A HISTORY FORGOTTEN

The horse racing industry is a big deal in Kentucky, known for its prestige and long-standing history. What it’s not known for would be the erasure of Black excellence within it. The Kentucky Derby Museum’s exhibition calls attention to this injustice. The horse racing industry was dominated by Black jockeys and horsemen at its start, yet when segregation was legally introduced with the addition of Jim Crow laws, white horsemen forced Black jockeys and trainers into roles of lower status and importance.

To this day, many people involved in the horse racing industry still don’t know about the dark side of their very own history. With text and images provided by the Kentucky Derby Museum, this 73 page publication was designed as a hypothetical accompaniment to this distinguished exhibit.