by Whitney Harder, Whitney Hale

(Feb. 13, 2014) — University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections is celebrating Black History Month with a display of images featuring prominent African-American figures at the University of Kentucky and various communities, along with Kentucky African-American publications. The free public exhibition will be on display in UK's Margaret I. King Buidling until the end of February.

Photographs on display as part of the Black History Month exhibition include UK Libraries' first African-American employee, Cecil R. Madison Sr., and "Dean Pierre," one of UK's first African-American employees. There are 27 other photographs that

by Katy Bennett, Student Activities Board

(Feb. 6, 2014) — In honor of Black History Month, the University of Kentucky's Student Activities Board Multicultural Committee is hosting "Pluck! Featuring the Affrilachian Poets," at 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Feb. 6, in the William T. Young Library auditorium.

The Affrilachian Poets will share tales of colorful personal history and political statements in their work. Hear from and meet Affrilachian poets, including Makalani Bandele, Joy Priest, Bianca Spriggs and Ricardo Nazario Colon.

The Affrilachian Poets is a group of writers that formed at the University of Kentucky's Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center in the early 1990s, led by then program coordinator and current Poet Laureate of

by Gail Hairston

(Jan. 17, 2014) — Students, faculty and staff affiliated with the University of Kentucky’s Martin Luther King Center wanted to highlight Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy this January.  Their brainstorming brought them around full circle to an old favorite — the campus vigil.

“The vigil stands as a way to remember Dr. King’s message and convey how important it is to keep his message alive,” said interim center director Kahlil Baker. “Dr. King strived to eradicate social injustice, violence and racism, and we want to celebrate that.”

For this year’s commemoration, on Jan. 19, the Sunday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the students, faculty and staff affiliated with the King Center have organized a vigil and march that will take participants on a journey through time. Along the path

by Keith Hautala

(Jan. 17, 2014) — Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

Walker, founder of the Affrilachian Poets and an associate professor of English at the University of Kentucky, is being recognized for his most recent book of poetry, "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers."

The book, revolving around the civil rights leader's 1963 murder in Mississippi, was published last year, the 50th anniversary of the killing. Walker crafted the poems in the voices of individuals central to the event: Evers' widow, Myrlie Evers; his older brother

by Gail Hairston

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 24, 2013) — It was more than four decades ago that the University of Kentucky first sponsored a celebration honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement he inspired.

“Each year the MLK events remind us to treasure our civil rights and the diversity that makes us stronger, makes us more competitive and enriches our culture,” said Lexington Mayor Jim Gray.

It was a modest affair back then, with most activities taking place on campus and most of the attendees affiliated with the university. The scope quickly grew beyond the campus boundaries, however, with downtown events and activities attracting

by Grace Liddle, Witney Hale

(Nov. 15, 2013) — With the recent success of "42," chronicling Jackie Robinson's entry into professional baseball, University Press of Kentucky in conjunction with the Kentucky Book Fair and the Kentucky Historical Society present a session on Kentucky's impact on the desegregation of the sport. "Desegregating Baseball: The Kentucky Connection" will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in The Old Capitol Building, 300 West Broadway St., in Frankfort, Ky.

"Desegregating Baseball" features a theatrical performance by 

video courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — In addition to research presentations, the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will offer numerous volunteer opportunities for the entire campus community when the University of Kentucky hosts the conference April 3-5, 2014. From helping direct traffic, to managing technology, to just helping students find where they need to go, there will be a variety of positions available to students, faculty and staff.

Students will have even more flexibility to get involved, as the University Senate has given permission for faculty to redirect their classes April 3 and 4 so students can attend conference events and presentations. 

"This is a bit unusual; it's a new

by Gail Hairston

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — Members of the public and especially young people are encouraged to attend "Aiming for New Heights," a celebration of the Lexington Congress on Racial Equality (CORE), the group of black and white individuals largely responsible for Kentucky’s civil rights movement.

The unique event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, in the University of Kentucky Student Center Annex. 

The day includes presentations, panel discussions and exhibits about the civil rights era in Kentucky, most commonly identified as dominating the 1960s, although some scholars date African Americans’ struggle for equality from the post-Civil War Reconstruction era of the late 19th century. For many, the highlight will be an exhibit of wax figures depicting Kentucky’s CORE leaders. The afternoon will be devoted to

by Victoria Dekle

(Sept. 27, 2013)  — It was an excellent summer for the Department of English as six faculty members published books in highly-regarded presses. “The English Department had an exceptional summer, but hardly an unprecedented one,” said Professor and Chairman of the English Department, Jeff Clymer. “Faculty from all areas of our department – Creative Writing, Literary Studies and Linguistics – routinely publish in the most prominent and visible presses.”

And these scholars use their knowledge and research skills to the benefit of their students. “We push our research directly into our courses,” said Clymer. “As professors at a large university, it’s the fusion of our teaching and research that we find especially exciting.”

by Keith Hautala

A one-hour documentary exploring the history of one of Lexington's most diverse neighborhoods will have a special advance screening at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the University of Kentucky's William T. Young Library auditorium.

"Davis Bottom: Rare History, Valuable Lives" reveals the fascinating history of a working-class neighborhood established in Lexington after the Civil War. Davis Bottom is one of about a dozen ethnic enclaves settled primarily by African-American families who migrated to Lexington from the 1860s to the 1890s in search of jobs, security and opportunity. 

The documentary is part of the Kentucky Archaeology and Heritage Series, produced by Voyageur Media Group, Inc. for the Kentucky Archaeological Survey and the Kentucky Heritage Council. The series is distributed by Kentucky Educational Television (KET) to

video courtesy of UK Public Relations and Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

Planning and hosting a national conference is no easy task, but for the UK community, collaboration makes it all possible. The University of Kentucky will host the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research, or NCUR, next semester, which will bring nearly 4,000 additional students from across the country to the UK campus. And as students, faculty and staff can attest -- it is something worth bragging about.

NCUR will take place April 3-5, 2014, all throughout UK's campus. The conference will give undergraduates a unique opportunity to present their research and creative endeavors, while meeting other like-minded students from all across the country. They not only promote their individual work,

by Kathy Johnson

"The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" is the title of a book of poetry about the slain civil rights icon and now the title of a special one-hour radio production by WUKY 91.3 FM, the University of Kentucky's NPR station.

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Evers on June 12, 1963 in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, just hours after President John F. Kennedy's nationally broadcast speech in support of civil rights. The WUKY radio production examines the civil rights struggle of that time through a blend of poetry from "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" by Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker; music from 1963; and

By Kathy Johnson

Frank X Walker, associate professor of English at the University of Kentucky and recently announced Kentucky poet laureate, was the guest on the March 2 "UK at the Half," which aired during the UK vs. Arkansas game that was broadcast on radio.

"UK at the Half" airs during halftime of each UK football and basketball game broadcast on radio and is hosted by Carl Nathe of UK Public Relations and Marketing.

To hear the "UK at the Half" interview, click here. To view a transcript of the "UK at the Half" interview, click here.

By Breanna Shelton, Whitney Hale

In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 46th of 150 weekly installments remembers the accomplishments of integration pioneer Doris Wilkinson.

As a freshman, Doris Wilkinson was one of the first African Americans to participate in the integration of UK after the Supreme Court declared public school segregation illegal. After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1958 from UK and her master's and doctoral degrees from Case Western Reserve University, the trailblazer became the first full-time female African-American faculty member at UK.

As a UK professor in the Department of Sociology, Wilkinson would also design the university's

By Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

University Press of Kentucky (UPK) author bell hooks has been named the recipient of the 2013 Black Caucus of the American Library Association’s (BCALA) Best Poetry Award for her book "Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place."

The BCALA Literary Awards recognize excellence in adult fiction, nonfiction, poetry and publishing by African American authors published during the previous year, including an award for Best Poetry and a citation for Outstanding Contribution to Publishing. The award will be presented to hooks at the Annual Conference of the American Library Association

By Whitney Hale

In recognition of Black History Month, a photography exhibit of several generations of Kentucky African Americans is currently on display in the Margaret I. King Building on the University of Kentucky campus. "Kentucky: Roots, Times and Generations," which is up through Feb. 28, is free and open to the public.

The photographs on display have been curated by UK Librarian Reinette Jones from various archival collections available in UK Special Collections, such as the Sallie Price Family Papers and the Collection on African Americans in Kentucky

Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing

By Gail Hairston, Jenny Wells, Amy Jones, and Kody Kaiser

Gerald Smith has spent a lifetime studying the nation’s African-American leaders, including the formative years of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Lexington area will celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday, Jan. 21, with a march and program featuring Jeff Johnson.  Register here to take part in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Challenge, or visit here for more

By Sarah Geegan & Ann Kingsolver

The UK Appalachian Center  and the Appalachian Studies Program will host scholars, artists and NGO representatives from mountain regions all over the world on Oct. 25-27. This Global Mountain Regions conference, free and open to the public, will be focused on comparing notes across mountain regions on several continents as residents of those regions look to the future.

Each day, Thursday-Saturday, 8-5 p.m.  in the William T. Young Library auditorium, presenters from Appalachia and from other mountain regions in Indonesia, Ecuador, Wales, India, Mexico, Italy, China, Sri Lanka, Mali, Canada, the U.