Kentucky Author Forum Presents Congressman Jim Clyburn with Retired Congressman John Yarmuth

James E. Clyburn is the Congressman representing South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he previously served as Majority Whip. A more than 30-year Congressional veteran, he has been an influential and effective legislative leader and an unwavering voice for civil rights. In 2024, he was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Clyburn’s book, The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation, is an extraordinary work of living history. It explores the powerful, untold story of the pioneering Black politicians from South Carolina who were elected to Congress in the aftermath of the Civil War, and a revealing explanation of why it took nearly a century before the ninth, James Clyburn, was elected.

John Yarmuth is a retired United States Congressman who served eight terms as the representative of Kentucky’s 3rd Congressional District and was chairman of the House Budget Committee from 2019-2023. He was the primary sponsor of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Yarmuth has been recognized for his work to improve education and expand access to affordable health care. Prior to his congressional career, he founded and edited the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO), a weekly alternative newspaper. During his 15 years with LEO, Yarmuth won nearly 20 awards for column and editorial writing.

5:00 PM - Wine and Cheese Reception, Carmichael’s pre-signed book sale in the lobby  
6:00 PM - Interview in the Bomhard Theater
7:00 PM - Q&A with audience in the Bomhard Theater
7:30 PM - Ticketed Dinner with author and interviewer at Muhammad Ali Center