Meet the Kentucky Chautauqua® Lineup: Madeline McDowell Breckinridge
A reformer. A suffragist. A history maker.
Through the Kentucky Chautauqua, Madeline McDowell Breckinridge's story comes to life—inviting audiences to experience the courage, conviction, and complexity of a woman who helped change history.
Click the link in our bio to learn more about bringing this powerful drama to your community and meeting history face to face.
Kentucky Humanities, which serves as Kentucky’s Center for the Book, is proud to announce that it has received one of 56 historic card catalogs retired by the @librarycongress and transformed into an interactive information kiosk. The kiosk helps to remind patrons that the Library of Congress is a library for all.
The Library of Congress Card Catalog Kiosk can be found at the Kentucky Humanities office, 206 East Maxwell Street in Lexington.
“We are excited to bring this unique and historic piece to Kentucky,” said Jay McCoy, Director of the Kentucky Center for the Book. “This kiosk is a tribute to the legacy of libraries and a bridge to the vast digital resources of the Library of Congress. It’s a powerful reminder that libraries—past, present, and future—are essential to access, learning, and joy.”
Each card catalog kiosk features signage explaining that the cabinet was once in active use at the Library of Congress, along with information about its history and original purpose. The front of each drawer highlights a Library of Congress service or program. Inside each of the 15 drawers, visitors will find a card with a brief description of that initiative and a QR code linking directly to related resources on the Library of Congress website.
“We are very grateful for the Library’s Affiliate Centers for the Book,” said Lee Ann Potter, Director of Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives at the Library of Congress. “Not only does this community of 56 organizations regularly help the Library of Congress promote reading, libraries, and literacy across the country, but all of them played an important role in finding wonderful homes for these card catalog kiosks in their states and territories. The responses we are getting from the Affiliate Center directors have been inspiring.”
Thank you, Kentucky, for your support on KY Gives Day! 💙
Because of you, Kentucky Humanities can continue sharing powerful stories, supporting lifelong learning, and connecting communities across the Commonwealth!
We’re grateful for every gift, every share, and every show of support. Thank you for believing in the humanities.
There’s still time—KY Gives Day isn’t over yet! 💙
Before midnight, you can help ensure Kentucky’s stories, voices, and history continue to be shared statewide.
Your support of Kentucky Humanities fuels telling Kentucky's stories that connect Kentuckians to one another and to our shared past.
⏰ The clock is ticking.
💙 Every gift matters.
/organizations/kentucky-humanities-294b2c8b-c491-49c5-8778-210263f952d0
It’s KY Gives Day! 💙
Today is your chance to support the stories, cultures, and communities that make Kentucky Kentucky.
A gift to Kentucky Humanities helps bring history to life, connecting learners of all ages to Kentucky’s rich history and culture through programs, exhibitions, and classroom resources.
💡 Give today.
📖 Give to the humanities.
/organizations/kentucky-humanities-294b2c8b-c491-49c5-8778-210263f952d0
KY Gives Day is almost here! 💙
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
📅 What is KY Gives Day?
KY Gives Day is Kentucky’s statewide day of online giving, when people from across the Commonwealth come together to support nonprofits they care about.
⏰ When does it happen?
Giving starts at 12:00 a.m. (midnight) tomorrow, May 12 and runs for 24 hours.
💻 How do I give?
You can make a secure online donation through the KY Gives Day platform — quick, easy, and impactful.
/organizations/kentucky-humanities-294b2c8b-c491-49c5-8778-210263f952d0
🎭 Why support Kentucky Humanities?
Your gift helps us:
• Share Kentucky’s history and stories statewide
• Bring humanities programs to communities large and small
• Support libraries, educators, and lifelong learners
• Create spaces for thoughtful conversation and connection
📣 How else can I help?
Even if you can’t give, you can share our posts, spread the word, and encourage others to support Kentucky Humanities tomorrow, May 12.
✨ Join us tomorrow and help keep telling Kentucky’s story.
It’s Museum on Main Street Monday, a weekly spotlight on "Americans"—the traveling Smithsonian exhibit currently touring Kentucky.
Each Monday, we’ll share exhibit highlights, trivia, and upcoming events from Kentucky communities hosting this traveling exhibition.
💡 History insight: The phrase “Trail of Tears” was popularized in the early 1900s by Cherokee and Choctaw poets, giving language and lasting power to the forced removal and suffering of Native nations—words that helped shape how this history is remembered today.
You can visit "Americans" at the @woodfordlibrary until May 23rd.
Events celebrating America's 250th are coming up in Mercer County, Mason County, and Pike County!
This program is part of the national initiative By the People: Conversations Beyond 250, a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the @humfed and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Additional funding for Our American Story: Kentucky’s Voices comes from America 250KY and the @kentuckyhistoricalsociety .
If your organization has not scheduled your 250th event, you can still apply at /programs/america-250/
Set your alarm! Tomorrow is KY Gives Day.
In challenging times, stories connect us.
Conversations help us to better understand one another.
History reminds us who we are—and who we can be.
Your support of Kentucky Humanities helps keep these vital connections alive across the Commonwealth.
/organizations/kentucky-humanities-294b2c8b-c491-49c5-8778-210263f952d0
We are bringing the humanities to communities across the Commonwealth!
On May 12, your support helps bring learning, discussion, and story sharing to Kentuckians near and far.
Join us on KY Gives Day! /organizations/kentucky-humanities-294b2c8b-c491-49c5-8778-210263f952d0
Sunday Reading | May 10, 2026
As we wrap up Children’s Book Week, we’re sharing a few more wonderful picture books from past Great Reads from Great Places selections by the Kentucky Center for the Book—perfect for thoughtful, meaningful reading with young readers.
📘 Under Anna’s Umbrella
By @amanda.j.driscoll , illustrated by Luisa Uribe (2025)
After the loss of her father, Anna carries an umbrella everywhere she goes—no matter the weather. Beneath it, she feels protected as she navigates grief, sadness, and anger. When she invites another child to share shelter, Anna begins to heal. This tender story offers comfort and hope, showing how connection can help us let the light—and even a rainbow—back into our lives.
📕 Forever and Always
By @britjanee , illustrated by Shamar Knight‑Justice (2024)
Each day, Olivia joyfully welcomes her father home—and worries when he leaves for work. Told in lyrical language with rich, expressive illustrations, this reassuring picture book explores family love, everyday routines, and the emotions of a child waiting for a loved one to return. A heartfelt story of comfort, resilience, and reassurance.
📖 Looking for meaningful reads to share? These Kentucky‑connected selections are wonderful additions to any child’s bookshelf.
Mary Towles Sasseen was a schoolteacher in Henderson about 1887 when she began setting aside a day for her students to honor their mothers. Both students and their parents were pleased with the observance, and Sasseen published a pamphlet about it in 1893. Her sister, Sallie Olds, a schoolteacher in Springfield, Ohio, tried the idea too, also with great success. Beginning in 1894, Mother’s Day was observed throughout the Springfield school system. Encouraged, Sasseen began a campaign for a national observance of Mother’s Day, speaking on the subject at school functions throughout the region. After her death in 1908, others took up the cause. Anna Maria Jarvis of West Virginia became the face of the effort. Initially spurned by Congress, Jarvis turned to the states, and, by 1911, each had adopted an observance on the second Sunday in May. Three years later, President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother’s Day an official holiday in the United States, and Mother’s Day cards began appearing in maternal mailboxes by 1920.
We are telling Kentucky stories like this each weekday on Think History. Tune in to WEKU, WKMS, WMMT, WKYU, and WMKY to revisit stories from Kentucky's rich and colorful history.
Help us continue to tell Kentucky's stories by supporting Kentucky Humanities on KY Gives Day.
Click the link in our bio to donate.
