Kentucky Women Remembered is an exhibit in the

Kentucky State Capitol The Kentucky State Capitol is located in Frankfort, Kentucky, Frankfort and is the house of the three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) of the Politics of the United States, state government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwe ...

that honors the contributions of women from the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

. The exhibit consists of over 60 watercolor portraits of outstanding Kentucky women. The Kentucky Commission on Women receives nominations and selects two to four honorees each year to be included. The exhibit includes famous Kentucky musicians

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill (song), The P ...

and

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccin ...

as well as civic leaders

Mae Street Kidd Mae Jones Street Kidd (February 8, 1904 – October 20, 1999) was an American businesswoman, civic leader, and a skilled politician in her home state of Kentucky. Raised by her African American mother and step-father after her white father refus ...

and Georgia Davis Powers. Governor Edward T. Breathitt established a commission on the status of Kentucky women in April 1964. The commission determined that Kentucky women's status would be improved through a permanent agency and Governor

Louie Nunn Louie Broady Nunn (March 8, 1924 – January 29, 2004) was an American politician who served as the 52nd governor of Kentucky. Elected in 1967, he was the only Republican to hold the office between the end of Simeon Willis's term in 1947 and ...

signed an executive order establishing the Kentucky Commission on Women in November 1968. Legislative action made the Commission official in 1970. In 1978, the Kentucky Commission on Women started a campaign to recognize Kentucky women that history had overlooked. The exhibit "Kentucky Women Excel" began at that year's

Kentucky State Fair The Kentucky State Fair is the official state fair of Kentucky which takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. More than 600,000 fairgoers fill the of indoor and outdoor exhibits; activities include sampling a wide variety of ...

. In 1996 the exhibit was moved to a first floor hallway of the west wing of the Capitol building. The first 17 portraits were created by artist Paula Jull. Other portrait artists that have created works for the exhibit include Alison Davis Lyne and Mary Lou Hall. The Kentucky Women Remembered Committee accepts nominations for new honorees. Nominees may be living or deceased and must have been born in Kentucky or spent a significant part of their lives living in the state. Candidates are required to be role models, to have strengthened Kentucky or the United States through their work, and to have shown leadership in elevating the status of women. New portraits are typically unveiled at a ceremony that takes place during

Women's History Month Women's History Month is an annual observance to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with Internationa ...

in March.

Honorees

Footnotes

References

* * * * * * McEuen, Melissa A. et al. eds. ''Kentucky Women: Their Lives and Times'' (U of Georgia Press, 2015
online review
* *

External links

Kentucky Commission on Women.
Women in Kentucky
, a Kentucky Commission on Women project {{Authority control 1978 establishments in Kentucky Halls of fame in Kentucky Lists of American women State halls of fame in the United States Women in Kentucky Women's halls of fame Frankfort, Kentucky Women Remembered Women Remembered

Honorees

See also

Footnotes

References

External links