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Lexington's school system dates back to the city charter of 1831, and it first school opened in 1834. From a single building in 1834 with about 100 students, today the Fayette County Public School system has over 40,000 students and 68 schools and programs. Lexington and Fayette County combined districts in 1968, shortly before the city/county government merger in 1974.
Gallery Exhibit
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Artist
Alexis Hollon and Anisty Crandle
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Artist
Noorjan Hayder, Martins, Afolayan, Diego Gonzalez, Matthew Bruner, and Connor Grubbs
Central Library Rotunda
Gallery
Central Library Rotunda
Exhibit Dates
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The Deeper View
Alexis Hollon and Anisty Crandle
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Polluted Paradise
Noorjan Hayder, Martins, Afolayan, Diego Gonzalez, Matthew Bruner, and Connor Grubbs
Dunbar High School opened in 1923 at 545 North Upper Street as the only all-black high school in Lexington’s city school system. The school was named after African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), whose parents had been enslaved in Kentucky. Dunbar was a source of immense pride for many in Lexington; it was ambitious in academics, formidable in athletics, a meeting place for community organizations, and the first of only eight black high schools to ever be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
In 1967, after federal pressure to racially integrate schools, the Fayette County board of education decided to close Dunbar High School. This elicted a substantial outcry from many black Lexingtonians, who saw Dunbar as a community cornerstone, and whose children would be bused longer distances to school. In 1968, the school board promised that the next high school opened in Fayette County would also be Dunbar, which then opened in 1990. After the original closed in 1967, the old Dunbar building remained in use for several years as a junior high school. Most of the building was razed in 1974; what remains of it has been converted into the Dunbar Community Center.
The Dunbar Echo became the student publication, coming out a few times each year. The Lexington Public Library holdings contain the yearbook editions of the publication, which contains information about students, alumni, faculty and teachers, sports, essays, student activities, attendance, budget, and Echo sponsors. There are also black and white photos of some of the students and faculty.
Available yearbooks
Information from:
- Carpenter, Siona. “New Era Dawns at Dunbar.” Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, KY), Dec. 18, 1989.
- Carpenter, Siona. “New Dunbar: Honoring Poet or Avoiding Past?” Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, KY), Jan. 24, 1990.
- “Dunbar (Paul Lawrence) High School.” Lexington History Museum. Accessed February 26, 2018. http://lexhistory.org/wikilex/dunbar-paul-lawrence-high-school.
- Marx, Jeffrey. “Alumni of Dunbar Want Name Revived in New High School.” Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, KY), Sept. 2, 1987.
- “Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Lexington, KY).” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database. Accessed February 26, 2018. http://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/1358.
Lexington, Kentucky (February 1, 2024) – This February, Lexington Public Library is proud to join the nation in celebrating Black History Month, a time dedicated to honoring the achievements, contributions, and rich cultural heritage of African Americans.
Walking Tour
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic sites. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops. You can pause the track while you walk between stops.
This tour covers a walking distance of 1.1 miles.
The music clips used in this tour are from “Walking Barefoot on Grass” by Kai Engel, and are used with a CCBY license. It is available here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic sites. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops.
Free program being offered at Northside and Village Branches
Lexington, Kentucky (December 20, 2022) – Lexington Public Library announced today that its popular LPL After School program will return in 2023, beginning January 2.
LPL After School is a FREE drop-in program for kids aged 5-12 that takes place after regular school hours, Mondays through Fridays from 4-6pm. The Library, in partnership with God’s Pantry, will provide snacks for all participants as well as STEAM and enrichment activities, homework help, and reading recommendations. And there’s no need to register—just show up!
Subscribe and receive monthly reading recommendations in your selected categories.
JP Johnson tells the story of the time artist Henry Faulkner’s goat, Alice, disappeared for several weeks in 1965, and gives a preview of Lexington Public Library’s Henry Faulkner Week, February 25-March 3, 2019.
Mariam interviews Foster Ockerman, Jr., author of Hidden History of Horse Racing in Kentucky, and President and Chief Historian of the Lexington History Museum about his book and horse racing in Kentucky.
The Morton School Number 1, Lexington’s first public city school in 1834, was originally built on the corner of Walnut (later Martin Luther King Dr.) and Short Street. William Morton, who died in 1836, established a trust to be invested and used to maintain a free public school in Lexington, and the first public school was named in his honor. It became the Morton High School in 1904 and the Morton Junior High School in 1917. The school was relocated to Tates Creek Road as a middle school in 1938.
Mariam gives a brief history of the public schools in Lexington and Fayette County.
Jamie tells an abridged history of Russell’s Cave, Fayette County’s largest cave.
Mariam interviews artist and activist Robert Morgan about his life with the internationally known queer Kentucky artist, Henry Faulkner.
Mariam interviews Tom Eblen about the history and personalities surrounding Lexington’s Newspapers.
Mariam and Wayne talk about the history of Lexington Public Library spaces, from its beginning as a subscription library in 1795 to the building project for the new Marksbury Family Branch (formerly Village Branch) now in 2022.
Mariam interviews Wayne Johnson about the colorful life of abolitionist and Ambassador to Russia, Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903).
Jennifer and Erin have combed through the summer’s most anticipated releases lists, and discuss the ones they’re looking forward to the most. Erin interviews Doug Tattershall about the library’s gallery spaces.
Mariam interviews artist and activist Robert Morgan about his recollections of Sweet Evening Breeze.
In the fourth and final installment of our virtual bookclub, we'll talk about how the author wraps up, or doesn't wrap up the events in the book. Where are our favorite characters headed? What do we know for sure about Tariq's death? Are we left with more
In this episode, Alexa, Brian, and Bri discuss their favorite YA reads.
In this episode we'll talk about the events that happen in pages 1-80, we'll go over all the characters that are introduced and how they fit in to the story. We'll share our opinions (lots of them) and talk about what we want to see in the rest of the boo
Highlight
If books are your thing, this is your place. Browse the newest titles in our collection, take a deep dive into comics and graphic novels with the 741.5 bulletin, request a personalized "bag of books," and more.
In this episode, Alexa, Jenny, Brian, and Ellen discuss their favorite romances.
In this episode, Alexa, Aprile, and Jennifer discuss mysteries.
In this episode, Jenny, Alexa, Brian, and Scott discuss their picks for their favorite Sci-Fi books.
In this episode we'll talk about the events that happen in pages 161-240. The Underhill communnity, led by the Rev Sloan, begin to mount a response to Tariq's death, as well as the police investigation. We also interview Lexington resident Jim Sleet, abou
In this episode we'll talk about the events that happen in pages 80-160. There is more information for us in this section about the circumstances surrounding Tariq's death and the investigation that followed. We'll talk about that, plus new developments w
In this episode Jenny, Alexa, Brian, and Aprile discuss their favorite thrillers.
Primary Page
The Lexington Public Library’s Digital Archives provide open access to researchers and students to learn more about the rich history of Lexington and Fayette County. It contains a fraction of the Library’s physical holdings, which are housed and available for reference in the Kentucky Room at the Central Library. New material is being digitized and added constantly, so there's always something new to find.
The archives have a simple keyword search, and it is possible to browse the collections by subject, area, or decade. The Lexington Public Library actively reviews and labels materials in our archives with statements that indicate how you may reuse the images, and what sort of permission, if any, you need to do so. Please check the information for each image to determine its legal status.
Walking Tour
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic LGBTQ+ places. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops. You can pause the track while you walk between stops.
This tour covers a walking distance of 1.6 miles.
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic LGBTQ+ places. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops.
The Kentucky School for the Deaf, located in Danville, was created in 1822. The first class of students were admitted beginning in April 1823. Through a partnership with Centre College, the school's board identified John Adamson Jacobs as a potential instructor for the school and sent him to train at the first school for deaf students in the US, the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. He served as instructor, principal, and superintendent for KSD during the years from 1825-1869. Jacobs Hall was built in 1857 and was named for him. It is classified as a National Historic Landmark and is still in operation as the school's museum today. From the beginning, KSD was committed to educating students academically while teaching life skills and providing vocational training. Deaf African American students began attending in 1885.
The Centennial History provides a detailed account of the formation of the school and its facilities, as well as its evolution through the first 100 years. Financial structure of the school, methods of instruction, and the creation of the school newspaper and literary society are all discussed. The book also contains lists of the names of all donors, trustees, commissioners, and students. Officers of the school, which include superintendents, principals, teachers, and staff have a short biographical summaries accompanying their names.
