Report to the People 2025 Report to the People 2025
KENTUCKY HUMANITIES
Board of Directors
Chair:
Jennifer Cramer, Ph.D.
Lexington
Vice Chair:
Hope Wilden, CPFA
Lexington
Treasurer:
Jordan Parker
Lexington
Secretary:
Lou Anna Red Corn, JD
Lexington
Aaron Asbury
Ashcamp
Chelsea Brislin, Ph.D.
Lexington
Teri Carter
Lawrenceburg
Brian Clardy, Ph.D.
Murray
Selena Sanderfer Doss, Ph.D.
Bowling Green
Ben Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
Morehead
Clarence E. Glover
Louisville
Nicholas Hartlep, Ph.D.
Berea
Chris Hartman
Louisville
Sara Hemingway
Owensboro
Eric Jackson, Ph.D.
Florence
Philip Lynch
Louisville
Lois Mateus
Harrodsburg
Keith McCutchen, D.M.A.
Frankfort
Thomas Owen, Ph.D.
Louisville
Libby Parkinson
Louisville
Penelope Peavler
Louisville
Andrew Reed
Pikeville
Wayne G. Yates
Princeton
Staff
Bill Goodman
Executive Director
Marianne Stoess
Assistant Director
Kay Madrick
Development Director
Derek Beaven
Programs Officer
Zoe Kaylor
Grants Administrator
Jay McCoy
Kentucky Book Festival Director
Katerina Stoykova
Director of Educational Outreach
Joanna Murdock
Administrative Assistant
From the Director Bringing the Humanities to the Commonwealth
Dear Friends,
As I reflect on the past year, I am happy to share the incredible journey of Kentucky Humanities in 2024. The year was one of growth, connection, and deepened commitment to our mission of bringing the humanities to life for all Kentuckians. Through our programs, partnerships, and the unwavering support of our community, we have continued to foster meaningful conversations, celebrate our shared heritage, and explore the stories that define us.
Throughout the year our Kentucky Chautauqua® dramatists and Speakers Bureau members traveled the state delivering programs to classrooms and community organizations. Four public radio stations aired Think History every weekday, sharing Kentucky history with listeners. Kentucky Humanities magazine was delivered to mailboxes in every Kentucky county. We brought families together with Prime Time Family Reading®. We partnered with community organizations to bring the Smithsonian to rural Kentucky communities. The Kentucky Book Festival® gathered bookworms to share in Kentucky’s rich literary tradition. We continued sharing that literary tradition with Kentuckians by bringing children’s authors to Kentucky classrooms to discuss writing and storytelling with students. And we provided grant funding to support humanities programs in your communities.
In addition, we participated in new initiatives aimed at expanding access to the humanities, including sending authors to libraries throughout the state to tell their unique stories while sharing their love of reading and writing and bringing Kentucky educators together to address the issues they face in their classrooms and providing tools to help them help their students succeed. With the support of our donors, partners, and volunteers, we have been able to reach more individuals and create spaces where meaningful dialogue and learning thrive.
Director Kentucky Humanities
Looking ahead, Kentucky Humanities remains steadfast in our mission to enrich the lives of Kentuckians through the humanities. The challenges of our time remind us of the vital role that history, literature, civics, and cultural engagement play in fostering understanding, building communities, and learning from our past. As we embark on another year, I invite you to continue this journey with us—whether by attending an event, supporting our programs, or sharing your own Kentucky story.
Thank you for being an essential part of our work. Together, we will continue to inspire, educate, and connect communities across the Commonwealth.
With gratitude,
Bill Goodman Executive
KENTUCKY HUMANITIES
Kentucky Humanities is an independent, nonprofit corporation affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Kentucky Humanities is supported by the National Endowment and private contributions.
Each year, Kentucky Humanities provides funding for more than 500 public humanities programs. Sponsored by local organizations and held in familiar community settings, these programs reach across the Commonwealth.
Since its founding in 1972, Kentucky Humanities has committed more than $18 million toward humanities programs for Kentuckians. The humanities are for everyone!
Humanities programs
Programs
Speakers Bureau
Since the program began in 1986, our Speakers Bureau has connected communities across the Commonwealth with expert speakers on a wide range of topics, including history, literature, culture, and current events.
Featuring scholars, authors, and storytellers, our speakers provide engaging presentations that educate and inspire audiences at libraries, schools, historical societies, community centers, churches, and other public venues. By offering access to thought-provoking discussions and expert insights, the Speakers Bureau fosters lifelong learning and meaningful conversations about Kentucky’s past, present, and future.
In 2024, our lineup of more than 50 speakers offered nearly 130 presentations. Our speakers delivered 99 talks in 33 counties, reaching an audience of more than 4,500 Kentuckians.
From the history of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky’s traditional music to women’s suffrage and Appalachian culture, our Speakers Bureau is the perfect addition to your classroom curriculum or community gathering. Speakers Bureau presentations are available both in-person and virtually.
See our impressive lineup of offerings, learn more about bringing a speaker to your community, or discover how you can apply to become a member of our Speakers Bureau for 2025-2026 at kyhumanities.org.
Programs: 99 • Counties: 33 • Audience: 4,658
Kentucky Chautauqua®
Created in 1992 in celebration of Kentucky’s bicentennial, Kentucky Chautauqua is a dynamic living history program that brings to life historical figures who have shaped the Commonwealth. Through compelling first-person performances, audiences experience the stories of influential Kentuckians—from pioneers and civil rights leaders to writers and war heroes. These engaging portrayals offer an immersive way to explore Kentucky’s past, making history accessible and memorable for schools, libraries, and community events. By preserving and sharing these personal narratives, Kentucky Chautauqua deepens the public’s understanding of the state’s rich and unique heritage.
In 2024, our Kentucky Chautauquans traveled the state delivering performances to lively audiences in communities and classrooms. Our 23 Kentucky Chautauqua dramas educated and entertained more than 13,000 people in 204 shows in 53 Kentucky counties.
From Charlotte Dupuy’s fight for her freedom and Mary Carson Breckinridge’s harrowing tales of the “Angels on Horseback” to John G. Fee’s dedication to abolish slavery and Colonel Charles Young’s historic military career, Kentucky Chautauqua offers something for everyone.
Learn more about all the Kentucky Chautauqua dramas available and how you can become a member of our lineup at kyhumanities.org.
Programs: 204 • Counties: 53 • Audience: 13,081
Programs
Think History
Developed in 2019, Think History is a radio program that airs each weekday, bringing the history of Kentucky to listeners in bite-sized, engaging segments. Each 90-second episode explores fascinating stories, notable figures, and pivotal moments that have shaped the Commonwealth. Covering topics from early settlement and the Civil War to cultural heritage and modern developments to food traditions and native peoples, Think History educates and inspires audiences by making history easily accessible and entertaining. Airing on four Kentucky public radio stations—88.9 WEKU-FM, 91.3 WKMS-FM, 88.7 WMMT-FM, and 88.9 WKYU-FM—the program connects Kentuckians with their shared heritage, fostering a deeper appreciation for the state’s historical significance.
In 2024, we produced 1,048 episodes which aired more than 8,000 times.
If we are not on the air in your neighborhood or you missed an episode, you can find them all at kyhumanities.org.
Thank you to WEKU, WKMS, WMMT, and WKYU for their partnership, which allows us to bring Kentucky history to citizens throughout the Commonwealth.
Episodes: 1,048 • Audience: >984,000
Kentucky Humanities
Kentucky Humanities celebrates the history, culture, and people of the Commonwealth. Featuring insightful articles, essays, and poems, the magazine explores a wide range of topics, from Kentucky’s literary and artistic heritage to its historical milestones and contemporary issues. With a focus on storytelling and education, Kentucky Humanities provides readers with a deeper appreciation of the state’s unique identity, making it a vital resource for those passionate about Kentucky’s past, present, and future.
We have been sharing Kentucky’s stories with our readers since 1992. Most recently, in 2024, we printed and distributed more than 30,000 copies of Kentucky Humanities, delivering magazines to every county throughout the state in the spring and fall. We also delivered copies to Kentucky State Parks, libraries, bookstores, faculty clubs, and many professional offices.
Our 2024 issues included articles about Kentucky history, archaeology, Kentucky literature, women’s history, poetry, and family folklore. Did you miss an issue? You can find past issues in full at kyhumanities.org.
If you are not currently receiving Kentucky Humanities at your home or office, join our mailing list at kyhumanities.org.
And, if you have a Kentucky story you would like to share, contact our magazine editor, Marianne Stoess at marianne.stoess@uky.edu.
Issues: 2 • Counties: 120 • Readership: >50,000
Programs
Museum on Main Street
Museum on Main Street is a partnership of the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Service and state humanities councils. Museum on Main Street engages rural communities by circulating Smithsonian exhibitions that focus on broad topics of national history and culture.
Spark! Places of Innovation is a traveling Smithsonian exhibit that highlights innovation in small towns across America. Through engaging displays, personal stories, and interactive elements, the exhibit showcases how local creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving shaped industries, cultures, and daily life.
By exploring technological advancements, artistic achievements, and communitydriven solutions, Spark! inspires visitors to recognize and celebrate innovation in their own towns. Hosted in partnership with local museums, libraries, and cultural organizations, the exhibit fosters a deeper appreciation for the power of ideas and collaboration in shaping Kentucky’s future.
Spark! Places of Innovation visited five sites in 2023 and finished its tour in 2024, making stops at the Gateway Regional Arts Center in Mount Sterling and the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg. In addition to the national exhibit, each host site developed a local exhibit highlighting innovation in their community.
Thanks to the Kentucky Department of Transportation for their partnership in moving the exhibit throughout the state.
Programs: 2 • Counties: 2 • Audience:
4,791
Kentucky
Established in 2018, Kentucky Reads is a statewide reading initiative that encourages Kentuckians to engage in community book discussions that promote a shared literary experience and celebrate the many voices and stories that shape Kentucky’s rich cultural landscape. Through book discussions and author events Kentucky Reads fosters literacy, critical thinking, and a deeper connection to Kentucky’s literary heritage.
In 2024, we selected Fenton Johnson’s Scissors, Paper, Rock to engage Kentuckians in meaningful discussions about identity, family, and resilience. This powerful story, set in a small Kentucky town, explores themes of love, loss, and acceptance, offering a poignant reflection on Appalachian life and the complexities of human relationships. Libraries, book clubs, and community organizations throughout Kentucky hosted 34 Scissors, Paper, Rock book discussions, reaching 25 counties.
Non-profit organizations in Kentucky can host a Kentucky Reads program for a booking fee of $50. Each host organization is provided with copies of the novel to share among participating members, and a list of discussion leaders is provided for host organizations to select from, along with a discussion guide developed and supplied to participants.
Previous Kentucky Reads selections include Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, Wendell Berry’s Hannah Coulter, The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson, Dear Ann by Bobbie Ann Mason, and Kim Michele Richardson’s The Book Woman’s Daughter
Reads
Programs: 34 • Counties: 25 • Audience: 517
Programs
Kentucky Book Festival®
The Kentucky Book Festival is an annual celebration of literature that brings together authors, readers, and book lovers from across the Commonwealth and beyond. Featuring author discussions, book signings, panel conversations, and interactive literary activities, the Kentucky Book Festival provides an engaging platform for literary exploration and connection, supporting both emerging and established writers while strengthening Kentucky’s literary community.
The 43rd annual Kentucky Book Festival was held on Saturday, November 2nd in Lexington. More than 150 authors signed books and met patrons, five stages held presentations throughout the day, and the children’s tent was bursting with activity. Our author lineup included Al Roker, Crystal Wilkinson, Edward Lee, Jonathan Eig, Nic Stone, Yolanda Renee King, and many more.
The Literary Lunch was held on Thursday, October 31st featuring acclaimed Kentucky writer Crystal Wilkinson discussing her latest book, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, with renowned chef Ouita Michel.
New in 2024, the National Book Festival, an annual literary event organized by the Library of Congress, and held in Washington, D.C., expanded to the states through their initiative Roadmap to Reading. Kentucky authors Brittany Thurman and Crystal Wilkinson went on tour in August, visiting 15 libraries across Kentucky, engaging with communities and inspiring a love for reading.
Events: 21 • Audience:
6,020
KBF School Days
We are bringing the Kentucky Book Festival to classrooms across the Commonwealth! KBF School Days is an educational initiative of the Kentucky Book Festival designed to inspire young readers and writers by connecting them with celebrated authors and illustrators. Through interactive presentations, book readings, and engaging discussions, students gain insight into the creative process and the power of storytelling. Hosted in schools across the Commonwealth, KBF School Days fosters a love of reading, enhances literacy skills, and encourages the next generation of Kentucky writers and thinkers.
In 2024, authors Nancy Kelly Allen, Amanda Driscoll, LaTrell Halcomb, Will Hillenbrand, Susan Mills, Shawn Pryor, Brittany Thurman, and Jessica Young traveled the state visiting Kentucky classrooms and sharing their love of reading and writing with students.
Schools can apply to host a KBF School Days at kybookfestival.org. Those schools selected to host an author incur no charges for these visits thanks to support from our sponsors.
In 2024, generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities enabled us to send authors to 44 classrooms in 31 counties. Each of the nearly 6,000 students in attendance at KBF School Days events received a signed copy of the visiting author’s book to add to their home library.
Programs: 44 • Counties: 31 • Audience: 5,877
Programs
Prime Time Family Reading®
Prime Time Family Reading is a literacy and family engagement program designed to foster a love of reading among children and their families. Through interactive storytelling and discussion-based reading sessions, the program introduces families to award-winning children’s books that explore themes of kindness, perseverance, honor, and fairness.
Led by trained storytellers and scholars, Prime Time encourages critical thinking, conversation, and a lifelong appreciation for literature. Prime Time reinforces the role of family as a major social and economic unit; it trains parents and children to bond together around the act of reading; it teaches parents and children to read and discuss humanities topics; it helps parents and children learn how to select books and become active library users. Prime Time is a powerful tool to stimulate communication between children and parents.
By bringing families together in libraries, elementary schools, and community centers across Kentucky, the program helps strengthen literacy skills and promotes the joy of shared reading experiences.
Thanks to generous funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, the Wood & Marie C. Hannah Foundation, the PNC Foundation, and the Frank Harshaw Family Foundation we sponsored 16 six-week Prime Time programs, reaching 15 counties and more than 2,300 Kentuckians.
Programs: 16 • Counties: 15 • Audience: 2,368
United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities, United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture, leverages the humanities to combat hate-motivated violence and nurture stronger, more resilient communities. Grant funding provided opportunities to support programs across the country that promote civic engagement, social cohesion, and cross-cultural understanding.
Kentucky Humanities partnered with the University of Kentucky College of Education Center for Professional Development to host an educator’s conference designed to empower Kentucky educators to provide a safe environment for students and to help them dismantle hate and violence in their schools. The all-day workshop included presentations by University of Kentucky Associate Dean Dr. Christia Spears Brown and New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone as well as concurrent sessions and roundtable discussions.
In addition to the conference, Stone visited students at four Kentucky schools where she spoke with students and discussed how her life has influenced her writing. Each student in attendance received a copy of one of Stone’s books and had the opportunity to speak with the author and have their book signed. When surveyed, students called the program “amazing,” “interesting,” and “awesome,” with one student declaring that it was, “one of the best experiences of my life.”
The following day Stone participated in the Kentucky Book Festival, meeting patrons, signing books, and joining fellow author Mariama Lockington in conversation on stage.
Programs: 6 • Audience: 510
2024 Events Map
Our Donors
Benefactor
($1,000 or more)
Sridhar Adibhatla
Anonymous
Christina Lee Brown, Louisville
Charities Aid Foundation America, Southfield, MI
Commonwealth of KentuckyTourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, Frankfort
Jennifer Cramer, Lexington
W. Lisle Dalton, MD, Lexington
W. David and Ann Denton, Paducah
Kim Edwards, Lexington
Jean W. Frazier, Prospect
Sandra Frazier, Louisville
Bill and Debbie Goodman, Lexington
Rollie and Lena Graves, Pensacola, FL
Nana Lampton, Louisville
Shirlee LaRosa, Louisville
Philip J. Lynch, Louisville
Ron and Carol Martin, Lawrenceburg
Lois Mateus, Harrodsburg
Luke Morgan and Lou Anna Red Corn, Lexington
William L. and Geraldine Phelps, Versailles
Jerry and Judy Rhoads, Owensboro
Albert and Nancy Tomassetti, Louisville
Margaret Verble, Lexington
John A. and Vivian Williams, Paducah
William and Margie Wilson, Lexington
Orme Wilson, III, Louisville
Bobbie Wrinkle, Paducah
In Honor of Bill Goodman
President William and Elise Luckey, Columbia
Kentucky Chautauqua® Society
($500-$999)
Jane Bartram, Frankfort
Jane F. Brake, Frankfort
Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer, Santa Monica, CA
James M. Collier, Lexington
Sam and Mary Michael Corbett, Louisville
Selena Sanderfer Doss, Bowling Green
William G. and Linda Francis, Lexington
Ellen Hellard, Versailles
David and Sara Hemingway, Owensboro
Margot D. McCullers, Lexington
John S. L. Morgan and Linda A. Carroll, Lexington
Kathy Paynter, Harrogate, TN
State Farm Insurance-Stewart Perry, Lexington
Robert E. Rich, Cincinnati, OH
Stephen M. Ruschell, Lexington
Holly Thompson, Lexington
Ken and Deanna Wolf, Murray
In Memory of Peggy Lacy Southgate
Elsie Ham, Middleton, WI
In Honor of Kathleen Pool
John Michael Philipps, Cincinnati, OH
In Memory of Rev. Howard Reynolds
Dee Reynolds, Lexington
In Memory of Mary Armstrong Hammond
Howard V. Roberts, Pikeville
In Honor of Kathleen Pool
Howard V. Roberts, Pikeville
Star in Our Show ($100-$499)
Robert L. Abell, Lexington
James Albisetti, Lexington
Anonymous
Helen Arcisz, Lexington
Jeanne Baldwin, Frankfort
Mira Ball, Lexington
Robert Bell, Louisville
Katherine Black, Lexington
Ray Black & Sons, Inc., Paducah
Judith Bloor, Louisville
John Boh, Covington
Roger N. Braden, Latonia
Lewis and Rosemary Bradley, Hopkinsville
Jack D. and Brenda Brammer, Shelbyville
Joseph and Bette Cain Bravo, Crittenden
Michael Breeding, Lexington
Bonnie Brinly, Lexington
Bobbie Smith and Bill Bryant, Louisville
Alan and Sandra Bryant, Louisville
Michael A. Burnett, London
James and Marilyn Cain, Lexington
Greg and Melissa Caudill, Danville
Aristofanes Cedeño, Louisville
Brenda T. Clark, Richmond
J. Kirk Clarke, Maysville
Dirk and Christie Cook, Wittensville
Graham Cooke, Louisville
Lynn Crabtree, Lexington
Mr. Don Dampier, Georgetown
Philip and Nancy Dare, Midway
Charles L. Davis, Lexington
Wanda L. Dodson, Monticello
Richard and Barbara Domek, Lexington
Jeanie Dorton, Lexington
Benjamin P. and Phyllis Durall, Greenville
Melissa Easley, Murray
Rebecca Eggers, Utica
William L. Ellison, Jr. and Linda Raymond Ellison, Louisville
Michael and Mary Embry, Frankfort
Vicki Seelig Ensor, La Grange
Brenda Evans, Ashland
Velma Felts, Paducah
John Ferre and Gweneth Dunleavy, Louisville
Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Lexington
Edwin S. Foote, Louisville
Eric Frugé, Lexington
Douglas W. Frye, Martinsburg
Sandy Fryman, Richmond
Judith Gibbons, Versailles
Larry Gildersleeve, Bowling Green
George and Carol Gill, Versailles
John Girvin, Lexington
Clarence Glover, Louisville
JoAnn Gormley, Versailles
Dr. and Mrs. George Grady, Lexington
Faye S. Green, Lawrenceburg
Our Donors
Camila Haney, Grayson
Wood and Catha Hannah, Louisville
Mr. James F. Hardymon, Lexington
Lynn and Gwynn Harpring, Louisville
Nicholas Hartlep, Lexington
James F. Hawk, Huntington
Michael and Susan Held, Sewell
Charles and Mary Helfrich, Richmond
Frances Helphinstine, Morehead
Doug and Kate Hendrickson, Maysville
John and Connie Herndon, Cadiz
Janice Housman, Paducah
Robin Ison, Harrodsburg
William E. Johnson, Frankfort
Larry C. Johnson, MD, Owenton
Barbara and Bill Juckett, Louisville
Kentucky State Society National
Society United States Daughters of 1812, Elizabethtown
Edward Klee, Versailles
James Klotter, Lexington
Yvonne and George Kolbenschlag, Columbia
Larry Leslie, Prestonsburg
Rebecca Lewis, Lexington
Harry L. Lusk, Vine Grove
Mary Ellen Lutz, Lexington
Phyllis A. MacAdam, Lexington
Mary Malone, Lexington
Travis L. Martin, Richmond
Dr. Keith D. McCutchen, Frankfort
Rishabh and Lopa Mehrotra, Glenview
Faye E. Melton, Dixon
Harris (Hank) Meves, La Grange
John Paul Miller, Lexington
Cindy Mincks, Melbourne
Harry and Mary Mitchell, New Castle
Charles Mitchell, Lexington
Chuck and Barb Morgan, Winchester
Anne Murner, Louisville
D. Scott Neal and Jennifer Burchett
Family Charitable Fund, Lexington
Wayne Onkst, Erlanger
Thomas L. Owen, Louisville
Jordan Parker, Lexington
Libby Parkinson, Louisville
Paul Patton, Pikeville
Penny Peavler, Louisville
Paul S. Plaschke, Louisville
Kathleen B. Porter, Madisonville
Andrew Reed, Prestonsburg
Edwin and Carole Rigaud, Cincinnati, OH
L. Edward and Ellen Roberts, Mount Sterling
Sharon Robinson, Booneville
Elizabeth C. Sale, Harrodsburg
Selena Sanderfer Doss, Bowling Green
John Hill Saunders, MD, Lexington
Roberta Schultz, Wilder
Betsy Sewell, Bethlehem
Ellen and Max Shapira, Louisville
Margaret and Dale Sights, Henderson
Vernon and Peggy Smith, Louisville
Perry and Marguerite Southard, Lexington
Catherine Curry Staib, Lexington
Cecelia Stewart, Hazard
Clyde and Lynda Tharp, Shelbyville
Dennis and Evelyn Tolliver, Erlanger
Richard W. Trollinger, Danville
Guthrie and Jennifer True, Frankfort
Dick and Mary Usher, Benton
Gerry Van Der Meer, Lexington
John and Jackie Van Willigen, Lexington
Jewel Vanderhoef, Lexington
Laurance B. and Lucy A. VanMeter, Lexington
John Wade, Prospect
Jayne Moore Waldrop, Cadiz
Robert and Alex Weldon, Warsaw
Hazel Werner, Georgetown
Hope Wilden, Lexington
Beth Willoughby, Carlisle
Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Wilson, Paris
Brenda Wilson, Dry Ridge
Jack and Angene Wilson, Lexington
Wayne Yates, Princeton
Wilbert L. Ziegler, Crestview Hills
In Honor of Kathleen Pool & Her Legacy at Kentucky Humanities
Evelyn Bolin, Murray
In Honor of Georgia Green Stamper
Wandaleen Cole, Baltimore, MD
In Honor of Wayne Yates
Friends of the George Coon Public Library, Princeton
Kathy and John Svoboda, Princeton
In Memory of Nancy Johnson Head
Fenton Johnson, Rhinebeck, NY
In Memory of Peggy Lacy Southgate
Homer and Barbara Lacy, Louisville
Philip B. Latham, Lexington
John Leininger, Lexington
Kathleen and Chris Pool, Lexington
Gregory Schuler, Lexington
In Memory of James A. Lancaster
Regina Lancaster, Elizabethtown
In Honor of Cathy Ferguson and in Memory of Robert Ferguson
Kathleen and Chris Pool, Lexington
In Memory of George McGee
Kathleen and Chris Pool, Lexington
In Memory of Mary Hammond
Kathleen and Chris Pool, Lexington
In Honor of Bill Goodman
Reese and Becky Reinhold, Lexington
In Memory of Vic Hellard, Jr.
James D. and Sharon B. Rouse, Versailles
In Memory of Ed and Doris Ruggles
David and Lisa Ruggles, Lawrenceburg
Our Donors
Active Member
($1-$99)
Carolyn Faith and Emil Ahnell, Owensboro
Benjamin Alexander, Lexington
Altrusa Club of Lexington
c/o Ginny Smith, Lexington
Jane Anderson and William Wittman, Lexington
Lynne Anderson, Shelbyville
Mark Arriens, Lexington
Kenneth R. Bailey, Elkview, WV
Howard and Carolyn Baker, Granville, OH
Noble Leondus Beach, Florence
Dwight Billings and Karen Tice, Lexington
Nancy Jordan Blackmore, The Villages, FL
James Boland, Louisville
Mary Chandler Bolin, Lexington
Russell M. Brengelman, Morehead
Jerry Brock, Danville
Faye Carbary, Lexington
Jean Caudill, Villa Hills
John and Vickie Cimprich, Fort Mitchell
Brian Clardy, Murray
Lois Mateus
Suzanne and William Contos, Woodstock, VA
Kathy H. Cora, Mount Sterling
Harold and Regina Fragneto Craven, Georgetown
Toni Daniels, Fort Thomas
Betty R. Darnell, Taylorsville
Diane Davis, Mount Sterling
Ellen Everman Deaton, Ryland Heights
William Harvey Denham, Vanceburg
Tom and Nancy Dicken, Versailles
Brita G. Dockstader, Prospect
Harry and Linda Dolph, Fredericksburg, VA
Timothy J. Dunn, Hazard
Ronald Eades, Mount Pleasant, SC
Scottye S. Eakin, Evanston, IL
William and Charlotte Ellis, Lexington
Margaret Evans, Fairfax Station, VA
Linda Evans, Lexington
Elizabeth Rouse Fielder, Lexington
Terese Fister, Louisville
Kathleen Flynn, Gray
Joyce Foley, Florence
Abe and Sue Fosson, Versailles
George T. Frazier, Cynthiana
Roger H. Futrell, Frankfort
James L. Buddy Gallenstein, Maysville
Steve and Karen Wilson Gardner, Lexington
Karen L. George, Florence
Patricia Goodenow, Lexington
Peter Goodwin, Burlington
Robert and Dena C. Green, Dover
June Greenwell, Lexington
Dr. Paul C. Hager, Richmond
Sharon Hagerman, Owensboro
Mary Hamilton and Charles Wright, Frankfort
Gary and Elizabeth Hansen, Lexington
Gina Harpring, Harrodsburg
William R. and Ida Harris, Franklin
Caroline Hehl, Lexington
Christopher J. Helvey, Frankfort
Douglas E. Herman, Wilmore
Nancy Hill, Harrodsburg
Amy Hogg, Berea
Joe and Sue Horton, Lexington
Cecelia Hutchinson, Fredonia
Janet Isenhour, Lexington
Diana Jester, Louisville
Nadine and Thomas Johnson, Lawrenceburg
Virginia and Arne Judd, Louisville
Mildred Kaelin, Louisville
Kentucky Humanities board member and benefactor, Lois Mateus, a retired BrownForman executive, helped advance the selection of Savory Memories as the 2025 Kentucky Reads selection. Growing up on her family’s tobacco and dairy farm in Mercer County and now operating Tallgrass Farm that she and her late husband Tim Peters began acquiring in 1992, Lois is a true believer in the simple pleasure of local, seasonal food. A co-founder of Slow Food Bluegrass and former board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Trust, these days she serves on the board of Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill and the advisory board of the University of Kentucky Food Connection where the Tallgrass Endowment Fund is housed in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Lois says, “Savory Memories is a book that ignites memories of family favorites and the comfort we felt at our grandmothers’ tables. With this selection, Kentucky Reads is providing an opportunity for book clubs and libraries across the Commonwealth to create conversation and connections about the pleasure, as well as sustenance, that food brings to our lives.”
Ted Wathen, Louisville
Diana Weaver, Versailles
Joe and Jan Westerfield, Owensboro
Kim Whatley, Paducah
Mr. and Mrs. James A. White, Lexington
W. Cleland White, Midway
Toni Wice, Edgewood
Jeffrey C. Williams, Fort Thomas
J. R. Wilson, Keene
Lewis and Lynne Wolfe, Georgetown
In Honor of John S. Bolin
John and Sandra Bolin, Arlington, VA
In Memory of Robert Ferguson
Catherine L. Ferguson, Lexington
In Memory of Mary Sue Harper
James Grant Harper, Buffalo
In Honor of Jay Shannon Harper
James Grant Harper, Buffalo
In Memory of Betty P. Hess
Creighton Hess, Sonora
In Memory of Herb Brock
Karen and Richard Johnson, Lexington
In Memory of Peggy Lacy Southgate
Theodore and Blanche Morris, Howell, MI
In Memory of George McGee
Michael R. Nichols, Versailles
Amelia Noland-Hughes, Irvine
In Honor of Bobbie Wrinkle
William Osborne, Paducah
In Honor of Tom Owen
Dale and Gail Tucker, Louisville
Our Donors
Florence S. Rhinehart Endowment
Suzanne and William Contos, Woodstock, VA
Rollie and Lena Graves, Pensacola, FL
Pat and Lisa Lair, Georgetown
In Memory of Florence Rhinehart and in Honor of Joe Rhinehart
Douglas W. Frye, Martinsburg, WV
In Memory of Joe Rhinehart
Aliceann Cull Sanders, Lexington
Kentucky Chautauqua® Endowment
Robin S. Ison, Harrodsburg
Elaine Madden, Lexington
In Memory of Vic Hellard
Bonnie Brinly, Lexington
In Honor of Dirk and Christie Cook’s Anniversary
Jeanie Dorton, Lexington
In Memory of Perry Potter
Wilma Potter, Independence
Speakers Bureau & Kentucky Chautauqua®
Benjamin Alexander, Lexington
Jane Anderson, Lexington
Noble Leondus Beach, Florence
Nancy Jordan Blackmore, The Villages, FL
Dirk and Christie Cook, Wittensville
Harold and Regina Fragneto Craven, Georgetown
Betty R. Darnell, Taylorsville
Diane Davis, Mount Sterling
William Harvey Denham, Vanceburg
Scottye S. Eakin, Evanston, IL
Raphael Finkel and Beth Goldstein, Lexington
Kathleen Flynn, Gray
JoAnn Gormley, Versailles
George Grady, Lexington, MA
Robert and Dena Green, Dover
James Grant Harper, Buffalo
Douglas E. Herman, Wilmore
Kentucky State Society National Society United States Daughters of 1812, Elizabethtown
James C. Klotter, Lexington
Faye E. Melton, Dixon
Anne Murner, Louisville
M. Janice Murphy, Louisville
Leslie and Barbara Renkey, Lexington
Sharon Robinson, Booneville
Jackie Rogers, Elizabethtown
Elizabeth C. Sale, Harrodsburg
Jean Davis Shaw, Frankfort
Gene Stinchcomb, Berea
Dick Usher, Benton
Diana Weaver, Versailles
Kim Whatley, Paducah
Alan Dale and Anne R. Wilson, Paris
Bobbie Wrinkle, Paducah
Kentucky Book Festival®
Howard and Carolyn Baker, Granville, OH
Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Charlotte, NC
Roger N. Braden, Latonia
Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville
Jean Caudill, Villa Hills
Charities Aid Foundation America, Southfield, MI
Commonwealth of Kentucky, Frankfort
Don J. Dampier, Georgetown
Toni Daniels, Fort Thomas
Michael and Mary Embry, Frankfort
Vicki Seelig Ensor, La Grange
Elizabeth Rouse Fielder, Lexington
JoAnn Gormley, Versailles
Hardscuffle, Inc., Louisville
James F. Hawk, Huntington, WV
Christopher J. Helvey, Frankfort
Joseph and Sue Horton, Lexington
James Baker Hall Foundation Inc., Sadieville
Virginia and Arne Judd, Louisville
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort
Edward Klee, Versailles
Our Donors
Lexington Arts and Cultural Council, Lexington
Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, Lexington
LG&E and KU Foundation Inc., Louisville
Betty Ann Luscher, Frankfort
Lois Mateus, Harrodsburg
Harris (Hank) Meves, La Grange
John Paul Miller, Lexington
Kathy Paynter, Harrogate, TN
PNC Foundation, Lexington
RJ Corman Railroad Group Inc., Nicholasville
Roberta Schultz, Wilder
Ginny Smith, Lexington
Spalding University, Louisville
Catherine Curry Staib, Lexington
Betty Stivers, Louisville
Tallgrass Farm Foundation, Harrodsburg
Holly Thompson, Lexington University of Kentucky, Lexington
Margaret Verble, Lexington
VisitLEX, Lexington
Wellcare of Kentucky, Louisville
In Memory of Ann M. Peel
Jane Bartram, Frankfort
In Honor of Bill Goodman
Graham Cooke, Louisville
Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia
In Memory of Vivian Riedinger
Karen L. George, Florence
In Honor of Michael E. Held
Michael and Susan Held, Sewell, NJ
William & Margie Wilson
In Memory of Vic Hellard
Ellen Hellard, Versailles
In Memory of Clifford E. Provencal, Jr.
Mary Jeanine Large Provencal, Westerville, OH
Kentucky Humanities Magazine
Jerry Brock, Danville
Michael A. Burnett, London
Kathy H. Cora, Mount Sterling
Philip and Nancy Dare, Midway
Brenda Evans, Ashland
Margaret Evans, Fairfax Station, VA
George T. Frazier, Cynthiana
Steve and Karen Wilson Gardner, Lexington
Kentucky Humanities is a jewel for all Kentuckians, and we need to work together to ensure its continued success for generations to come. I became deeply acquainted with the many wonderful programs of Kentucky Humanities through my wife, Margie, who served on the Board from 2006-2012. The staff impressed her with their sincere appreciation for every contribution made to the organization and with their diligence in seeing that every dollar was used wisely. During this time, Kentucky Humanities received funding through the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to support Lincoln-era programs across Kentucky that provided invaluable education about the nation’s 16th president, as well as sponsor Our Lincoln, an outstanding performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C.
Both Margie and I appreciate all Kentucky Humanities programs, including the Speakers Bureau, Think History, Smithsonian traveling exhibits, the Kentucky Book Festival®, Kentucky Reads, grants awarded for community humanities projects throughout the state, Kentucky Humanities magazine, and Prime Time Family Reading®. As a retired educator, Margie particularly enjoyed witnessing Kentucky Humanities expand programs to Kentucky’s classrooms when they acquired additional funding to support Kentucky Chautauqua in the schools and engaged in summer seminars for teachers to learn to create their own Kentucky Chautauqua dramas as a tool for teaching Kentucky and American history.
We have observed Kentucky Humanities fostering an environment that embraces new ideas, encourages collaboration with schools, as well as other community organizations, and reflect the diversity of the community it serves.
Because we value the work of Kentucky Humanities, we encourage every person who believes in “Telling Kentucky’s Story” to join us in investing in the long-term growth of this wonderful organization so that the staff’s labor will continue to contribute to the education and enjoyment of all Kentuckians.
Our Work is Inspired By You
“Our family was truly blessed by Prime Time and all of the wonderful people who made it possible. My son does not enjoy reading as much as my daughter—but he looked forward to attending each week! I can’t give enough praise to each and every one of these kind-hearted, incredibly smart and wonderful people for hosting our family as well as all the others! We look forward to attending this program in the years to come! 10/10 TOTALLY RECOMMEND!”
—Logan County Public Library
Prime Time Participant
“This was one of the most incredible, affirming, experiences I have ever been a part of. I was so thrilled to not only attend as a book lover but as an author. Impeccably orchestrated event and superb volunteers and staff. I enjoyed every minute. I cannot wait for next year!”
—Participating Author 2024 Kentucky Book Festival
“The students loved the visit. They were very excited to receive their autographed books because 95% of them had never received an autographed book from an author before.”
—Kentucky Teacher
KBF School Days Participant
$1,966,571
Board Alumni
1972-2024
Michael C. C. Adams
Joseph Alexander
Susan Alexander
Earl Alluisi
Philip A. Alperson
Brigitte Anderson
Roger Anderson
Thomas H. Appleton, Jr.
Philip P. Ardery
George L. Atkins, Jr.
Raymond Bailey
Nancy Baird
Yvonne Baldwin
Kristen Bale
Richard L. Barber
Andrew Baskin
Carole Beere
John Blalock
Vivian Blevins
James Duane Bolin
John and Sandra Bolin
Ina Brown Bond
Bill R. Booth
Charles Boteler
Pat Bradley
Bette Bravo
Ben Brewer
Chelsea Brislin
Maxine F. Brown
Mary Broz
Ashley Bruggeman
JoEllen Burkholder
Brian Burton
Phyllis Campbell
Fran Carlisle
Karen Carothers
James Culver Carpenter
David Carter
Joseph H. Cartwright
Jeanette Cawood
Aristofanes Cedeño
James P. and Ann Chapman
Madge Chesnut
Karin N. Ciholas
Brian Clardy
Martha Clark
John R. Combs
Sara Combs
Philip Conn
Macy Courtney
Barbara Cowden
Jennifer Cramer
Richard Crowe
Paula Cunningham
Robert E. Daggy
Edward de Rosset
Walter M. Dear III
Richard DeCamp
Nancy Demartra
W. David Denton
Ane Karen DeVries
Anita Donaldson
Selena Sanderfer Doss
Susan Dunlap
Sonja Eads
Tom Easterly
Rebecca Eggers
Gary G. Eldridge
William Louie Ellison
John Ernst
D. Eugene Ewing
Jeffrey A. Fager
Mary Farrell
Margaret L. Faulkner
Burt Feintuch
Benjamin Fitzpatrick
Bobby Fong
Nancy Forderhase
William Francis
Katherine P. Frank
D. Joleen Frederick
JoAnne Gabbard
Carol Gesner
Janice Gevedon
Pat Stewart Gilbert
Clarence Glover
JoAnn Gormley
Thomas A. Greenfield
Betty Griffin
Alyce Grover
Morris Grubbs
Ann Warfield Hale
Ernestine M. Hall
Geoffrey A. Hall
Mary Hammond
Catha Hannah
Mary Harmeling
Lynn Harpring
Nicholas Hartlep
Chris Hartman
David Hawpe
Edythe Jones Hayes
Ellen Hellard
Marlene Helm
Sara Hemingway
Mary A. Hemmer
Harry Herren
George Herring
Ellen W. Hiltz
Kenneth Hixson
J. Blaine Hudson
Donald Hunter
Maggie Igert
Eric Jackson
Wil James
Bettie Taylor Johnson
R. D. Johnson
Ken Jones
Sandra Jordan
Donald Joy
William G. Kimbrell
John Kleber
John Klee
Mark Kornbluh
Caroline Krebs
Thomas Kreider
Virginia Landreth-Etherton
Baylor Landrum, Jr.
Jo G. Leadingham
David Lee
Joyce Brown LeMaster
Laurie K. Lindberg
Elise Luckey
Isabelle Mack-Overstreet
Brack Marquette
Mimi Martin
Lois Mateus
Tori Murden McClure
Keith McCutchen
Karen McDaniel
Bob McDonald
Lewatis McNeal
Jeanne Meachem
Reginald K. Meeks
Nathan Mick
Eleanor Bingham Miller
Robert Miller
Lynn Molloy
John M. Mulder
Gerald J. Munoff
Paul Murphey
M. Janice Murphy
Carole Ganim Nelson
Anthony Newberry
Minh Nguyen
Clay Nixon
Joseph Ohren
William Overbey
Tom Owen
Ted Matthew Pack
James Parker
Jordan Parker
Sanford Parker
Libby Parkinson
Phillip Patton
Penelope Peavler
Allan S. Perry
John Philipps
Elissa Plattner
G. Philip Points
Nell Poline
Reed Polk
Bruce Pope
Stephen Popyach
Wilburn Pratt
Laurence E. Prescott
John Preston
Steve Price
Jane D. Purdon
Board Alumni
Lou Anna Red Corn
Andrew Reed
Joe P. Rhinehart
Judy L. Rhoads
Josephine Richardson
Sally Riggs
Howard Roberts
John E. L. Robertson
Samuel Robinson
Lillian L. Rogers
Harold Rose
Suzanne Rose
Stephen Ruschell
Pamela K. Rush
Martin F. Schmidt
Joseph A. Scopa, Jr.
John W. Scott
William Scott
Michael Seelig
Geraldine Seymour
Alfred R. Shands III
Ron Sheffer
Harold Shoaf
David Shuffett
Tara Spencer Singer
Stephanie Hawkins Smith
Larry D Stanley
W. Frank Steely
William Sudduth
Carolyn Sundy
Lavinia Swain
Uma G. Swanson
Marie Tarpey
Paul Y. Tashiro
Richard Taylor
Teresa Tedder
James Thomas
Aaron Thompson
Michelle Tooley
Sister Mary Philip Trauth
Margaret Trevathan
Jane Gentry Vance
Scott D. Vander Ploeg
Bruce B. VanDusen
Sally Vest
Marianne Walker
Frank X Walker II
Gerri Wallace
Samuel E. Watkins, Jr.
Rosemary Weathers
Sidney Webb
Joanne Weeter
Richard Weigel
Lois Weinberg
Edwin T. Weiss, Jr.
Jack E. Weller
Wayne Edward Whitfield
Matisa Wilbon
Hope Wilden
Mark Wilden
Bob Willenbrink
J. Kendrick Williams
Kristin Williams
Nelle B. Williams
Brenda Wilson
Elaine Wilson
Margie Wilson
Kenneth Wolf
Roger Wolford
Anita Woods
George Wright
Bobbie Wrinkle
Edith Wylder
Wayne Yates
Wayne Bell Yeager
Charlotte Zerof
2024 Sponsors
Thank You, UK
Since our founding in 1972, the University of Kentucky has provided Kentucky Humanities with our offices on its campus. All Kentuckians are beneficiaries of the university’s generosity because the money Kentucky Humanities would have spent on rent over the past 52 years has instead been invested in humanities programs across the Commonwealth. Since 1995, the beautiful century-old house at 206 East Maxwell Street has been the home of Kentucky Humanities. We are grateful to UK as well as the many faculty members who have participated in our programs. Each of you has made valuable contributions to our mission of Telling Kentucky’s Story.
Kentucky Humanities
206 East Maxwell Street • Lexington, KY 40508 kyhumanities.org
Wood and Marie Hannah Foundation
Kim Edwards Charitable Foundation, Inc.