Interview with Katherine Burdette, May 18, 1988

Interview Summary

Katherine Burdette talks about her time as a houseparent living at the Colored Orphan Industrial Home in Lexington, Kentucky (which later became the Robert H. Williams Children's Home and Cultural Center). She recalls that they sometimes took in white children as well as black children, and talks about her overall philosophy of how children should be treated with love. She talks about some of the day-to-day operations of the home, including the gardening and canning that the children participated in, the grocery shopping that she did, and the fire drills that they practiced. She also talks about special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas at the home and touches on broader themes such as the home's relationship with the surrounding community.

Interview Keyword

Colored Orphan Industrial Home, Lexington (Ky.) Houseparents Robert H. Williams Children's Home and Cultural Center Robert H. Williams Cultural Center

Interview LC Subject

African American children Children--Institutional care Children--Kentucky Lexington (Ky.) Orphanages Orphans

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

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