Collection: Louisville Human Relations Commission scrapbook

Consists of two books of newspaper clippings relating to race relations in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1960s. Many of the clippings relate specifically to the Louisville Human Relations Commission, but others describe or provide opinions on local and national events and situations. The primary focus is on Louisville, but there are articles on state-level legislation and other actions that affected civil rights. In addition to open housing and accomodations in restaurants, there are some clippings on the integration of Fontaine Ferry Park, a Louisville amusement park. Clippings were taken primarily from local papers, including the Courier-Journal, the Louisville Times, and the Louisville Defender. These materials were received from the Louisvlle Free Public Library; it is not clear whether they were collected by the Library as reference material, or if they were collected by the Human Relations Commission.

Dates

1962-1964

Extent

0.375 linear feet (1 flat)

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

The Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission was established in 1962 by the City of Louisville to protect its citizens from unlawful discrimination. The following year, the City first adopted an Ordinance prohibiting places of public accommodations from refusing service based on race. In 1966, Jefferson County Fiscal Court adopted Anti-Discrimination laws in the areas of public accommodations, employment, and housing. The City of Louisville and Jefferson County Fiscal Court entered into an agreement establishing the Human Relations Commission as a joint City/County Compact signed the Mayor and County Judge.

The Compact Agreement mandates that the Commission "shall endeavor to promote and secure mutual understanding and respect among all economic, religious, ethnic, and social groups in the metropolitan area of Louisville and Jefferson County, and shall act as conciliator in controversies involving inter-group and inter-racial relations. The Commission shall cooperate with Federal, State and other City and County agencies in efforts to develop harmonious inter-group and inter-racial relations, and shall endeavor to enlist the support of civic, religious, labor, and industrial and commercial groups dedicated to the improvement of human relations and the elimination of discriminatory practices."

In 1998, Jefferson County Commissioners passed an ordinance banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Louisville Board of Alderman passed an ordinance not only banning employment discrimination, but also public accommodation and housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A Police Ombudsman position was added to the Commission in 2000, providing an advocate for those in the community filing complaints against LMPD. By 2003, the City of Louisville and Jefferson County merged and adopted the ordinance pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity as Ordinance 193, Series 2004. [description from LMHRC website]