African American Social & Religious Accounts in Newspapers

Compiled for the African Americans in Boone County Project sponsored by Preservation Kentucky.

Covington Journal, Microfilm, Kenton County Public Library, Covington, Kentucky.

• The colored people of Boone County had a barbeque at Walton, Thursday, which was largely attended. Colonel W. S. Rankin of this city and others made speeches.

Compiler's Note This is a great indication of the interest African Americans took in politics once they received the vote, usually.

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• The negroes of this town [Burlington] have a school in progress under the auspices of a colored divine from Covington.

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• St. George’s Chapel in Burlington given over to African Americans. 'Of late this structure has, to a great extent, lost its former standing for respectability, at least in appearance, and has retrograded to a receptacle for negro preachers and their noisy and disorderly hearers, composed of buck negroes and negresses.' Article details a noisy night in Burlington – party at black church. 3 white men offended by noise & rush to church. Hard to tell what is truth/fiction but paper does mention black man threatening white, white men beating black men with “house log’ 7 fire shovel. In the end, the constable showed up – 'Marse White' and he is enough to 'scare' the blacks into submission. No whites injured, 1 black man shot & 5 blacks to appear before court.

Compiler's Note What these two articles do show is the importance of education and religion to blacks after the Civil War – even though they had very little wealth they did support those two things. They were also more willing than before to threaten whites or at least stand up for themselves now that they were free.

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• African Americans had a picnic at Underwood Grove & a 'hop' afterwards.

The Daily Commonwealth, Kenton County Public Library, Covington, Kentucky.

• Anna Sleet & Lucy Arnold buried at New Bethel, also Fanny Stephenson.

Compiler's Note Are some blacks choosing to be buried in Kenton County rather than in Boone County? Are they not being allowed to be buried in certain Boone County graveyards?

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• The colored population is now on the eve of the month they most dread. The March winds are said to cut their wool like sheep shears.

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• Blacks in Belleview organized a church & baptized 15 persons

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• Luther Kirtley, working at Graham’s Sawmill, badly hurt by a log 'rolling against him'

Compiler's Note Indicates some of the jobs blacks worked at to earn money, this was probably one of the better ones, but the accident may have made it difficult for him to work there anymore.

Note: According to the 1870 Census, a Luther Kirtley, born about 1842, is living with his wife Ellen and son Samuel in Carlton (Rabbit Hash), Boone County, Kentucky. In 1900 Burlington, Luther Kirtley is listed as a widowed day laborer living with his son, Luther, born in 1880. Samuel Kirtley's 1937 Kentucky Death Certificate lists Ellen Cane as his mother. He died from severe burns caused by an accident in his home. Stant Kirtley was the informant listed on the death certificate.

Boone County Recorder, Microfilm, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, Kentucky.

• Colored folks of Florence gave “daylight and moonlight pic-nic” to benefit their school.

Compiler's NoteThis is a great illustration of blacks taking matters into their own hands as far as the funding of their schools went.

Kentucky Post, Microfilm, Kenton County Public Library, Covington, Kentucky.

• John Bell, African American & Civil War veteran, died, Boone County.

Note: In the 1870 Census, a John Bell, born about 1843, was living with a Harriett Bell, aged 70, in Taylorsport, Boone County, Kentucky.

• More information regarding African-Americans in Boone County
• Boone County History