Tennessee and its people have left a mark in politics, in business and, especially, in the arts. While visiting Memphis and Nashville this week, I could not help but wonder what the music scene around the world would be like today had it not been for icons such as the Grand Ole Opry or Sun Studios.

There's another way that Tennessee’s legacy has spread its influence across the world, and truly defined our culture. Tennessee was at the forefront of the civil rights movement. From the desegregation of Clinton High School in 1956 to the sit-ins in Nashville, the brave men and women of the Volunteer State overcame adversity and started a wave of successful protests across the southeastern United States.