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Lexington, Kentucky (February 1, 2024) – This February, Lexington Public Library is proud to join the nation in celebrating Black History Month, a time dedicated to honoring the achievements, contributions, and rich cultural heritage of African Americans.
The Luna Library, a program of Believing in Forever, collects and distributes children's books with an African American history or Black character focus. It is an alternative for African American parents looking for books that provide context and knowledge to understand the stories of the African American experience in this country for their children. Believing in Forever is a champion of diversity and inclusion, and the positive impact books have on children of all races.
Walking Tour
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s African American Heritage Sites. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops. You can pause the track while you walk between stops.
This tour covers a walking distance of 1.7 miles.
The music clips used in this tour are from “Walking Barefoot on Grass” by Kai Engel, and are used with a CCBY license. It is available here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s African American Heritage Sites. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops.
Mariam interviews Foster Ockerman, Jr., author of Hidden History of Horse Racing in Kentucky, and President and Chief Historian of the Lexington History Museum about his book and horse racing in Kentucky.
Mariam interviews Tom Eblen about the history and personalities surrounding Lexington’s Newspapers.
Mariam interviews Ruth Gaylord about her life and work as Lexington Public Library’s first African American librarian.
Check here for your school's list of summer assignments.
Mariam interviews Trevor Claiborn, co-founder of Black Soil: Our Better Nature, about the organization and the history of African American farmers in Kentucky. Trevor also performs as “Farmer Brown tha MC” to attract young people to farming.
Jamie tells an abridged history of Russell’s Cave, Fayette County’s largest cave.
Mariam interviews Susan Griffith and Vikki Franklin from Eastern State Hospital about the 195 year history of the hospital, and shares stories from contemporary newspaper articles.
Mariam and Denise discuss the history of the Joyland Amusement Park (1923-1963).
Discover everything that's happening this summer at the Library!
JP Johnson tells the story of the time artist Henry Faulkner’s goat, Alice, disappeared for several weeks in 1965, and gives a preview of Lexington Public Library’s Henry Faulkner Week, February 25-March 3, 2019.
Mariam and Wayne talk about the history of Lexington Public Library spaces, from its beginning as a subscription library in 1795 to the building project for the new Marksbury Family Branch (formerly Village Branch) now in 2022.
Mariam interviews Reinette Jones, founder of the Notable Kentucky African Americans database. They discuss Kentucky’s Centenarian Librarians, the boxer David Moore, and the prison shoe-making industry. Visit the NKAA at http://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/
Mariam gives a brief history of the public schools in Lexington and Fayette County.
Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson about the murder of golfing great Marion Miley in Lexington, KY in 1941. This is part two of a two part series.
Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson about the murder of golfing great Marion Miley in Lexington, KY in 1941. They discuss Marion Miley’s life, and the events leading up to her death. This is part one of a two part series.
Mariam interviews Joseph Anthony, local author of historical fiction, about his latest work about the life and death of R.C.O Benjamin in Lexington, KY.
Mariam interviews Lucy Jones, founder of the Harry Dean Stanton Festival in time for this year’s festival.
Mariam interviews Kentucky native Kevin Lane Dearinger about his forthcoming memoir, Bad Sex in Kentucky, his Broadway career, and his second career in education.
Denise Shanks tells the story of Smiley Pete, Lexington’s “town dog” in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Mariam interviews artist and activist Robert Morgan about his life with the internationally known queer Kentucky artist, Henry Faulkner.
Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson about the colorful life of abolitionist and Ambassador to Russia, Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903).
Mariam interviews Rand Dotson, the Editor in Chief of LSU Press, about his research into the political rivalry between Armistead Swope and William Cassius Goodloe, which culminated in a deadly fight in the Lexington Post Office.
Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson about Lucille Caudill Little's kidnapping in 1979.
Mariam and Wayne discuss the Code Duello and several nineteenth century Kentucky duels, including duels fought by Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and a pair of doctors from Transylvania University’s School of Medicine.
Mariam interviews artist and activist Robert Morgan about his recollections of Sweet Evening Breeze.
Jennifer and Erin have combed through the summer’s most anticipated releases lists, and discuss the ones they’re looking forward to the most. Erin interviews Doug Tattershall about the library’s gallery spaces.
Jennifer and Erin discuss three new vegetarian cookbook titles and some of the issues that can come up with vegetarian cooking.
Closure Date
All locations will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, for Juneteenth (Freedom Day).
Walking Tour
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic LGBTQ+ places. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops. You can pause the track while you walk between stops.
This tour covers a walking distance of 1.6 miles.
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic LGBTQ+ places. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops.
Search selected articles in Lexington newspapers about significant people, places, and events from 1787-2007.
