Black History, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship in Louisville
Below is a selection of the many Black-led initiatives and institutions in Louisville, historic and new. We invite you to explore their digital spaces and, if possible, to donate.
Pocket Change, which opened in the Butchertown neighborhood in November 2020, provides a storefront for a variety of Black-owned businesses art, apparel, food, jewelry, and more and also offers free business workshops for emerging Black entrepreneurs. It is part of Change Today, Change Tomorrow, an organization “devoted to eradicating barriers that plague the Black community in Education, Food Justice and Public Health.” Visitors can support Pocket Change by purchasing items on their Amazon wishlist, which includes tables, price tags, and sign holders.
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‘You need to be reminded of Breonna’: How a tiny city park became the heart of a movement
Tessa Duvall and Hayes Gardner, Louisville Courier Journal
Published
6:08 pm UTC Mar. 24, 2021
Illustration: Jeff Morris and Andrea Brunty, USA TODAY Network
LOUISVILLE, Ky. It has seen conflicts between police and protesters, casualties and chili cook-offs.
It s where hundreds of supporters gathered with the family of Breonna Taylor for what should have been her 27th birthday and where they showed the world their heartbreak when no one was charged with her death.
It was home to a new vegetable garden during the heat of June, dozens of pumpkins in October, and an iced-over memorial encircled by silk flowers in February.
Credit Ryan Van Velzer / WFPL
On the first day of Black History Month, Mayor Greg Fischer announced the creation of a commission to manage and promote citywide Juneteenth celebrations.
Fischer signed an executive order Monday forming a 15-member commission to help organize events celebrating Juneteenth and its historical significance in Louisville.
Last year, Fischer announced Juneteenth as a holiday for city employees as protesters organized their own celebration of Juneteenth in Jefferson Square Park, the epicenter of the city’s protests for racial justice.
The mayor noted it’s difficult to say what the event could look like this year because of the pandemic, but wants to start planning both for this year and next, when he expects a “more robust in-person event.”
Louisville museum dedicated to Black history kicks off fundraising campaign Share Updated: 8:32 PM EST Dec 31, 2020 Mark Vanderhoff Share Updated: 8:32 PM EST Dec 31, 2020
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Show Transcript ACTIVISTS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS MOVEMENT. MARK: JUST BECAUSE THE CITY IS TURNING THE PAGE ON A CALENDAR DOESN’T MEAN THE SOCIAL JUSTIC MOVEMENT IS LEAVING JEFFERSON SQUARE PARK, OR AS PROTESTORS CALL IT, INJUSTICE SQUARE. THEY’RE NOT LETTING COLD WEATHER DISSUADE THEM, EITHER. THIS FIRE WARMS THE REMAININ PROTESTORS CAMPED OUT AT JEFFERSON SQUARE PAR THERAPY BELOW THAT SAID THEY DON’T CARE WHAT HAPPENS, INT THOSE OFFICERS ARE FIRED, THEY ARE NOT LEAVING THOSE SQUARE LEAVING THE SQUARE. MARK: ACTIVIST SHAMEKA PARRISH-WRIGHT SAYS A TOP PRIORITY FOR 2021 IS CONVINCING STATE LAWMAKERS TO PASS A STATEWIDE BAN ON NO-KNOCK WARRANTS, KNOWN AS BREONNA’S LAW. WE NEED EVERYBODY ENGAGED IN BREONNA’S LAW. BECAUSE IT STOPS THIS F
Vaccine skepticism among African Americans stems from history of medical mistreatment Share Updated: 8:28 PM EST Dec 16, 2020 Share Updated: 8:28 PM EST Dec 16, 2020
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Show Transcript LOOKS AT THE HISTORICAL DISTRUST AMONG BLACK PEOPLE AND VACCINES. REPORTER: AS COVID-19 VACCINES START TO ROLL OUT, SOME ARE RELIEVED ABOUT A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE HEALTH CRISIS, WHILE OTHERS ARE CONCERNED AND SKEPTICAL BASED ON HISTORY. I AM NOT GOING TO GET IT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED. REPORTER: DISTRUST OVER THE COVID-19 VACCINE RUNS HIGH AMONG BLACK AMERICANS. WHEN YOU HAVE A SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN OPERATING NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF BLACK PEOPLE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET BLACK PEOPLE TO TRUST THAT SAME SYSTEM. REPORTER: THE CYCLE OF SKEPTICISM TODAY STEMS FROM A HISTORY OF HARMFUL MEDICAL TRIALS AND VACCINES LIKE THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS EXPERIMENT, WHERE HUNDREDS OF BLACKS DIED. LIKE RHONDA JOHNSON, OTHERS ARE DIED. YOU CANNOT C