Welcome Back to a New Semester!
We are so glad to welcome you back to a new semester and a fresh chapter in the work we share. We hope your summer gave you time to rest, recharge, and reflect because what we do together matters deeply. As educators, we carry an important responsibility to our students across the Commonwealth: to tell the full story of our history and help them see how all of our lives are connected. This is more than teaching lessons. It is about creating spaces where students feel seen, valued, and inspired to think critically about the world around them. Together, we can continue to lift up voices that have too often been left out and make sure every learner knows they have a place in Kentucky’s story. Here’s to a semester filled with purpose, creativity, and meaningful connections.
JBH Fellowship Kicks Off with a Powerful Weekend
The JBH Fellowship launched in an inspiring way last weekend, setting the tone for the important work ahead. On Friday evening, fellows were welcomed at a special reception hosted by the Berea Black Alumni during their reunion for the classes of 1960–1975. This gathering was more than a meet and greet. It was an opportunity to connect with trailblazers who were at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement at Berea College. Their stories reminded us of the resilience, courage, and commitment that continue to shape our work today.
On Saturday, fellows participated in an engaging workshop rooted in LaGarrett King’s Teaching Black History Framework. This session encouraged critical reflection on how Black history is currently taught and challenged us to consider ways to reframe the narrative so that it fully centers marginalized voices and lived experiences. The energy and dialogue from this first weekend confirmed what we already know: this fellowship is not just about teaching content, it is about transforming perspectives and creating classrooms where history is taught with honesty, complexity, and care.
Looking ahead, next month our fellows will attend the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies (KCSS) Conference and participate in a workshop with Dr. Kathy Swan from the University of Kentucky focused on the Inquiry Design Model. Other educators are welcome to attend this workshop as well, but registration is required. These experiences will continue to build capacity for creating meaningful, inquiry-based lessons that empower students to think deeply and critically about history.
ATBHK brings I Was Here project to Berea College
The Association for Teaching Black History in Kentucky is proud to partner with Berea College’s Division of Student Life and Hutchins Library to bring the I Was Here project to campus. This collaboration is more than an art installation; it is about creating transformative spaces where history, memory, and identity intersect. Last month, ATBHK hosted a powerful workshop that invited staff, faculty, and
administrators to reflect on ancestry and belonging.
As part of this ongoing work, Berea College students will engage in four Invitation to Respond workshops, providing opportunities to explore themes of heritage, representation, and community. These sessions will complement the project’s Ancestor Spirit Portrait, now on display in Hutchins Library.
Professional Reading
In a post-DEI world, effective practice is still effective practice. Period.
BIn the current “post-DEI” climate, where both corporate America and state policymakers are distancing themselves from diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks, educators are urged to focus on what truly matters: strategies that authentically and positively impact students, regardless of labels. Former superintendent Earnest Winston reminds teachers that renaming equity initiatives or stripping symbolic representations should not derail the core mission of fostering inclusive, student-centered environments. He proposes five guiding questions educators should ask themselves, ranging from ensuring every student feels seen and supported, to adapting instruction to individual needs, creating emotionally and academically welcoming spaces, and nurturing caring relationships, that reinforce the timeless principle that effective practice remains effective, DEI label or not.
ATBHK Wants to Visit Your School!
Follow the QR code for more information:
Contact Information
Email: info@atbhk.org.
phone: 859-985-3942
Website: www.atbhk.org
