Kentucky Chronicles: A Podcast of the Kentucky Historical Society

Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. These are the four “hs” of the youth organization formed in 1912 that is known as 4-H. Although many Americans are aware of 4-H, or perhaps have been a member at some point in time, few realize its international dimensions. Join us today for a talk with a research fellow who is examining the links between Kentucky and Japan through agricultural extension programs such as 4-H. William C. Sack is a PhD Candidate in history at Harvard University. He holds an A.B. from Harvard and recently had an article accepted in Past & Present. He has been funded by institutions in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. He is currently working on a project that deals with Kentucky entitled: “A Little Patch of Kentucky in Yamanashi: 4-H and Transpacific Agricultural Extension in Japan (1938-1979).” Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. https://history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-research-tools/register-of-the-kentucky-historical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. https://history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-researchers/research-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and produced by Gregory Hardison, and edited by Gregory P. Meyer, with original underscoring by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/ https://history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

In 1798, Kentucky established the Kentucky State Penitentiary (KSP) in Frankfort. Although prisoners were expected to remain silent, the state soon put them to work. Over time, those housed in the Penitentiary made shoes, plow irons, and an assortment of other items. Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow, who will explain how the practice of inmate labor evolved over time and how it continued to shape Frankfort—and the rest of the state—long after the Civil War. Dr. Charlene J. Fletcher is an assistant professor of history at Butler University. She is the author of ‘Home Ain’t Always Where the Heart Is: The Home as a Site of Confinement,” which was published in “Re-Visiting My Old Kentucky Home: Slavery and Freedom in the Bluegrass State.” For the Autumn 2023 special joint issue of the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Journal of Arizona History she wrote: “Borderland Business: Slavery and Convict Leasing in Antebellum Kentucky.” Dr. Fletcher was awarded a Spring 2016 research fellowship at KHS. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. https://history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-research-tools/register-of-the-kentucky-historical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. https://history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-researchers/research-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and produced by Gregory Hardison, and edited by Gregory P. Meyer, with original underscoring by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/ https://history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

Drive through Kentucky today and you are likely to come across signs reading “Welcome to the Front Porch of the South.” Yet Kentucky has never been an easy state to define. During the Civil War, Kentucky straddled the line between North and South, gaining the somewhat generic classification of a “Border State.” Yet there is a region that Kentucky at one point in time was most identified with and it was neither the North or South. Join us today for a talk with a former research fellow, who helps explain why Kentucky was considered to be a part of the West and why that changed after the Civil War. Dr. Christopher Phillips is the John and Dorothy Hermanies Professor of American History and University Distinguished Professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. He holds a PhD from the University of Georgia. He has written numerous books, including Damned Yankee: The Life of Nathaniel Lyon, Freedom’s Port: The African American Community of Baltimore, 1790-1860, and The Civil War in the Border South. We are talking today about his award-winning book The Rivers Ran Backward: The Civil War and the Remaking of the American Middle Border. KHS Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. https://history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-research-tools/register-of-the-kentucky-historical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. https://history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-researchers/research-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/ https://history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

Within popular culture, enslaved people are often depicted as robust, vigorous, and strong, yet enslaved people often suffered brutal injuries at the hands of their enslavers. What was lifelike for those enslaved persons who suffered devastating injuries and how did they deal with disability? Join us today for a discussion with a research fellow who is teasing out how masculinity, physicality, and disability shaped the worldview of both the enslaver and the enslaved. Mia Edwards earned an MA in Atlantic History and Politics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is currently working on her PhD at the University of Warwick. She has won several research grants and the Bryan Marsden History Prize from the University of Sheffield. She is currently working on her dissertation, which is entitled: “Masculinity, Physicality, and Disability: Shifting Experiences and Ideologies within the Antebellum South, 1800-1861.” KHS Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. https://history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-research-tools/register-of-the-kentucky-historical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. https://history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-researchers/research-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/ https://history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

Have you ever visited “Mexington” Kentucky or do you know what a “Kentubano” is? Latino influences are all around us in Kentucky, but they can often be overlooked. Join us today for a discussion with a historian who has written an article on Latino migration into Kentucky and who will help us understand how Latinos are helping to remake the commonwealth. Eladio Bobadilla is an assistant professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his PhD from Duke University. He has published articles in California History and History Now and is currently working on his first book manuscript: No More Back Doors: A History of the Immigrants’ Rights Movement. In 2023, he published “‘I Feel Like This Is My Home:’ Immigration and the Making of Latino Kentucky.” This article appeared in a special joint issue of the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Journal of Arizona History in Autumn 2023. KHS Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-r…istorical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-re…earch-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: history.ky.gov/ history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

The right to a high-school level education is something that most people take for granted. Indeed, parents today often confront an array of options when it comes to the types of educational opportunities available to their children. But this has not always been the case. Join us for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who studies the Pine Mountain Settlement School and who will talk about shifting views on education in Kentucky. Adrien Lievin earned his MA in American history at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Lille (in France). He has worked in France, Poland, and the United States. His dissertation focuses on the Pine Mountain Settlement School and is currently entitled: “Progressive Education and Industrial Capitalism Before and During the New Deal, in Harlan County, Kentucky, 1913-1944.” KHS Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. https://history.ky.gov/explore/catalog-research-tools/register-of-the-kentucky-historical-society Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. https://history.ky.gov/khs-for-me/for-researchers/research-fellowships Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: history.ky.gov/ https://history.ky.gov/khs-podcasts

In Episode 9, we interviewed Dr. Kevin McPartland who shares his research about a Kentucky community that was torn apart by violence before the Civil War. He also worked as a Graduate Associate at the Civil War Governors of Kentucky project which is managed by the Kentucky Historical Society. In his interview, Kevin talks a lot about his work, and he also talks a lot about the manager of the project, Dr. Charles Welsko. But, after we recorded the interview, we realized that you, our listeners, might want to know more about CWGK (as we call it) from Dr. Welsko himself. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for your support and guidance. Our theme music is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov To learn more about the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, visit their website: https://www.civilwargovernors.org If you have enjoyed our podcast, please subscribe. If you have questions or suggestions for future podcasts, let us know on our social media accounts. It really helps us to know how we are doing. You can also help us build a following by telling your friends to subscribe!

Being a part of a close-knit neighborhood is something that many people aspire to. Barbecues, football games, and community events can help neighbors feel a sense of connectedness and community. But neighborhoods can also be places of separation and division, with boundaries drawn between families and neighbors. Join us today for a discussion with a former graduate research associate who has written an article about one Kentucky community that was torn apart by violence shortly before the Civil War. Kevin McPartland is a visiting assistant professor in public history at the University of Missouri—Columbia. He earned a PhD in history at the University of Cincinnati and his work focuses on the American South in the Civil War Era. In 2022, he was a Graduate Research Associate at the Civil War Governors of Kentucky. His article “‘He Has Ever Been Considered, a Good and True Hearted Citizen’: Neighborhood and Community in the Wadlington Case” appeared in the Summer 2022 edition of the Register. This article won the Richard H. Collins Award, a prize given annually to the article published in the Register that is deemed “to have made the most outstanding contribution to Kentucky history.” KHS Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: history.ky.gov/

In 1925, Americans focused their attention on the Scopes Trial, a court case in Tennessee where a teacher was put on trial for teaching evolution. Yet three years before the infamous trial, the state of Kentucky nearly passed a law that would have forbidden the teaching of evolution. Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who is writing a dissertation about the evolution debates that roiled Kentucky in 1922. Emily Muhich is a PhD Candidate at Louisiana State University. She earned her B.A. at Michigan State University and is currently working on her dissertation, which is entitled “In The Beginning: Kentucky's Anti-Evolution Crusade." She is a recent fellow, as she was here in May of 2022, so we are excited to check back in with her and see where her project has taken her over the last couple of months. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, in publication since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. Kentucky Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/

On August 12, 2022, noted author Salman Rushdie was stabbed multiple times as he was about to deliver a talk at the Chautauqua Institute, in Chautauqua, New York. Popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Chautauquas have declined in popularity over the years, although they are still held throughout the United States. Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who has written an article about a Black Chautauqua that was held in Owensboro, Kentucky, as we delve into the local history of Chautauquas. Dr. Patterson is an associate professor of English at the University of South Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from George Mason University. In 2010, she published Art for the Middle Classes: America’s Illustrated Magazines of the 1840s with the University Press of Mississippi. She has held many fellowships, including the Library Company of Philadelphia and the American Antiquarian Society. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society, or who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continuously, since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/

The issues of birth control and reproductive rights are familiar today to most Americans, but did you know that over a century ago these issues were being debated? Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who is examining the legacy of eugenics and who helps explain why these debates from over a century ago have a continuing relevance today. Dr. Pietra Diwan holds a Ph.D. in history from the Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo. Her long-term research project focuses on “Confronting the Legacies of Eugenics.” She has published widely and won several grants from Brazilian and U.S. institutions. She is an Instructor of History in the History and Political Science Department at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. https://pietradiwan.com/ Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/

The Kentucky Historical Society was founded in 1836, but did you know that it soon lapsed? Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who has written an article examining the origins of the Kentucky Historical Society and who explains why it struggled to survive as an institution in the nineteenth century. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society, or who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continuously, since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison, who also wrote the original underscoring of the interview. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/

In the election of 1864, which took place in the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln only lost three states: Delaware, New Jersey, and Kentucky. Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who has written a book about the Democratic party in the Civil War. He will help us understand why so many Kentuckians embraced the Democratic party, and the course the Democrats hoped the Civil War would take. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society, or who have contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continuously, since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: history.ky.gov/ If you have enjoyed our podcast, please subscribe. It really helps us to know how we are doing. You can also help us build a following by telling your friends to subscribe!

In the United States, several stereotypes dominate the popular imagination regarding Kentucky: horses, bourbon, fried chicken, and bluegrass. But what is the perception of Kentucky from outside of the United States? Join us for a discussion with Simon Buck, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, as we discuss aging, music, and how a person who grew up in the United Kingdom became interested in studying Kentucky. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society or contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continually since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: history.ky.gov/ If you have enjoyed our podcast, please subscribe. It really helps us to know how we are doing. You can also help us build a following by telling your friends to subscribe!

Throughout the history of the United States, several court cases have gripped the attention of the entire nation. In 1894, one such case occurred when Madeleine Pollard, a young woman from Frankfort, Kentucky, sued Kentucky Congressman William C.P. Breckinridge for breach of promise. Join us today for a discussion with a KHS research fellow who has written an article about Madeleine Pollard and who argues that we should see her as far more than simply “a Congressman’s Mistress.” An interview with KHS Fellow Dr. Elizabeth DeWolfe. Read “More Than a Congressman’s Mistress: Ambition and Scandal in the Life of Madeleine Pollard” in The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society 115, no. 3 (Summer 2017): 313-348. Available on Project Muse (account required): https://doi.org/10.1353/khs.2017.0074 Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society or contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continually since 1903. Hosted by Dr. Daniel J. Burge, associate editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and coordinator of our Research Fellows program, which brings in researchers from across the world to conduct research in the rich archival holdings of the Kentucky Historical Society. KHS Chronicles is presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, with support from the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. https://history.ky.gov/about/khs-foundation Our show is recorded and edited by Gregory Hardison. Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Lang for her support and guidance. Our theme music, “Modern Documentary” was created by Mood Mode and is used courtesy of Pixabay. To learn more about our publication of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, or to learn more about our Research Fellows program, please visit our website: https://history.ky.gov/ If you have enjoyed our podcast, please subscribe. It really helps us to know how we are doing. You can also help us build a following by telling your friends to subscribe!

From December 1811 until March 1812, a series of three major earthquakes along the far western border of Kentucky shook the North American interior. The earthquakes were felt from as far away as South Carolina. Join us for a discussion with a former KHS Research Fellow who recently published a book with the University of North Carolina Press based on his research at KHS that discusses the earthquakes as we explore the pages of Kentucky history with Kentucky Chronicles. Kentucky Chronicles is inspired by the work of researchers from across the world who have conducted research at the Kentucky Historical Society or contributed to the scholarly journal, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, which has been published continually since 1903.

This Week in Kentucky History Explosion at Finley Mine at Hurricane Creek, Leslie County December 30th, 1970, an explosion at Finley Mine at Hurricane Creek outside of Hyden in Leslie County results in thirty-eight deaths. Just one year prior to the disaster at the Finley mine, The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act was signed into law in the hopes of preventing more mining injuries and deaths. A series of state and federal inspections before the disaster in 1970 revealed numerous potential dangers. Despite these warnings, many of the safety recommendations were improperly dealt with or ignored. After the mine disaster investigators found a “nearly absolute failure” of the enforcement of the new safety laws. Traces of Primacord and dynamite, both banned under the new laws, were found in the mine where one miner was seriously injured and thirty-eight lost their lives. I’m Casey Castro-Bracho, a Collections Specialist for the Kentucky Historical Society. Learn more about us, at history dot K-Y dot G-O-V.

This Week in Kentucky History Winne A. Scott Hospital Established in Frankfort December 26th, 1915, The Winnie Scott Hospital was established by the Women’s Club Hospital Company in Frankfort, Kentucky. South Frankfort’s northeastern section has historically had a large African American population. Under segregation, African Americans had few options for medical treatment until the Scott Hospital was constructed. Originally known as the Women’s Improvement Club Hospital, its name was changed to honor Winnie A. Scott, a Frankfort educator and an early chairman of the hospital’s board of directors who was instrumental in its founding. The hospital was housed in a two-story frame building in a residential area and consisted of seven or eight patient rooms and an operating room. Winnie A. Scott Hospital was the only Frankfort hospital serving African Americans until desegregation of King’s Daughters Hospital in 1959. I’m Roger Barlow, a Visitor Services Associate for the Kentucky Historical Society. Learn more about us, at history dot K-Y dot G-O-V.

This Week in Kentucky History Body Snatchers Arrested in Louisville December 15th, 1863, Thomas P. Satterwhite, anatomy professor at the University of Louisville's medical school, and Peter Viemer, janitor for the school, were arrested for grave robbing. Late that evening, Satterwhite and Viemer went to the "potter's field," or the city's gravesite for poor and unidentified citizens. Here they took two "subjects" for the school's courses in anatomy. Cadavers for the medical school were hard to come by. Although this is a dark piece of state history, Satterwhite and Viemer weren't quite Kentucky's own Burke and Hare of Edinburgh. But their story certainly makes Robert Louis Stevenson's "Body Snatchers" seem a little less than a world away. I’m Stephanie Lang, the Editor of The Register, a scholarly publication of the Kentucky Historical Society. Learn more about us, at history dot K-Y dot G-O-V.

This Week in Kentucky History Phillip A. Sharp receives the Nobel Prize in Medicine December 10th, 1993, Pendleton County, Kentucky native Phillip A. Sharp is a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work in molecular genetics. Sharp graduated from Union College in Knox County with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics. After earning his PhD, Sharp continued his career at MIT and other biotechnology companies. In 1993 Sharp became a co-recipient for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on RNA splicing, which found that there are discontinuous gene structures in mammalian cells. This work fundamentally changed the understanding of gene structure, as scientists had previously thought that DNA structures were continuous and served as direct templates for genetic information. The discovery of RNA splicing indicated that genes contain some segments without genetic information that are edited by cells. These discoveries have been crucial in attempting to find therapies for many diseases including cancer. I’m Daniel Burge, the Associate Editor for The Register, a scholarly journal of the Kentucky Historical Society. Learn more about us, at history dot K-Y dot G-O-V.