Group items tagged

Thursday, Oct. 14th in Louisville, the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights will celebrate its 50th Anniversary Civil and Human Rights Conference. John Trasviña, assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, will announce the launch of a new HUD Fair Housing Innovative Education Program at Kentucky State University. The program is called The National Fair Housing Collegiate Partnership and is a practical concept designed to promote fair housing and educate students about their rights under the U.S. Fair Housing Act. This law prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, disability, sex, national origin and families with children. The HUD partnership program at Kentucky State University will also provide information for students who have interests in pursuing civil rights related careers.

Oral history interview conducted with Louise Reynolds on June 13, 1979 by Mary Bobo. Louise Reynolds was the first African American woman elected alderman in the city of Louisville. Ms. Reynolds discusses her work with the Republican Party, including her work as a precinct committeewoman, in the party's headquarters, and for Representative John Robsion. She worked for Robsion in the 1950s, and was elected to Louisville's Board of Alderman in 1961. Ms. Reynolds discusses the legislation passed during her time on the board, including the Public Accommodations Ordinance, the establishment of the Human Relations Commission, and an Equal Opportunity ordinance, and her involvement in trying to pass an open housing ordinance. She discusses the administrations of mayors William Cowger, and to a lesser extent, Kenneth Schmied. She also describes a visit to the White House at the invitation of President Lyndon Johnson. She also worked for the Small Business Administration, and she talks about the advice she gives small businesspeople who approach the SBA for loans, and notes several successful African American businesspeople in Louisville.

COINTELPRO is an acronym for a series of FBI counterintelligence programs designed to neutralize political dissidents from 1956 to 1971 - their work broadly targeted radical political organizations. Since the early 1950s, the Communist Party was illegal in the United States, and the US Senate and House of Representatives each set up investigating committees to prosecute communists and publicly expose them. (The House Committee on Un-American Activities and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy). However, Supreme Court rulings in 1956 and 1957 questioned the constitutionality of Smith Act prosecutions and Subversive Activities Control Board hearings. This did not stop the local and state govenments from starting up their own vigilance committees. In addition, the FBI created COINTELPRO which was designed to "neutralize" radicals such as civil rights or peace and anti-arms race activists, many of whom were said to be part of "communist front organizations." The FBI led over 2000 COINTELPRO operations until it was officially discontinued in April of 1971.

This is a summary report on segregation in Louisville and Lexington public housing in a searchable PDF

5 interviews with civil rights activists in the early 1980s (Anne Braden, Virginia Foster Durr, Amelia Robinson, Fred Shuttlesworth, Frederick Palmer Weber) who discuss their involvement in the Southern Conference for Human Welfare/Educational Fund. Some of the main topics include segregation, poverty, legislation, and poll taxes. (Audiotapes, transcripts, and collateral materials housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460.) Braden interview by Linda Reed is 35 pages (90 minutes) - describes the disenfranchisement of Depression Era South and need for worker, economic and civil rights for Black Americans; discusses Congress of Industrial Organizations, House Un-American Activities Committee, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Southern Christian Leadership Conference as well as the structure of the SCEF and the Southern Patriot.

A Kentucky woman politician, the first state librarian, and first woman to be appointed to a statewide public office in Kentucky - takes it upon herself to write a how-to manual ... just like all the cookbooks and how to get an education and other womanly things that a New Woman in the 1920s should educate themselves about.

This manual by Cromwell is not only free and open, but useful in many ways when studying or researching citizenship. Cromwell lists points in her work that cover all aspects of how to be a good citizen. She does this by referencing our constitution and laws and how we should follow them.

"Citizenship not only embraces civil rights, but political rights which is the right of suffrage or voting."

Press release of unveiling of new highway sign by Governor Beshear and Louisville-area community leaders to celebrate Georgia Davis Powers - 7.5 mile section of I-264 in western Louisville is now the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway as per the House Joint Resolution 67 of the 2010 General Assembly.

If you are planning to be in Chicago on November 12th, register for this terrific seminar on Sophonisba Breckinridge. Anya Jabour, an excellent historian, will be presenting a paper for discussion about a campaign by this innovative professor to reform the way the police and the court treated women of color.

This article highlights a truly unique place. I looked up some information about the subdivision and was delighted to know that it has virtually remained intact. Here are some statistics on the neighborhood: http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Oakwood-Lexington-KY.html

Here is an excerpt from the khs catalog Eleanor Jordan Collection Name: The Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky Interview Date: 2/3/1999 Synopsis: Jordan tells of her developing awareness of civil inequalities as a young woman and memories of segregation at Louisville amusement parks, retail stores, and movies. She also remembers people involved in the civil rights activity related to schools and housing. She attributes her developing black consciousness and pride to her mother and to some school teachers who introduced her to American History and Black History.

SPEECH OF HON. JOHN A. YARMUTH OF KENTUCKY IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010 celebrating Senator Powers' expressway in Louisville

This is the transcript from an interview of the Wilma and Dava Jonathan, and Cate Fosl. It gives great insight on the author and activist Anne Braden.

The beginning of this article is a great biography. The best part of this piece was being able to find out more about her positions on states rights and whether she believed in civil rights for blacks as well. Clay was a major supporter of states rights. In all that she did for women's rights ( a list is given at the end) Clay was not an advocate for the rights of African Americans. 

I found it unique that Laura Clay began to pursue womens equal rights after her parents seperated. Her mother took care of the White Hall estate for 45 years and then was all the sudden homeless because the property belonged to the father according to the laws that prevented women from owning land. This left Laura and her sisters to pursue the equality of women. She was also responsible for creating the Kentucky Equal Rights Organization with the help of Susan B. Anthony.

This site has a short but very informative biography of Laura Clay. Along with a biography it list all of her monumental accomplishment fighting for equal rights. The site is full of pictures of Laura Clay and is very well documented with numerous sources citing the information.

The opening section of "The Future Well-Being of Women in Kentucky" published in 1999 as a response to the "Report on the Status of Women in Kentucky" - I enjoyed very much the many meetings and conversations with a diverse group of women activists from all over Kentucky that were involved in the making of this report. (NOTE: to progress through this e-book, it works best if you simply change the chapter number in the URL because the hyperlinks among pages are not always consistent.)

Good to use as a resource since many of the items include summaries of 20th century Kentucky women's history

Had I found this sooner I would have joined. My reason for posting this is to show that the Midway Woman's Club is still very active and affiliated with Midway College.

This is a great Primary source of Georgia Davis Powers talking about the 1964 march on Frankfort trying to pass equal housing bill for Kentucky.