Two personalities known for their unshakeable resolve over antisemitism but vastly different in their time will be the topic of a program on Oct. 20 at the East Tennessee History Center.
Adolph Ochs, legendary owner of the New York Times whose journalism career began in Knoxville, and Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, who refused to identify Jews to the Nazis in Stalag IX-A during World War II, are the two. Both are commemorated with plaques in downtown Knoxville, and Edmonds posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump in March.
The program is sponsored by the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, East Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Front Page Foundation and the ETHC.
Historian Jack
Neely will lead an hour-long walking tour downtown to present the Ochs story, starting at 4:30 p.m. from the History Center, 601 Gay St. The walk will return to the History Center, where light refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m.; the program begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.
During the reception, attendees will have an opportunity to view photographic work of Holocaust survivors and rescuers by University of Tennessee journalism professor Rob Heller.
WBIR anchor Robin Wilhoit will moderate the program, which begins with a discussion on Ochs and his family by Neely, and then Pastor Chris Edmonds will discuss his father and present a video on his life.
Ochs was born in 1858 in Cincinnati and came to Knoxville as a youth with his family. He began his career as a carrier boy at the Knoxville Chronicle, which was on Market Square, and was an office boy, apprentice and journeyman printer at The Knoxville Tribune. In 1878, he took control of The Chattanooga Times and in 1896, he acquired The New York Times. In his inaugural column, he pledged to report the news without “fear or favor.”
“Today, when America’s news media are under attack for sensationalism, we recall that an American Jew, Adolph Simon Ochs, set the standard for objective, independent and responsible journalism,” the Jewish Virtual Library says.
Ochs fought antisemitism during his career and used his influence to convince other newspapers not to lampoon or characterize Jews in a negative manner. He was known to be very concerned about the rise of Adolph Hitler in Europe when he died in 1935.
Edmonds was born in 1919 in Knoxville, grew up during the Great Depression, worked as a stock clerk, and joined the Army when World War II erupted. He was captured with his unit following the Battle of the Bulge and interned at Stalag IX-A near Ziegenhain, Germany. When ordered by a Nazi camp commandant to hand over his Jewish comrades, Edmonds, a Christian, refused, saying, “We are all Jews here.” He is credited with saving 300 Jewish-Americans.
After he returned home, he did not discuss the story. It came to light after his death in 1985. Then his son tracked down witnesses to the event. In 2015, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, recognized Edmonds as “Righteous Among the Nations.”
The Oct. 20 program is free but an RSVP is requested at https://tnholcom.org/ for planning purposes.
Disclosure: I have assisted in putting this program together along with Katherine High, retired vice president for academic affairs and student success at UT and a member of the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, and Alison Vick, a curator-program coordinator for the THC.
NEW UT BOARD MEMBERS: Christi Branscom and Misty Mayes have been appointed to six-year terms on the UT Board of Trustees, ending June 30, 2032. Branscom was appointed by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, while Mayes was appointed by Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville. They attended their first meeting at the UT Board executive committee meeting on Sept. 18.
Branscom is general counsel and managing broker with Partners Development, a real estate firm specializing in facilities planning, financing and development. She previously served nearly six years as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services. Before joining Gov. Bill Lee’s cabinet, she served as chief operating officer and deputy mayor for the City of Knoxville. Branscom will serve on the board’s finance and administrative committee.
Mayes is the founder and CEO of Management Solutions LLC, a woman-owned, national award-winning small business headquartered in Knoxville. She is past chair of the UT Tickle College of Engineering board of advisors and past recipient of UT Knoxville’s Alumni Service Award. She will serve on the board’s education, research and service committee and will continue to serve on the UT Foundation Board.
GENERAL ELECTION INFO: The final day to register to vote for the Nov. 3 federal and state elections is Oct. 5. The first day of early voting is Oct. 14. Offices on the ballot are governor, U.S. Senate, 2nd Congressional District, state Senate Districts 5 and 7, and state House of Representatives Districts 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 89, and 90.
Georgiana Vines is retired News Sentinel associate editor. She can be reached at gvpolitics@hotmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville event explores legacy of two local heroes | Vines
