A world-renowned leader in the collection and preservation of oral histories, the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History empowers countless students, researchers, and community groups to discover the remarkable individuals, moments, and stories that make up the Commonwealth of Kentucky. With your support, the Nunn Center can continue to pursue its mission of engaging communities, creating connections and life-changing learning experiences, increasing access to oral histories the world over, and collecting and preserving Kentucky’s story.
Gifts to the Oral History Endowment Fund support and strengthen the continued work of the Nunn Center and ensure the growth and preservation of its collections. Whether it’s developing access-expanding tools such as the the Oral History Metadata Synchronizer or collecting stories that celebrate the incredible diversity of the Commonwealth – from Civil Rights leaders and LGBTQ* Kentuckians to quilters, teachers, entrepreneurs, veterans, writers, coal miners, immigrants, and farmers – the Nunn Center is continually improving the quality and accessibility of its collections. Your gift ensures that this indispensable resource remains available to students and scholars around the world for generations to come.
Dr. Terry Birdwhistell, Kentucky’s keeper of stories, was himself a Kentucky treasure. Selfless, thoughtful, and generous, Dr. Birdwhistell dedicated over five decades of service to the University of Kentucky as Dean of Libraries and William T. Young Endowed Chair and the Founding Director of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History.
“Dr. Birdwhistell shared the experiences of others in ways that remind us that the power of connections can better unite us," said UK President Eli Capilouto. “He told the stories of our university and our state in ways that made us one people, despite our differences. We are better for it.”
The Dr. Terry L. Birdwhistell Endowment Fund was created to honor, recognize, and celebrate Dr. Birdwhistell’s life work, while building upon his legacy, to ensure the Nunn Center’s continued vibrancy into the future.
