Interview with Karen Petrone, October 30, 2017

Interview Summary

Dr. Karen Petrone talks about growing up in a Roman Catholic family in New York and her education during the 1970s. She discusses how attending Harvard University influenced her interests and her major in Russian history and literature, and discusses her extracurricular activities during college. After completing her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, she moved to Lexington to accept a position as an assistant professor of history at the University of Kentucky. Petrone discusses meeting her husband, a Jewish man, and later converting to Judaism herself. She talks about their decision to raise their children in the Jewish faith. Petrone describes her involvement in the Lexington Jewish community as well as leadership positions she has taken on within the community and Temple Adath Israel. She talks about being a co-advisor for the University of Kentucky Hillel organization. She discusses feminism and gender discrimination in religion, academia, and the wider world. She discusses U.S. politics as well as the political situation surrounding Israel and Zionism.

Interview Keyword

Family histories. Genealogy Childhood College students--Attitudes. College students--Conduct of life. College students--Social conditions Sexism. Sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in universities and colleges. Sexual harassment of women. Women--Employment. Sex discrimination in employment. Zionism Israel Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination.

Interview LC Subject

Harvard University College students--Social conditions Education, Higher Education Teachers Teaching Lexington (Ky.) Jewish families. Religion Marriage Jewish children Judaism. Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington Jews--Identity. University of Kentucky Politics and government Families Universities and colleges College students--Attitudes College students--Conduct of life

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.