Interview with Michael Adelstein, July 1, 1987

Interview Summary

Michael Adelstein was an English professor at the University of Kentucky and was involved with the first minority student recruitment program on campus. Starting in 1971, Adelstein ran summer programs for two years to both encourage minority students to attend college and recruit more minority students to UK. African Americans were particularly targeted through this program. He discusses sending letters to faculty members throughout the university to gain support for the minority program.

These summer programs allowed high school students to attend summer classes on the UK campus. The classes were taught by faculty members and later graduate students from the English, foreign languages, and math departments. Among successful attendees was George White, who later received his PhD from the University of Kentucky.

Adelstein explains that the program was an attempt to break down barriers that prevented African American students from attending UK. One of these barriers was UK's sullied reputation within the black community. Adelstein states that Dr. Otis Singletary, former president of the University of Kentucky, was an important part of changing this image of the university by appointing minorities and becoming involved in African American issues.

Interview LC Subject

Adelstein, Michael Adelstein, Michael--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History

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