Pioneering educator Doris Wilkinson, a professor in the University of Kentucky's department of sociology, is the next guest on Connections with Renee Shaw, airing Friday, Feb. 13 at 4/3 p.m. CT on KET2 and Sunday, Feb. 15 at 1:30/12:30 p.m. CT on KET1.
In 1967, Wilkinson became the first full-time African-American female faculty member hired by UK. Among many other accomplishments, Wilkinson was the first director of UK's African-American Studies and Research Program, founded the university's popular Black Women's Conference and created the African-American Heritage Trail in downtown Lexington.
Wilkinson talks about the historic election of President Obama and its importance in the U.S. and around the world. She discusses her admiration of Michele Obama and the ways in which she hopes the couple will act as role models and spawn new dialogues about race.
The professor also provides some of her own background, including her time as a student at Dunbar High School and then UK, where she founded a social club for African-American female students. Wilkinson also discusses some of her academic work, such as her extensive study of the history of African-American physicians in Lexington.
Connections with Renee Shaw is a KET production, produced by Shaw and Carolyn Gwinn. More information about Connections, including streaming video, is available at www.ket.org/connections.
