An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
The Kentucky Heritage Council works in partnership with several commissions to celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of the Commonwealth.
While the Kentucky Heritage Council focuses on the broader cultural heritage of Kentucky, these commissions offer a deeper look into specific communities and their contributions to the state's unique identity.
A complete guide for American Indian History and Teacher Resources geared to Kentucky Academic Social Studies Standards, provided by the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission
Teaching About American Indians: Stereotypes and Contributions, a resource packet for Kentucky teachers published by the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission
"A Native History Of Kentucky" by A. Gwynn Henderson, Ph.D. and David Pollack, Ph.D., selections from Chapter 17: Kentucky in Native America: A State-by-State Historical Encyclopedia, edited by Daniel S. Murphree
Native Americans: Who Are They Today, a discipline-based unit in social studies for grades 4-5, designed to help teachers overcome obstacles in teaching about Native Americans
Kentucky Teachers' Guide to Native American Literature, a cross-curricular, literature-based activities for teaching about Native American arts, history, and contemporary social issues in grades K-8 using books written by Native American authors
Facts about the theft of Indian Head Rock from Kentucky
Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission brochure
Native Knowledge 360: Framework for Essential Understandings about American Indians, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Education Office
*NEW* "Teaching Black History and Culture: A Guide for Educators," An Initiative of The Thomas D. Clark Foundation
Davis Bottom History Preservation Project website
View the hour-long documentary "Davis Bottom: Rare History, Valuable Lives" online
View lesson sets: Teaching Through Documentary Art: Lessons for Elementary and Middle School Social Studies Teachers or visit http://arch.as.uky.edu/
The Rosenwald School building program of the early 20th century grew out of a vision for educational reform for African Americans initiated by Booker T. Washington, principal of the Tuskeegee University in Alabama. Washington developed a plan to educate African Americans in the south as part of his educational philosophy of advancing education for blacks across the country. Through his partnership with Julius Rosenwald, the CEO of Sears, Roebuck & Co., Washington developed a plan to fund and build schools in rural southern communities.
Rosenwald partially funded the construction of schools in these communities by matching funds raised by the communities themselves. The program resulted in the construction of more than 3,500 schools across 15 southern and southwestern states from 1906 to 1932. In Kentucky, 158 Rosenwald Schools and related educational buildings were constructed in the state, including 12 training schools, between 1917 and 1932.
The Kentucky Heritage Council is currently involved in the final phase of a research project of Kentucky Rosenwald Schools. The goals of this project include finding remaining Rosenwald Schools, determining their condition and assisting local communities with the preservation of these buildings.
Kentucky’s Rosenwald schools are an important legacy and their presence on our landscape reminds us of the African American experience in Kentucky, the universal quest for education, and the strength and perseverance of African Americans during a time blighted by the socioeconomic framework of the post-Civil War segregation period.
Rosenwald Schools in Kentucky: 1917-1919 by Alicestyne Turley-Adams
Kentucky Rosenwald Schools Condition Assessment Report