The Life and Legacy Harold Conner Sr.

UT Martin, along with the City of Martin, will present a proclamation honoring The Life and Legacy of Harold T. Conner Sr., on Saturday, August 17 at Boling University Center in Martin.

The proclamation was spearheaded by Dresden native and UT Martin alumni Jeniffer Green, who credits Harold T. Conner as one of the greatest influences in her life. Reverend Conner was Green's pastor at Fuller Street Baptist Church, and he was the first black administrator at the University of Tennessee at Martin, and in the University of Tennessee system.

“His devotion to education and black excellence was unmatched,” Green stated.

Green said it occurred to her that there would be “a whole generation of children who would never know about Harold T. Conner” and decided to take action to help preserve his legacy.

After more than six years and much persistence, December 30, 2023, by proclamation in the City of Martin and Weakley County, was officially declared, Harold Tilton Conner Sr. Day. 

The City of Martin has recognized Mr. Conner for years for his meritorious service, loyalty, and the dedication he rendered to the community. 

“Conner Sr.’s legacy can still be seen today not only in the citizens of Martin and Weakley County, but also in students of the Weakley County Training School which was the only high school to educate black students in Weakley County and Conner Sr. served as Principal, the University of Tennessee at Martin where Conner Sr. was the first black administrator serving first as the Dean of Student Affairs and then as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, and the Fuller Street Baptist Church parishioners who were led by Reverend Conner as their pastor for 40 years. Harold Tilton Conner, Sr. exemplified a true community servant,” representatives of the City of Martin and Weakley County stated.

Conner Sr.’s son, Dr. Harold Conner Jr. stated that he was delighted Green helped make this event possible.

“I'm delighted that once again we get a chance to celebrate his life and legacy, his effort at the University of Tennessee at Martin as the first black administrator and his impact on the students and the faculty and the administrators back in those early days, and even myself,” Dr. Conner stated.

Dr. Conner was the first black engineering student at UT Martin, and went on to work in the Oak Ridge, Tennessee area as a co-op engineering student, and ultimately graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Dr. Conner’s brother also went to UT Martin and was the first commissioned officer in the ROTC program and his sister attended UT Martin as well. 

Dr. Conner stated that his father left many lasting impacts on the Weakley County community. 

“One thing he liked to say a lot, that the struggle, the fight, the goal of career excellence and the goal of assimilating yourself into society and the struggle of African Americans early on in this journey, he always would say, “it's not over yet”. That was one of the things that he said, that the struggle, the strife, the fight, the goal,” Dr. Conner stated.

“It was not all about black individuals excelling with my dad and my mom. In Weakley County, white, black, brown-people of every color were influenced by the two of them. So he was the consummate educator and he was striving to convey to all of us as young men and women, white and black, what it means to be a black person and that women and men should strive to be their best person, strive for excellence and don't settle for mediocrity,” Dr. Conner said. 

Dr. Conner said he always strives and still does that today in his life and career.

“He wanted all of us to strive to be the best person we could be, to be educated as much as possible, to have our place in society and he just loved students and all colors of student. I think if he were alive today he would say that the most gratifying thing for him is the lives that he influenced,” Dr. Conner said.

Weakley County General Sessions Judge, Tommy Moore, cites Mr. Conner as being a remarkable man whom he was impressed by from the first time he met him.

“He had the gift — the charisma, the way with words, the personality, the swag, the confidence, the charm — to be unforgettable.  He was blessed by God with many talents, all of which were used, developed and honed to perfection. He was a preacher of rare ability.  I don’t know how to best describe his delivery, but I will say that no one fell asleep while he was speaking. He was comfortable speaking in any setting, and from behind any pulpit or podium, whether to academicians or the illiterate, whether to white collar or blue collar, whether to rich or poor, or regardless of race or gender, or age. And, oh my, he could sing.  And it wasn’t his voice.  He just had a way of delivering a song to an audience.  I can hear him singing now in my mind’s ear. He would from time to time, “summon me” to come see him.  These were, briefly, social visits, but all had a purpose.  Countless times he called me, so he might intercede for a young man or woman, who had made a poor decision in life. He was a bridge builder, and a tearer down of walls.  He fought the good fight and was a defender of the faith.  He helped me, as much as any other human being, to understand there is no difference between Jew and Greek, black and white, men and women, rich and poor….  If there were more men like him, the world would be different.  He accepted me, even though I was white.  He loved and appreciated me despite my imperfections. He was a man of God.  The world is better because of him.  I am a better person because I knew him,” Moore reflected.

The event is also a fundraiser to endow the Harold T. Conner Scholarship to his legacy of excellence. The formal event will include guest speakers commemorating Reverend Conner’s life and legacy, those close to him sharing fond memories and a dinner. The Meet and Greet will be from 5 -6 p.m. and the program and dinner is 6-8 PM at the UT Martin Boling University Center.