles County,” French continued. “And as we delved deeper, understanding the efforts of Vivian Sims and the incredible support from the city council, Mayor Ford, Vivian, Kelly Hamlin, and others, it became clear that this narrative of community and unity is, in my opinion, the defining story of Giles County and Pulaski.”
Cut to the spring of 2024, when SCTTA sent a representative to the Southeastern Tourism Society’s Domestic Showcase in Little Rock, Ark. That series of meetings between SCTTA rep Cindy Dupree Holloway and journalists from around the country resulted in Jenn and Ed Coleman of Coleman Concierge to travel to Pulaski for the sole purpose of meeting and interviewing Vivian Sims. The Coleman’s recognized the importance of this story, understood the unbelievable elements that were fodder for an amazing piece of journalism, and felt that, if written correctly, the article could be placed with the Associated Press, one of the largest news organizations in the world.
“We knew there was more to share, and we were determined to ensure the world heard this story. So when SCTTA teamed up with Cindy Dupree Holloway to launch our organization’s first PR efforts, this was at the top of our list,” French explained. “Cindy took the story to STS and did an incredible job representing the significance of the story, the importance of its location, and just how meaningful it is to our town.
“We also shifted our internal focus and secured an incredible opportunity for Vivian to be interviewed by the Steel Magnolias Podcast,” he added. “Needless to say, we went all-in to tell this story — about Vivian, about this remarkable community, and about the history that defines us.”
What are the odds, now, that this story would be picked-up by more than 150 media outlets across America?
Actually, the odds are pretty good, considering the team of people who spend most of their days serving others, and working hard to make a difference for the greater good – beginning with Ford, who called the meeting; Parker, leading Giles County’s revolutionary transformation; French, a passionate advocate for the SCTTA region; Dupree Holloway, always pressing for great stories to be told; and, last but definitely not least, Sims, the visionary achiever of extraordinary feats.
Now you’ve heard about Vivian Sims. We hope you remember her and her remarkable story for a long time to come.
The five articles on Giles County African American history and more information on the creation of the USCT sculpture are available to read at visitpulaski.com/learn/history.
— South Central TN Tourism Association
(Credit to The Pulaski Citizen)
