F

The East Tennessee Historical Society has awarded Jessica McClure the History in The Media Award.

McClure, WSCC Instructor of Education in Behavioral and Social Sciences, won this award for her work on her late husband, Marc McClure’s documentaries.

Marc began the work on his documentaries in 2019, but passed away in 2020 when Covid prevented him from being able to obtain a hospital bed for a life-saving heart surgery.

The East Tennessee Historical Society’s Awards of Excellence program annually recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the preservation, promotion, and interpretation of the region’s history. Eligible projects include exhibits, lectures, conferences, publications, print and broadcast media, teaching and lifetime achievement. Organizations and individuals across the region are invited to make nominations.

The two separate documentaries are titled, “Extraordinary Man: Dr. Branch of Newport Tennessee,” which is about an east Tennessee doctor who broke through racial barriers in the south in the 1950’s, and “Shared Sacrifices,“ which tells the stories of those in the Sixth Army group who helped liberate the south of France after D-Day.

McClure expressed her gratitude for the award and for the help of her friends and colleagues who helped make it happen.

“I’m so thankful to receive this award on behalf of Marc and so many others who contributed to completing his work. Marc wanted the stories to be told of those who made a significant impact on history. Now those stories will be documented and Marc’s passion for history won’t be forgotten.” McClure said.