From gospel to rhythm and blues to country music, Black women have had a significant influence on the development of musical styles; however, these women are not often commemorated publicly. This project proposes historic plaques, signage, and markers for the Nashville commemorative landscape to honor two such women: Mrs. Leona Douglas-Chambers and Ms. Eugenia JoAnn Sweeney. The goal of this research is to bring the stories of two Black women’s contributions to country music history to broader public attention by developing ethical partnerships with community members to co-create histories supplemented by archival research and highlighting several locations significant to each woman.











Eugenia Jo Ann Sweeney













