Betty Dobson: A Heart for Preserving History
Louis Armstrong. Duke Ellington. Ike and Tina Turner. Ella Fitzgerald. Thurgood Marshall. Some of the most famous African American dignitaries and entertainers of the 20th century found comfort and hospitality in Paducah thanks to the Hotel Metropolitan. Listed in the Green Book — a publication that cataloged safe lodging and dining for African American motorists —this landmark 1908 hotel served as a sanctuary for African American travelers. Historian Betty Dobson has dedicated her life to the preservation of the Hotel, as well as educating guests on the stories of those who fought for equality. Today, Dobson regales visitors with these captivating and often harrowing stories as the hotel’s foundress through Miss Maggie’s Memories.
George Wilson: For the Love of Paducah
Playing in the NFL for 11 seasons has taken Paducah native George Wilson to some of the biggest and busiest cities in America. Working in the field on his grandfather’s farm taught him the value of hard work, while an entire city of supportive individuals taught him the importance of community and togetherness. After his playing days concluded, he chose to settle in the city that shaped him. Now, Wilson gives back to the Paducah community with the George Wilson S.A.F.E.T.Y. Foundation, impacting thousands of students by providing a safe environment for them to grow and play together. Wilson also provides unique experiences for guests at the same farm where he grew up, Phonograph Farms, featuring an outdoor venue and lodging — plus produce, honey and farm-fresh eggs — unlike any other destination in Western Kentucky.
Celebrating Freedom
In Paducah, August 8 is a date on which the community honors that most sacred American ideal: freedom. The annual Eighth of August Emancipation Celebration commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation and its guarantee of liberty to enslaved persons throughout the South. Though the reason for the date has been lost to history — whether it marks the date future U.S. President Andrew Johnson freed the enslaved population on his property, the date when enslaved people in Santo Domingo, Haiti, won their independence, or simply the date when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Kentucky and Tennessee — this annual jubilee draws visitors from across the Midwest and South to gather and enjoy live entertainment, special events and family reunions.
A Guided Exploration
Our helpful African American Heritage Itinerary, curated by historian Betty Dobson, guides you through some of the most important Black History sites around Paducah. See where the iconic 8th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery was formed in 1864. Take a breather at parks honoring African American city leaders. And relive the engaging and sometimes amusing accounts of those who fought tirelessly for equality as told by Miss Maggie Steed.