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Chemistry, artistry, activism
Elmer Lucille Allen won the first-ever Black Excellence in Spirits award in 2023. | Photo via WHAS11
Born in 1931 in a segregated Russell neighborhood, Elmer Lucille Allen has had a decades-long career as both a scientist and artist. She graduated from Central High School with honors before pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry at Spalding University (then the all-women Nazareth College).
After over 10 years working in hospital labs in Indianapolis and Louisville, Allen was hired by Brown-Forman in 1966, becoming the company’s first Black chemist. She worked at Brown-Forman until her retirement 31 years later.
But Elmer Lucille Allen’s skills and passions aren’t limited to the scientific. She’s been practicing various forms of art since childhood, and earned an M.A. in Studio Arts in 2002. Allen helped found the Louisville Arts Council and the Kentucky Coalition of African American Arts.
Here are just a few of the awards Allen has received:
Governor’s Community Arts Award (1986)
Kentucky’s Community Arts Lifetime Local Achievement Award (2007)
The demolition of Mid City Mall is getting closer to approval after a meeting earlier this week. The developer is working with a community committee on finalizing the plans for the new Mid City Market. The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 21, at 10 a.m. (WHAS11)
Plan Ahead
Super Early Bird tickets for the 2026 Kentucky Craft Bash go on sale tomorrow, Friday March 20 starting at 6 a.m. This year’s Craft Bash will feature over 50 Kentucky breweries + be hosted at the Brown-Forman lawn at Waterfront Park.
Shop
The Art Sanctuary will host a moving sale this weekend, 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. In addition to local vendors, you can swap art supplies with other locals and support the sanctuary as it moves to a new location.
Biz
Baptist Health is developing a new 83,000-sqft healthcare laundry facility off Cane Run Road. It’ll be able to process 50 million pounds of laundry per year and employ 150 people. (Courier Journal)
Development
A new residential and commercial development is being planned for Watterson Trail in Douglass Hills. The plan includes three-story apartments and two-story townhouses for a total of 434 units, plus a retail center, dog park, clubhouse, and playground. (Courier Journal)
Arts
Next month, Joe Creason Park will be home to a self-guided poetry walk featuring nature-related poetry by Kentucky poet laureates in honor of National Poetry Month.
When dinner turns into a staring contest with your fridge, Forkful meals save the night. They’re fully prepared and ready in minutes — with zero seed oils and high-quality proteins. Use code CMD50 to take 50% off your first order.*
Tech
If your computer overheats with a few tabs open or sounds ready for liftoff, the problem might not be your device — it’s likely your antivirus. Many big-name brands are bulky + full of pop-ups. Webroot’s antivirus protection uses 33 times less space and scans up to six times faster. Get protected.*
The Buy
The best Easter eggs and decorations on sale ahead of the holiday. We recently shopped online party supply store Oriental Trading, and it’s got Easter covered — especially if you’re hosting an event on a budget. Check out our faves + use code BCFREESHIP for free shipping on any order:
Louisville is home to all kinds of wildlife, from deer to snakes to birds of all kinds. You might see them most often in our incredible parks, but that doesn’t mean wildlife doesn’t also make its home right in the heart of Louisville’s most urban areas. A local Reddit user spotted a pair of peregrine falcons nesting above Trellis Brewing.
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