Weakley County Community, UTM Alumni Come Together to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Harold T. Conner

I believe in hard work and I believe what a lady told me when i was in high school: Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.”

Harold T. Conner Sr.

When I think of Mr. Conner, I think of wisdom. He oozed wisdom in the way he worked with students and colleagues. I'm so pleased that UTM was blessed to have him as a leader and role model to so many of us.”

Dr. Nick Dunagan, UTM Chancellor 2001-2007

I have very fond memories of Harold Conner. He called me while I was debating whether to take the Martin chancellorship. His advice and encouragement played a key role in my decision. I saw firsthand the pivotal roles he played on the 'campus that cares'.”

Dr. Charles Smith, UTM Chancellor 1980-1985

Harold Conner was a very special person to me and to the whole campus. He came to visit me before I came to campus to interview. I always thought that was so appropriate and helpful.”

Dr. Margaret Perry, UTM Chancellor 1986-1997

In terms of the impact that he left on the University of Tennessee at Martin campus, Harold Conner was a giant. While he was a gifted administrator and educator, Reverend Conner was perhaps best known for his mentoring and his great love for students. So many of his initiatives are still thriving at the university, including PEP (Peer Enabling Program) and the Black Student Association. He truly loved this campus and its people.”

Dr. Keith Carver, UTM Chancellor 2017-2023

The Weakley County community, UT Martin Alumni and many others from near and far came together Saturday, August 17 to celebrate the life and legacy of Harold T. Conner Sr., known by many as “Reverend”, others as “Dean” and by all as “friend.”

The event, organized by Dresden native Jeniffer Green, Dr. Harold and Joyce G. Conner, Dr. Charley Deal, Dr. Nick Dunagan and Bud Grimes, played host to approximately 175 people in attendance to pay tribute and share memories of Conner Sr. People came from as far as Texas and North Carolina to dozens of counties across Tennessee to pay tribute to a man everyone stated, “changed their lives for the better.”

Speakers for the event included Reverend Leroy Brent, Dr. Yancy Freeman Sr., Randy Boyd, Jeniffer Green, Martin Mayor Randy Brundige, General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore, Dr, Charley Deal, Dr. Phillip Watkins, Deacon Edgar Harrell, Beverly Claybrooks, Frank Shanklin, Dr. Donald Comer, Francine Giles Madrey and Dr. Harold Conner Jr.

Music was provided by the UTM Collegiate Choir.

The Harold T. Conner Sr. Scholarship Recipients were introduced and also spoke at the event. They were Bryce Hollimon, Chayil Watkins and Kennedy Hillsman. The Harold T. Conner Sr. Award 2024 Recipients were announced. They were Jerry and Anita Hayslett.

Excellent Sponsors included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Divine Sponsors included Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Eta Xi Chapter. Chancellor’s Sponsorships included Dr. Nick Dunagan, Dr. Charles Smith, Dr. Robert Smith, Dr. Margaret Perry and Dr. Keith Carver. Other sponsors included Dr. Harold and Joyce G. Conner, Fuller Street Baptist Church, Weakley County Training School, Weakley County, the City of Martin and the family of Willie Artway and LaVerne Epps Edwards.

Chancellor of UT Martin, Yancy Freeman welcomed everyone to the event in honor of Conner Sr.

“I have never had the honor of meeting Dean Conner, but his legacy continues to live in Martin and especially here on campus. While I know Dean Conner is not here with us physically, I know he is with us in spirit, and he is around this room. He is celebrating and enjoying all of his friends and family being here tonight,” Freeman stated.

Conner Sr. was the first black administrator of Ut Martin and served from 1969 to 1981. He served as the assistant dean of students and assistant vice chancellor for student affairs. The Conner Community, a UT Martin residence hall, was named in honor of Conner Sr. and dedicated on October 20, 2023.

UT President Randy Boyd was not able to attend the event, but participants listened to a video message he sent. “His dedication and vision have left an indelible mark on our campus and community. He was instrumental in establishing many of the programs and organizations that continue to shape our university today,” Boyd stated.

Conner Sr.’s legacy continues to this day through the Harold Conner Scholarship and the Harold Conner Award.

Green spoke affectionately regarding Conner and her Thursday phone calls with him which lasted the last 6 years of his life.

“There’s going to be a whole generation of kids who won’t know who Harold T. Conner was if we don’t preserve his legacy,” Green stated.

On December 30 of 2017, Conner Sr.’s birthday, Green started calling that day Harold T. Conner Day. For three years Green did this until she realized that day needed to be actualized. Green made it her goal to make that happen, taking 6 years to get a proclamation.

The proclamation was announced Dec. 30 2023 naming that day as the official Harold T. Conner Sr. Day in all of Weakley County.

General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore and Weakley County Mayor Dale Hutcherson unveiled a portrait of Conner Sr. that will be hung in the Weakley County Courthouse on the first floor for everyone to see and read a little about Conner Sr. and what he stood for and meant to the County. Conner Sr. is the first African American portrait to be placed in the courthouse.

Moore, who was a lifelong friend of Conner Sr. stated, “We want the young people of Weakley County to be able to go in to the courthouse and be educated and we want them to know that Weakley County is a wonderful place to grow up and that you can do anything you put your mind to being from this place, but we also want them to see somebody that looks like them.”

The event, which lasted nearly 5 hours long, paid tribute to Conner’s legacy, and while many people spoke at the event, not all could be included within this article to pay justice to all of the kind words, memories and the celebration by everyone on the lasting impact Conner Sr. made on their lives. Instead, let us end with a quite by Conner Sr. himself who said, “I believe that people are people, regardless of race, religion or color…and I believe that if I have achieved any success at all, it is simply because I have followed under the guidance of God.”

Please be sure to go to martinpost.news and dresdenenterprise.com to see our full slideshow of photos from the event.