03/13/2009

Doris Wilkinson Honored by State Commission

University of Kentucky sociology professor Doris Wilkinson was recently honored as one of the state's most outstanding women by the Kentucky Commission on Women. Her portrait will join the paintings of other women who have been recognized for their lifetime achievements in the Kentucky Women Remembered exhibit at the state Capitol.

"Since the beginning of Kentucky’s history, women have been essential to the development of our society in areas such as medicine, science, politics and religion," said Gov. Steve Beshear. "I am truly honored to recognize three such outstanding women for their commitment, dedication and contribution to our commonwealth and declare March as Women’s History Month to honor all women for their devotion to the betterment of Kentucky."

"For years, many contributions women have made in the fabric of Kentucky history have gone unnoticed and unrecorded," said Eleanor Jordan, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Women. "This annual ceremony and recognition of women’s history month is our way of writing some of those women back into history and highlighting how significant their roles have been to the commonwealth."

In a ceremony at the state Capitol, the governor unveiled the three portraits of this year's honorees, Doris Wilkinson, Nelle Pitcock Horlander and Clara Sanford Oldham. Their portraits will hang alongside the 56 portraits already displayed in the west wing corridor of the state Capitol.

Doris Wilkinson is the first African-American student to graduate from UK in 1957. Wilkinson became the first full-time African-American female faculty member at UK in 1967. During her tenure at UK, Wilkinson became the founder and first director of Black Studies, renaming it the African American Studies and Research Program. She created the African-American Heritage Trail in Lexington and founded the Forum for Black Faculty, the Carter G. Woodson Lecture Series and the Black Women’s Conference. Wilkinson has authored numerous articles on race and gender and has created numerous educational exhibits, including "Warriors in the Shadows: Women of the Underground Railroad." Perhaps best known for her pioneering work on Critical Race Theory and the sociology of health and illness, Wilkinson has received many honors including the American Sociological Association’s Dubois-Johnson Frazier Award, a Ford Fellowship to Harvard and the UK Hall of Distinguished Alumni Award. The UK College of Arts and Sciences recently dedicated a conference room to the long-time faculty member and announced an endowed professorship to honor her career.

Gail Hairston -- UK Public Relations