by Keith Hautala

A one-hour documentary exploring the history of one of Lexington's most diverse neighborhoods will have a special advance screening at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the University of Kentucky's William T. Young Library auditorium.

"Davis Bottom: Rare History, Valuable Lives" reveals the fascinating history of a working-class neighborhood established in Lexington after the Civil War. Davis Bottom is one of about a dozen ethnic enclaves settled primarily by African-American families who migrated to Lexington from the 1860s to the 1890s in search of jobs, security and opportunity. 

The documentary is part of the Kentucky Archaeology and Heritage Series, produced by Voyageur Media Group, Inc. for the Kentucky Archaeological Survey and the Kentucky Heritage Council. The series is distributed by Kentucky Educational Television (KET) to

by Sarah Geegan & Grace Liddle

 The College of Arts and Sciences is offering 13 courses that begin in the middle of the fall 2013 semester. For students who may have recently dropped a class or hope to pick up some extra credit hours, these courses provide flexibility after the regular registration period.

Course topics range from the science of what we eat, archaeology and history of ancient Mexico, an introductory course on the city of Lexington, and a study on the culture and economics of local and global food systems.

The "Global Food & Local Agriculture" course explores questions associated with why people eat what they do and what that implies about society. To answer these questions, the class

by Sarah Geegan

The College of Arts and Sciences will induct new members into its Hall of Fame Oct. 11, 2013, to join the ranks of the current 32 alumni and 8 emeritus faculty A&S Hall of Fame members.

The ceremony, taking place at 3:30 p.m. in the Singletary Center for the Arts, will follow an academic theme; the inductees will wear formal academic regalia and receive medallions with the UK A&S seal. All members of the campus community are welcome to attend.

>>View the photos from the event

"This is an exciting opportunity and an honor for us to celebrate the success of our

by Sarah Geegan 

UK Confucius Institute Director Huajing Maske describes the UK Faculty China Short-Term Teaching Program as "groundbreaking" for several reasons.

First of all, the numbers are groundbreaking. The program, which provides teaching stints by embedding American professors in the departments of partner universities in China, involved faculty members from several non-China institutions. In the program's inaugural year, UK's 29 faculty at Shanghai University represented nearly half of the overall faculty cohort.

"It was quite impressive to see how strong the UK numbers were among the faculty participating in the short-term teaching program," Maske said. "UK was by far

by Jenny Wells

Last week, the University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its newest class of Chellgren Fellows.  Benefactor Paul Chellgren and his wife Deborah, along with Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, UK Provost Christine Riordan, and UK President Eli Capilouto, recognized and congratulated the students on being named Fellows.

The Chellgren Fellows Program is for students with exceptional academic potential and aspirations, who are eager to participate in a special learning community designed to cultivate extraordinary achievement. Outstanding faculty members from across campus serve as individual mentors for the Fellows.

The

by Kathy Johnson

"The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" is the title of a book of poetry about the slain civil rights icon and now the title of a special one-hour radio production by WUKY 91.3 FM, the University of Kentucky's NPR station.

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Evers on June 12, 1963 in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, just hours after President John F. Kennedy's nationally broadcast speech in support of civil rights. The WUKY radio production examines the civil rights struggle of that time through a blend of poetry from "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" by Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker; music

by Sarah Geegan

As the University of Kentucky prepares its students to compete in a globalized world, it's crucial to provide students with what associate provost for international programs Susan Carvalho calls "China literacy."

As the world's leading exporter, with the world's second-largest economy, there is no question that China is a dominant player in the 21st century marketplace.

"We’re thinking about how to make sure we’re graduating students who are world-ready, and there is no question that 'China literacy,' if we could use that term, is needed by people who are going into the global workforce," Carvalho said. "And it’s hard to think of any sectors that aren’t impacted in some way by what China does."

Just as China's influence spans across various industries, the elements of global literacy span across multiple disciplines. Part of

By Kody Kiser, Amy Jones-Timoney

University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences history associate professor Gerald Smith loved his time on campus so much as an undergraduate and graduate student, he decided to return to his alma mater to share his passion for history.

Watch the video above to discover why Smith says teaching goes far beyond what he does in the classroom. 

During the next few weeks, UKNow is presenting an in-depth video feature about each recipient of the UK Alumni Association's 2013 Great Teacher Awards

By Sarah Geegan

"When we think about a skyscraper, cathedral, or monument, we seldom ask: what was there before? Who benefited from its construction? Who lost? What could have been?" UK History professor and Pulitzer Prize nominated author Tracy A. Campbell said.

His latest book, "The Gateway Arch: A Biography," explores the political and economic history of St. Louis and the origins of the city's most recognized structure, the Gateway Arch. The latest work in Yale University Press' "Icons of America Series," the book delves into the complex and troubling history of the monument.

"When we explore the historical evidence, we see that the

By Sarah Geegan

UK History professor Tracy A. Campbell's most recent work, The Gateway Arch: A Biography, is already drawing national attention.

Campbell will discuss his book on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition with Scott Simon this weekend.

The Bob Edwards Show on Sirius XM Radio, distributed to public radio stations by Public Radio International (PRI), will also feature a segment on Campbell's newest publication in early June.

The latest work in Yale University Press' "Icons of America Series," The Gateway Arch: A Biography delves into the complex and troubling history of the famous monument

By Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

Kentucky may be horse-racing and basketball country, but when it comes to your taste buds, the Bluegrass State is a foodie haven with a rich culinary tradition. From the famed mint juleps of the Kentucky Derby to slow-smoked mutton in the western part of the state, bourbon and barbecue have deep roots in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky may be America’s first frontier, but its flavors and food traditions have lured a new wave of travelers to the region.

Three new books from the University Press of Kentucky explore the traditions and dining experiences of the Commonwealth. The Kentucky Barbecue Book by Wes Berry, Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage by Michael R. Veach, and The Old Fashioned: An Essential Guide to the Original Whiskey

By Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

University Press of Kentucky author James C. Nicholson, an alumnus and part-time history instructor at the University of Kentucky, has been named as the recipient of the Southern Kentucky Book Fest’s Kentucky Literary Award for his book The Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event. First awarded in 2003, the Kentucky Literary Award is a celebration of Kentucky literature.

Eligible books for the Kentucky Literary Award include those written by Kentuckians or books with a substantial Kentucky theme. The award

By Breanna Shelton, Mack McCormick, Whitney Hale

The Bluegrass State has long been touted as the Thoroughbred capital of the world, but that was not always the case. The once English-dominated horse racing industry was taken by storm in the 1950s, when a Kentucky-bred longshot with a curious connection to a myriad of famed figures won England’s premier horse racing event. For centuries, American Thoroughbreds were mocked as vastly inferior to European runners, but that was changing. Horse racing would forever be impacted by Never Say Die, a horse that made history across the pond and opened the door to Kentucky becoming the international epicenter of Thoroughbred breeding and sales.

In Never Say Die: A Kentucky Colt, the Epsom Derby, and the Rise of the Modern Thoroughbred

By Kelley Bozeman, Jay Blanton, Kody Kiser, Amy Jones.

From early childhood on, Alan Lowe thought he would be a doctor.

A few days on the University of Kentucky campus – and a little time in Chemistry 101 -- in the 1980s quickly taught him otherwise.

“But that’s where I step back and think about ‘What do you really like?’ Step back and really look at yourself,” Lowe says. “What I really liked was politics and history, that type of thing. So, I ran for the History Department. They were very welcoming and I absolutely loved it there.”

After bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history, the Bourbon County native went to work for UK Libraries, where he worked for about 18 months before getting a call one day from organizers of the

By Jenny Wells. Video by Reveal Research Media.

The UK Office of Undergraduate Research, along with SPUR (the Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research), and the UK Student Government Association, will host the eighth annual Showcase for Undergraduate Scholars 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the ballrooms of the UK Student Center. 

Each year, the showcase brings together undergraduates from all disciplines, their faculty mentors, and members of the community to learn about the various types of research being done by undergraduate students at UK. This occasion provides these students the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their specific projects and the professional advancements the projects helped

By Whitney Hale

The University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections will highlight the projects of its first full cohort of Learning Lab interns with an undergraduate panel presentation, exhibition and reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the Margaret I. King Building. The events and exhibition are free and open to the public.

Currently in its inaugural year, the Special Collections Learning Lab (SCLL) is a center of primary research, experiential learning, and training. Targeting undergraduate students in the humanities, social sciences and arts, the SCLL promotes undergraduate research, scholarship and

By President Eli Capilouto

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to China with a delegation from the University of Kentucky to advance several partnerships growing between UK's colleges and departments and universities and industries in a country growing in economic importance.

One such partnership is between UK's Center for Applied Energy Research and the world's largest power company. During a meeting with industry representatives, we shared our exciting work in the development of clean coal technology and discussed partnerships, the exchange of students, and faculty collaboration as part of the US-China Clean Energy Research Center.

As we met, they described several multi-billion dollar research and development investments in their country’s energy sector. In comparison, the proposed

By Whitney Hale, Grace Liddle

The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre in collaboration with UK's Russian Studies Program and the Department of History will present Bulgakov's Dreams, a drama on the life of the Soviet writer. The performance will begin 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21, at Reynolds Building No. 1.

Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov was a Soviet writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. Bulgakov's Dreams is a

By Whitney Hale

In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 52nd of 150 weekly installments chronicles a set of rules and guidelines of proper behavior given to women at the institution in 1918.

The Woman’s Self Government Association of the University of Kentucky was founded in 1918 to enact and enforce regulations to promote the welfare and further the best living conditions of the women of UK. Article II of their constitution stated that "all women of the University of Kentucky, residing in the halls of residence, fraternity houses and boarding houses were members of the Association until they proved themselves incapable of self-government." The association addressed rules and guidelines for lights out; absences from halls of residences; callers; entertainment; walking and automobiling; picnicking, lunching, and

By Whitney Hale, Breanna Shelton

The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has chosen 12 outstanding undergraduates as new scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years. Gaines Fellowships are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities.

Gaines Fellowships are awarded for the tenure of a student's junior and senior years, or for the last two years of a five-year program; students in all disciplines and with any intended profession are given equal consideration.

UK's