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Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson, librarian and local historian about the murder of Transylvania University student Betty Gail Brown in October 1961. In the last episode, they discuss the court case and other theories of the crime.

Mariam interviews Terry Foody, author of The Cherokee and the Newsman: Kinsmen in Words. They discuss Ms. Foody’s inspiration to write about the two men, their family lives, and how their words contributed to their communities.

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/

JP Johnson gives a biography of William “King” Solomon, hero of the 1833 Cholera epidemic. He also talks about later efforts to memorialize him by the city. This is the first episode in a four part series. Interlude music is “Life’s Ups and Downs” by José

Mariam interviews Megan Couch about her research into the 1849 outbreak of Cholera in Lexington. They discuss finding more deaths from cholera than were actually reported, and tell the stories of families that were completely wiped out by the disease. Thi

Mariam interviews Doug Tattershall, author of Belle Brezing: American Magdalene, about his book. They discuss Belle Brezing’s early life, her years as the nationally known brothel owner, and the generally unknown final years of her life in seclusion.

Mariam interviews David Bryant about the life and work of Lexington-born African American composer Julia Perry (1924-1979).

Mariam and David discuss the sordid life of John Wilkes Booth before his assassination of Abraham Lincoln, including his visit to Lexington during the Civil War as a theater actor. Some listener discretion is advised.

Mariam shares the history of Kentucky’s Separate Coach Law, and Lexington’s second African American attorney, J. Alexander Chiles, who took the fight to the US Supreme court multiple times in the 1890s and early 1900s.

Mariam interviews Terry L. Birdwhistell and Donald A. Ritchie about their January 2022 book, “Washington’s Iron Butterfly: Bess Clements Abell, an Oral History.”

Erin guests to talk about bloodhound Nick Carter and his handler Captain Volney Mullikin, who together searched for and found over 600 people in Nick Carter’s career as a tracking hound.

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 and Wayne discuss the history of Lexington & Fayette County’s merged governments, one of only fifteen merged city-county governments in the United States.

Mariam gives a brief history of the public schools in Lexington and Fayette County.

Mariam talks with Kentucky author Jayne Moore Waldrop about her first fiction work, Drowned Town.

Erin guests to tell the story of one of Lexington’s oldest unsolved murders – the killing of Alexander T. Hays in October 1846.

Mariam and Wayne discuss the construction of New Circle Road, and other major transportation projects in Lexington.

Denise guest hosts and give sketches of the lives of three Lexington Civil War era women: Elizabeth Harbeson Hummons, Francis Dallam Peter, and Ella Bishop Ransom.

Brenna guests to share her research on three of Lexington’s Black enclaves, founded by formerly enslaved persons after the Civil War. She highlights the history we know, and points out that much of the history of these hamlets and their residents are lost