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15 Dark Facts About Adelicia Acklen: Tennessee’s Wealthiest Woman Who Sold Plantations to Build a Prison

Trista July 16, 2025 7 min

13. Controversial Legacy in Nashville

adeliciaacklencheathambelmont 1 — *Photograph of Adelicia Cheatham. Source: Belmont Mansion / Acklen Collection*

Adelicia Acklen’s memory remains fiercely debated in Nashville. Some admire her as a philanthropist and a trailblazing businesswoman, while others are deeply troubled by her ties to slavery and her role in the prison system. Her life has sparked conversations about how the city remembers its past and the values that public monuments truly represent. Read more

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Trista

13. Controversial Legacy in Nashville

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