Working together on Diversity & Inclusion
The Sunup Initiative is a coalition of community members working in partnership with local and state organizations to promote Diversity & Inclusion in Corbin and beyond.
Black In Appalachia Tells The Story of Corbin’s 1919 Expulsion
The Corbin Expulsion of 1919
Matt O'Neal, PHD Student at the University of Georgia tells the tale of how Corbin, Kentucky became a sundown town on October 30, 1919 with the forcible expulsion of the entire Black population. During the 100 years that followed, the city became synonymous with being an unwelcoming and hostile place for African Americans.
Produced by Black in Appalachia
Historical Marker
The Sunup Initiative supports the installation of an historical marker in downtown Corbin near the Depot commemorating and acknowledging the events of October 30th, 1919.
Sunup Initiative Statement
Approved July 9, 2020
The Sunup Initiative is a coalition of community members who are working in partnership with local and state organizations to promote Racial Justice in Corbin, Kentucky, and the surrounding area. We stand in solidarity and support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests that are occurring throughout the country bringing attention to police brutality and anti-Black racism in our policing and criminal justice systems.
We believe that Black Lives Matter. Since late 2018 our organization has advocated for Racial Justice. We stand against all forms of racism, especially structural racism; systemic racism that continues to plague our communities. We work to shed light on issues including white privilege, white supremacy, and police brutality against communities of color. Corbin is a former sundown town and the site of a race riot that expelled Black individuals and families from the town in October 1919 as similar acts of racial violence occurred throughout the United States. Today the Sunup Initiative works to advance antiracism in our community by:
Opening up spaces for constructive conversations about race in our community.
Promoting the voices and experiences of People of Color in the tri-county area.
Creating understanding, dialogue and action around the forced removal of Black inhabitants from Corbin in 1919.
Building and transforming relationships to advance diversity and inclusion in Corbin and beyond.
We invite the entire community to join us as we educate ourselves and work to dismantle racism in all its forms. As we work on improving ourselves and ending ingrained biases, we encourage citizens and leaders in the community to grow with us to end discrimination and violence against People of Color.
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