Kentucky Humanities

It’s Museum on Main Street Monday, a weekly spotlight on "Americans"—the traveling Smithsonian exhibit currently touring Kentucky.

Each Monday, we’ll share exhibit highlights, trivia, and upcoming events from Kentucky communities hosting this traveling exhibition.

The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830, authorizing the president to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders.

Prior to the President's signing, the Senate voted 28 to 19 to pass the Indian Removal Act on April 24, 1830 and the House of Representatives voted 102 to 97 to pass the Indian Removal Act on May 26, 1830.

"Americans" is open at the Highlands DOzeum in Ashland. The exhibit closes on July 5th.

Find more information about events taking place throughout the Commonwealth at https://kyhumanities.org/events/.

Father’s Day in America was inspired by Mother’s Day and championed by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, as a way honor her father who raised six children as a single widower. Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.

It took over six decades for the day to become a permanent federal holiday, officially signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972.

The summer solstice is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice occurs when the sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky. This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice marks the astronomical start of winter when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky.)

This year's Summer Solstice occurs on Sunday, June 21, at 4:24 am EDT

Suing for Freedom 🖤

5:00 pm ET: Elizabeth Lawson as Charlotte Dupuy ✨

The daughter of George and Rachel Stanley, Charlotte Dupuy was born in Cambridge, Maryland, in 1787. Her parents were owned and enslaved by Daniel Parker. Eight short years later, Dupuy was sold to James Condon for $100 and was forced to leave her family.

In 1805, at the age of 18, Charlotte was brought to Kentucky by Mr. Condon and was registered as his slave. While in Kentucky she met Aaron Dupuy, who was enslaved by Henry Clay and his wife, Lucretia. Charlotte and Aaron were married in 1806 and Charlotte was sold to the Clay family.

In 1825, the Clay family moved to Washington, D.C. as Henry Clay served as Secretary of State. Charlotte found a lawyer who filed papers for her and her children, suing for their freedom. Her petition was denied and Charlotte was jailed for refusing to return to Kentucky with the Clays. She was later emancipated by Henry Clay in 1840.

🗓️ TOMORROW, Saturday, June 20th
🕔 4- 8ish pm ET
📍 Lake Cumberland Farmers Market
401 East Mount Vernon Street
Somerset, Kentucky 42501

Kentucky Humanities
[Image Description: A picture of Elizabeth Lawson as Charlotte Dupuy. Reads the information in caption.]