To kick-off Women’s History Month, members of the community crowded inside of the Pennyroyal Area Museum to celebrate the renaming of a portion of 8th Street to “bell hooks way” and the opening of the bell hooks Legacy Room at the Museum on Friday.
bell hooks is the pen name of Gloria Jean Watkins, an author and activist who explored race, feminism, intersectionality and much more. Watkins was born and raised in Hopkinsville before she would go one to travel the country sharing her writing and social theories.
Over the course of her career, Watkins published over 40 books, children’s stories, cultural critiques and much more.
Watkins passed away on December 15, 2021 at the age of 69. To honor Watkins’ legacy, one of her sisters, Gwenda Motley and member of the bell hooks Legacy Group petitioned for a portion of 8th Street from South Virginia to Clay Streets to be named “bell hooks way.”
Motley says the location is important, because the street passes the Hopkinsville Carnegie Library, the library that she and her sisters would visit. Motley says the library played a role in Watkins becoming bell hooks.
Motley talked about the process she went through to have the street named after her sister. Motley worked with Community and Development Services, the Hopkinsville City Council and Hopkinsville Public Works and says it felt as though the Hopkinsville village was coming together to honor Watkins.
Along with members of the community, Heather Dearing the Deputy Chief of Staff for Lieutenant Gov. Jacqueline Coleman shared an acclamation from the Governor’s Office remembering Watkins’ impact.
Jada Poindexter from the Hopkinsville Christian County Human Rights Commission read a poem she wrote called “Belonging as a Black Woman’” which drew from themes of Watkins’ work surrounding Black womanhood.
Poindexter focused on the obstacles Black women face and existing in spaces where they are not always welcomed.
Following Poindexter’s poem members of the bell hooks Legacy Group unveiled one of the three signs set to stand along bell hooks way.
In closing, Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight thanked everyone who helped make bell hooks way happen.
After the sign unveiling celebration, attendees were invited into the new bell hooks Legacy Room which is home to pictures and paintings of Watkins as well as some of the books that played a role in her life.
