focus on race relations (FORR): frankfort

Please join us for the opening reception of this Louisville Photo Biennial exhibit with photography by Rebekah Berry, Patrick J. Mitchell, Marjorie Guyon, Amani Nichae, and Kavon Sünde. This is part of a gallery hop with the four other Frankfort venues hosting exhibits for the Biennial.

In the United States, thousands of African Americans were lynched after the Civil War in an effort to terrorize black communities and prevent them from exercising their new rights and enjoying their new freedoms. The Equal Justice Initiative has verified (with 3 independent sources each) 169 victims in Kentucky between the years of 1877 and 1950 alone. In Franklin County, there were two men lynched who fit into those parameters: Mr. Marshall Boston and Mr. John Maxey. But we also know of four others who were lynched before 1877: Mr. Charles, Mr. Jim Macklin, Mr. Henry Washington, Mr. Harry Johnson, and one victim whose name was unknown. In addition, as FORR members began talking to the community about lynching, we heard from multiple sources about two boys who were lynched on the closed down bridge by the Farmer's Market for crossing over into a white neighborhood.  While we have no documentation about it, we heard from both black and white people. This site has been included to honor those victims whose murders may not have left a paper trail.

The Singing Bridge: A Photographic Memorial to Lynching Victims in the Capital of Kentucky honors the memory of those who lost their lives as well as those who lived in terror under the ever-present threat of being lynched and losing loved ones to lynching. It asks viewers to learn about, think about, and care about this part of our history and how it still affects members of our community today, and to realize that if it still affects some in our community, it affects our community as a whole.

Hate crimes and participation in white supremacist and white nationalist groups have been increasing over the past few years, and it's vital that Frankfort and Franklin County are prepared to address issues of racism as they arise around us. If we understand our history and how much violence and hatred we've already perpetrated and endured, then we will be much better equipped to fight it today and prevent it tomorrow. This is a painful and uncomfortable issue to talk about, but if we don't learn to have these difficult conversations, we are more likely to repeat the mistakes and atrocities of our past. As the capital of Kentucky, we are in a unique position to take the lead on this issue. Focus on Race Relations invites you to come join us on that journey.