The Slaveholding, Pro-Confederate History of the Churchill Family of Churchill Downs
Racing Needs to Reckon With the Kentucky Derby’s Roots in Slavery
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In my first article for Time Magazine, I write about the Kentucky Derby in their “Made by History” column.
I moved to Louisville in 2023 to take a position as Professor of History at Simmons College of Kentucky, the only HBCU in the city and one of only two in the state.
I quickly discovered how much the legendary Kentucky Derby serves as both a point of pride and contention for residents in the city.
Known as “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” the festivities begin weeks in advance. The parties, the deliberately flamboyant outfits, the hats!
Yet even as some excitedly gear up for the tradition every year, others, especially Black folks, sense that this race isn’t “for” them.
Part of that sense of exclusion comes from the seeming hesitance on the part of some to robustly reckon with the race’s racist roots.
In particular, the Churchill family, after which Churchill Downs is named, deserves more historical treatment.
In this article, I do just that.
You’ll be especially interested to learn about Luke P. Blackburn who married into the family and tried to assassinate Abraham Lincoln through germ warfare. 😳
Read HERE.
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about the history of people who resisted racism, my new book The Spirit of Justice: Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance is available for pre-order now.
Hmmm….Ask Simmons College students & its community what’s desired for acknowledgement of the racism (past & present) & formal apology with plans for changes to welcome all.
Ideas: Partnerships to learn from Simmons College folks & students; invite Dr. Jemar Tisby to speak as part of events; give % of race profits to Kentucky’s 2 HBCUs & set up a scholarship fund for ongoing scholarships also ; engage & publicly honor & engage diverse folks in planning, decision-making & welcoming friends to the Derby; representation; etc.
Acknowledgement first and foremost!