The state of Kentucky holds a rich history in the struggle for civil rights and pioneered many efforts advocating for social justice and equality. Berea, Kentucky, is home to Berea College, the first integrated university. Simpsonville is the birthplace of Whitney M. Young Jr., who vastly improved and expanded the National Urban League and feverishly combated employee discrimination. And in the 1960s, Louisville gained national recognition for its peaceful sit-in demonstrations, successfully ending the segregation of its downtown businesses through the passage of a public accommodations ordinance – the first law of its kind in the South. Today you can visit these cities and their historic sites for a more in-depth understanding of these events where they unfolded.
