Friends, family members and others who knew the late Hopkinsville native Gloria Jean Watkins—known to the world as bell hooks—gathered in downtown Hopkinsville Saturday morning to formally dedicate a mural painted to forever commemorate her contributions to this city and to humanity.
One of Hopkinsville’s most accomplished natives, hooks was an author and feminist who tackled the issues of her time in her many writings. She died in December of last year at the age of 69 and her hometown continues to find ways to honor her legacy.
Her sister, Gwenda Motley, was instrumental in getting the 10 by 10 mural painted on the side of the Christian County Historical Society and says hooks’ legacy will live on forever through her words.
Museums of Historic Hopkinsville Executive Director Alissa Keller says they will remember bell hooks with an event near her birthday each September, beginning this year.
Hopkinsville Community College will also honor hooks in their Roundtable Literary Park on their main campus, according to HCC Foundation Executive Director Yvette Eastham.
In addition to all of this, the museum continues to have a Gloria Jean Watkins-bell hooks exhibit that you can view at any time during their regular business hours.
Christian County High School art teacher Paula Gieseke and some of her students made the mural come to life and she hopes it honors hooks’ legacy and shows the potential current young natives of Hopkinsville have to leave their own mark on the world.
Watch entire ceremony below:
https://www.facebook.com/VisitHopkinsville/videos/1127916848102105