The General Assembly this week approved legislation designating several pieces of literature with ties to Tennessee as official state symbols.
House Bill 1828, sponsored by State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, designates ten different works with historic, social and cultural importance to the Volunteer State as the first official state books.
“These books have great literary merit and represent the culture and fabric of the Volunteer State,” Bulso said. “Tennesseans have played pivotal roles in American history and the works included in this list are representative of our state’s contributions to the country. I encourage all Tennesseans to study the story of this great state and I thank my colleagues for their support of this bill.”
House Bill 1828 passed the House on Feb. 22 and the Senate on Monday. The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.
The following works will be designated as official state books:
- “Farewell Address to the American People” by George Washington (1796)
- “Democracy in America” by Alexis de Tocqueville (1835, 1840)
- Aitken Bible (1782)
- “The Papers of Andrew Jackson”
- “Roots” by Alex Haley (1977)
- “A Death in the Family” by James Agee (1958)
- “All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren (1947)
- “American Lion” by Jon Meacham (2009)
- “The Civil War: A Narrative” by Shelby Foote (1958-1974)
- “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton (2016)