February 8th, 2024 - George Wright (UK's 75th Anniversary of Integration)

Behind the Blue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 8, 2024) – This year marks the 75th anniversary of Lyman T. Johnson’s historic legal triumph against the University of Kentucky, a milestone that marked him as the first African American student to integrate the university. Johnson, a lifelong champion of education and its transformative potential, was an advocate for equality in both education and broader society, drawing inspiration from his experiences as both a student and a teacher.

Johnson's lawsuit against the University of Kentucky proved successful, leading to his enrollment as a graduate student in the summer of 1949. While he did not complete his degree at UK, the enduring legacy he leaves behind echoes the principles he instilled in his students — the ongoing pursuit of equality and justice, and an emphasis on the role of education and independent thinking to help people navigate the path toward progress.

UK alumnus and Lexington native George Wright is one of many who have benefitted from Johnson’s efforts. Wright, a noted African American scholar and former president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, attended UK in 1968 through a special program offered after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the university.

Wright received a PhD from Duke University, returned to UK as an assistant professor, and then moved on to the University of Texas at Austin and eventually Prairie View. In 2019-20 he returned as a visiting professor in recognition of the 70th anniversary of integration at the university. At the end of that year, he remained at UK and took on the role of senior advisor to President Eli Capilouto.

On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Wright talks about the personal and community significance of Black History Month, the impact Lyman T. Johnson’s victory had on his own UK experience and, as well as the impact on the cultural life of the university itself.

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