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F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 7 vol . 9 i ssue 2

IN THIS ISSUE

2City Tactics

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Insurance News

Law Abiding

FRONT PAGE NEWSSounding the Alarm: Organizations Seek toAvert Health Care/Retirement Crisis

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KLC Executive Director/CEO Sylvia L. Lovely withDave Adkisson, president andCEO of the KentuckyChamber of Commerce andRobert F. Sexton, executivedirector of the PrichardCommittee for AcademicExcellence at the February 1,2007 news conference in theCapitol Rotunda.

KLC, Prichard Committee and theKentucky Chamber join forces aroundpublic employee benefit cost issue

The Kentucky League of Cities, theKentucky Chamber of Commerce and thePrichard Committee for Academic Excellence(a statewide advocate for education) are makingnews by raising a "collective alarm" about theimpending crisis our state is facing in paying forpublic employee benefits. KLC is particularlyinterested in communicating the monumentalfinancial effects already being felt by cities.

Issue overview and key messages:

The growing cost of public employee benefitsis simply not sustainable, and the threestatewide groups have come together to call fora bipartisan effort to address this problem.

The goal is to raise public awareness and tohelp Kentuckians understand that these risingcosts are putting the future of our state and ourcitizens at risk. In particular, public safety couldbe affected if those positions were cut as a resultof budget pressures.

Governor Fletcher has appointed a BlueRibbon Commission on Public EmployeesRetirement Systems Task Force to examine theissue including a representative from KLC.(You can read the proclamation appointing thecommission at www.klc.org.)

At the news conference the groups asked thegovernor (1) to include actuaries and otherswith independent, detailed knowledge ofretirement systems as task force members (2)and that they be directed to develop strategiesto address the root causes of the problems - notjust the symptoms. KLC will also ask theGeneral Assembly to dedicate part of theanticipated state budget surplus, which isreceiving a lot of media attention, to the state-administered retirement system.

Lovely said, "We realize that there are noeasy answers to this growing concern and thatthe problem is overwhelmingly the result ofrising health care costs. However, we mustemphasize that these long-term costs may beenough to put some cities out of business, andwe must take a stand now to raise awareness ofour dire situation. As Kentucky's leadingadvocate for cities, KLC looks forward toworking with the legislature to create a morecost-effective system for our local publicemployees."

Want more information? Watch the KLCweb site for specific information. Also, contactKLC's policy or legislative staff members at 1-800-876-4552 for more information or todiscuss how the issue directly affects your city.

! The cost of employers' healthinsurance premiums has grown atthree times the rate of wages since2000.

Premiums for family coverage haveincreased 71% since 2000.

More and more uninsured people(41%) are considered middle-income.

Governments offer health coverageto employees more frequently thanprivate employers (96% in the public

sector compared with 60% of privateemployers) and pay a greater share ofthe premium (over 90% of thepremium cost vs. 84% in the privatesector).

In 2005, 44% of public employersprovided health coverage to retirees,compared with only 7% in theprivate sector. Public employers arenearly twice as likely as Fortune 500firms to offer some retiree healthbenefits.

Facts and figures to localize and share with your media.

C O N T E N T S February/March 2007

FRONT PAGE NEWSSounding the Alarm 1

CITY TACTICSTips for Working with Your Media 2

INSURANCE NEWSDon’t Get Soaked! 3

LAW ABIDINGPublic Official Bonding 4

NCI CITIZEN PROFILEEarly - One of the First 5

POLICY & RESEARCH TOOLSThink Fast! 6

SHOW ME THE MONEYFunds for Recycling 7

LEGISLATIVE NEWSWho Do We Appreciate? 8K

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2007 City Officials AcademiesBowling Green Lexington

KLC's recent City Officials Academies providedmore than 23 hours of learning, networking andhospitality for more than 300 newly elected andseasoned officials! Check out training and educationopportunities at www.klc.org and click on thehomepage calendar section.

Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker andLexington-Fayette Urban County GovernmentMayor Jim Newberry were welcomed peers andparticipated in the academies in their respective cities.

BowlingGreen

Lexington Total

108 197 305

26 52 78

59 114 173

23 31 54

48 87 135

Total Attendees

Mayors

Councilmember/Commissioner

Other City Reps & Cornerstone Part.

Cities Represented

Academy Stats

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2OFFICERS

David L. Willmoth, Jr.Mayor of Elizabethtown, President

Glenn V. CaldwellMayor of Williamstown, First Vice President

Connie LawsonMayor of Richmond, Second Vice President

Bradley H. CollinsMayor of Morehead, Immediate Past President

Sylvia L. LovelyExecutive Director/CEO, KLC

EXECUTIVE BOARDJerry E. Abramson

Mayor of Louisville Metro

Susan BartoMayor of Lyndon

Butch CalleryMayor of Covington

Bill Ed CannonCity Manager of Corbin

Stephen GilmoreMayor of Ashland

Tony MasseyCity Manager of Frankfort

Michael D. MillerMayor of Jackson

Mary PateMayor of Beaver Dam

William PaxtonMayor of Paducah

Darrell PickettMayor of Glasgow

Tom RushingMayor of Murray

Elaine WalkerMayor of Bowling Green

The voice of Kentucky cities.

KLCDirect is published monthly by the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC). KLCis a voluntary association of nearly 400 cities and provides a multitude of services to assist inimproving local government. Please address any correspondence to KLC Direct, KentuckyLeague of Cities, 100 East Vine Street, Suite 800, Lexington, Kentucky 40507-3700. Phone(859) 977-3700 or 1-800-876-4552. Fax (859) 977-3703. www.klc.org.

EDITORIAL STAFFPublisher, Sylvia L. Lovely

Editor, Terri Johnson

Design/Layout, Ulysses C. Hayes

Director of Communications, Bobbie Bryant

For a full list of KLC staff visit www.klc.org.

By providing pertinent information, the Kentucky League of Cities does not necessarily endorsethe views, services, programs or initiatives described in the listed references or websites, nor isthe Kentucky League of Cities responsible for any statements or material contained therein. Thispublication provides information and links as a service to readers for their consideration.

® 2007 Kentucky League of Cities

KLCDirect

KLC President David L. Willmoth, Jr. suggested a reminder on how cities can effectively work with localmedia. On any given day, anything can happen that may require city officials to address the media orcommunicate to the public at large. During the legislative session, it is also important for all Kentuckycities to help localize the issues at stake in the minds of their constituents.

It is prudent for city officials (particularly newly elected officials) to build a personal relationship withyour local media representatives. Simply let them know that your door is open to them and you appreciatetheir role in keeping the public informed, engaged and safe.

For all city officials, it's important to respect your media- and their deadlines. They have a job to do andyour cooperation will be appreciated. Unhelpful or negative media coverage is a fact of life for most anycity or large business but proactive and thoughtful efforts on your part will make a difference, and can leadto positive media stories about your city.

Key points on media relations:

build a relationship - invite media to meet you in your office

be accessible and responsive to media

designate a city spokesperson

make sure your employees are informed on critical situations and that they understand there is onekey spokesperson

stay poised and confident - whether it be a one-on-one interview or a news conference

provide information in writing to media and as soon as possible - Q & A or fact sheets are good tools

reiterate key messages and phrases often

tell the truth and say so if you don't know something

“off the record” does not exist

pitch positive stories from time-to-time

CITY TACTICS Tips for Working With Your Media

KLC is pleased to be engaged in the 2007 City and County Technology Summit to be held March 12-14, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the importance of collaboration in issues of technology and finance.Hosted by The Performance Institute, the City and County Technology Summit is the mostcomprehensive event offered to educate and train local professionals to improve performance in IT.

KLC Discount! Visit www.cityandcounty.org and use code #T560-DY-S-50 to receive a discount!

Use code #T560-DY-S-50 when registering online and receive 50% off tuition for any KLC membersor NewCities contacts. Email Terri Johnson (tjohnson@klc.org) or call her at 1-800-876-4552, ext. 3784with questions or to receive a discount registration form via fax or email.

BIG IDEAS/INNOVATIONSLovely Asked to Chair National Event in Las Vegas -KLC Members Get a 50% Discount!

Media ToolsDownload samples of all these tools at www.klc.org > FAQ's & How To's> How To's

Media Advisory - Who, what, when, where and why information with minimal detail. Send prior to anevent or to announce something.

News Release - Narrative information with quotes suitable for print - 2-3 pages maximum. Distributejust prior to, during or after an event or announcement. ("Embargoed" means you send media a releasebut ask them to hold on the story until the actual event date. This technique can be used in certain cases(as long as you trust your media representative). It is especially helpful to newspapers because they can runthe story the day of the event.)

Q & A - Anticipate questions media or public may have and answer them in writing. Distribute justprior to, during or after an event or announcement.

Fact Sheet - General details onan issue, initiative or event withminimal detail and bullet pointinformation. Good to use as a thisbasic handout and use with alonger “shelf life.”

Remember to alwaysinclude contact information

Email information, photosand graphics wheneverpossible

Post your releases andadvisories on your website

To encourage coverage,call local media tointroduce or follow-up onnews releases (but don'tbug them)

The newly redesigned official site of the U.S. Government. The site featuressections for city officials includingfederal grants, disaster preparednessresources, state and local statistics,and also features sections forchildren, parents, seniors,entrepreneurs and other specialaudiences. Check it out!

www.usa.gov

WELCOME NEWCORNERSTONE PARTNER

LIMESTONE LEVEL:Radiant Networks

Radiant Networks provides wirelessintegration services.

Contact: Dan Cooper, Presidentdcooper@radiant-networks

502-314-8669PO Box 991516

Louisville, KY 40269www.radiant-networks.com

4LAW ABIDING

3INSURANCE NEWS

It's that time of year. Time to check onyour city or agency flood insurancepolicies.

Congress created the National FloodInsurance Program to provide protection forthose living or working near a creek, stream,or river. With more miles of streams than anyother state in the continental United States,

Kentucky waterways are a blessing as long asthey aren't overflowing.

Contact Marty Nemes at the KLCInsurance Agency for a no-obligation quotefor flood protection at 1-800-876-4552 ormnemes@klc.org. For more general tips andinfo on floods, go to www.floodsmart.gov.

Don’t Get Soaked! Public Official BondingRequirements

Who must be bonded?At the end of each election cycle, many

questions arise about who must be bonded.Bonding of city and county officials is governed byKRS 65.067. The statute requires all officers,officials, and employees of city and countygovernments who handle public funds in theexecution of their duties to "give a good andsufficient bond" to the local governing body assecurity for all money coming into his or herhands or under his or her control. In the case ofcity officials, the requirement generally includescity clerks, city treasurers, utility clerks, andanyone who signs checks.

Amount of bond?KRS 65.067 requires the bond amount to be

based upon the maximum amount of public fundsthe officer, official, or employee handles at anygiven time during a fiscal year cycle. The amount,therefore, varies by officer or employee.

Who pays for the bond?KRS 65.067 requires the local governing body

to pay for the bond.

When must the bond be executed?KRS 62.050 requires any person required by law

to give bond to execute a bond prior to enteringupon the duties of his or her office.

What if you don’t comply?The office of any person elected to an office

required to post bond who fails to post bond inviolation of KRS 62.050 shall be consideredvacant. Any nonelected officer who violates KRS62.050 is subject to a fine pursuant to KRS 62.990.Insurance policies generally will not cover theft offunds by an officer, official, or employee requiredto be bonded if the person is not bonded.

2007 “City Officials LegalHandbook” Now Available!

From KLC's Legal Team, the 2007 edition ofthis valuable tool covers topics from ADA tozoning. Each chapter discusses in a narrativeform, the highlights of a particular area of localgovernment law. Read more about the publicationand order online at www.klc.org.

Only $35 for KLC members and CornerstonePartners and $75 for non-members.

FROM THE FIELD

The following board and former boardmembers served on behalf of KLCmembership on NLC Committees and filedthese reports from the December 5-9, 2006Congress of Cities

Paducah City Commissioner Robert A.Coleman - NLC Energy, Environment andNatural Resources Steering Committee

Discussions surrounded a new approachfor economic development as it relatesto the nation's energy policy. "It wasclear that there is an urgency to developa viable energy policy from a variety ofsources and I was pleased to hear thatKentucky coal was included in thoseoptions," said Coleman.

Lyndon Mayor Susan Barto - NLCHuman Development Steering Committee

Discussion included new policyrecommendations for HumanDevelopment, solutions to storm waterproblems and preparation techniquesfor emergency situations. Other topicsincluded immigration, education andthe rising costs of health care.

Ft. Thomas Mayor Thomas Holocher -NLC Transportation Infrastructure andServices Steering Committee

The committee passed resolutions to besubmitted to the NLC leadership forapproval.

Former Mayor of Madisonville, KarenCunningham - NLC Finance, Admini-stration and Intergovernmental RelationsSteering Committee

Discussions included legislationproviding terrorism risk insurance and atelecommunications tax.

There was serious concern about thefinancial issues facing cities as well aspresentations on tax reform, alternativeminimum tax and the new standardsfrom the Governmental AccountingStandards Board.

Former Lexington-Fayette UrbanCounty Government CouncilmemberJacques Wigginton - NLC Board ofDirectors

One recommendation was the creationof a new set of awards focused onCDBG. The awards are related to thebest practices by cities making usage offederal HOME and CDBG funds.

Wigginton also noted that KLC’s“Cities Make Life More Livable”marketing campaign about theimportance of cities in America wasimpressive to other leagues inattendance. The campaign includes adplacements and posters for cities. (Toobtain copies, contact KLCCommunications).

Other issues included NLC's legislativeagenda, financial status, relationshipwith the state leagues, sponsorshippolicies, conferences, membershiprecruitment and retention, standingcommittee meetings and futurelegislative direction.

Reports from NLC Congress of Cities

In the 30 years since its construction, theCity of Owensboro's Riverport has grown tobecome a major contributor to both the localand national economies.

Founded in the mid-1970s by a visionarygroup of community leaders, the initial designincluded a dock, an uploading facility and a32,000 square foot warehouse. Today, it is tentimes larger, employs 45 people and features,among other things, a two-tiered flood wall, atug/fleeting service and two 110-ton cranes toload and unload barges. Furthermore, amajority of the inventory at the Riverport iseligible for either the London MetalExchange or the New York MercantileExchange, meaning they are tradedinternationally.

The Riverport benefits farmers within 100miles by providing a low cost of watertransportation for grain which enables them

to stay competitive in the internationalmarket. In 2003, the Riverport shipped grainproducts to destinations all over the world,including the United Kingdom, Israel, Brazil,Korea and Japan.

The Riverport also plays a large role in thepaper industry, serving as a major storage anddistribution site with as many as 1 millioncases of paper towels, tissues and toilet paperto be shipped out to major customers aroundthe country on demand.

Metals are also important to the Riverportwith its handling of scrap, finished steel andparticularly aluminum. In 2004, it handled48,000 tons of steel and 440,000 tons ofaluminum. On most days, the City ofOwensboro contains the largest stock ofpublicly traded aluminum bars in America.

Since 1996, the Riverport has supporteditself financially, and annually contributes$150,000 directly to the city's general fund, inaddition to the purchasing power itsemployees generate for the economy.

The Kentucky League of Cities is proud toprovide the Owensboro Riverport itsProperty and Workers’ CompensationInsurance Policy and, KLC has also had theprivilege of financing the construction of theRiverport's newest warehouse - a 300,000square foot building that opened in 2003.

Insurance Profile: Owensboro’s Mighty Riverport

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Earth Day Award NominationsThe Environmental Quality Commission

(EQC) is seeking nominations for its 2007Earth Day awards. The awards are intendedto honor people and entities that display anoutstanding commitment to Kentucky'senvironment.

Deadline: March 9, 2007.

Nomination Info: Submit a one-pagesummary of the candidate, along with yourname, phone number and email address toEQC, 14 Reilly Rd., Frankfort, KY 40601 oremail to Johnna.McHugh@ky.gov.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

2007 Awards for MunicipalExcellence

This award, given by the National Leagueof Cities and CH2M HILL recognizesprograms that improve the quality of life inAmerican's communities.

Deadline: May 3, 2007

Applications and More Information:www.nlc.org > Resources for cities> Awardsand Recognition or call 201-626-3130 for anomination packet.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

2007 All-American Cities AwardsFor the past 57 years, The National Civic

League's All-America City Awards havehonored communities of all sizes - cities,towns, counties, neighborhoods and regions -in which citizens, government, businesses andvolunteer organizations work together toaddress critical local issues.

Deadline: March 8, 2007

Information & Criteria: www.ncl.org/aacor to receive an application for the 2007 All-America City Award, contact Kristin Seaveykristins@ncl.org. at the National CivicLeague (or call 303-571-4343).

CITY AWARDS

The Environmental and Public ProtectionCabinet's Division of Waste Management(DWM) is accepting recycling grantproposals for projects that promote anintegrated infrastructure for recycling as wellas an emphasis on public education. Onereason for the effort is because Kentucky'shousehold recycling rate is 22 percentcompared to the national rate of 26.7 percent.

Regional recycling proposals will be givenpriority.

Deadline: Monday, April 2 (hard copiesrequired)

More Information: www.waste.ky.gov

Contact Information: Fred Kirchhoff at502-564-6716, ext. 243 or Fred.Kirchhoff@ky.gov.

SHOW ME THE MONEYFunds for Recycling from Kentucky Pride Fund

The Governor's Office for LocalDevelopment (GOLD) is extending itsapplication deadlines for both the 2007Recreational Trails and Land and WaterConservation Fund programs.

The Recreational Trails Program may beused to acquire land for recreational trails andto develop and renovate trails. The Land andWater Conservation Fund provides grantfunds to protect important natural areas, toacquire land for outdoor recreation and todevelop or renovate public outdoor recreationfacilities such as campgrounds, picnic areas,

sports and playfields, swimming facilities,boating facilities, fishing facilities, trails,natural area and passive parks.

Deadline - Recreation Trails: March 15,2007

Deadline - Land and WaterConservation Fund: April 15, 2007

Applications: www.gold.ky.gov.

More Information: Jodie McDonald at 1-800-346-5606, ext. 222 or jodie.mcdonald@ky.gov.

Deadlines Extended for Recreational Trailsand Water Conservation Funds

NCI CITIZEN PROFILE

Early - One of the FirstDoing her part to help redevelop hercommunity

Lara Early is rewarded by the opportunity toboth revitalize part of downtown Winchester andenjoy a unique perspective of home ownership.Early is director of Winchester First, a Main

Street revitalization program. She was one of thefirst individuals in town to use her own money tobuy, renovate and live in a building that wouldhave otherwise been left for naught.

"Being young and single I found that buying abuilding downtown was a smarter investment thanrenting or owning an apartment," said Early. "Ilove the architecture and atmosphere downtownWinchester has to offer."

Early lives in the upper loft of the building andrents the lower portion to a local attorney for hisoffice.

"Winchester is a beautiful place with greatpeople! Downtown is targeting small businessowners who will bring variety to this uniquesetting." Although there are a number of smallbusinesses in downtown already, which Earlyvisited while decorating her place, she said "westill need a little more."

Nearly all of the buildings along the downtownblocks are still intact so she is optimistic thatothers may also convert older buildings intoresidences.

"I am utterly amazed at the interest since mypurchase," she said and she hopes others will joinher in demonstrating pride for Winchester'sdowntown by choosing, as she has, to make it theirhome.

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What city has the smallest population inKentucky? (Concord - 27 residents)

How many elected city officials are there?(Over 2,600)

How much has our Kentucky population grownsince 2000? (Seven percent - includingincorporated cities and unincorporated areas)

Created by KLC's Policy Development andResearch team, the “Kentucky Cities: TheBasics” provides the answer to these burningquestions and more. This newly releasedpublication is designed to provide city officials,community leaders, citizens and media with abasic understanding of cities in Kentucky.

To download a free copy, go to www.klc.org>Member Services & Solutions > PolicyDevelopment and Research > Publications.

Call KLC's Policy Development & Researchteam for information about state and federallegislative issues, as well as general informationand research.

POLICY & RESEARCH TOOLSThink Fast! New Publication AnswersYour Burning Questions

NewCities Snapshot

NewCities Executive Vice President Tom Pratherand KLC Executive Director/CEO and NewCitiesPresident Sylvia Lovely welcomed Executive DirectorShinji Hirai and Senior Researcher Seth Benjaminfrom the Japan Local Government Center based inNew York City. They were interested in the “civicrejuvenation” work KLC and NewCities are doingwith communities.

Feb./Mar. 2007vol. 9 issue 2

KLC Directis a monthly publication of the Kentucky League ofCities.Any comments or article suggestions should be forwarded to:Kentucky League of Cities, 100 East Vine Street, Suite 800, Lexington, KY 40507-3700859-977-3700 1-800-876-4552 Fax: 859-977-3703 www.klc.org

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PAIDPERMIT NO 1042LEXINGTON, KY

Printed on Recycled Paper

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

KLCDirect is designed internally to save our members money.We Want to Hear from You! To submit a story or commentary for KLC Direct departments, please contact the KLC staff listed or go to

www.klc.org. For overall feedback, contact Terri Johnson at 1-800-876-4552, ext. 3784, or tjohnson@klc.org.

Mark Your Calendar

For more information or to register online, visit KLC’s web site at www.klc.org. With questions, contact KLC at 1-800-876-4552.

MARCH 6 KLC City Night5:00 - 8:00 p.m.- Frankfort Convention Center RSVP at www.klc.org

APRIL 12-14KBC-LEO Annual Spring Summit

Owensboro Executive Inn

Information forthcoming

Also watch your mail and email, or go to www.klc.org forinformation on upcoming legislative and other importantdates and events.

8LEGISLATIVE NEWSWho Do We Appreciate? KLC Profiles Legislative LeadersWelcome New House Committee Chairs

Five new chairpersons were named during theorganization session of the General Assembly earlierthis month. We want to congratulate and recognizenew Chairpersons in the House of Representatives.

House Banking and Insurance Committee

Tommy Thompson (D-Owensboro) is a builder anddeveloper from Owensbororepresenting Ohio County and parts ofDaviess County. Tommy joined theHouse in 2003. He is president ofThompson Homes, Inc. Thompson

received his bachelor's degree from the University ofFlorida and his MBA from Indiana University. He hasserved on several boards including president of theHome Builders Association of Kentucky in 1983 andas president of the National Association of HomeBuilders in 1994.

House Judiciary Committee

Kathy Stein (D-Lexington), aLexington attorney, joined the Housein 1997. Stein practiced for a numberof years prior to 1997 with the FayetteCounty Legal Aid followed by a

number of years with the Fayette County Attorney'sOffice. Kathy has an extensive history backgroundincluding an undergraduate degree from ClinchValley College of the University of Virginia, followedby graduate work on military history and the war inthe Valley of Virginia. Kathy and her husband, Alan,have three boys, Wade, Scooter and Hadley.

House Elections, Constitutional Amendmentsand Intergovernmental Affairs

Darryl Owens (D-Louisville), anattorney in private practice, served asCommissioner in Jefferson Countyfrom 1983 until the JeffersonCounty/Louisville merger in 2003.Darryl joined the House in 1995.Owens received his undergraduate

from Central State University in Ohio and law degreefrom Howard University in Washington, D.C. Darrylhas served as President of the Louisville BranchNAACP and the Louisville Legal Aid Society, as wellas, First Vice President of the Louisville UrbanLeague Executive Committee.

House Licensing & Occupations Committee

Joni Jenkins (D-Shively) worked in different levelsof state and county government before joining the

House in 1995. Some of the positionsshe has held include the coordinator ofthe PEACC program at the Universityof Louisville, a communicationsspecialist at the Center for Womenand Families, a training specialist and apersonnel analyst in Jefferson Countygovernment. Representative Jenkins serves as theVice Chairperson of the Kentucky Democrat Party.She received a bachelor's in journalism from theUniversity of Kentucky.

House Veterans, Military Affairs,and Public Protection Committee

Tanya Pullin (D-South Shore), anintellectual property lawyer, representsGreenup and a part of Boyd Counties.Tanya joined the House in 2001.Tanya received her undergraduate andlaw degrees from the University of Kentucky, as wellas a graduate degree from Duke University. Pullin iswell known for her professional skills aroundsoutheast Asia, particularly Vietnam, havingrepresented firms on intellectual property rights issuesin Hanoi and Hong Kong. Tanya is on the Board ofDirectors of the American Red Cross and Our LadyBellefonte Hospital Foundation.

Did you know that Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950), theperson who began the celebration of what is now Black HistoryMonth, spent his early life in Kentucky? Born to former slaves,Woodson spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal minesand enrolled in high school at age 20. He graduated in two years,went on to Berea College and later earned degrees from theUniversity of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr.Woodson started Black History Month in 1926 to recognize thecontributions of Black people throughout American history andchose the month of February to honor the birth month of two menhe deeply admired - Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.

KLC FactoidFather of "Black History Month" had

Kentucky roots