Honoring Kentucky's Black History & Legacy

Since its humble beginnings, Black History Month remains a powerful reminder of the courage, resilience, and visionary leadership that has shaped our Commonwealth. Each February gives us a special opportunity to celebrate the profound impact Black Kentuckians have made on our shared journey toward justice — from legendary figures like Muhammad Ali, who showed the world that principles and conviction matter more than any championship title, to the countless unsung heroes who stood tall against discrimination across our Commonwealth. That legacy lives on in trailblazers like bell hooks, the acclaimed feminist scholar and author from Hopkinsville who challenged us to think more deeply about race and gender, and Georgia Davis Powers, Kentucky's first Black state senator who fought tirelessly for civil rights legislation. Their work reminds us that these achievements aren't just historical — they are woven into the very fabric of our communities. Black History is American history. No matter the attempts to say otherwise, Black and brown hands fought to establish our Union and then, to preserve it. Black voices, joined with others, fought to make our Union more perfect by ensuring that every American would be seen as equal under our constitution and laws. As the first Black chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party, I see Black history made every day, in ways big and small. I see it in the growing number of Black leaders serving in offices across the Commonwealth, notably this last election where Kentucky elected the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court. As I look at my children and remember the road traveled by my grandparents and parents, I am reminded this Black History Month, and every day, that we honor the sacrifices of those who came before us by recommitting ourselves to building a Kentucky worthy of their legacy — one that embraces all its people and provides true opportunity for every family to thrive. With determination and hope, Colmon Elridge Chair, Kentucky Democratic Party
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Colmon Elridge Chair, Kentucky Democratic Party |