The Jackson Purchase Historical Society (JPHS) will meet on Saturday March 19 at 10:30 am at the Emerging Technology Center, West Kentucky Community and Technical College on Blandville Road (US 62). Our speaker will George G. Humphreys who will discuss his recent book The Fall of Kentucky’s Rock: Western Kentucky Democratic Politics since the New Deal.
The publisher describes the book as (an) “in-depth study offers a new examination of a region that is often overlooked in political histories of the Bluegrass State. George G. Humphreys traces the arc of politics and the economy in western Kentucky from avid support of the Democratic Party to its present-day Republican identity. He demonstrates that, despite its relative geographic isolation, the region west of the eastern boundary of Hancock, Ohio, Butler, Warren, and Simpson Counties to the Mississippi River played significant roles in state and national politics during the New Deal and postwar eras. Drawing on extensive archival research and oral history interviews, Humphreys explores the area’s political transformation from a solid Democratic voting bloc to a conservative stronghold by examining how developments such as advances in agriculture, the diversification of the economy, and the civil rights movement affected the region. Addressing notable deficiencies in the existing literature, this impressively researched study will leave readers with a deeper understanding of post-1945 Kentucky politics.”
Society president Bill Mulligan described the book, “George Humphreys’ The Fall of Kentucky’s Rock: Western Kentucky Democratic Politics since the New Deal as a major addition to our understanding of Kentucky history. Not only does he provide the first serious historical study of the politics of western Kentucky, but he also makes a compelling argument that the general neglect of the history of western Kentucky by those writing the history of the Commonwealth has skewed the understanding on the Bluegrass states’ history.” Mulligan adds, “I am really pleased George is able to speak at one of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society’s meetings. Politics has been and remains a huge part of life in the Jackson Purchase and he has done an amazing job of research and then synthesizing a vast amount of material. Plus, I first heard him speak at a meeting some years ago and he is a very fine speaker. Those who attend will have an enjoyable, educational experience.”
Dr. Humphreys will present his program via Zoom, which will be available by registering or by joining us at WKCTC. Zoom link will go lives Mar 19, 2022 10:00 AM Central Time.For Zoom please register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYoc-iqrjspHtzEiMkvb3tFxHAHhr2mXiK9. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Those attending should comply with current state and local public health guidelines for gatherings. The meeting room is large and will allow ample social distancing. Masks will be available for those who wish one. The Society continues to monitor the regional public health situation and may make appropriate adjustments.
George Humphreys is a MA history graduate of Murray State University and did his PhD in history at the University of Oklahoma. He has written extensively on west Kentucky political history, including articles in the Journal of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society. He was research director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives and later extended campus director for Madisonville Community College. He is the author of Taylorism in France, 1904-1920: The Impact of Scientific Management on Factory Relations and Society and co-author of Oklahoma Politics and Policies: Governing the Sooner State.
