The Daily Aesthetic Projects (website and oral histories)

The Daily Aesthetic website on African American parks in Lexington, Kentucky, prior to integration in 1956.

The Daily Aesthetic Oral History Project: "This project focuses on African American culture during the time of segregated park systems in Lexington, Kentucky. These interviews, originally conducted by Boyd Shearer, Jr. for a multimedia presentation, contain descriptions of African American park activities, particularly in Douglass Park. Activities ranged from doll shows, to carnivals, to sports programs. This community also celebrated the visual arts, music, and holidays such as the 4th of July and Easter. The focus of this collection is not discrimination experienced by African Americans at this time, but rather how the park provided a place for them to come together and cultivate a sense of identity and community."

Read more about The Daily Aesthetic Oral History recordings available at the University of Kentucky Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, item records in the SPOKE Database. The recordings are available online.