Legislation Declaring Tennessee The “Volunteer State” Moves Forward

Legislation officially designating the state of Tennessee as the “Volunteer State” is moving forward in the Tennessee General Assembly.

House Bill 1562 designates the “Volunteer State” as the official nickname of Tennessee. While Tennessee has held this distinction since 1812, it is not currently documented in state law.

The state of Tennessee has been referred to as the “Volunteer State” because of its tradition of answering the call of duty, especially during the War of 1812. When Tennessee was asked to send 1,500 troops to defend the lower Mississippi region during this conflict, the “Volunteer State” answered the call with 30,000 troops instead.

House Bill 1562 now heads to the House Calendar & Rules Committee, where it will be scheduled for a future vote in the House.