What Happened to Jonesville? exhibit on display at WKU

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-Jonesville was a vibrant African American community in Bowling Green from 1881 to the 1960s. 

“It’s amazing how many people were like I had no idea that this happened to this particular community here in Bowling Green,” said Kentucky Museum Executive Director Brent Bjorkman. 

An urban renewal redevelopment was proposed to expand WKU, which would dismantle the community. 

Exactly 59 years from the date that it was proposed on February 15, 1964, the Jonesville traveling exhibit is on display in Downing Student Union at WKU. 

“To me, Jonesville was very important,” said Wathetta Buford. 

Buford‘s grandmother lived there. 

“Going to visit her was like an experience on the weekend. It had restaurants, stores, fruit markets, just fun things,” said Buford. 

Despite protests and pushback, her grandmother, like others, was uprooted by urban renewal in the 1960s. 

“My wish is that I would’ve known about it and had helped my grandmother make some decisions because she wasn’t able to get a house, she had to go to the projects when she moved. A majority of them had to go to the housing projects because they just didn’t know,” said Buford. 

Staff hopes the exhibit keeps the stories of Jonesville alive for decades to come. 

“Just a way to honor the people that lived there and also to think about what’s the next step and how do we just keep reverence that had to go through all this,” said Bjorkman.