African American citizens of Winchester, KY and Clark County have played a significant role in the community. In order to highlight some of our achievements, a group of volunteers got together to form the Winchester Black History & Heritage Committee in 2014.
African Americans have been present in Clark County since its first exploration in 1775. The history of whites here has been extensively documented and presented to the public. However, our black history is mostly missing. The African American Trail and The Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee are projects intended to help address that vacuum. The Trail presents a series of educational signs highlighting achievements of the local black community.
We have also held an ongoing series of local meetings dealing not only with “history and heritage” but also with health, diet, education and other issues in our community. The African American Heritage Trail is an effort to further document and illustrates achievements of the black community.
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Our group published the African American Pictorial History of Clark County, Kentucky in 2018.
Towards a More Perfect Commonwealth
Celebrating Black History Month
2026 is a year of important anniversaries. As we commemorate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we also celebrate 100 years since the founding of Black History Month, a celebration with a Kentucky connection. It was Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a graduate of Berea College, who established “Negro History Week” in 1926. Fifty years later, February was formally recognized as “Black History Month.” Then and now, African Americans play a central role in the continuing journey to form a more perfect union.
This video was produced by the Kentucky Historical Society and originally presented during an event presented by the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Script: Allen Fletcher Video Production: Gregory Hardison Narration: Dr. Alicestyne Turley Underscore: Andrii Poradovski
WINCHESTER BLACK HISTORY
AND HERITAGE COMMITTEE
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Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee
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