Keeneland Library Expands Exhibit Through Fall, Adds Events

Keeneland Library has scheduled a number of events for the remainder of 2023 to expand the reach of its exhibit, The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers, the repository said in a release Friday.

Due to demand, the Library's free exhibit and its on-site youth and adult programs have been extended through Dec. 8.

Other events include:

Now: Companion book available

  • The companion book to The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers is available at the Library and The Keeneland Shop (in store and online) for $10. All proceeds will benefit the Keeneland Library Foundation.
  • Keeneland Library will begin to donate copies of the book to community and industry organizations Sept. 11.

Sept. 15: LexArts Gallery Hop at the Lyric (5-8 p.m.)

  • To celebrate the launch of the traveling exhibit in Lexington's East End, incoming Library Director Roda Ferraro will deliver the evening's educational program and the first 100 Gallery Hop attendees will receive a free copy of the companion book.

Sept. 19: “Meet the Authors” free at Keeneland Library (6:30-8 p.m.)

  • Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Maslin Nir and co-author Raymond White Jr. will present their new book, The Jockey & Her Horse, the story of Cheryl White Breyer. Books will be available for purchase for $17. A brief program will be followed by a book signing. RSVP here.

Sept. 20: “Meet the Authors” free at the Lyric (6-7:30 p.m.)

  • After an opening program in the Lyric's Community Room, a meet and greet is scheduled with Nir and White. The first 100 attendees under the age of 18 will receive a free copy of their book, along with free General Admission passes to Keeneland's Fall Meet.

Oct. 21: Cheryl White Breyer Sets at Keeneland

  • During Sunrise Trackside, a free, family-friendly event at Keeneland from 8-10 a.m. (ET), Keeneland will spotlight White's career as a jockey. Children will have a chance to try on a replica of White's silks, and fans will have a chance to win Keeneland Breyer sets featuring a figure of White, the model horse Jetolara (her first winning mount) and a copy of the book.
  • The Keeneland Shop and Keeneland Library will host a signing with Raymond White Jr. from 1-3 p.m. Cheryl White Breyer sets and copies of The Jockey & Her Horse will be available to purchase.

Nov. 18: An Evening with Geraldine Brooks at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion (6:30-8 p.m.)

  • Keeneland Library will host Pulitzer Prize winning-author Geraldine Brooks, who will discuss her 2022 novel, Horse. Details to follow.

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Lance Newman Wins Kentucky Derby Museum’s Black Heritage In Racing Community Art Contest

Kentucky Derby Museum is pleased to announce the Grand Prize winner of its Black Heritage in Racing Community Art Contest, sponsored by Watson's, Derby City Gaming and The Storage Project. Lance G. Newman of Louisville was notified of his win for his work, The Will of Aunt Eliza. Newman will receive a $2000 cash Grand Prize from contest sponsor Derby City Gaming.

When speaking about his work, Newman describes it: “The Will of Aunt Eliza is an ode to a pioneering black horsewoman [Eliza Carpenter]. Born into slavery, she quickly inflicted her will on her condition and rose above and beyond the social standard of that day. The Will of Aunt Eliza stands as a reminder that no amount of oppression can halt the will of freedom.”

Kentucky Derby Museum is proud to play a role in the continued dialogue about the significant impact African American trainers, horse owners, and jockeys have had and continue to have on the sport of horse racing and the Kentucky Derby.

“We are grateful for the support of our community partners in working to ensure the stories of Black horse men and women are told as an integral part of the Kentucky Derby's history,” said Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO.

In addition to the Grand Prize, cash prizes were also awarded to first, second and third place. Honorable mention awards were also given out to four other participating artists. Artist Simone Brown was awarded honorable mention and given an additional prize from Watson's which included a $2,500 gift card good for use in-store at their locations. Click here for a full list of winners. This link will take you to images of the top five winning art pieces.

Artwork submitted to the contest will be displayed at the Kentucky Derby Museum and Watson's starting later this Spring. Additional art will be displayed by our community partners: the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, KMAC Museum, Louisville Free Public Library, and the Muhammad Ali Center.

During the months of February and March, Kentucky Derby Museum will be offering visitors FREE admission to the Black Heritage in Racing Tour on select Saturdays at 1 P.M as part of Louisville Tourism's Unfiltered Truth Program. The Museum invites the community to take part in the tour to further their knowledge of some of the most important African American influencers in Thoroughbred racing.


The Will of Aunt Eliza, Lance G. Newman

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‘Champions For Change’: Tuesday’s Churchill Card To Celebrate Black Horsemen In Racing

Churchill Downs Racetrack announced Wednesday that this year's Kentucky Derby Week programming will introduce “Champions for Change” on Tuesday, April 27.

Champions Day presented by TwinSpires annually highlights the history of the Kentucky Derby and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. This year, as part of an industry-wide commitment to increasing diversity and inclusivity in the sport of horse racing, the day will celebrate Black Horsemen in Thoroughbred racing and feature partner organizations whose mission supports equitable opportunities in racing.

The event highlights will include a commemorative print giveaway by The Art of Kacy and artist signing by the internationally-recognized Kentucky artist himself, Kacy Jackson. Louisville artist and printmaker Norman Spencer of CloudHotelPrints will create prints highlighting Black Horsemen who dedicated their career to elevating the sport of horse racing. The Kentucky Derby Museum will also be on hand to feature items from their Black Heritage in Racing Exhibit and Tour.

Organizations that will be featured throughout Champions for Change are: Ed Brown Society, Legacy Equine Academy, Project to Preserve African American Turf History (PPATH), Phoenix Rising, and Simmons College. Global Economic Diversity Development Initiative (GEDDI), a nonprofit foundation focused on building economic wealth for the Black community in the areas of workforce, economic empowerment, supply chain, leadership development and business acceleration, is the charitable beneficiary of the day. This year, Churchill Downs has donated over $200,000 to these nonprofit and educational organizations to support their work in creating more equity in the industry of horse racing.

Last month, Churchill Downs announced a change to the name of the featured overnight stakes race on Champions Day to the $120,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon in honor of the legendary African-American and native Kentuckian who was arguably the greatest jockey American racing has ever known. The 1 ½-mile endurance race for Thoroughbreds age 4 and up was formerly known as Champions Day Marathon.

“Champions for Change is a significant addition to this year's Kentucky Derby Week programming,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson. “It is the result of months of challenging but necessary conversations where we looked not only within our own organization and at the needs of our community, but also at the sport of horseracing to explore ways we can work together toward more equity. We feel fortunate that others in our industry will join us in this effort next Tuesday and commit to being champions for change.”

Tickets to Champions Day and to join the “Champions for Change” celebration can be purchased at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/visit/derby-week/champions-day. They include Reserved Boxes to General Admission assigned seat starting at $14.

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Black Heritage In Racing Exhibit Opens Monday At The Kentucky Derby Museum

The Black Heritage in Racing exhibit at Kentucky Derby Museum opens to the public on Monday, March 29. A ribbon cutting and media preview Friday, March 26 at 2 P.M. celebrates the newly expanded space.

The exhibit, a permanent display inside the Museum since 1993, documents the stories and contributions of Black horsemen in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. With support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Black Heritage in Racing exhibit has moved from the second floor to a larger and more prominent location on the first floor of the Museum.

The new exhibit space is just under 930 square feet, which is more than 20 times larger than the previous exhibit space. This increased footprint allows the Museum to display more of its collection of artifacts pertaining to Black History in the sport, add new components such as oral history interviews and artwork, and provide visitors the best experience possible. The exhibit walks guests through Black Heritage in horse racing history, from the early days when Black horsemen dominated the sport, to the Jim Crow era that led to the exclusion of Black jockeys, and to modern times.

“We're excited to invite the public to see this beautiful exhibit. It is really striking, with a bold red theme throughout, and larger than life images of these horsemen,” said Patrick Armstrong, President & CEO of Kentucky Derby Museum. “It was our team's intent when designing this exhibit to give these individuals their time to shine, by making them stand out in these oversized pictures throughout the space. It is our hope that when exploring this exhibit, people will walk away with a greater appreciation of the Black Heritage that is woven through horse racing. It is a distinct honor for us to be the keepers and tellers of their stories for years to come.”

Guests can explore the stories of history-makers like Oliver Lewis, the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby aboard Aristides in 1875. The story of Ansel Williamson, the trainer of Aristides, is also featured.

Visitors can also learn about the career of one of the greatest jockeys of all time, Isaac Murphy. Born an enslaved person, he went on to win three Kentucky Derbys, and won an estimated 44% of his races, compared to the average jockey today winning around 20%. Many more stories are shared, including names from the modern era, like hip-hop star MC Hammer, who had a 3rd place finisher in the 1992 Kentucky Derby and won the Kentucky Oaks in 1991 with Lite Light.

Additionally, guests will learn about Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, the owners of Necker Island, a horse who contended for Kentucky Derby 146. Harbut's great-grandfather was the groom to the legendary horse Man o' War.

Black Heritage in Racing Collection

The Black Heritage in Racing Collection at the Museum features several components, including the expanded exhibit, a new tour that launched in December, and Proud of My Calling, a monthly, 60-minute live acting performance that brings the stories of Black horsemen to life. Proud of My Calling, supported by UPS, launches Saturday, March 27. Still to come, a Black Heritage in Racing traveling exhibit will be created over the next several months to travel to museums, community centers, visitor centers and churches. Additionally, the Museum's Education Team teaches thousands of students each year through two programs focusing on Black Heritage in Racing during field trips, in-school teaching and virtual learning.

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