Tagged: J. Blaine Hudson

For most of the past two decades, African-American history and issues were the focus of a regular series of free Saturday classes in Louisville. The driving force of the Saturday Academy was J. Blaine Hudson, the longtime University of Louisville professor who died in January.

A memorial for J. Blaine Hudson — the longtime Louisville educator and activist who died Saturday — is being planned for Monday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

The event, open to the general public, will be at 3 p.m. Monday at the Brown & Williamson Club, on the third floor of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, 2800 S. Floyd St.  The memorial will also be streamed on the University of Louisville website.

J. Blaine Hudson studied Louisville's African American community and helped shaping it. He was born in Louisville and became involved in activism as a youth after he was denied entry into a movie theater because of his race.

When J. Blaine Hudson became dean of the University of Louisville’s College of Arts and Sciences eight years ago, it was significant. He was leading a school he had not only attended, but had years ago protested because of the lack of opportunities for African-American students.