The Color of Silk Exhibit
CENTRAL LIBRARY KENTUCKY ROOM
Lexington, Kentucky
February 3 – April 3, 2020

Nestled within 8-acres of pristine hallowed ground is African Cemetery No.2. Cared for meticulously by volunteers and lovingly curated by Kentucky historian Ms. Yvonne Giles. This sacred and final resting place of over 5,000 souls since the 1820’s are an essential part of the tapestry that is Lexington and a sometimes overlooked focal point of Kentucky’s equestrian history.

In 2020 a project: “African-American Jockeys of the Kentucky Derby” will be unveiled to daylight the significance of African Cemetery No.2 by incorporating fifteen interactive commemorative plaques each with historical narratives about African-American equestrians along the 12-mile Legacy Trail. The project will serve as a source of participative community education and celebration.

This exhibit is presented during Black History Month to focus attention on the valuable importance of African Cemetery No.2 and the unforgettable contributions of equestrian greats interred therein, and the soon to be installed “African-American Jockeys of the Kentucky Derby” commemorative plaques as a new educational feature of the Legacy Trail.

Presented by: The Lexington Fashion Collaborative