Wednesday marked a significant moment for the Knoxville community as officials gathered at Thomas "Tank" Strickland Park for the unveiling of a new statue. This event comes nearly a year after the original bronze statue, showing two children engrossed in a book on a bench, was reported stolen. According to WATE, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon were among the local leaders present to commemorate the occasion.
The original statue was a gift from Town Hall East back in 2010 and had become a beloved aspect of the Asheville Highway park, named after the first African-American chair of the Knox County Commission, Thomas “Tank” Strickland. As revealed by WVLT, alongside the statue's unveiling, the county has also introduced newly installed security cameras, which will keep watch over the statue's replacement installed in partnership.
The statue’s disappearance last year brought the community together, and now it’s finally back. At 3 p.m., a ceremony marked more than just the statue’s return—it symbolized the community’s unity and dedication. To protect the new statue, security cameras were installed in the park with help from the Knox County Public Library, as reported by WBIR. There was free ice cream and story time at the nearby Burlington Branch Library. These simple, joyful moments reflected the spirit of the statue and showed the community’s strong commitment to its values and public spaces.
