New group wants to help teachers across Kentucky teach Black history

Garrett Morgan was in his 50s in the 1920s when he realized the need for what is known as today's yellow light in between green and red in traffic signals.

Oliver Lewis wasn't yet 20 when he rode Aristide to victory in the 1875 Kentucky Derby — the first race of what is now the longest-running yearly sporting event.

Both of these Black men from Kentucky made lasting contributions to the world, and a new association is helping students across the commonwealth learn more about their legacies and those of other Kentucky natives who looked like them.

"The goal is to really think locally about history across Kentucky and where the lens of Black Kentuckians can be integrated within the tapestry of local history across the commonwealth," said Chaka Cummings, executive director of the Association for Teaching Black History in Kentucky.

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Established in December 2022, the association was formed through a partnership between the Muhammad Ali Center, Berea College, Kentucky State University and the Thomas D. Clark Foundation. On Wednesday, Cummings plans to celebrate the start of Black History Month at the Ali Center, meeting with Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio to share more about the association's mission.

The association's formation comes at a time when teaching Black history has been opposed in some communities. Last month Florida's Department of Education blocked an Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in its public schools, saying it is “inexplicably contrary” to Florida law and “significantly lacks educational value."

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"Continuing to improve education in the Commonwealth to reflect the complexities of current events and their historical context is critical and should include awareness of the Black experience in Kentucky," a release from the Ali Center about Wednesday's event stated.

The association has launched a website where teachers can find lesson plans focused on Black history that align with the state's mandated standards, and it is forming an advisory committee of educators to build upon the association's collaboration with Kentucky teachers.

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While the state does not require any particular aspect of Black history to be taught in its public schools, Cummings pointed to the state's new requirement that primary source documents be used in lessons as a way teachers can incorporate Black history.

When pulling on those documents — such as speeches — an educator could choose to "highlight a (Black) hero whose story has kind of gone by the wayside or hasn't been able to be lifted because there is a lot of (history) to cover," Cummings said.

The new requirement, which will go into effect in middle and high school classes ahead of the next school year, is "an opportunity for us to consider where we can supplement what we know we have to do with Black history and how we can support educators in incorporating Black history within those mandated standards," he said.

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While in its beginning stages, the association is focused on curating more localized lessons for teachers, as well as creating programs in which teachers can take part.

The association wants to create more training opportunities for teachers to seek out.

"We know teachers are always looking at becoming better teachers," Cummings said.

The hope in all of this work is that students — such as those in Paris, Kentucky — will gain a stronger connection to their communities after hearing about the impact of people like Morgan, who lived there. It is also to make sure that Black history lessons aren't siloed into just the month of February.

"We want to expand the opportunity for students across the commonwealth to engage in Black history in a way that is more robust and curriculum-wide," Cummings said.

Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Black History Month: New group aims to help KY educators teach history