2026 Monthly event themes
“Voices of the Movement”
Focus: Civil rights and the power of speech
Highlights: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer
Programming Concepts: MLK Jr. speaches, historical photo displays, quotes, protest art exhibiter
“Roots of Resistance”
Focus: Freedom seekers and abolitionists
Highlights: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Underground Railroad in Kentucky
Programming Concepts: Candlelight storytelling, freedom quilt workshop, Tubman exhibit
“Her Story, Our Strength”
Focus: Black women shaping America
Highlights: Sojourner Truth, Ella Baker, Maya Angelou, Angela Davis
Programming Concepts: Women’s leadership panel, She Led Us photography exhibit
“The Great Migration and the Making of America”
Focus: Movement, migration, and transformation Highlights: Jacob Lawrence, Chicago Renaissance, local migration stories Programming Concepts: Oral history project, interactive migration map installation
“Black Jockeys, Barns, and Brilliance” Focus: Black contributions to Kentucky’s equestrian legacy Highlights: Oliver Lewis, Isaac Murphy
Programming Concepts: Exhibit partnership with Keeneland or Kentucky Horse Park, youth storytelling
“Freedom to Express: Juneteenth & Beyond”
Focus: Emancipation and cultural expression Highlights: Juneteenth, Reconstruction art, Black folk traditions
Programming Concepts: Juneteenth festival, live music, food history demonstrations
July – “Fly Boys and Freedom Fighters”
Focus: Black military service and excellence Highlights: Tuskegee Airmen, Buffalo Soldiers, Black women in wartime service
Programming Concepts: Film screening, veterans’ storytelling, aviation display
“From Blues to Hip-Hop”
Focus: Music as resistance and joy Highlights: Delta Blues, Motown, Hip-Hop, Kentucky artists
Programming Concepts: Live concert series, youth beat-making workshops, music timeline wall
“Education as Liberation”
Focus: Access, leadership, and learning . Highlights: HBCUs, Carter G. Woodson, Mary McLeod Bethune, local educators
Programming Concepts: Pop-up HBCU fair, desegregation film screening
“Black Futures: Innovation and Imagination”
Focus: Afrofuturism, STEM, and innovation Highlights: Hidden Figures, Katherine Johnson, Octavia Butler
Programming Concepts: STEM showcase, Afrofuturism art exhibit, youth robotics event
“Faith, Food, and Family”
Focus: Traditions that sustain community Highlights: Black church, gospel music, food ways
Programming Concepts: Food heritage exhibit, gospel brunch, oral history storytelling
“Celebrate US”
Focus: Reflection, resilience, and renewal
Highlights: Kwanzaa principles, youth achievement, year-in-review
Programming Concepts: Community Kwanzaa celebration, performance showcase, annual exhibit
