Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State

Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State

Author: Gerald L. Smith

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2023-02-21

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13: 0813196167

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Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" has been designated as the official state song and performed at the Kentucky Derby for decades. In light of the ongoing social justice movement to end racial inequality, many have questioned whether the song should be played at public events, given its inaccurate depiction of slavery in the state. In Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State, editor Gerald L. Smith presents a collection of powerful essays that uncover the long-forgotten stories of pain, protest, and perseverance of African Americans in Kentucky. Using the song and the museum site of My Old Kentucky Home as a central motif, the chapters move beyond historical myths to bring into sharper focus the many nuances of Black life. Chronologically arranged, they present fresh insights on topics such as the domestic slave trade, Black Shakers, rebellion and racial violence prior to the Civil War, Reconstruction, the fortitude of Black women as they pressed for political and educational equality, the intersection of race and sports, and the controversy over a historic monument. Taken as a whole, this groundbreaking collection introduces readers to the strategies African Americans cultivated to negotiate race and place within the context of a border state. Ultimately, the book gives voice to the thoughts, desires, and sacrifices of generations of African Americans whose stories have been buried in the past.


Book Synopsis Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State by : Gerald L. Smith

Download or read book Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State written by Gerald L. Smith and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2023-02-21 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" has been designated as the official state song and performed at the Kentucky Derby for decades. In light of the ongoing social justice movement to end racial inequality, many have questioned whether the song should be played at public events, given its inaccurate depiction of slavery in the state. In Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State, editor Gerald L. Smith presents a collection of powerful essays that uncover the long-forgotten stories of pain, protest, and perseverance of African Americans in Kentucky. Using the song and the museum site of My Old Kentucky Home as a central motif, the chapters move beyond historical myths to bring into sharper focus the many nuances of Black life. Chronologically arranged, they present fresh insights on topics such as the domestic slave trade, Black Shakers, rebellion and racial violence prior to the Civil War, Reconstruction, the fortitude of Black women as they pressed for political and educational equality, the intersection of race and sports, and the controversy over a historic monument. Taken as a whole, this groundbreaking collection introduces readers to the strategies African Americans cultivated to negotiate race and place within the context of a border state. Ultimately, the book gives voice to the thoughts, desires, and sacrifices of generations of African Americans whose stories have been buried in the past.

The Liberty Line

The Liberty Line

Author: Larry Gara

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2013-07-24

Total Pages: 155

ISBN-13: 081314356X

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" The underground railroad—with its mysterious signals, secret depots, abolitionist heroes, and slave-hunting villains—has become part of American mythology. But legend has distorted much of this history. Larry Gara shows how pre-Civil War partisan propanda, postwar remininscences by fame-hungry abolitionists, and oral tradition helped foster the popular belief that a powerful secret organization spirited floods of slaves away from the South. In contrast to much popular belief, however, the slaves themselves had active roles in their own escape. They carried out their runs, receiving aid only after they had reached territory where they still faced return. The Liberty Line puts slaves in their rightful position: the center of their struggle for freedom.


Book Synopsis The Liberty Line by : Larry Gara

Download or read book The Liberty Line written by Larry Gara and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2013-07-24 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " The underground railroad—with its mysterious signals, secret depots, abolitionist heroes, and slave-hunting villains—has become part of American mythology. But legend has distorted much of this history. Larry Gara shows how pre-Civil War partisan propanda, postwar remininscences by fame-hungry abolitionists, and oral tradition helped foster the popular belief that a powerful secret organization spirited floods of slaves away from the South. In contrast to much popular belief, however, the slaves themselves had active roles in their own escape. They carried out their runs, receiving aid only after they had reached territory where they still faced return. The Liberty Line puts slaves in their rightful position: the center of their struggle for freedom.

Lincoln and the Bluegrass

Lincoln and the Bluegrass

Author: William H. Townsend

Publisher:

Published: 2011-10

Total Pages: 456

ISBN-13: 9781258117542

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A delightful and vivid account of the Bluegrass region and of Lincoln's close ties with the area.


Book Synopsis Lincoln and the Bluegrass by : William H. Townsend

Download or read book Lincoln and the Bluegrass written by William H. Townsend and published by . This book was released on 2011-10 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A delightful and vivid account of the Bluegrass region and of Lincoln's close ties with the area.

Subversive Southerner

Subversive Southerner

Author: Catherine Fosl

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2006-08-01

Total Pages: 466

ISBN-13: 0813191726

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With a Foreword by Angela Y. Davis Winner of the 2003 Oral History Association Book AwardWinner of the 2003 Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights Outstanding Book Award Anne McCarty Braden (1924-2006) was a courageous southern white woman who in the late 1940s rejected her segregationist and privileged past to become a lifelong crusader against racial discrimination. Arousing the conscience of white southerners to the reality of racial injustice, Braden was branded a communist and seditionist by southern politicians who used McCarthyism to buttress legal and institutional segregation as it came under fire in deferral courts. She became, nevertheless, one of the civil rights movement's staunchest white allies and one of five southern whites commended by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Although Braden remained a controversial figure even in the movement, her commitment superseded her radical reputation, and she became a mentor and advisor to students who launched the 1960s sit-ins and to successive generations of peace and justice activists. In this riveting, oral history-based biography, Catherine Fosl also offers a social history of how racism, sexism, and anticommunism overlapped in the twentieth-century south and how ripples from the Cold War divided and limited the southern civil rights movement.


Book Synopsis Subversive Southerner by : Catherine Fosl

Download or read book Subversive Southerner written by Catherine Fosl and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2006-08-01 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a Foreword by Angela Y. Davis Winner of the 2003 Oral History Association Book AwardWinner of the 2003 Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights Outstanding Book Award Anne McCarty Braden (1924-2006) was a courageous southern white woman who in the late 1940s rejected her segregationist and privileged past to become a lifelong crusader against racial discrimination. Arousing the conscience of white southerners to the reality of racial injustice, Braden was branded a communist and seditionist by southern politicians who used McCarthyism to buttress legal and institutional segregation as it came under fire in deferral courts. She became, nevertheless, one of the civil rights movement's staunchest white allies and one of five southern whites commended by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Although Braden remained a controversial figure even in the movement, her commitment superseded her radical reputation, and she became a mentor and advisor to students who launched the 1960s sit-ins and to successive generations of peace and justice activists. In this riveting, oral history-based biography, Catherine Fosl also offers a social history of how racism, sexism, and anticommunism overlapped in the twentieth-century south and how ripples from the Cold War divided and limited the southern civil rights movement.

The Seed of Sally Good'n

The Seed of Sally Good'n

Author: Ruth Polk Patterson

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 1996-10-17

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9780813108766

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" Spencer Polk was born of an African-Indian slave woman known as Sally, and her master, Taylor Polk, a descendant of one of America's first families and one of the earliest white settlers in the Arkansas Territory. A favored slave, Spencer Polk became a prosperous farmer and landowner in southwestern Arkansas and the founder of a numerous and energetic family. Since emancipation the family homestead he built on Muddy Fork Creek has housed succeeding generations and has drawn back those who sought their fortunes elsewhere. In this new paperback edition, Ruth Polk Patterson, a granddaughter of Spencer Polk who was born and raised in the log house he built, traces the life of Polk and his family from his birth in 1833 to the present generation. The skillful blending of folklore, history, and personal insight makes The Seed of Sally Good'n an excellent contribution to the long neglected history of middle-class African Americans.


Book Synopsis The Seed of Sally Good'n by : Ruth Polk Patterson

Download or read book The Seed of Sally Good'n written by Ruth Polk Patterson and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 1996-10-17 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " Spencer Polk was born of an African-Indian slave woman known as Sally, and her master, Taylor Polk, a descendant of one of America's first families and one of the earliest white settlers in the Arkansas Territory. A favored slave, Spencer Polk became a prosperous farmer and landowner in southwestern Arkansas and the founder of a numerous and energetic family. Since emancipation the family homestead he built on Muddy Fork Creek has housed succeeding generations and has drawn back those who sought their fortunes elsewhere. In this new paperback edition, Ruth Polk Patterson, a granddaughter of Spencer Polk who was born and raised in the log house he built, traces the life of Polk and his family from his birth in 1833 to the present generation. The skillful blending of folklore, history, and personal insight makes The Seed of Sally Good'n an excellent contribution to the long neglected history of middle-class African Americans.

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Author: Gerald L. Smith

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 9780738514376

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Lexington's African-American community has survived and flourished despite obstacles that may have proven insurmountable to some. A citizenry enriched by diversity and filled with fortitude, they have made their mark on black history as well as the Bluegrass State's heritage. In Black America: Lexington, vintage images from archives and personal collections showcase the people, places, and events at the very heart and soul of the black community. Rare photos of the civil rights demonstrations in the downtown area highlight their contributions to the local movement and to our nation's continued search for equality.


Book Synopsis Lexington, Kentucky by : Gerald L. Smith

Download or read book Lexington, Kentucky written by Gerald L. Smith and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lexington's African-American community has survived and flourished despite obstacles that may have proven insurmountable to some. A citizenry enriched by diversity and filled with fortitude, they have made their mark on black history as well as the Bluegrass State's heritage. In Black America: Lexington, vintage images from archives and personal collections showcase the people, places, and events at the very heart and soul of the black community. Rare photos of the civil rights demonstrations in the downtown area highlight their contributions to the local movement and to our nation's continued search for equality.

No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas

No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas

Author: Tonya Bolden

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Published: 2018-10-16

Total Pages: 40

ISBN-13: 0385752784

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Discover the incredible true story of how one of history's most successful potato farmers began life as a slave and worked until he was named the "Potato King of the World"! Junius G. Groves came from humble beginnings in the Bluegrass State. Born in Kentucky into slavery, freedom came when he was still a young man and he intended to make a name for himself. Along with thousands of other African Americans who migrated from the South, Junius walked west and stopped in Kansas. Working for a pittance on a small potato farm was no reason to feel sorry for himself, especially when he's made foreman. But Junius did dream of owning his own farm, so he did the next best thing. He rented the land and worked hard! As he built his empire, he also built a family, and he built them both on tons and tons and tons of potatoes. He never quit working hard, even as the naysayers doubted him, and soon he was declared Potato King of the World and had five hundred acres and a castle to call his own. From award winning author Tonya Bolden and talented illustrator Don Tate comes a tale of perseverance that reminds us no matter where you begin, as long as you work hard, your creation can never be called small potatoes.


Book Synopsis No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas by : Tonya Bolden

Download or read book No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas written by Tonya Bolden and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2018-10-16 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the incredible true story of how one of history's most successful potato farmers began life as a slave and worked until he was named the "Potato King of the World"! Junius G. Groves came from humble beginnings in the Bluegrass State. Born in Kentucky into slavery, freedom came when he was still a young man and he intended to make a name for himself. Along with thousands of other African Americans who migrated from the South, Junius walked west and stopped in Kansas. Working for a pittance on a small potato farm was no reason to feel sorry for himself, especially when he's made foreman. But Junius did dream of owning his own farm, so he did the next best thing. He rented the land and worked hard! As he built his empire, he also built a family, and he built them both on tons and tons and tons of potatoes. He never quit working hard, even as the naysayers doubted him, and soon he was declared Potato King of the World and had five hundred acres and a castle to call his own. From award winning author Tonya Bolden and talented illustrator Don Tate comes a tale of perseverance that reminds us no matter where you begin, as long as you work hard, your creation can never be called small potatoes.

Fifty Years of Segregation

Fifty Years of Segregation

Author: John A. Hardin

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 9780813132716

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This book examines the history of 20th century racial segregation in Kentucky higher education, the last state in the South to enact legislation banning interracial education in private schools and the first to remove it. In five chapters and an epilogue, the book traces the growth of racism, the period of acceptance of racism, the black community's efforts for reform, the stresses of "separate and unequal," and the unrelenting pressure to desegregate Kentucky schools. Different tactics, ranging from community and religious organization support to legislative and legal measures, that were used for specific campaigns are described in detail. The final chapters of the book describe the struggles of college presidents faced with student turmoil, persistent societal resistance from whites (both locally and legislatively), and changing expectations, after the 1954 Supreme Court decision in "Brown V. Board of Education" broadened desegregation to all public schools and the responsibility for desegregation shifted from politically driven state legislators or governors to college governing boards. Appendices contain tabular data on demographics, state appropriations, and admissions to public and private colleges and universities in Kentucky. (Contains approximately 550 notes and bibliographic references.) (Bf).


Book Synopsis Fifty Years of Segregation by : John A. Hardin

Download or read book Fifty Years of Segregation written by John A. Hardin and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 1997 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the history of 20th century racial segregation in Kentucky higher education, the last state in the South to enact legislation banning interracial education in private schools and the first to remove it. In five chapters and an epilogue, the book traces the growth of racism, the period of acceptance of racism, the black community's efforts for reform, the stresses of "separate and unequal," and the unrelenting pressure to desegregate Kentucky schools. Different tactics, ranging from community and religious organization support to legislative and legal measures, that were used for specific campaigns are described in detail. The final chapters of the book describe the struggles of college presidents faced with student turmoil, persistent societal resistance from whites (both locally and legislatively), and changing expectations, after the 1954 Supreme Court decision in "Brown V. Board of Education" broadened desegregation to all public schools and the responsibility for desegregation shifted from politically driven state legislators or governors to college governing boards. Appendices contain tabular data on demographics, state appropriations, and admissions to public and private colleges and universities in Kentucky. (Contains approximately 550 notes and bibliographic references.) (Bf).

The Abolitionists and the South, 1831-1861

The Abolitionists and the South, 1831-1861

Author: Stanley Harrold

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2014-07-11

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 0813148243

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Within the American antislavery movement, abolitionists were distinct from others in the movement in advocating, on the basis of moral principle, the immediate emancipation of slaves and equal rights for black people. Instead of focusing on the "immediatists" as products of northern culture, as many previous historians have done, Stanley Harrold examines their involvement with antislavery action in the South--particularly in the region that bordered the free states. How, he asks, did antislavery action in the South help shape abolitionist beliefs and policies in the period leading up to the Civil War? Harrold explores the interaction of northern abolitionist, southern white emancipators, and southern black liberators in fostering a continuing antislavery focus on the South, and integrates southern antislavery action into an understanding of abolitionist reform culture. He discusses the impact of abolitionist missionaries, who preached an antislavery gospel to the enslaved as well as to the free. Harrold also offers an assessment of the impact of such activities on the coming of the Civil War and Reconstruction.


Book Synopsis The Abolitionists and the South, 1831-1861 by : Stanley Harrold

Download or read book The Abolitionists and the South, 1831-1861 written by Stanley Harrold and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2014-07-11 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within the American antislavery movement, abolitionists were distinct from others in the movement in advocating, on the basis of moral principle, the immediate emancipation of slaves and equal rights for black people. Instead of focusing on the "immediatists" as products of northern culture, as many previous historians have done, Stanley Harrold examines their involvement with antislavery action in the South--particularly in the region that bordered the free states. How, he asks, did antislavery action in the South help shape abolitionist beliefs and policies in the period leading up to the Civil War? Harrold explores the interaction of northern abolitionist, southern white emancipators, and southern black liberators in fostering a continuing antislavery focus on the South, and integrates southern antislavery action into an understanding of abolitionist reform culture. He discusses the impact of abolitionist missionaries, who preached an antislavery gospel to the enslaved as well as to the free. Harrold also offers an assessment of the impact of such activities on the coming of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia

The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia

Author: Gerald L. Smith

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2015-08-28

Total Pages: 1467

ISBN-13: 0813160677

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The story of African Americans in Kentucky is as diverse and vibrant as the state's general history. The work of more than 150 writers, The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia is an essential guide to the black experience in the Commonwealth. The encyclopedia includes biographical sketches of politicians and community leaders as well as pioneers in art, science, and industry. Kentucky's impact on the national scene is registered in an array of notable figures, such as writers William Wells Brown and bell hooks, reformers Bessie Lucas Allen and Shelby Lanier Jr., sports icons Muhammad Ali and Isaac Murphy, civil rights leaders Whitney Young Jr. and Georgia Powers, and entertainers Ernest Hogan, Helen Humes, and the Nappy Roots. Featuring entries on the individuals, events, places, organizations, movements, and institutions that have shaped the state's history since its origins, the volume also includes topical essays on the civil rights movement, Eastern Kentucky coalfields, business, education, and women. For researchers, students, and all who cherish local history, The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia is an indispensable reference that highlights the diversity of the state's culture and history.


Book Synopsis The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia by : Gerald L. Smith

Download or read book The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia written by Gerald L. Smith and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2015-08-28 with total page 1467 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of African Americans in Kentucky is as diverse and vibrant as the state's general history. The work of more than 150 writers, The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia is an essential guide to the black experience in the Commonwealth. The encyclopedia includes biographical sketches of politicians and community leaders as well as pioneers in art, science, and industry. Kentucky's impact on the national scene is registered in an array of notable figures, such as writers William Wells Brown and bell hooks, reformers Bessie Lucas Allen and Shelby Lanier Jr., sports icons Muhammad Ali and Isaac Murphy, civil rights leaders Whitney Young Jr. and Georgia Powers, and entertainers Ernest Hogan, Helen Humes, and the Nappy Roots. Featuring entries on the individuals, events, places, organizations, movements, and institutions that have shaped the state's history since its origins, the volume also includes topical essays on the civil rights movement, Eastern Kentucky coalfields, business, education, and women. For researchers, students, and all who cherish local history, The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia is an indispensable reference that highlights the diversity of the state's culture and history.