Interview with Reinette Jones, January 26, 2018

Interview Summary

Reinette Jones is a special collections librarian and African American Studies academic liaison at the University of Kentucky. Jones shares her experiences leading up to her enrollment in the University of Kentucky's library science program, focusing particularly on her identity as a black lesbian, especially her personal experience navigating coming out and seeking supportive spaces. Jones elaborates at length on the complexities of intracommunity divisions within the LGBTQ community and historical segregation within the LGBTQ community. Jones also discusses her historical research, her library science degrees, and the contributions that African Americans living in Kentucky have made to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and, more broadly, the country as a whole. Jones details her involvement with Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (NKAA), Bluegrass Black Pride Incorporated, and other scholarly and activist accomplishments.

Interview Keyword

Pride Community outreach Kentucky pride Being out Notable Kentucky African Americans Database Racism in the LGBTQ community

Interview LC Subject

Race relations--Kentucky Library science African Americans--History African American women in higher education African American single mothers African American lesbians--Identity Lesbians

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.