On June 30th, 2023 we unveiled and dedicated “The Story: From Segregation to Celebration” with a special presentation by Reinette F. Jones, author of Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky, from the Reconstruction Era to the 1960s.
In alignment with the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative’s mission of amplifying Black voices and stories, the Carnegie Center commissioned an original work of art by award-winning artist LaVon Williams. “The Story: From Segregation to Celebration” is a wood and oil paint relief located at what was once the entrance of the colored reading room, when the newly built Carnegie building was the Lexington Public Library in 1905. Mr. William’s work of art honors the struggle Black Kentuckians faced during segregation and celebrates the triumph of acclaimed Kentucky Black writers now writing the books found in libraries.
